The Lead with Jake Tapper

Prominent names, including Sen. Linsdey Graham (R-S.C.), emerge in a special grand jury report revealing folks who narrowly escaped indictment in Fulton County, Georgia. The report now made public sheds even more light into the alleged conspiracy to steal those 16 electoral votes and who was involved. Plus, a Philadelphia police officer was charged with murder after shocking body cam video release...

Former Trump White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has been found guilty on two counts of contempt of Congress. Plus, That ‘70s Show actor Danny Masterson has been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for multiple counts of rape. Also, President Biden is heading to the G20 amid negative poll numbers and a looming possible indictment for his son Hunter.  To learn more about how CNN protects li...

The US Senate will move forward on three spending bills next week, including a short term spending bill to avoid a government shutdown. Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) joins to discuss if bipartisan efforts have been made to find consensus on spending. Also, Donald Trump said he would absolutely testify in his own defense in the Fulton County, Georgia case. Plus, a look at the charges of conspiracy to ove...

The former chairman of the of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy and leading a failed plot to prevent the transfer of power from Trump to Biden. Plus, the secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force join to demand Sen. Tuberville (R-Ala.) to end his military hold because of his objection to the Pentagon’s abortion travel care policy.  To l...

Recently Hollywood writers and actors, now autoworkers could be next to walk off the job and into the picket line demanding more than just higher pay. Their union leader joins to answer if the strike will happen and what’s next for negotiations. Plus, a shift in the 2024 race as America comes off summer vacation and the candidates zero in on the first contest on the calendar. Also, China proposes...

The rioter who smashed in that Capitol window and another who helped organize the violent attack have been handed lengthy prison sentences. Plus, a demand for answers from grieving parents. 13 US service members were killed in the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Gold star families this week asked their leaders pointed questions. Also, reports suggest the Women’s Tennis Association is considering h...

A hefty prison sentence today for a rioter in the January 6th attack as Donald Trump himself continues to stay out of jail. This as a federal judge determined that Rudy Giuliani has lost a defamation lawsuit from two Georgia election workers against him. Plus, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas finally discloses his fancy trips and jet rides paid for by a Republican megadonor. Also, Jake goes o...

We just got a new update that Idalia is no longer a hurricane and is now a tropical storm after lashing Florida as a devastating Category 3 hurricane. The area of Florida’s Big Bend seems to have taken the biggest hit where some areas experiencing so much water in the streets that only the roofs of homes were visible. Plus, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had another episode today where he...

In what could be a once in a lifetime weather event for parts of Florida, Hurricane Idalia is rapidly intensifying as it makes its way through a warmer than normal Gulf of Mexico. A majority of Florida’s counties are under a state of emergency. Plus, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre joins to discuss federal support for the storm once it makes landfall. She also addresses the Biden ad...

A tropical storm is expected to hit Florida’s Gulf Coast ahead of an expected Category 3 landfall starting Tuesday into Wednesday. Also, according to school officials, a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faculty member was killed in a campus shooting. The school says the suspect is now in custody. Plus, the judge in Washington, DC presiding over Trump’s criminal case surrounding his effo...

Donald Trump is now selling pictures of his mugshot on t-shirts, mugs, and other campaign gear. All eighteen of his co-defendants are now formally booked at the Fulton County jail. On Monday, Mark Meadows will make his case for a move out of Fulton County and into federal court. We examine why that move may impact all co-defendants in the Georgia indictment. Plus, Russian investigators now say the...

Trump is making his way to Georgia to surrender at the Fulton County jail. Trump has agreed to a $200,000 bond which also orders him from using social media to target co-defendants or witnesses. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is asking for the trial of Trump and the other 18 co-defendants to begin on October 23rd. We bring you live coverage and updates on Trump’s arrest. To learn more...

Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin, who attempted a mutiny against Putin two months ago, has possibly died. Russian state media says he was on the passenger list of a plane that crashed earlier today and that all passengers were killed. CNN does not yet have confirmation that Prigozhin was on that plane. Also, out of Georgia, Rudy Giuliani was just released after being arrested in Fulton County for...

A flurry of activity in Georgia today including a brand new legal filing just moments ago from former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows asking for an emergency court order to avoid arrest. This as several of Trump’s codefendants surrendered today. Plus, eight candidates are set to face off in the first GOP presidential primary debate tomorrow and our own panel of guests join to discuss what...

President Trump’s bond in Georgia has been set at $200,000 as the former president and 18 co-defendants are expected to turn themselves into the Fulton County jail by the end of the week. Plus, tropical storm Hilary is drenching California with a year’s worth of rain in a single day and 25 million people from Southern California to Idaho are now under flood watches. Also, a California store owner...

President Biden met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at Camp David amid concerns of Beijing and provocative behavior from North Korea. Plus, over 1,000 people are still missing after devastating wildfires leave over 100 dead in Hawaii. Also, according to sources, more negotiations over Trump’s surrender in Fulton County are to take place in person...

A federal judge has been threatened and specific contact information for Georgia grand jurors were plastered throughout right-wing websites. We examine how Donald Trump’s legal troubles are leading to further security issues and fears of violence. Also, a look at the heartbreaking accounts from Hawaii as wildfire victims are starting to find the remains of their family members. Plus, an Idaho Teac...

A proposed criminal trial date for Donald Trump in Atlanta right as the 2024 primary season kicks into high gear as CNN learns about his possible plan to turn himself in in the coming days. Plus, growing questions and outrage in Hawaii now that we learned the Maui system was tested, but not used before the wildfire which torched the historic town of Lahaina. Also, an unexpected twist for a small-t...

Donald Trump now faces a cumulative 91 criminal charges after being indicted in Fulton County, Georgia in his fourth criminal indictment since leaving office. He’s one of 19 people charged in Georgia for their attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in that state. Plus, one week after the evacuations in Hawaii, new questions emerge about the warning systems. Did the wildfires make them inop...

The grand jury in the Georgia election interference case is bused in as prosecutors lay out their evidence that Donald Trump tried to steal the state’s electoral votes. Witness testimony has been moved up from tomorrow to today as Trump attacks a key witness and prosecutors are in possession of evidence of texts messages which allegedly directly link the former president’s legal team to a voting s...

First: Attorney General Merrick Garland makes a surprise announcement, elevating the US Attorney heading the Hunter Biden probe to special counsel status. What will this mean for the president's son? And what will this mean for the president?  Plus: Donald Trump might be told to zip it. The judge in the 2020 election fraud case signals that she is going to be willing to restrict sensitive evidence...

New footage showing powerful flames ripping through communities in Hawaii after a wildfire strikes Maui along with Hawaii’s Big Island. The death toll rises to 36 as crews anticipate that number growing even higher. Plus, President Biden makes a deal with Iran that would include making $6 billion in Iranian funds more accessible to Tehran in exchange for five Americans’ return to the US. Also, Ecu...

Violent and explosive wildfires fueled by strong winds from a hurricane hit parts of Hawaii. It is a situation so sudden and catastrophic that local officials say a dozen people ran into the ocean to try to escape the flames. Plus, more than a dozen people could soon be indicted as early as next week in the Georgia 2020 election interference probe. Also, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joins to di...

Voters are heading to the polls in Ohio for a special election that could determine abortion rights in the state. Also, Donald Trump is defiant and back on the campaign trail this afternoon, pushing back on prosecutors who want to restrict what he can say publicly about the federal indictment. Plus, a look at the results of a brawl in Alabama after a Black employee was rushed by a group of White m...

Lawyers for Donald Trump approach a 5:00 PM EST deadline as prosecutors push to limit what the former president can say about the federal case against him. Plus, after years of dodging the question, Gov. Ron DeSantis bluntly said “of course [Trump] lost" the 2020 election as the former president’s rival tries to reset his campaign. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.c...