NOMAAN MERCHANT

U.S. politics editor

Merchant covers intelligence and national security in the AP’s Washington bureau. He moved to Washington after nearly a decade in Texas, where he covered immigration and criminal justice and was part of a Pulitzer Prize-finalist team that reported on the U.S. government’s border policies. He also worked in AP’s Beijing office.

‘The West Wing’ cast visits the White House for a 25th anniversary party

First lady Jill Biden invited cast members from “The West Wing” to the White House to mark the 25th anniversary of the hit drama.

Judge warns of restraints to what evidence Trump can talk about, agrees to limited protective order

The federal judge overseeing the election conspiracy case against Donald Trump is warning that there are limits on what the former president can publicly say about evidence in the investigation as he campaigns for a second term in the White House.

Trump pleads not guilty to federal charges that he tried to overturn the 2020 election

Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to trying to overturn the results of his 2020 election loss, answering for the first time to federal charges that accuse him of orchestrating a brazen and ultimately failed attempt to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power.

The FBI should face new limits on its use of US foreign spy data, a key intelligence board says

A White House advisory board is calling for major changes in how the FBI uses a controversial foreign surveillance tool.

The UFO congressional hearing was ‘insulting’ to US employees, a top Pentagon official says

A top Pentagon official has attacked this week’s widely watched congressional hearing on UFOs. In a letter posted online, Dr.

US announces $345 million military aid package for Taiwan

The U.S. has announced a new $345 million military aid package for Taiwan. It’s the Biden administration’s first major package drawing on America’s own stockpiles to help Taiwan counter China.

Whistleblower tells Congress the US is concealing ‘multi-decade’ program that captures UFOs

A former Air Force intelligence officer has testified that the U.S. is concealing a longstanding program that retrieves and reverse engineers unidentified flying objects.

Biden names CIA Director William Burns to his Cabinet

President Joe Biden has elevated CIA Director William Burns to his Cabinet. It’s a symbolic move that underscores the intelligence chief’s influence and his work in U.S. support for Ukraine.

FBI wrongly searched for US senator and state senator in Section 702 spy data, court says

A newly released court opinion says FBI employees wrongly searched foreign surveillance data for the last names of a U.S. senator and a state senator.

Rudy Giuliani should be disbarred for pursuing Trump’s false election claims, a review panel says

A review panel says former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani should be disbarred in Washington for how he handled litigation challenging the 2020 election on behalf of then-President Donald Trump.

The US will provide cluster munitions to Ukraine as part of a new military aid package: AP sources

The Biden administration has decided to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine and is expected to announce on Friday that the Pentagon will send thousands as part of a new military aid package worth up to $800 million for the war effort against Russia.

He was the CIA whiz kid in ‘Charlie Wilson’s War.’ His new book offers advice for the US in Ukraine

One of the architects of the covert US strategy against the Soviets in Afghanistan has published a new memoir.

State Department failed to plan or respond fast enough in Afghanistan collapse, new US report finds

A State Department report says the department failed to do enough contingency planning before the collapse of the U.S.-backed government in Afghanistan.

Russian general is believed to be detained in aftermath of Wagner mutiny, AP sources say

Gen. Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of the Russian group of forces fighting in Ukraine, has been detained days after mercenaries staged a revolt inside Russia.

US intelligence report on COVID-19 origins rejects some points raised by lab leak theory proponents

A new U.S. intelligence report rejects several points raised by those who argue COVID-19 leaked from a Chinese lab.

Trump-Russia special counsel Durham at center of political clash as he appears before Congress

The special counsel who investigated the FBI’s probe of ties between Russia and Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign found himself at the center of a heated political fight as he appeared before a congressional committee.

Surveillance has caught hackers and fentanyl smugglers, White House says in promoting spying law

The Biden administration is releasing what it says are newly declassified examples of how U.S. surveillance programs are used.

Democrats and Republicans are skeptical of US spying practices, an AP-NORC poll finds

The American public is broadly skeptical of common intelligence practices and of the need to sacrifice civil liberties for security.

CIA Director William Burns met Chinese leaders in Beijing as Washington tries to thaw tensions

A U.S. official says CIA Director William Burns went to Beijing in May to meet with Chinese counterparts.

Drag shows on US military bases canceled by Pentagon after Republican criticism

President Joe Biden’s administration has stopped U.S. military bases from hosting drag shows after criticism from some Republicans.

Utah Republican Chris Stewart planning to resign from Congress, AP source says

U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart is expected to announce Wednesday that he’s leaving Congress due to his wife’s illness.

Biden picks new National Security Agency head, key to support of Ukraine, defense of US elections

President Joe Biden has chosen a new leader for the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, a joint position that oversees much of America’s cyber warfare and defense.

At least 80 calls to National Archives since 2010 about mishandling classified information

The National Archives has been called more than 80 times in the past decade-plus about classified materials found in the papers of former members of Congress and other U.S. officials.

Durham report takeaways: A ‘seriously flawed’ Russia investigation and its lasting impact on the FBI

A 306-page report by Justice Department special counsel John Durham is refocusing negative attention on one of the most politically significant investigations in FBI history: the probe into whether Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign was colluding with Russia to tip the outcome of the election

‘He wanted to live the American Dream': Honduran teen dies in US immigration custody

The mother of a 17-year-old boy who died this week in U.S. immigration custody is demanding answers from American officials, saying her son had no known illnesses and had not shown any signs of being sick before his death.

Senators push overhaul of classification rules after Trump, Biden cases

A bipartisan group of senators has introduced legislation that would require the National Archives to screen documents leaving the White House for classified material.

Prosecutor: Suspected Texas gunman tried to escape to Mexico

Authorities say a man suspected of killing five of his neighbors in Texas hid out in a house just 20 miles away from the slayings while he and his domestic partner plotted his escape to Mexico.

Congress’ anger at FBI shapes surveillance program’s future

Growing anger at the FBI from both parties in Congress has become a major hurdle for U.S. intelligence agencies fighting to keep vast powers to collect foreign communications.

Leak suspect yearned to join military but then regretted it

The Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of leaking highly classified documents that have caused an international uproar had set his sights on joining the military from an early age.

Leak suspect appears in court as US spells out its case

A Massachusetts Air National Guardsman has appeared in court, accused in the leak of highly classified military documents.

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