The Lead with Jake Tapper

Campus protests are hitting a whole new level at Columbia University with violence and vandalism and anti-war demonstrators barricading themselves in a university building. The university is warning people to stay away from campus. Plus, the major move coming from the Biden administration aiming to reclassify marijuana after criminalizing for nearly 90 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Columbia University, the epicenter of the weeklong pro-Palestinian protests, said it has begun suspending students who refused to abide by a deadline to vacate the campus encampment. Another Ivy League school, Cornell University, said it was suspending student protesters who declined to move to an alternate location. The college protests are raising legal questions around free speech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new witness in Donald Trump’s hush money cover up trial, the prosecution just called its third witness, Gary Farrow, a banker who worked with Michael Cohen at the time the payments were made to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and porn actress and director Stormy Daniels, both of whom alleged romantic entanglements with Donald Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the New York hush money trial, Donald Trump’s defense team is now cross-examining the prosecution’s first witness, former tabloid executive David Pecker. This is Pecker’s third day on the stand and today for the very first time he described the deal he helped broker with adult film star Stormy Daniels. A deal that is at the center of the case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Protests are underway across United States colleges and universities after weeks of tension over the Israel-Hamas war. Our reporters report live from campuses where protests continue. House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks at Columbia University amid the protests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former tabloid publisher David Pecker is under oath and on the record revealing just how far Donald Trump went allegedly to protect his 2016 presidential campaign. But, when it comes to whether Trump committed a felony in the process, how damaging was today’s testimony? Plus, what Pecker said went down in the room in the infamous meeting in August of 2015 that could hurt Donald Trump’s case nearly nine years later. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The prosecution and defense sparred in opening statements during Donald Trump's hush money scheme. Did Trump violate a gag order? Crisis on college campuses; are Jewish students safe at School? Calls increase for Columbia University's President to resign over handling of antisemitism. Plus, the Supreme Court is set to decide if cities can punish people who are homeless, and a U.S. animation studio's work has been found on a North Korean server. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A horrific scene outside of Trump’s New York City courthouse after a man lit himself on fire while inside the courthouse there was a major development in the hush money trial. How long can the prosecution hold out and keep its witness list outside of the hands of Donald Trump and his defense team? Also, in an extraordinary move, some 165 House Democrats came to the aid of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, drawing the ire of hard-line Republicans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The shocking actions that leads to two jurors in the Trump hush money case suddenly being dismissed in an unusual occurrence. Plus, name calling and fresh threats for House Speaker Mike Johnson by hard-right Republicans demanding he keep his hands off the rule which, as of now, allows just one member of Congress to force a vote to remove him as speaker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

House Speaker Mike Johnson finds a way to allow votes on aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan but it’s his path forward that has his party in an uproar. Speaker Johnson joins to answer if he needs helps from Democrats. Plus, a brand new filing from the hush money case includes a line of questioning the prosecution may take if Trump takes the stand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A deep divide in the U.S. Supreme Court is on display today as justices challenge whether prosecutors have been overzealous using obstruction charges against rioters. Plus, a valedictorian’s speech is canceled, the criticism about the muslim student that lead to objections on the campus of the University of Southern California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Day one of the New York hush money cover up case against Donald Trump wraps. A playboy model will be allowed to testify and the infamous Access Hollywood tape will not be allowed to be aired in court. Plus, a critical meeting at the Capitol as House Speaker Johnson is weighing his next move in the wake of the weekend attack from Iran. Will Speaker Johnson isolate support for Israel for an aid package without attaching new aid for Ukraine? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The US has been on high alert for a significant Iranian retaliatory attack on Israel in recent days as fears grow of a wider regional war. Plus, the House passed a modified surveillance bill, just two days after an earlier version failed to advance in a public rebuke to GOP leadership. The bill, which reauthorizes the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, also needs to pass the Senate ahead of an April 19 deadline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

O.J. Simpson, Heisman Trophy winner most known for the double murders of his ex-wife and Ron Goldman, the crimes of which he was infamously acquitted, has died of cancer at the age of 76. Plus, comedian Conan O’Brien joins in studio to discuss his latest project. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In classic Donald Trump fashion, the former president is giving his supporters whiplash after blasting both Arizona and Florida for their abortion bans just two days after saying abortion should be left up the states. Plus, another Hail Mary appeal hearing from Donald Trump as his legal team tries to stop the Stormy Daniels case from beginning. Also, from tornado warnings to flash flood emergencies, the United States is on severe weather alert as dangerous storms move in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled the state must comply with a 160-year-old law barring all abortions, the only exception being to save a pregnant woman’s life. There are no exceptions for incest or rape. Plus, Donald Trump is rejected again in yet another attempt to delay the New York hush money trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump weighed in on abortion saying he believes states should decide abortion legislation. The former president did not indicate the number of weeks during a pregnancy at which he thought it would be appropriate to ban abortion but reiterated his support for certain exceptions. Plus, the State Department said 304 aid trucks entered Gaza yesterday, the highest number since the war began. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The strongest earthquake to rock New Jersey in more than 240 years. There are reports of structural damage. Plus, two Israeli military officers were fired in connection for the airstrike which killed seven aid workers in Gaza. Will Israel do more in the wake of criticism of the deadly strike? Also, Bob Costas joins to discuss March Madness college basketball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden warned Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States could change its policies toward Israel if they do not stop the killing of innocent civilians. Sen. Bernie Sanders joins to discuss. Also, Donald Trump was rejected by two judges in separate criminal cases today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the strongest rebuke yet, special counsel Jack Smith goes in blasting how judge Aileen Cannon is handling the classified documents case in Florida. We lay out what has the prosecutors so upset. Also, Chef Jose Andres speaks out and accuses the Israeli military of systematically targeting his aid workers and killing them in Gaza. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices