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07/21/2026 11:59 AM -- Former President Joe Biden's office tells TMZ ... President Biden's conversations for a book a decade ago that discussed his late son are private, and were provided to the Department of Justice on the express condition they stay that way. Reversing course and making them public is just the latest example of this Administration weaponizing the DOJ for political retribution. It’s wrong, and while President Biden disagrees with today’s decision, he also respects the courts and the vital role an independent judiciary plays in a healthy democracy.

Rough news for Joe Biden to wake up to -- his appeal to block the Department of Justice from releasing audio from a 2017 interview with his memoir ghostwriter has just been rejected.

The 2-1 ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit came late Monday, with the court reasoning there is a "substantial" public interest in disclosing the material, AP News reports.

The former president wanted to keep the recordings under wraps, with his legal team arguing it was an invasion of privacy. The DOJ previously said the recordings were exempt from disclosure under public records law.

A woman who says she survived Jeffrey Epstein's abuse as a minor is speaking publicly for the first time ... claiming she became so desperate to stop him, she tried to contract an STD because she believed it would kill him.

Roza Gilles shared her shocking story with CNN ... saying she was hired by Epstein as a secretary when she was having a hard time getting her modeling career off the ground. One of the tasks she was asked to do? Massage his feet.

At that time, Epstein was in a 12-hour-a-day work-release program after pleading guilty to solicitation of prostitution charges ... which Roza had no idea about until she noticed his ankle monitor, she tells CNN. She said during the massage, she was asked to take her top off ... and that's when Epstein began to grope her and masturbate.

It looks like In-N-Out added a late-night beat-down to their secret menu, as viral videos show an employee and a customer going at it.

The burger joint brawl broke out at one of the chain's Sacramento locations early Saturday morning, after a customer was allegedly disrespectful to an employee.

Peep the clip ... both people are swinging, but the employee is the clear frontrunner in this fight. Her coworkers had to pull her off the patron in order to break it up.

Brian Trascher helped search for Nolan Wells by air before the 18-year-old's body was found along Horn Island's shoreline ... and he believes dangerous water conditions may explain how Nolan ended up surprisingly close to where he was last seen alive.

The United Cajun Navy vice president tells "TMZ In The Know" ... weather conditions forced his team to switch tactics as the search stretched into its second day -- ultimately taking to the sky to cover more ground.

Brian says he and the pilot had been searching for about two hours on July 6 when they noticed several law enforcement boats converging on the northwest tip of Horn Island ... and they swung in close and saw a body floating face down in the water near shore.

D4vd's asking if he can ditch his handcuffs for his preliminary hearing in Celeste Rivas' murder case.

According to NBC 4 Los Angeles, the singer filed a motion requesting his cuffs and other restraints be removed for the prelim, which is set to start tomorrow.

D4vd's attorney, Blair Berk, said in the motion that he's never tried to escape or been disruptive, arguing that his 5 court appearances have all been uneventful.

A Chicago Cubs fan's smack heard 'round the internet isn't leading to a police investigation ... at least not yet.

Chicago Police tell TMZ ... they're aware of the viral video showing an older Cubs fan slapping a younger spectator on the back of the head during the national anthem at Wrigley Field ... but so far, no police report has been filed.

The clip, which exploded on social media after Sunday's Cubs-Twins game, shows the older man, who's decked out in Cubs gear, yelling at the younger fan seated in front of him to stand for "The Star-Spangled Banner."

The person found dead at a Massachusetts home owned by Rep. Ayanna Pressley's husband died from gun violence, but had no connection to the owner ... TMZ has learned.

According to an incident report, obtained by TMZ, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be a single gunshot wound. The manner of death is still pending. Cops note the next of kin have been notified.

We're told there is absolutely nothing that indicates any connection between the death investigation to the owners of the property.

Tulsi Gabbard's brother Bhakti's family was pushing for him to get help due to an alleged mental health episode before he was arrested for allegedly trying to lure children into a hotel room ... at least according to his wife.

Bhakti's wife, Kimberley, filed for a temporary restraining order on July 17 ... the same day he was charged for an alleged July 12 incident at a Waikīkī hotel pool. In her petition, obtained by TMZ, she said her husband of nearly a decade has been exhibiting bizarre behavior.

Kimberly claimed Tulsi's brother recently renamed himself "Batarti" and "Jim Morrison Jr." ... and she says he had a "psychotic break."

She claims to have "photos and video to prove this erratic, impulsive, and bizarre behavior that has made me concerned and feel/fear for my safety."

Al Sharpton is putting his money where his mouth is ... offering $50,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in Nolan Wells' death ... and Tyler Perry is following suit.

Sharpton announced the reward Monday while delivering remarks at the 18-year-old's funeral ... saying he and the National Action Network are ready to put up the cash.

Watch the clip ... Sharpton says anyone with information can contact attorney Ben Crump's office. Crump is representing Nolan's family.

Sharpton said Nolan "was not on that island by himself" and insisted somebody knows more about what happened during the Fourth of July trip to Mississippi's Horn Island, where Nolan was found dead two days after going missing.

Nolan Wells' loved ones gathered to say their final goodbyes Monday ... honoring the 18-year-old whose life ended far too soon.

The funeral service happened at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, where Rev. Al Sharpton officiated and family attorney Ben Crump delivered a call for justice.

Sharpton announced during his remarks that he'll be offering a $50,000 reward to anyone who comes forward with information about Nolan's death ... and he said Tyler Perry will match that amount.

As we reported ... Nolan disappeared after traveling by boat with friends to Horn Island for a Fourth of July gathering. His friends returned to the mainland without him, and his body was found two days later on Horn Island.

"Long Island Lolita" Amy Fisher is back in the headlines ... this time over a disturbing animal cruelty case involving her eldest son, who is being accused of microwaving his pet cat.

25-year-old Brett Anthony Bellera is charged with aggravated animal cruelty ... after authorities say his pet cat, Reaper, died in December 2024 in what investigators describe as a horrific incident inside a South Florida apartment.

Investigators say a forensic examination determined Reaper suffered extreme pain before dying from "involuntary heat exposure" ... and the injuries are consistent with microwave radiation, immersion in hot water, or exposure to hot water vapor. Investigators have not publicly concluded which method caused the fatal injuries.

According to the Broward County Sheriff's Office, Bellera' girlfriend -- Jennifer Armenti -- is also charged.

An explosion rocked the sidewalk outside a major New York City federal building Monday morning ... and officers wasted no time taking down a suspect.

Check out the video ... the explosive device erupts outside 26 Federal Plaza around 8:30 AM -- unleashing a thick cloud of white smoke as people scramble for cover and officers race out of the building, some with their guns drawn.

The footage shows agents charging toward the smoking sidewalk before several of them surround a man and wrestle him to the ground.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... an individual deployed an incendiary device outside the federal building. The person was taken into custody, and the FBI's New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the incident.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration claims one of its recent tests on Taylor Farms products came back as a false positive ... amid the concern over the diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora.

The FDA revealed it had alerted Taylor Farms that a sample it took that came back positive during an initial exam ... actually ended up being a false positive.

The FDA says it double-checked the test samples on lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, resulting in a "false positive" for the parasite, which causes explosive diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues ... according to a new report.

After the results turned out to be bogus, the FDA fell on its sword. Taylor Fresh Foods, which owns Taylor Farms, told Newsweek that the FDA apologized to them, saying there was no cyclospora found in the sample.

A man was shot and killed steps from the famous Santa Monica Pier overnight ... and the gunman is still at large.

Santa Monica police say the deadly shooting happened around 12:30 AM Monday in a parking lot right next to the popular landmark.

Video from the scene shows officers swarming the area as several evidence markers were placed on the ground near the victim's body, which was still lying on the pavement uncovered as of Monday morning.

Nolan Wells' loved ones are gathering to celebrate the 18-year-old's life ... as questions surrounding his death continue to haunt his Mississippi community ... and some very familiar faces will be on hand to pay their respects.

Family, friends, and civil rights leaders will remember Nolan this morning in his Ocean Springs hometown ... with Rev. Al Sharpton officiating the funeral and family attorney Ben Crump delivering a call for justice ... TMZ has learned.

Nolan traveled by boat with high school friends to Horn Island for a Fourth of July gathering, but the group returned without him. Two days later, Nolan's body was found along the island's shore.

JD Vance and wife Usha Vance welcomed their fourth child over the weekend ... and naturally, Donald Trump made the moment about himself ... sharing the first photo of the newborn.

Trump gave the world the first look at baby Alec Neel ... posting the newborn on his Truth Social account and calling the kid "a perfect baby boy."

POTUS is the first one to share a photo of baby Alec ... not his parents.

Neither the Vice President nor Second Lady is in the pic ... it's just Alec and two of his older siblings sitting on some furniture in a hospital room.