Politix

11:51 AM -- Brian J. Cole -- a 30-year-old from Virginia -- has been charged with transporting an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive material, according to charging documents obtained by TMZ. The docs state that in 2019 and 2020, Cole purchased multiple items matching the components used to build the pipe bombs placed outside the RNC and DNC -- and also bought equipment that would help facilitate manufacturing the devices. The docs say that Cole continued buying bomb-making materials even after the January 5, 2021 placement. Investigators say they were also able to place Cole at the sites through cellular data that matched the time and location of the bomb placements.

The FBI has finally made an arrest in the long-running investigation into the pipe bombs planted near the DNC and RNC headquarters on the eve of the January 6th Capitol riot in 2021.

A man believed to be connected to the crime was taken into custody Thursday morning, according to the Associated Press, citing an anonymous official.

The investigation has stretched nearly five years, with authorities struggling to identify the culprit -- partly relying on grainy surveillance video showing a masked individual in a hoodie and gloves.

Halle Berry went scorched earth on Gavin Newsom during Wednesday's New York Times' DealBook Summit, calling out the California governor for vetoing a menopause bill while also crapping on his aspirations to potentially become the next president.

The Academy Award-winning actress took to the stage at the NYT event to give a speech about menopause, during which she pointed out Newsom had vetoed California's menopause bill two years in a row.

Berry didn't hold back, telling the packed crowd ... "But that's okay, because he's not going to be governor forever, and with the way he has overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us in midlife, he probably should not be our next president either."

It was the meeting of the former prime ministers Thursday when Justin Trudeau and his girlfriend Katy Perry had lunch with Fumio Kishida and his wife Yuko ... as Katy winds down the Japanese leg of her world tour.

Fumio -- who was Prime Minister of Japan from 2021-2024 -- posted pics of the double date along with the caption ... "We met many times during my time as Prime Minister, and we worked together to strengthen bilateral relations, including formulating the Japan-Canada Action Plan when he visited Canada."

Seeing as how the 2 former national leaders were already well-acquainted, it seems safe to say they may have been more excited about meeting Katy. Look at those smiles!

If Jesus comes to the U.S., he'd better have a valid visa ... at least that's the worry of an Illinois church that's installed a controversial Nativity scene depicting the baby messiah zip-tied in a manger.

Lake Street Church of Evanston -- just north of Chicago -- reimagined the Nativity with masked centurions wearing green vests labeled "ICE" surrounding the Holy Family. Mother Mary and Joseph wear respirator masks to shield themselves from tear gas, according to the church.

In a Facebook post, the church explained the scene is meant to draw "direct parallels between the Holy Family's refugee experience and contemporary immigration detention practices." The book of Matthew claims Jesus and his parents fled to Egypt in order to escape King Herod's order that every boy in Bethlehem under 2 be executed.

Erika Kirk is still standing by the 2nd Amendment, even after her husband, Charlie Kirk, was shot to death in September.

Check out her interview on stage at Wednesday's The New York Times’ DealBook Conference -- she says she fully stands behind the right to bear arms, explaining America doesn't have a gun problem, but a people problem.

She notes ... "What I’m afraid of is that we are living in a day and age where they think violence is the solution to them not wanting to hear a different point of view. That’s not a gun problem, that’s a human -- deeply human -- problem."

Jeffrey Epstein's notorious pedophile island is beginning to come into full focus ... the Congressional House Oversight Committee just released never-before-seen photos and videos of Epstein's private island of perversions -- and the footage is downright creepy.

First, we're taken on a video tour by a camera person who brings us all around Epstein's Island in the Virgin Islands. We are given an insider's look into the private quarters of the late financier, as well as his sterile all-white bedroom with a canopy bed and a box of tissues on a nightstand. We're also given a sneak peek inside Epstein's bathroom with beauty products, toiletries, and a bottle of Johnson's baby powder on the shelves.

Then, we're given a video tour outside the compound, and we see a gigantic pool with a hose floating in the water. A statue of a native person shooting a bow and arrow stands alongside the pool.

President Donald Trump is pre-emptively pardoning U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, a sitting Democratic Representative from Texas who's been federally charged with bribery and money laundering.

POTUS posted on Truth Social Wednesday, accusing former president Joe Biden of targeting Cuellar and his wife Imelda for "speaking the TRUTH."

Cuellar and Imelda were indicted in 2024 with accepting $600,000 in bribes from a gas and oil company owned by the Azerbaijani government and a bank based in Mexico City. Department of Justice officials alleged the payments were laundered by middlemen and front companies to shell companies owned by Imelda.

Never-before-seen footage shows the moment ICE agents arrested a woman with family ties to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

TMZ obtained video showing Bruna Caroline Ferreira, the mother of Karoline's nephew, being swarmed by federal immigration agents last month in Massachusetts.

Surveillance footage shows Ferreira, who is from Brazil, in a sedan leaving her condo in Revere, Mass around 12:30 PM on November 12 ... when all of a sudden her path is blocked by five unmarked vehicles.

The Game is halfway recovered from his birthday bash over the weekend, but he's ready to rap 'n roll with his upcoming DJ Drama-boosted mixtape ... featuring the track "The Assassination of Candace Owens"!!!

The song's title raised plenty of eyebrows when the Compton rap legend released the track list for "Every Movie Needs a Trailer," produced by Mike & Keys.

Candace has been claiming that French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, have put a bounty on her head on her podcast for weeks ... and The Game tells TMZ Hip Hop he metaphorically took her conspiracies and flipped them into a song.

The man the prosecutors say shot two National Guard members last week in Washington D.C., killing one of them, is pleading not guilty to the charges against him ... doing so from his hospital bed.

Federal prosecutors charged Rahmanullah Lakanwal earlier today with first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill while armed, and two counts of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence.

Lakanwal appeared in court virtually from his hospital bed and pleaded not guilty.

9:09 AM PT -- A White House spokesperson, Abigail Jackson, tells TMZ ... “Here’s a Short n’ Sweet message for Sabrina Carpenter: we won’t apologize for deporting dangerous criminal illegal murderers, rapists, and pedophiles from our country. Anyone who would defend these sick monsters must be stupid, or is it slow?”

Sabrina Carpenter is fired up and firing back ... after The White House’s social account used her sexually suggestive hit to hype up the administration’s deportation push.

Commenting under the offending X post Tuesday, Sabrina torched the video of arrests set to her hit "Juno," calling it "evil and disgusting" ... and warning, "Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda."

In the video, they grabbed the saucy lyrics "Have you ever tried this one?" ... the same line Sabrina used to demo a new sex position at every stop of her Short n' Sweet Tour.

Kristi Noem's calling for a new travel ban for unnamed countries in a harsh social media post citing her personal criteria for who should and shouldn't be able to enter the country.

The Homeland Security Secretary posted on her personal X account Monday saying she met with President Donald Trump.

Noem called for a ban on incoming travelers from countries she accuses of "flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies." She didn't name any nations.

Noem claimed founders of the U.S. didn't intend for "foreign invaders" to enter the country and "slaughter our heroes" ... which could be a reference to the shooting of two National Guard troops in D.C. the day before Thanksgiving last week. The tweet ends with an isolationist statement ... "WE DON'T WANT THEM. NOT ONE."

Sabrina Carpenter is the latest pop artist to have her song be used by The White House's social media account to promote the administration's deportation efforts in America ... but has this one taken it too far?

The latest feed-worthy video is a montage of several arrests made by the Department of Homeland Security, soundtracked to Sabrina's hit song "Juno" ... with the lyrics "have you ever tried this one?" -- making fun of each detainee's physical position as they're getting arrested.

If you're unfamiliar ... after she sang the lyric in concert, Sabrina demonstrated a different sex position on each stop of her recently wrapped Short n' Sweet Tour.

The results of President Donald Trump's MRI scan in October have been released -- and The White House says everything came back fine.

White House Physician Sean P. Barbabella released a memo Monday saying all of 47's imaging was "perfectly normal," according to NBC News. We now know the MRI was performed to check up on Trump's cardiovascular system and abdomen, after Trump told reporters Sunday night he didn't know which part of his body was examined.

Barbabella stated Trump's heart was pumping blood just fine, and all of his major organs appeared to be in good condition as well.

The president's MRI was described as "preventative," and was performed in an effort to identify any outstanding issues with 47's overall health.

Trump revealed he'd gone through an MRI in October, provoking concern -- sitting U.S. presidents typically only have one physical exam per year. He assured reporters at the time he was completely fine.

A lower court ruling disqualifying Alina Habba from her position as acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey has been upheld by an appeals court, it was announced Monday.

The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals found Habba's appointment violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act ... President Donald Trump's appointment of Habba didn't adhere to the rules, NBC News reports.

Three criminal defendants whose case was being overseen by Habba filed motions arguing her appointment had been unlawful and sought her disqualification -- and for their cases to be thrown out.