Politics

Kanye West's political team members are dropping off one by one after Milo Yiannopoulos took over as his political director ... who tells us they're "cleaning house."

TMZ's obtained a letter filed to the Federal Election Commission, from Kanye's 2020 campaign committee treasurer, Patrick Krason, saying he resigned Monday morning. For context, Ye hasn't officially said he's running for prez in 2024, so it seems "Kanye 2020" is still being used as the name of his political action committee.

Krason says he notified higher-ups of his resignation, and "they have been made aware of the requirement to name a new treasurer within 10 days." He also says he made the rest of the team aware they can't raise or spend any funds until they find a new treasurer.

The move seems like it may relate to the bigger picture ... Kanye's political director Milo Yiannopoulos tells TMZ they are, "Cleaning house and professionalizing Ye's political team."

As we reported, Kanye re-hired Milo last week, and he instantly gave the boot to the rapper's right-hand man, Nick Fuentes, and Ali Alexander, one of Ye's political advisors.

Donald Trump's infamous "Access Hollywood" quote isn't just locker room talk, apparently -- he repeated it while under oath for a deposition in the E. Jean Carroll case ... and added a pretty shocking clarification.

During Trump's depo -- recorded on video last October -- Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, is grilling him about his treatment of women, generally, and raises the hot mic remarks he made during the 2005 interview with Billy Bush: "And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything, grab them by the p****. You can do anything."

The attorney asks, "That's what you said, correct?" ... and without blinking he responds, "Well, historically, that's true with stars. If you look over the last million years, I guess that's been largely true."

He then, stunningly, added ... "Unfortunately or fortunately."

Trump was being deposed because Carroll is suing him for battery and defamation, and the trial is ongoing right now in NYC. Carroll claimed Trump raped her in the '90s, and he responded by calling her story a "hoax," and declaring she's not his type.

During the depo, he also called her a "nut job" and a "whack job."

Formula 1 superstar Lewis Hamilton went off on Florida's LGBTQ+ legislation ahead of the Miami Grand Prix this weekend, calling the host state's laws "not good at all" ... and vowing to wear a rainbow on his helmet in solidarity with those impacted by the measures.

The 38-year-old Mercedes driver -- who has been a strong advocate for equality throughout his career -- was asked about the controversial law referred to as the "Don't Say Gay" bill and other recent actions taken by Gov. Ron DeSantis when speaking with reporters on Thursday ... and he's pissed.

"It's not good at all," Hamilton said. "I stand by those within the community here. I hope they continue to stand firm and push back."

And if his words weren't enough, the 7-time champion said anyone who sees him compete this weekend will know exactly where he stands on the topic -- even seemingly comparing it to the human rights issues in Saudi Arabia.

"I’ll have the rainbow on my helmet. It’s no different to when we were in Saudi."

Of course, DeSantis recently expanded on the bill that would prohibit teachers from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity during lessons among other issues ... which has also garnered backlash from former NBA superstar Dwyane Wade.

Hamilton stopped short of saying F1 should avoid events in Florida, saying it's not up for him to decide ... but added he has been keeping tabs on all things politics within the state -- and he's against what's going on.

"I did hear and have read about some of the decisions that have been made in government here and I do not agree with it and I do not support it. I really do continue to stand with the LGBTQ community and I’m wearing a rainbow flag on my helmet this weekend and I just really want to continue to support the community here and let them know I stand with them and I hope they continue to fight against it."

Hamilton's comments come months after the FIA initially said it would prohibit drivers from making political statements ... before the governing body loosened its stance.

John Legend is firing back at Megyn Kelly for going after his wife, Chrissy Teigen ... he says Megyn is desperate to get conservatives back on her side.

We got John at MÍRAME in Beverly Hills Thursday, and asked him about Megyn's negative reaction to Chrissy's outfit for the White House Correspondents Dinner ... and the singer didn't hold back.

John says Megyn's critique is a gross attempt for attention, which he says she needs now that she's no longer working for FOX.

What's more, John thinks Megyn is going after Chrissy in an attempt to win back Donald Trump supporters.

ICYMI ... Megyn ripped Chrissy's dress, labeling Teigen "elitist" for having "minions" and "serfs" holding the train of her dress. Megyn also chided Chrissy for exposing her underwear with a sheer fabric gown.

John says Megyn sounds desperate and should just shut up ... and he defends his wife as being kind, loving and down to Earth.

While John admits it's not normal to have people carrying someone's dress train down the street, he says it's just part of the deal when Chrissy goes to a big event.

Kanye West is full steam ahead on his presidential campaign, bringing his former collaborator Milo Yiannopoulos back into the mix, and their first order of business ... firing Ye's controversial right-hand man, Nick Fuentes.

TMZ obtained emails sent from Milo -- now officially YE2024's Director of Political Operations -- to Nick, and in one he says, "Your services on Ye’s exploratory team are terminated ... and will not be required for any possible future campaign."

You'll recall, Nick is the white nationalist who accompanied West during his trip to see Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago last fall.

Milo also fired off an exit email to Ali Alexander, another one of Ye's political advisors, who was recently forced to apologize after being accused of asking teenage boys for sexual pictures.

We reached out to Milo, and he confirmed the details in the e-mails. He also says he's been in L.A. for the past week, talking to Ye about his presidential aspirations.

You'll recall, Milo was reportedly removed from the campaign team last year after Ye's controversial interview with Alex Jones ... and he reportedly blamed Nick and Ali for his firing.

Now that Milo's back in the saddle, it would seem his next mission is finding out just how serious Ye is about running for the White House -- and, after that, addressing the antisemitism West spewed for months.

Brittney Griner clearly isn't taking her newfound freedom for granted ... she hit up the Met Gala with her wife on Monday night -- and didn't seem to stop smiling once.

The 32-year-old -- who was freed from Russian custody just five months ago -- wore a custom Calvin Klein suit for the occasion ... and couldn't have been happier to be with her spouse at the ultra-exclusive party.

She and Cherelle Griner flashed ear-to-ear grins for the entirety of their walk into the event ... and at one point, BG even shared a sweet embrace with Dwyane Wade on the red carpet.

The two basketball legends hugged it out while Wade was showing his daughter how everything looked on the Met's steps.

Brittney and Cherelle later spoke about their Met Gala experience with Vogue ... and it isn't hard to see they were thoroughly enjoying their time together after their tumultuous 2022.

"It's surreal still," Cherelle said. "This time last year, I was missing my wife. So to have her right here, to be in this moment -- breathtaking."

Brittney also took time at the event to raise awareness for the Bring Our Families Home campaign.

The trip to the Met is just one of many cool moments Brittney has gotten to experience since she was swapped for Viktor Bout back in early December ... she's also rubbed elbows with President Joe Biden, started to write a book on her Russian detainment -- and returned to WNBA practices.

Trans TikTok star Jesse Sullivan says KISS singer Paul Stanley's criticism of kids transitioning is misplaced ... Jesse says those who are transitioning aren't just doing it as a fad.

We got Jesse and Francesca Farago Monday at LAX and asked him about Paul's controversial comments, where the rocker claimed kids are being encouraged to transition at a young age.

Jesse says anyone who is considering transitioning is doing it because they know deep down who they truly are ... and he says the process is anything but fun. During his transition, Jesse says he lost family and he explains why the process is hard on the body and mind, not to mention the social changes.

Jesse acknowledges it's a hot-button issue right now ... but he thinks trans kids need real support because there's a lot for them to fear in this climate.

We also asked Jesse and Francesca about Dwyane Wade's decision to move his family out of Florida because of the state's LGBTQ policies ... and they tell us they actually skipped an event in Florida for the same reasons.

Jerry Springer was laid to rest in a private ceremony this weekend among family and friends, with plans in place for a public celebration of life in the near future ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us the legendary talk show host -- who died last week after a battle with pancreatic cancer -- was buried Sunday in a suburb of Chicago. We're told there was a relatively small group of people in attendance for the ceremony.

We're told the burial also entailed a religious service -- which our sources say followed traditional Jewish customs.

It might sound like a modest send-off for the late, great Springer -- but our sources assure us his fans will get their own chance to say goodbye as well in the near future. We're told a tribute is being planned -- which, for now, is scheduled to go down on May 16 in Cincinnati.

Our sources tell us it'll be a free ticketed event open to the general public. Right now, organizers are planning how many people can attend -- for now, we're told they're anticipating letting around 500 people inside the venue.

As for what folks can expect during this upcoming ceremony ... our sources say it'll be a good overview of his life and legacy in and out of work -- which touched communities from all walks of life, from politics to entertainment and just about everything in between.

We're also told some famous faces are expected to roll through, but the list is still being worked on. Our sources say videos will be played, guest speakers will talk and music will be performed -- so it's gonna be a big deal. We're told the plan is to stream this as well.

While there'll, no doubt, be a celeb factor at the public service -- we're told the main focus here will be on normies being able to get in and bid Springer a proper farewell. Our sources say more details are forthcoming and that tickets are going to be made available soon.

A baseball signed by John F. Kennedy sold at auction for a whopping $166k over the weekend ... making it the most expensive ball ever signed by a president!!

As we previously reported, the "Associacion Venezuela de Baseball Professional" ball is from a reporter named Julio Messuti ... who was covering JFK and the First Lady's visit to Venezuela to meet President Romulo Betancourt in December 1961.

The trip was part of the "Alliance for Progress" project, which aimed to help economic ties between the U.S. and Latin America.

Messuti was able to meet JFK during the initiative, and POTUS was happy to sign the ball. In fact, you can see the exact moment between Kennedy and Messuti in a photo published by the El Universal.

Kennedy -- who was an avid baseball fan -- praised then-White Sox star shortstop and future Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio when he signed the ball.

SCP Auctions put the one-of-a-kind JFK memorabilia on the market last week ... and after 19 bids, it sold for exactly $166,818 on Saturday -- making it the new all-time high for a baseball signed by a president.

FYI, the first POTUS-signed ball to hit over six figures was Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Hancock in 2020.

Ariana Madix took her road show to D.C. Saturday night ... and she had to get a boatload of satisfaction when someone hurled a joke into the crowd ... comparing her ex to Tucker Carlson!!!

Ariana and boss woman Lisa Vanderpump were invited guests of DailyMail.com at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. M.C. Roy Wood Jr. dropped the comparison in the middle of his roast ... "The untouchable Tucker Carlson is out of a job… but to Tucker’s staff, I want you to know that I know what you’re feeling. I work at The Daily Show, so I too have been blindsided by the sudden departure of the host of a fake news program. Tucker got caught up. Got caught up like that dude from Vanderpump Rules."

Of course, Roy was referring to the Scandoval ... specifically Tom Sandoval.

Ariana's been on a world tour lately ... doing karaoke in Europe and getting tight with a dude at Coachella. She's movin' on ... so where's that reunion show!

D.C. was lit Saturday night at an after-party following the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and apparently so were some of the correspondents!!!

MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle was yukking it up and feelin' the beat with fellow anchor Symone Sanders-Townsend ... posing for pics when she just collapsed. No harm, no foul ... Ruhle bounced back up, with a little help, and was back at it.

The party went down at the French Ambassador's residence in D.C. People were dancing and, we're guessing, drinking some as the shindig blazed on. Stephanie hit the ground at 1 AM. No word on how long the party lasted.

The event's a big deal in D.C. Ariana Madix and Lisa Vanderpump were guests at the Dinner and A.M. had to love it when host Roy Wood Jr. compared her ex, Tom Sandoval, to Tucker Carlson.

Jorge Masvidal, from one bad motherf***** to the next, is coming to the defense of one-time opponent Nate Diaz, telling TMZ Sports the charges against the UFC legend are crap ... 'cause fighters need to be able to defend themselves too!

Gamebred recently joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) ... where they chopped it up about everything from his friendship with Donald Trump, whether he'd ever run for political office, his very own fight promotion, Gamebred Promotions, and the Diaz incident in New Orleans.

"There's nothing wrong [with defending yourself]," Masvidal said.

Of course, defending himself is exactly what Diaz says he was doing. Still, authorities opted to charge him with second-degree assault. Nate flew to NOLA on Thursday, where he turned himself in, before bonding out and taking a PJ back to Stockton. Diaz is adamant he was not the aggressor and simply was acting in self-defense.

"When it's you against somebody you have no idea if he's got a knife in his pocket, if he's gonna f******* pepper spray you then kick you in the nuts," Jorge explained, adding ... "Obviously this guy's not in the right mind if he's attacking a pro fighter. I just don't like it that people think because we're pro fighters that we're not able to defend ourselves."

"No, we have to defend ourselves. It's a cold world out there."

FYI, Jorge beat Nate for the BMF belt at UFC 244 in November 2019.

We also talked to Gamebred about politics ... with 80-year-old President Joe Biden recently announcing he'll run for reelection in 2024. Jorge has a relationship with Trump and believes the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction under the current POTUS.

"We the people say that please, you're not doing a service for us, you're doing a disservice. You're destroying this country. I don't care about your skin color, your ethnicity, your freakin' religious views. Where we were out 2 to 3 years ago was better for everybody."

Masvidal has gotten more involved in politics, and while he may not be a traditional candidate (stiff, phony, etc.), we asked Gamebred if he had any interest in running for office in the future.

"If you don't like the constitution and you're coming with all this crazy s*** now to try and destroy this country, I can't f*** you, man. But me running personally? No. But I'll def endorse those who I think are actually coming to get it and being a patriot."

There's much more ... while Masvidal says he still feels very comfortable with his decision to lay down his gloves after UFC 287, he's in no way leaving the fight game.

In fact, Jorge has big plans for Gamebred Promotions ... coming off an awesome Gamebred Boxing card that featured the legendary Roy Jones Jr. vs. Anthony Pettis. Jose Aldo and Jeremy Stephens also boxed ... along with Vitor Belfort defeating "Jacare" Souza.

Stacked.

And, Street Jesus says he's in the process of making even bigger moves, putting together massive events.

As for whether he'd fight under his own banner, the answer is ... maybe.

"I would definitely like to get a boxing match in there, I'm not ruling that out, but as of right now I'm just focusing on promoting."

Add Bruce Springsteen backup singer to Michelle Obama's list of milestones completed ... cuz she just hit the stage with The Boss overseas during one of his shows.

Check out the video, taken Friday night at Bruce's concert in Barcelona. You see Michelle and actress Kate Capshaw join Bruce's bandmate, Patti Scialfa, behind the mic to sing background on Springsteen's hit "Glory Days."

Michelle is all smiles as she belts out the tune, even jamming with a tambourine.

No sign of her hubby, former President Barack Obama, but you gotta imagine he and Kate's husband, Steven Spielberg, were watching in the wings.

As we reported ... Bruce, Barack, Michelle, Steven and Kate all grabbed dinner together in Barcelona Thursday night -- a day before the big show.

Patti appears to have been at the dinner as well, so it's possible they planned the special guest appearance over some good grub.

A baseball signed by President John F. Kennedy during an historic trip to Venezuela in late-1961 is up for auction, one of the most coveted presidential John Hancocks, and the ball could sell for upwards of $200K!

The Spalding "Associacion Venezuela de Baseball Professional" ball that SCP Auctions is selling was signed on December 18, 1961, shy of two years before Kennedy's tragic death, when the first-term president traveled to meet Venezuelan president Rómulo Betancourt.

A newspaper reporter named Julio Messuti carried around the ball for days, hoping JFK would sign it ... and as the trip drew to a close, he got his chance, somehow getting by Secret Service and reaching Kennedy, who signed the ball.

The paper El Universal published a photo of POTUS signing the ball.

There's a massive market for baseballs signed by U.S. presidents -- the rarer, the better -- and there aren't that many JFK-signed balls that have been authenticated.

"As far as sports memorabilia goes, there is high interest in baseballs signed by our past Presidents, with the game being America's National pastime going back over 125+ years," David Kohler, SCP president, told us.

"JFK signed baseballs are some of the rarest in all the collecting community with only a handful ever authenticated by the foremost experts."

As we reported in 2020, Donald Trump signed baseballs were selling in the $2,000 to $3,000 price range -- a stark contrast from the $1,000 price point memorabilia shops were getting when he first assumed the White House in 2017 -- despite his polarizing persona.

There have already been 9 bids for the ball ... with the top number currently at $53,594.

Former President Obama's living his best life, as they say ... not just flying to Spain for a Bruce Springsteen concert, but also enjoying a night out with the Boss and Steven Spielberg.

Barack and former First Lady Michelle Obama had a celeb-packed dining experience Thursday night at a restaurant called Amar in Barcelona ... where they're all gathered for Bruce's big stadium show.

The crew all looked pretty chummy stepping out of the restaurant ... Michelle chatted with Bruce's wife, Patti, and, of course, there's a ton of security in tow everywhere the group goes.

Barack's about as "in with the band" as you can get -- he and Bruce co-hosted a podcast called "Renegades: Born in the USA" -- and Spielberg and Springsteen have been tight for years ... often vacationing together.

Bruce is set to take the stage Friday night with his E Street Band in Barcelona's Olympic Stadium Spain ... a place he hasn't played since 2016.

FYI -- the crew at Michelin-rated Amar couldn't help but take a pic with the gang as they dined out. Yes, even super fancy restaurant staff gets star-struck.

Tucker Carlson is out at Fox News, and now another conservative news outlet, Newsmax, wants him to be more than just the face of the network, and it's putting on a full-court press to land him.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the news channel is doing everything it can to sweeten the deal for Tucker to come on board -- including floating the idea of letting him program the whole channel, not just his own show.

That would be a pretty enticing deal point ... in addition to having his own primetime show, Tucker would have a say over what shows lead into and out of his show, which can be key in achieving bigger TV ratings.

While our sources stress Newsmax hasn't formally offered Tucker a job -- he can't have formal discussions due to his current Fox News contract -- we're told the network execs have made it clear to people around him, they would basically give him a big say in rebranding their channel.

Newsmax has some competition for Tucker ... as we first reported, NewsNation is showing early interest as well.

Our sources acknowledge it's too early to know for sure where Tucker will pop up next, and it might not even be at a TV network ... but we're told whatever he does, it's going to be big, disruptive, and will create a seismic shift in the conservative media landscape.