Politics

9:55 AM PT -- In the Oval Office today at the White House, President Donald Trump met with Ireland's Taoiseach, Micheál Martin -- the country's prime minister -- and Martin was asked why Ireland would allow Rosie O'Donnell to move there ... "Thank you, I like that question," Trump responded. Martin didn't seem to know who they were talking about, as they all chuckled.

Rosie O'Donnell says she's ditched the U.S.A. for her ancestral homeland ... telling fans she and her daughter have moved to Ireland -- and, President Trump's team says the White House couldn't be happier.

The former talk show host announced the move in a nearly 10-minute-long video she posted to TikTok earlier this week ... and, in it she says she moved to the Emerald Isle on January 15.

O'Donnell -- who says she's in the process of getting Irish citizenship, because her grandparents were born in the country -- points to the fraught political situation in the United States of America as the reason for her move.

A new bill proposed in Texas could charge transgender people with a state felony if they lie about their biological sex assigned at birth ... and two lawmakers are defending the harsh punishment.

Texas State Reps. Steve Toth and Nate Schatzline joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday and we asked them about the proposed bill that would add a new form of fraud related to gender identity.

As Toth and Schatzline explain, the bill -- Texas House Bill 3817 -- says a transgender Texan would commit "gender identity fraud" if they lie on state records or to employers about their biological sex ... and they would be charged with a state felony, which is punishable by up to two years behind bars.

Not everyone is attacking Elon Musk -- the Dept. of Government Efficiency honcho still has some powerful people in his corner -- including one of the greatest golfers of all-time, Phil Mickelson!

"It’s incredibly kind and generous of Elon Musk to help America become fiscally responsible. We all owe him a huge debt of gratitude," Lefty said on EM's X platform early Tuesday morning.

Phil continued ... "Nicola Tesla was unappreciated while he was alive despite his numerous contributions to humanity. I hope Elon is shown the appreciation he deserves in his lifetime."

Jamie Foxx thinks Black American social efforts took a step back with the destruction of the Black Lives Matter Plaza in D.C. ... he remembers the effort it took to get the thing built in the first place!!!

The cleanup process for the BLM mural began this week after Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser got pressure from the White House to either change the name or lose the city's federal funding, should a proposed legislative bill pass.

It's not like the summer of 2020 -- when the mural was first installed -- was terribly long ago, but given the protests that surrounded the murder of George Floyd, Jamie probably assumed the political artwork would stand much longer ... it was originally planned to be permanent.

Comedian Bill Burr is doubling down on his billionaire beef -- and it’s not just Elon Musk he's throwing shade at, 'cause he’s also roasting liberals for being way too sensitive about him.

On NPR’s "Fresh Air" podcast, Bill went off about a "select few group of nerds" battling it out to be the richest person on Earth, "eating raw almonds and doing their stupid workouts," and politicizing everything -- and when asked to clarify whom, he didn’t hold back, exclaiming, "That idiot Elon Musk!"

Bill said Elon "evidently is a Nazi," adding of his recent controversial inauguration salute, "I refuse to believe it was an accidental two-time Sieg Heil. And he does it at a presidential inauguration!"

A former U.S. Dept. of Justice Pardon Attorney says she was fired last week from her position for refusing to reinstate Mel Gibson’s gun rights.

Elizabeth G. Oyer says two weeks ago she was put on a group tasked with restoring gun rights for convicted individuals. But, when asked to add Mel -- who lost his rights after his 2011 domestic violence conviction -- she said no.

The New York Times was the first to report Oyer’s termination. She told the outlet that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's office had compiled a list of nine people eligible for restored gun rights.

Dave Portnoy claims he was recently offered a role in Washington D.C. -- but had he accepted, he would've had to hand over the reins to his Barstool Sports empire.

El Pres dropped the news on his "Davey Day Trader Global" show on Tuesday ... revealing the position would have been in the Department of Commerce under Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Portnoy explained he got a phone call gauging his interest in the opportunity a few months ago ... but it was made crystal clear he'd have to give up his role with Barstool in order to make the move.

The Menendez brothers' relatives, who are also victims in their murder case, are ripping L.A. County D.A. Nathan Hochman ... claiming he's being hostile, dismissive and patronizing.

Erik and Lyle's cousin Tamara Goodell laid out the family's issues with Hochman in a formal complaint to the United States Attorney's Office Civil Division ... blasting L.A.'s new top prosecutor for allegedly violating their rights as victims.

In the complaint, obtained by TMZ, Goodell claims Hochman is re-traumatizing the family now that he's sinking his teeth into their case.

12 PM PT -- The family of Erik and Lyle Menendez has hit back after L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said he's asking the court to withdraw the previous district attorney's motion to resentence the famed brothers.

In a statement obtained by TMZ they say ... "District Attorney Hochman made it clear today he is holding Erik, Lyle, and our family hostage."

They also claim Hochman has "blinders" on that prevent him from seeing Erik and Lyle were "repeatedly abused" as kids, making them fear for their lives, and that they have apologized multiple times for murdering their parents.

They say the most "alarming" part is the D.A. is sending a message that young boys who are victims of abuse should not come forward.

The L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman just said he wants to withdraw the prior D.A.'s motion to have the Menendez Brothers resentenced, saying what they did in killing their parents was unforgivable and they have not copped to the various lies they told to cover their tracks.

Hochman went through a litany of lies he says were never retracted by Erik and Lyle, and said that's sufficient to turn thumbs down on a resentencing request. He pointed to the jury rejecting any claim of self defense in the second trial. What Hochman ignored, in the first trial, half the jury rejected murder in favor of manslaughter, based on "imperfect self defense." Hochman did not explain the judge in the second trial rejected "imperfect self defense" so the jury never received that instruction.

The bottom line here ... the whole resentencing motion is irrelevant, because if the judge approved it, the case would go to the parole board. Fact is ... the parole board has the case already at the behest of California Governor Gavin Newsom so there is no need for a resentencing hearing anyway.

J.D. Vance says he and his daughter had a scary run-in with protesters Saturday afternoon ... 'cause he claims a few overzealous supporters of Ukraine chased them down.

The vice president described the alleged interaction on X ... writing that while walking with his three-year-old daughter a group of "Slava Ukraini" protesters yelled at and followed them -- which made his daughter anxious and scared

Vance says he tried to defuse the situation by speaking with the protesters in hopes of stopping them for harassing her -- a move which he says worked, by and large.

Yusef Salaam -- one of the wrongfully convicted Central Park Five -- says the country is living through the "American Nightmare" right now ... and, people advocating for Derek Chauvin's release is just the latest in a litany of issues.

We caught up with the New York City councilman at the For The Love Of Our Children Gala -- the 10th edition of the National CARES Mentoring Movement's gala -- and, we had to ask about chatter about Trump supporters asking the president to pardon Chauvin. Remember, Chauvin was convicted in federal court in June 2021 for the murder of George Floyd.

Salaam says the country -- especially Black Americans -- are living through a nightmare ... a far cry from the promises of the American Dream. He says this isn't just because of a potential Chauvin pardon either ... but due to many of Trump's policies.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy says the tiff between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is a communication breakdown coming at the worst time ... but, he seems hopeful the two sides can work it out.

We caught up with Maksim at Dance With Me Dance studios in NYC Wednesday. Maksim and his brother Val -- both of whom have worked on "Dancing with the Stars" for years -- own the studio.

Chmerkovskiy came to the United States with his brother and parents when he was 14 years old from Ukraine ... so, we had to ask his opinion of Zelensky and Trump's shouting match in the Oval Office last week when Zelensky was accused of not being thankful enough to the U.S. for aid.

Congressman Al Green -- the Democrat who was escorted out of the House of Representatives for interrupting President Donald Trump's address to Congress Tuesday -- says he's firing back at POTUS ... announcing plans to file articles of impeachment.

The Texas representative stopped by "TMZ Live" Thursday to talk about his dramatic exit from the chambers during Trump's speech ... and, he revealed he's planning to bring the articles to combat the president's "incivility."

Green didn't give a timeframe for when this filing could take place ... but, he says he feels Democrats need to engage in some "righteous incivility" of their own to combat the president's behavior.

Even though Pras was found guilty in his federal fraud case ... he's holding out hope his boy Donald Trump will come through with a pardon!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the Fugees rapper on a (rare) rainy day in L.A. this week and he tells us it's no secret that he and his legal team have been clamoring for a pardon from the current Trump administration.

Pras says he and President Trump share a common adversary in the previous admin's Justice Department, which convicted them both ... the hip hop lyricist was found guilty in April 2023, but he's managed to keep his sentencing delayed.

Barack Obama took in a Clippers game Wednesday night in Los Angeles, without his better half by his side.

The former prez was seated courtside with L.A. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his spouse, Connie Snyder, but Barack's famous wife -- Michelle -- was nowhere to be found.

Still, Barack had a good ol' time watching the Clippers beat the Detroit Pistons 123-115 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

Curtis Stone is down to prepare a meal for President Trump ... and he's ready to bring a taste of Australia to the White House.

The celeb chef told us what he would serve Trump during an interview on our new TMZ podcast, "Big Down Under," with our camera guy Charlie Cotton.

Curtis says Wagyu beef would definitely be on the menu ... although it sounds like he's going to have to get creative with preparation, seeing as how Trump likes his steaks well done, with ketchup.