Politics

Todd and Julie Chrisley are home from federal prison after getting pardons from President Trump, and their family and legal team talked about their release in a press conference ... where Todd fired a shot at CNN.

Todd and Savannah Chrisley, as well as attorneys Alex Little and Zack Lawson, held a press conference Friday in Nashville where they reacted to the full and unconditional pardons granted by Trump.

Savannah stepped up to the mic first ... calling Todd and Julie's pardons a "dream" and expressing gratitude for everyone in the Trump administration and beyond for getting her parents out of jail. She also railed against the "politicization" of the Department of Justice.

The FBI's telling its employees to leave their Pride at the door ... instructing agents and others in the agency not to celebrate or otherwise promote Pride events at work, according to a new report.

A rep for the Federal Bureau of Investigations sent an email, obtained by Fox News Digital (FND), to all employees to clarify the agency's position on the LGBTQ+ community's biggest month -- after the transition from the Biden to the Trump administrations.

FND says FBI Assistant Director for Public Affairs Ben Williamson wrote, "I want to take the opportunity to make FBI leadership’s expectations clear: There should be no official FBI actions, events, or messaging regarding Pride Month." June is officially recognized in the U.S. as LGBTQ Pride Month.

Todd Chrisley is soaking up his freedom -- he just dropped his first post-prison photos, and he’s looking thrilled to be free!

Check out the pics -- he's beaming in two selfies with his daughter Savannah, who has been glued to his side since his release from Federal Prison Camp Pensacola Wednesday evening.

He's surely thrilled to be out of his prison garb ... opting for a simple outfit consisting of black shorts and a beige long-sleeve shirt, finished off with aviator sunglasses and a black baseball cap.

Donald Trump may have commuted Larry Hoover's federal life sentence, but the ex-Gangster Disciples leader still has a slew of red tape to cut through before he's totally free!!!

Hoover is still on the hook for a life sentence in the state of Illinois and the Governor's office tells TMZ Hip Hop ... the only way the 74-year-old can continue his quest for parole or clemency is to petition the Prisoner Review Board, AKA the PRB.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's office says, unlike Donald Trump, Illinois follows the law -- and its state justice system is no exception!!!

Julie Chrisley’s a free woman -- and wasting no time jumping back into everyday life after Trump’s last-minute pardon.

Check the pic -- Julie's post-slammer glow was written all over her face as she left a Nashville butcher Thursday, rocking her natural locks ‘cause clearly, the salon hasn’t made the post-prison to-do list yet.

After two and a half years behind bars for bank fraud and tax evasion, Julie’s first day out was clearly about the basics -- food runs and making sure everyone knew she was back in town.

Alice Marie Johnson says Larry Hoover's federal prison sentence was commuted to give him the hope of receiving a real second chance ... but he still has years to serve in an Illinois prison for a state crime, and Alice hopes the Illinois governor might grant him clemency as well.

We spoke with President Donald Trump's "pardon czar" on "TMZ Live" Thursday ... and, we asked her about Trump's decision to commute Hoover's federal sentence.

She tells us she first learned about Larry's case from Kanye West and Drake's live-streamed event at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum back in 2021, where she was sitting first row at the event and learned of Larry's plight.

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino insists convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was not murdered in jail ... and he says there's video to prove the wealthy financier killed himself in his cell, and it'll soon be released.

Thursday morning, Bongino was on "Fox & Friends," where he disclosed the existence of video from Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan ... and he claims the footage shows no one else was involved in Epstein's death.

Bongino -- a conservative talk show host recently appointed to his FBI position by President Trump -- said last week he and FBI Director Kash Patel had reviewed the evidence and concluded Epstein did, in fact, end his own life. Still, plenty of people remained unconvinced.

Missi Pyle ain’t holding back when it comes to President Trump’s headline-grabbing pardon of Todd and Julie Chrisley -- she straight-up compared the whole thing to a reality TV show gone rogue.

TMZ caught the actress Wednesday at LAX, where she tells us the Prez is basically running "The Apprentice 2.0" ... with the country stuck watching to see who’s getting booted or blessed next.

You gotta check out the clip 'cause Missi didn't flinch when she asked if she thought Trump felt a weird kinship with the Chrisleys -- ya know, fellow reality TV stars with a flair for drama, and criminal convictions.

Jimmy Kimmel says Donald Trump wasn't just thinking with his heart when he pardoned Todd and Julie Chrisley ... he may have been considering another part of his anatomy, too -- 'cause Jimmy thinks Savannah Chrisley's good looks helped her parents' case.

The talk show host lit into POTUS for letting Todd and Julie out of prison after serving just 2 years of 12 and 7-year prison sentences, respectively.

Jimmy says, "The real reason Trump released the Chrisleys is because A) their daughter is good-looking, and B) she spoke in support of him last year at the RNC."

5:24 PM PT -- Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Julie Chrisley is already on her way home to Nashville.

Julie Chrisley is officially out of federal prison ... released just moments ago ... TMZ has learned.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons tells us ... Julie walked out of Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky on Wednesday evening, not long after her husband, Todd was released from federal prison in Pensacola, Florida.

The Chrisleys -- who were convicted on bank fraud and tax evasion charges in 2022 -- were released hours after President Donald Trump signed off on their pardons.

Elon Musk says his time working with President Trump as a special government employee is coming to an end.

The world's richest man announced his impending departure from the Trump administration Wednesday with a post on his social media platform, X.

Elon says ... "As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending."

Larry Hoover Jr. is shouting out Kanye West for sticking his neck out for his father ... because he tells us Ye was instrumental in Larry Hoover getting a commuted sentence from President Trump.

Larry Jr. tells TMZ ... Kanye and Alice Marie Johnson are a big reason why Trump commuted the prison sentence of the Gangster Disciples founder.

Kanye and Drake went to bat for Larry Sr. and famously squashed a beef back in 2021 with a livestreamed event billed as the "Free Larry Hoover" fundraising benefit concert.

Savannah Chrisley was all about that fan-girl energy for Trump following her parents' pardon, going as far as holding a whole press conference to thank POTUS for what he’s done for her family ... and America.

Check it out -- Savannah was decked out in full hot-pink MAGA gear, getting teary-eyed as she gushed about Trump being not just the President, but a "human with a heart." All this while soaking up the Florida sun, waiting to scoop up her dad Todd from FPC Pensacola for his prison release.

Savannah was beaming -- making it crystal clear she’s thrilled Trump stepped in, looked over the case, and pulled the strings to make it happen. She also gave thanks to Trump's "Pardon Czar" Alice Marie Johnson and Ed Martin, who briefly served as interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C.

Joe Exotic still has a path to freedom ... we've learned a potential pardon from President Trump is NOT off the table, despite the 'Tiger King' getting snubbed in the latest round of Trump clemency rulings.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... a pardon for Joe remains a possibility -- however, his case was NOT reviewed during a recent round of presidential pardons.

It's unclear why Joe wasn't made a priority this time around, but we're told it's very possible Exotic's case will be reviewed in the very near future.

NBA YoungBoy now has his entire YoungLife ahead of him ... thanks to President Donald Trump swooping in with a presidential pardon!!!

On Wednesday, YB released a statement thanking Trump, "White House Pardon Czar" Alice Marie Johnson, and his attorney Brittany K. Barnett for lifting the legal trauma hovering around his head for the past 5 years!!!

See it for yourself ... we obtained the letter written to President Trump from YoungBoy's dedicated team of attorneys at MGKB Law Corp -- and they outlined YB's past plight and future potential if given another chance.

The Louisiana rapper says he worked hard to earn a second chance ... calling himself "grateful, focused, and ready" for the challenge to keep his nose clean.

Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover found himself among the lucky inmates who got good news on Wednesday ... President Donald Trump commuted the prison sentence of the reformed Chicago gang leader on the same day he granted Julie and Todd Chrisley their freedom!!!

Hoover's name should ring bells in your memory ... Kanye West and Drake famously squashed their brewing beef back in 2021 in a livestreamed event at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum billed as a "Free Larry Hoover" fundraising benefit concert.

Ye sent all praises due to President Trump for the pardon after hearing the news and Hoover's family is also in the midst of a celebration.

Rick Ross also immortalized Hoover on his now classic 2011 track "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)" ... a track that also championed the life and crimes of another recently pardoned former drug dealer ... Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory Sr.