Politics

President Trump went to the United Nations General Assembly and all he got was a "bad escalator and a bad teleprompter."

Trump's Tuesday visit to the U.N. General Assembly in New York City went off with a couple hitches ... starting from the moment he walked through the door.

POTUS and FLOTUS were heading up the escalator when it stopped moving ... forcing Trump and Melania to get some exercise. Fortunately for them, Trump says they're both in good shape.

Kamala Harris is doubling down on her decision not to pick Pete Buttigieg as her running mate in the 2024 presidential election due to concerns over his sexuality.

The former vice president appeared on "The Rachel Maddow Show" Tuesday, where Rachel -- a gay woman -- pressed her over her recent confession that she nixed the former United States secretary of transportation as her VP pick at least partly due to him being gay.

Kamala -- who bluntly wrote in her new book "107 Days" that Pete was her No. 1 choice for her running partner, but he was too much of a risk -- told Rachel she didn't pass over him because of his sexuality explicitly, but because that, combined with her being a black woman, was too big a gamble.

Jon Stewart cracked a joke about Jimmy Kimmel's return to ABC while taking aim at the FCC's threat to the network that coincidentally -- or not -- occurred just before "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" was yanked from the air.

Check out this clip from Monday's 'Daily Show' ... Jon says he's shocked Jimmy's show is returning, considering he was told the FCC's threat to ABC -- that they could "do this the easy way or the hard way" -- had nothing to do with the show's now short-lived hiatus.

Instead, he quipped, with a ton of sarcasm ... "We just randomly remove one show a week!"

Detroit rap star Peezy is getting the full feel for Los Angeles' amenities on his "Still Ghetto" album press run -- like spending an entire car note payment at the grocery store!!!

TMZ Hip Hop recently caught up with Peezy outside Erewhon and judging from his lighter pockets, he guesstimates he spent around $400 just cleaning up in the smoothie aisle.

He's been considering his health as of late and no price is too steep to keep his blood pumping ... there's money to be made!!!

The FBI says a Sacramento man accused of opening fire on a local TV station Friday left behind chilling handwritten notes ... including one directly threatening well-known political figures.

According to the feds, agents searching Anibal Hernandez Santana's home and car found two disturbing messages. In his house, tacked to a refrigerator planner under the Friday listing, was the line: "Do the Next Scary Thing."

Even more alarming ... inside his car was a note that read: "For hiding Epstein & ignoring red flags. Do not support Patel, Bongino, & AG Pam Bondi. They're next. – C.K. from above."

NBA YoungBoy's MASA Tour has been packing arenas with unfiltered YN energy without any of the issues, and the superstar rapper had a shiny, sparkling new honor awaiting him when he touched down in Kansas City yesterday!!!

TMZ Hip Hop has learned NBA YoungBoy received a proclamation announcing September 21 will be his own day in the KC going forward.

The 25-year-old was surprised with the City Key by National Criminal Justice Advocate Donte West, on behalf of KC Mayor Quinton Lucas.

Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are once again putting those breakup rumors to rest ... 'cause they were spotted splashing out on Steven Spielberg’s $250 million superyacht in Italy!

Check out the pics ... the former first lady arrived in Portofino Friday -- without her hubby -- climbing aboard and greeting the famous filmmaker with a warm hug. He appeared enthused to see her show up, holding out his arms in anticipation of a friendly exchange.

She changed out of her trendy double denim outfit for a lunch with Steven and his wife, Kate Capshaw, on Saturday. Michelle seemed to enjoy their seaside rendezvous, as she was pictured grinning from ear to ear.

Utah Valley University has formed the UVU Memorial Committee to create a monument for Charlie Kirk following his assassination on their campus Sept. 10.

The university announced the development Monday, noting ... "We will listen to community voices and carefully consider the many perspectives surrounding this memorial."

The committee will be co-chaired by Scott M. Smith, UVU Board of Trustees chair, and Amanda Covington, Utah Board of Higher Education chair, and "include students and political leaders among other key stakeholders," the university said.

Sarah Ferguson was just dumped as the patron of a UK children’s hospice ... and it's all due to a sappy email she sent to Jeffrey Epstein.

The Duchess of York got the boot Monday ... the children's hospice Julia's House saying the split was over a leaked message SF sent to the convicted sex offender in 2011, People reports.

The shocking email in question was an apology to Epstein for Ferguson publicly disavowing him in the throes of his legal whirlwind after she took his money ... she tried to kiss up afterward and even called him a “supreme friend."

John Oliver minced no words reacting to the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night TV show by ABC on "Last Week Tonight" ... calling ABC and Disney CEO Bob Iger a bunch of "cowards."

Check out the clip from Sunday's show -- he rails at Bob when speaking about how he believes the current administration will be remembered unfavorably in the history books ... predicting companies allowing Donald Trump and his associates steamroll them will look even worse.

He says ABC and Bob "definitely know better but still let things happen," and likens Jimmy's suspension to letting a bully take your lunch money. He explains the bully is never happy ... he will just come back hungrier for more.

Elon Musk and President Trump look like they are back on good terms ... because they're sitting shoulder to shoulder at the Charlie Kirk memorial service.

Elon and Trump were spotted Sunday in a luxury suite at the Kirk memorial at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

The Tesla honcho had a bitter falling out with POTUS a few months ago ... but now it looks like they've patched things up ... and cameras even caught them chatting and shaking hands.

Thousands of people from across the country came together to honor the slain Charlie Kirk ... with President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance among the guest speakers remembering Charlie.

Turning Point USA -- the conservative nonprofit organization founded by Kirk in 2012 -- hosted a memorial service Sunday in Arizona ... more than a week after the commentator was shot to death in a shocking instance of political violence.

This event was separate from Kirk's funeral. Kirk's org spared no expense for the celebration of life, titled "Building A Legacy: Remembering Charlie Kirk" ... they tapped POTUS and the Veep as guests of honor, alongside Kirk's widow, Erika.

Van Jones says Charlie Kirk sent him a message about getting together to respectfully disagree about some major issues the day before he died ... and it underscored what Kirk was all about.

Van shared the alleged DM from Charlie with Anderson Cooper on CNN ... and it's basically Charlie reaching out to get Van to debate him on the Charlotte train stabbing.

Van and Charlie had been going back and forth over whether the Ukrainian refugee who was killed was attacked because she was white ... and the beef was heated. But Van says Charlie reached out to have a civilized and gentlemanly discussion.

Jeffrey Epstein made himself the king on his own chessboard, lording over his queens -- literally!

If that doesn't sound strange enough ... get a load of these photos of Epstein and a bunch of beautiful young women -- who, we're told, were all adults. Our sources with direct knowledge of the bizarre project tell us ... approximately 9 women in their 20s walked into an NYC photo shop in 2016, and asked the staff to take photos of them which would be made into pieces for a chessboard.

We're told the ladies said they were in a chess club, but didn't reveal who the club's president was. Over the next several months, our sources say the women came into the shop and posed for 3-dimensional pics in stylish outfits.

Bill Maher is the latest talk show host coming to Jimmy Kimmel's defense amid his show's suspension -- despite not fully agreeing with his remarks that led to ABC benching the broadcast.

Check out his speech on HBO’s "Real Time" Friday night -- Bill rallied behind his "compatriot" Jimmy, later adding ... "I am with you, I support you."

BM also brought up his own firing from ABC 24 years ago, telling Jimmy ... "If this firing goes for you the way it did for me, you’ll get 23 years on a better network." He took another swipe at ABC, calling it the "Always Be Caving" network.

Luigi Mangione's attorneys are taking a big crap on the federal death penalty case against their client in connection with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson -- and they're asking a judge to completely throw out the indictment!

In new court documents, obtained by TMZ, Luigi's legal team, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Marc Agnifilo and Jacob Kaplan, claim that Luigi's rights have been "intentionally and serially violated" by the NYPD, federal government and other public officials in order to secure the possibility of the death penalty for him ... and due to these violations, the "unconstitutional" indictment needs to be struck down.

They list numerous examples as to how Luigi -- accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson to death in December 2024 -- has been wronged, starting with the NYPD's alleged leaking of information pertaining to the investigation, including a handwritten manifesto found on his body when he was taken into custody.