Politics

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick's time in the role could be significantly shortened ... because he's back in the crosshairs of Congress after a photo of him and Jeffrey Epstein together was restored to the Department of Justice's website.

The photo captures Epstein -- clad in a white T-shirt and matching pants -- cracking a grin with a group of dudes standing on a cliff overlooking the ocean.

In the middle, there's a man in a bright blue button-down shirt and shorts with his hands behind his back ... that's Lutnick -- and this photo was reportedly taken on Epstein's infamous island, Little St. James in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Tish Hyman is sharing her thoughts on fellow ballot buddy Spencer Pratt ... and she tells us so long as Karen Bass doesn't win, she doesn't see Spencer as direct competition.

While she stopped short of a formal endorsement, being she wants to be the one to take the cake for LA Mayor, she didn’t hold back in saying she’d rather see Spencer take the reins than current elect Bass.

Catch the clip ... Tish commends Pratt for his advocacy regarding the devastating Palisades fires that affected his direct life last year, telling us he's doing "God's work." According to Tish, the current leadership hasn’t delivered for everyday Angelenos and she believes voters are ready for a serious switch-up. 

Lauren Boebert can't recall why she took a picture of Hillary Clinton during her deposition ... or, she probably can -- but she's too busy cracking jokes about the former First Lady and Secretary of State.

The Republican Congresswoman from Colorado was asked about the photo she leaked to Benny Johnson of Clinton while being deposed by the House Oversight Committee earlier today ... a move one Clinton advisor said is "against chamber rules."

Boebert responds, "I just returned to my hotel room and installed the BleachBit software. So, I guess in regards to taking photos, I do not recall.”

The House Oversight Committee has finished deposing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and they'll take a crack at former President Bill Clinton tomorrow ... but Democrats say President Donald Trump is really their white whale.

Dems on the committee -- led by California Representative Robert Garcia -- gathered Thursday to demand the president sit down with them to answer questions about Jeffrey Epstein.

Rep. Garcia says the committee is setting a precedent of speaking to former presidents and other former high-ranking officials about this matter ... and, the president is on their list, too.

Here's the first look at Hillary Clinton testifying under oath about Jeffrey Epstein ... in a photo that's been leaked from inside the room.

The image -- posted on social media by conservative political commentator and podcaster Benny Johnson -- shows Hillary seated at a table in a blue suit.

Hillary is sitting between a couple people, and there's a huge jug of water and some glasses in front of her.

Johnson says the photo was sent to him by Republican Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert ... and the photograph was discussed outside -- where Bill Clinton's advisor told the press the hearing briefly paused to address the photo leak, which he said is "against chamber rules."

Hillary Clinton says she does "not recall ever encountering" Jeffrey Epstein ... and she says the House Oversight Committee is using her to "distract attention from President Trump's actions."

The former Secretary of State is testifying right now at a building in Upstate New York, near where the Clintons have a house.

Hillary reportedly blasted the committee in her opening statement, according to Fox News, saying ... "A committee endeavoring to stop human trafficking would seek to understand what specific steps are needed to fix a system that allowed Epstein to get away with his crimes in 2008."

Mike Eruzione isn’t here for the outrage … he’s here for the red, white and blue.

The "Miracle on Ice" captain -- who scored the most iconic goals in U.S. hockey history at the 1980 Winter Olympics -- tells TMZ Sports he’s fed up with the pearl-clutching and is firing back at haters taking shots at today’s Team USA stars.

“Shut up and just enjoy what they did,” he told the critics in an interview with Babcock on Wednesday.

Eruzione pointed to his own experience in 1980, when political figures were openly supporting the team without controversy. He recalled then-Vice President Walter Mondale sitting in the stands -- and even a phone call in the locker room from the POTUS after the "Miracle on Ice" win.

“Jimmy Carter called the locker room and I spoke to him,” Eruzione said, adding the team was invited to visit the White House the very next day -- and there was zero backlash.

Democratic Congressman Al Green thinks peaceful protests still matter ... especially when it comes to President Donald Trump and his incendiary language and conduct.

Green, a representative for the state of Texas, made headlines last night when he held up a "Black People Aren't Apes!" sign at the State of the Union address ... and he explained to TMZ the importance of an IRL rebuke.

See ... Green was sure Trump had heard about or read some of the blowback from his racist post depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes, but Green didn't believe Trump had been confronted. And according to Green, having someone call you out directly to your face is a whole other ball game.

That locker room phone call heard ’round the internet? Jeremy Swayman says Team USA would do it differently.

The Boston Bruins goalie is speaking out about the viral moment that followed Sunday's gold medal win ... when President Donald Trump called to congratulate the team and players huddled around a phone in the locker room.

“We should have reacted differently. We know that,” he told reporters after Bruins practice on Wednesday.

After congratulating the team and inviting them to the State of the Union, the POTUS said, "I must tell you, we're gonna have to bring the women's team. You do know that," he said. "I do believe I probably would be impeached."

While a good amount of the U.S. men's hockey team visited the White House following their gold medal win over Canada in the Winter Olympics, a handful of players like Jake Guentzel opted to pass on the opportunity ... and the Tampa Bay Lightning winger said he was absent due to a "timing thing for me and my family."

Guentzel -- along with Brock Nelson, Kyle Connor and Jake Oettinger -- was not spotted when President Donald Trump welcomed the team to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to celebrate their huge win. But the Stanley Cup champion made it clear there was no political message behind it.

"I was definitely not denying the request to go," Guentzel said. "It was a dream come true to go, I was fortunate to go in 2017 when Trump was in office."

Jimmy Kimmel pulled no punches against Donald Trump following the State of the Union address … blasting what he called an “angry” speech from the president.

Kimmel -- who went live with his show toward the end of the lengthy address -- wasted no time diving in on Trump, saying, “The theme of tonight’s speech was 'All foreigners are murderers.'”

He also took aim at Melania Trump, quipping, “He said zero illegal aliens have been allowed into the United States on his watch, but the door is always open to those who come in legally to be his next wife.” Later, he added, “The State of their Union is twin beds tonight.”

During the State of the Union on Tuesday night, President Donald Trump paid tribute to the late right-wing political advocate Charlie Kirk, who was publicly killed last year ... saying there should be no political violence of any kind as Charlie's wife, Erika Kirk, is seen getting emotional in the audience.

While Trump was honoring those whose stories have impacted our country recently, he took a moment to honor who he called his "great friend, Charlie Kirk." As the broadcast panned to Erika in the audience, tears filled her eyes as the president described the fatal last moments Charlie lived.

Erika wiped away tears as members of the audience took to their feet and applauded for her late husband. Trump addressed the nation in regards to Charlie's death, saying we must remember we are "one nation, under God" and must "totally reject political violence of any kind."

Donald Trump turned his State of the Union into an all-out brawl Tuesday night as he attacked Democrats, calling them "crazy" and accusing them of cheating elections.

Trump severely divided the room by asking the audience to stand if they believed America's first mission was to protect American citizens. Many Democrats remained seated while Trump scowled at them.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves," he said.

Texas Democratic Congressman Al Green got kicked out of the State of the Union on Tuesday after appearing to protest one of President Donald Trump's racist social media posts.

Green held a sign which read "Black People Aren't Apes" as he was escorted from the event. Watch the video to see the tussle he gets into as he exits.

As you know ... Trump posted a video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes earlier this month. The post has since been removed from Trump's Truth Social page.

President Donald Trump just introduced the U.S. men's hockey team as his special guests at the State of the Union address on Tuesday -- showing the gold medal winners grinning from ear-to-ear.

They were honored for about five minutes full of applause, cheers and U-S-A chants that rang throughout the Capitol building. Trump congratulated them -- and noted it was the first time he saw Democrats rise from their seats.

"Here with us tonight is a group of winners who just made the entire nation proud," he said as the team entered the House chamber.

Trump also congratulated the U.S. women’s team for its gold medal … saying they “soon will be coming to the White House.”

Gavin Newsom wasn't making racist remarks during a recent event -- since it looked like he was the intermission entertainment at a Coldplay concert -- so says our own Harvey Levin.

The TMZ executive producer tore into the misinformed outrage directed at the Governor of California after he related his own education and background to the audience at a book event in Atlanta, Georgia.

If you haven't seen the clip ... Governor Newsom basically says he had a mediocre SAT score and he can't read well due to his severe dyslexia ... so he's no better than anyone in the audience.