Politics

President Donald Trump initially blamed Iran for last month's attack on an Iranian elementary school, but now that a preliminary inquiry reportedly determined the U.S. to be at fault ... he says he doesn't know anything about the strike.

While meeting with the press Wednesday outside the White House, Trump was asked about the ongoing military investigation, which is reportedly holding the U.S. responsible for the Tomahawk missile strike.

When asked if he personally took responsibility, Trump answered, "For what?"

The Department of War is reportedly so mad about some pictures taken of Pete Hegseth that officials have told several photographers not to come back to the Pentagon.

Here's the deal ... the Secretary of War has delivered multiple press briefings this month in the aftermath of the United States' bombing of Iran -- the first taking place on March 2.

Photographers were allowed in the room during the briefing ... but, The Washington Post reports, photos they took of Secretary Hegseth upset DoW officials.

According to WaPo -- citing two anonymous officials -- photographers were banned from briefings on March 4 and March 10 ... and Pentagon staff photogs took photos instead.

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Iran says it’s not coming to the World Cup -- and the country’s sports minister is pointing the finger at the United States.

Ahmad Donyamali, Iran’s Minister of Sport and Youth, announced Wednesday that the nation cannot participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after their Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed during the initial U.S./Israeli strikes during the opening moments of the war.

“Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup,” Donyamali said on state television.

While the regime may be mourning, Khamenei was long called repressive and brutal by many Western countries and human rights organizations.

The sports minister doubled down on the stance … saying the war has made it impossible for the team to compete.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi was quietly moved to a Washington D.C. military base after receiving threats from drug cartels and people pissed about her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, according to the New York Times.

Bondi was relocated from her regular D.C. residence within the past month after federal law enforcement alerted her staff about the threats, the paper reported, citing sources familiar with the situation. 

The NYT says Bondi saw an uptick in the threats after the arrest and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by U.S Delta Forces in January.

Gavin Newsom is having some fun at the expense of Pete Hegseth, slamming the Department of War Secretary for going on a $93 billion taxpayer-funded spending spree to buy pricey steaks, lobsters and crabs.

The California Governor, and likely 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, ripped Hegseth for his lavish spending habits during the last month of the fiscal year in September 2025, according to government watchdog Open the Books. The watchdog highlighted that Hegseth's bulk purchases were the largest of any federal agency since 2008.

As a result, Newsom's press office took a monster-size shot at Hegseth, writing in all caps on X Tuesday, “HEGSETH BLOWING $93 BILLION OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS IN 1 MONTH !!”

Alina Habba, the former acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, quietly divorced her husband and moved to a Florida home near President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago.

The former Trump lawyer filed to divorce her second husband Gregg Reuben last month in New Jersey ... and the divorce was quickly settled ... according to the Daily Mail.

Alina and Gregg got hitched back on New Year's Eve 2020 in New Jersey ... but they did not have any children together.

Pete Hegseth's Defense Department reportedly blew through tens of billions in one month ... including huge splurges on steak, lobster, crab, fruit baskets, and furniture according to recent analysis by the government watchdog Open the Books.

The Pentagon went on an epic spending spree in September 2025 by burning through $93 billion ... the most at the end of a fiscal year since 2008 ... all part of the federal government's use-it-or-lose-it budget.

Hegseth's DOD needed to spend the money to keep their current funding moving forward ... and he signed off on $6.9 million for lobster tail, $2 million for Alaskan king crab, $15.1 million for ribeye steak, $1 million for salmon, almost $140K for donuts, and $124K for ice cream machines.

If you're famous, Gene Simmons has a strong message for you ... do your art and shut up about politics!

The legendary KISS cofounder put his own spin on Laura Ingraham's infamous "shut up and dribble" line when we chatted with him Monday in Bev Hills.

And, he even called out a few celebs by name! You'll have to watch the video to find out who.

Bill and Hillary Clinton were blowing off steam with a little NYC date night -- their sighting coming just days after they got grilled over their ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

The couple were spotted leaving Italian hotspot Il Tinello after dinner Monday night ... Hillary flashing a quick wave to people outside as she slid into their waiting ride, with Bill trailing right behind.

Judging by the scene, the mood was pretty breezy -- relaxed, casual, and a far cry from the hot seat they were in during those Epstein depositions.

Democratic Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett’s failed Senate campaign expenses included $200K on text messages to potential voters and tens of thousands of dollars on consultants -- while her opponent James Talarico outspent her like crazy on advertising ... TMZ has learned. 

Per campaign records, the Congresswoman listed $8,577,757.47 in receipts ... with $3,682,885.41 in individual contributions ... from December 2025 to February 2026.

During the same time period, Jasmine’s campaign spent $5,092,872.38 on expenses ... and $17,297.87 on contribution refunds. 

Veteran political strategist James Carville stopped by "TMZ Live" Monday after his controversial 12-minute takedown of Donald Trump over the weekend ... and he told us, he doesn't regret a thing.

ICYMI ... in a video for Politicon posted Saturday, Carville went on a rant, calling Trump a "fat f***," and he proudly proclaimed he's afflicted with "Trump Derangement Syndrome" -- an illness he said doesn't need a cure.

"I don't want to get better. I want to get worse," Carville said in the tirade. "I want to hate him more."

"Halo" voice actor Steve Downes -- who plays Master Chief in the video game franchise -- wants to pull the plug on the White House using his voice to promote their war in Iran.

Downes slammed Donald Trump's administration in a post on X, writing ... "It has come to my attention that there is at least one propaganda video circulating that was either produced or at the very least endorsed by the White House that uses images of Master Chief and uses my voice to support the war in Iran."

He continued ... "Let me make this crystal clear: I did not participate in nor was I consulted, nor do I endorse the use of my voice in this video, or the message it conveys."

Kai Trump was living her L.A. girlie fantasy this weekend -- rolling up to luxury L.A. grocery hotspot Erewhon with her Secret Service escorts in tow to grab some essentials ... and the internet’s got a seriously sour taste about it!

Donald Trump’s granddaughter documented the trip in a video originally titled "I Brought My Secret Service to Erewhon," later changing it to "I Tried the World’s Most Expensive Grocery Store" ... showing her scooping up pricey items -- including the famous $21 Hailey Bieber smoothie -- plus supplements and other high-end goodies.

Kai seemed to be having a blast too ... even checking out the store’s clothing merch and asking how much it cost -- not that it looked like the price tags were slowing her down.

Reverend Jesse Jackson's son is pissed at Barack Obama and Joe Biden, slamming the former presidents for using the civil rights leader's memorial service to throw jabs at current President Donald Trump ... while also trying to act like they knew his dad.

On Saturday, Jesse Jackson Jr. spoke to a crowd at his late father's Rainbow Push Coalition headquarters in Chicago -- giving the two lifelong democratic ex-presidents a piece of his mind. He also took a shot at a third former U.S. President -- Bill Clinton.

Jackson Jr. said he listened to Obama, Biden and Clinton give eulogies at Friday's memorial service for several hours about Jesse Jackson -- claiming the three men didn't even know his dad.

Country music star Maren Morris is speaking her mind about what she sees as the failures of the Trump administration, and she doesn't care if she loses fans over it.

According to Maren Morris, if you supported Donald Trump in his presidential elections, you voted for a "dementia ridden, diaper clad, cornball" and "you got bamboozled."

Not only that ... she doesn't feel bad for the MAGA faithful who may feel disillusioned by their leader.