Politics

The White House is going full TikTok troll mode again, this time using a Tate McRae track to hype up its border wall push ... while taking a not-so-subtle shot at China in the process.

In a new video posted to the administration’s official TikTok account, it shows dramatic clips of President Donald Trump arriving in China ... while one of Tate’s moody anthems, "Just Keep Watching," blasts in the background.

The post brags the U.S. wall is coming together better than the Great Wall of China itself ... instantly igniting chaos in the comment section, where users debated everything from politics to whether Tate even knew her music was being used in the first place.

Eric Swalwell and his wife Brittany Watts are reportedly living separately in the fallout from the sexual misconduct allegations that derailed the former congressman's political career.

Sources close to the couple told PEOPLE ... Brittany was completely blindsided by the accusations against Swalwell and had "no way" of knowing about the alleged behavior before it exploded publicly last month.

Brittany is now allegedly staying apart from Eric with their three children while trying to keep life as stable and private as possible for the kids. She was also recently spotted without her wedding ring.

5/15 -- 7:48 AM PT -- Ben Williamson, Assistant Director for Public Affairs at the FBI, responded Thursday to the AP's reporting ... writing, "The AP is attempting to spin an invitation from the Commanding General of Indo Pacom to a military base as a party or vacation, which is so stupid."

He continued, "The DoW routinely does these engagements with interagency partners - to include this one - and when he was Chief of staff for DoD in Trump 1, Patel offered the same event for many partners that came to visit. It's a historical tour to honor heroes who died on the USS Arizona - not a party."

Kash Patel went to Hawaii last year for what the FBI said was a work trip and definitely not a vacation ... though unless he was checking on the FBI office underwater, it's hard to say why he needed to go snorkeling.

According to the Associated Press ... new emails show government officials referring to a "VIP snorkel" on an exclusive excursion near the U.S.S. Arizona -- the ship sunk during Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Snorkeling and diving are generally not permitted near the wreckage of the battleship ... but the U.S. Navy and National Park Service have allowed some visiting dignitaries to dive around the site.

Kyrsten Sinema is fighting to get her hands on her boyfriend Matthew Ammel’s ex-wife’s therapy records ... TMZ has learned.

According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, Matthew’s ex, Heather Ammel, is asking a judge to shut down subpoenas issued by the former U.S. Senator from Arizona.

The subpoenas in question asked for Heather’s therapist to turn over all documents revealing dates of therapy sessions, notes from therapy sessions, intake forms, invoices, and all communications with Heather.

8:31 AM PT -- We asked Spencer if he has ever lived in the trailer, and he said no, adding, "I have never told anyone I lived there." However, in the campaign ad, he says squarely, "This is where I live" as he stood in front of the trailer.

Spencer Pratt has gained traction in his campaign for L.A. Mayor by showing what he says Karen Bass did to his family -- forcing them to live in a trailer after his home burned down. But TMZ has learned ... he's traded in the trailer for one of the swankiest hotels in L.A. ... but Spencer says he was forced to ditch the trailer because of death threats.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Spencer has been staying at the Hotel Bel-Air for more than a month. We're also told his wife, Heidi, and their kids are staying in Carpinteria, just north of L.A. So the trailer is sitting lonely.

The U.S. Senate is finally getting a little taste of its own medicine ... 'cause they’ll now lose their paychecks during future government shutdowns too.

The Senate unanimously passed a resolution Thursday blocking senators from getting paid when the federal government shuts down ... basically turning the heat back on lawmakers after federal workers got screwed during past standoffs -- particularly this most recent one, the longest yet.

Republican Senator from Louisiana John Kennedy -- who pushed the measure -- called it a "shared sacrifice," according to the Associated Press ... after thousands of workers were left unpaid during recent impasses, including a 43-day shutdown in October 2025, and then another this year's partial shutdown that lasted 73 days, until a sudden agreement in April.

Nicki Minaj is shedding more light on why she turned to the MAGA side ... and it mostly revolves around two powerful Black men.

The rapper told Time ... there's a large, but quiet resentment toward Jay-Z in the rap world ... the mogul who she's accused of trying to sabotage her career. And on top of that ... Jay is close pals with Barack Obama.

As she tells it, the former president is a huge sticking point for her for two reasons ... first, there's an expectation that Black entertainers reflexively vote Democratic ... and second, she despised him saying that some Black male voters were uncomfortable voting for Kamala Harris -- which she found "condescending."

President Trump is back to bashing his favorite political targets ... Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

In recent posts on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump reposted a call to "Arrest Obama the traitor."

Trump also shared an A.I.-generated image showing Obama, Biden and Nancy Pelosi bathing in a filthy Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. He captioned the post, "Dumacrats Love Sewage."

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul's son has issued an apology after he unloaded on New York Congressman Mike Lawler with an antisemitic and homophobic tirade Tuesday night.

William Paul went off on his drunken rant at a D.C. bar ... when he butted into a conversation the Republican lawmaker was having with someone else, the New York Post reports.

Lawler told the Post ... William began by asking if he was Jewish ... and from that stellar start, he brought up the Iran War, reportedly saying ... "This war, it's all about the gays and the Jews, and I hate them both, and I don't care if they die."

Karen Bass is reacting to A.I.-generated political ads that cast her as The Joker and Spencer Pratt as The Dark Knight ... and she says things are getting too violent for her taste.

The mayor of Los Angeles sat down with CNN's Elex Michaelson -- a former "TMZ Live" guest host -- and responded to some of the striking visuals in the attack ads.

Bass feels the content is "taking on a violent turn" ... and she says it's worrisome because "when your messages are so hateful, or when you demonize people, then you do provoke people who are unstable."

Katharine McPhee and her husband David Foster teamed up to stump for Spencer Pratt and trash his political opponents as he runs for Los Angeles mayor ... they did it in song form, and it's all on video.

The "American Idol" alum grabbed the mic and started singing at a campaign fundraiser for Spencer at the home she shares with David, who played the piano as Katharine put a political twist on Tina Turner's "The Best."

Check out the clip ... Katharine switches up the lyrics and sings, "Spencer you're simply the best / Better than all the rest / Better than Karen Bass / And Nithya Raman / You're stuck in our hearts / We'll hang on every word you say / We've been torn apart / He's gonna fix this broken L.A."

Billionaire businessman Stephen Cloobeck has been arrested on a felony charge of attempting to prevent or dissuade a victim or witness from testifying ... TMZ has learned.

Cloobeck was handcuffed and taken into custody by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies in West Hollywood Tuesday morning ... though he was released a few hours later after posting a $300,000 bond. It's unclear what case Cloobeck's arrest relates to.

Cloobeck is the former CEO of Diamond Resorts International and a prominent Democratic donor who pulled his support for disgraced and now-resigned Congressman Eric Swalwell's suspended campaign for California Governor. The pair are -- or at least, were -- longtime friends ... until Swalwell was accused of sexual assault by several women earlier this year.