President Trump looks like he's trying catch those pesky pool vandals with some fancy new technology ... because new A.I. surveillance systems were just installed at the the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Our Charlie Cotton noticed these new A.I. security cameras being wheeled over to the Reflecting Pool on Monday -- the same day Trump claimed vandals carved a 300-foot long gash into the brand new Pool liner -- and when Charlie returned Tuesday, the surveillance systems were installed and running ... keeping a watchful eye over the Pool.
This is more than just an eye in the sky ... this A.I. features real-time tracking, intrusion detection, HD monitoring, strobe lights, automated spotlights and loud, talk-down horn speaker.
A New York City coffee shop is in hot water with the feds ... the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division is investigating after staff banned a pro-Israel politician.
Here's the deal ... Poetica Coffee's Park Slope location slammed Rep. Dan Goldman on their Facebook page after he purchased a drink from them over the weekend ... issuing him a refund and saying they "don't serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anyone in between."
The shop told the New York Congressman he's never welcome back, adding ... "Do you see how it doesn't taste like genocide juice? Or are you still having a hard time telling the difference?"
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is literally under the microscope ... and TMZ DCspotted signs it's passing one scientific test ... at least as it relates to algae.
Check out the video ... workers spent time Monday roaming the perimeter of the landmark with glass jars attached to long poles ... scooping up water samples and bringing them back to shore for analysis. After each test, one of the workers recorded results on a data sheet.
We zoomed in on the paperwork and snapped photos of the results ... and, it seems the algae readings are mostly low.
It looks like algae levels were graded on a scale from 0-5, with zero meaning little algae. Most readings are 0s and 1s, but one result appears to be higher ... check the photos and judge for yourself.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is quickly turning into the Lincoln Memorial Arresting Pool ... TMZ DC witnessed the latest bust firsthand, and the guy who got led off in cuffs gave us a piece of his mind.
Check out the video ... Jacob hustled over to ask the detainee why he was in handcuffs ... and he told us why an out-of-state law enforcement agency's presence set him off.
The Reflecting Pool is the center of a growing controversy in D.C. and we've already seen law enforcement take action against a couple people today ... including this man, who was led away by US Park Police.
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is getting treated like the Mona Lisa these days ... and one woman got a ticket to prove it.
Check out the footage Charliecaptured Monday ... a woman is seen dipping her hand into the newly renovated Pool before drawing the attention of cops, National Guard troops, and U.S. Marshals, who surround her and begin questioning her near the water's edge.
The woman is eventually escorted away from the Pool ... she was issued a citation, but was then free to walk away.
USA and Australia are about to duke it out in the World Cup ... and ya know who's shaking in his Chelsea boots?! TMZ DC's Charlie Cotton -- 'cause he's making a wager with Senator Tim Kaine!!
Cotton -- who is Australian A.F. -- ran into Hillary Clinton's former running mate on Capitol Hill Thursday afternoon ... and mentioned how they're enemies as soon as the two countries kick-off in Seattle.
Kaine -- clearly rooting for the home team -- suggested the two take part in a beer bet (Foster's and Samuel Adams, obviously) ... but Cotton threw a ton of alternatives in his direction, and he shut down each and every single one.
Jacob pressed Lummis ... for cryin' out loud, Musk is worth more than the GDP of many countries, but she stood firm. As for whether it's too much for one person to have, she wasn't buying what Jacob was selling.
Dan Hurley's certainly on board ... telling TMZ DC he'd love to have his UConn Huskies play on the South Lawn next after the recent UFC Freedom 250 extravaganza!!
Coach Hurley -- who attended the elaborate MMA event on Sunday and other UFC fights in the past -- lit up when Charlie Cotton pitched the idea of getting some college basketball at 1600 Penn next.
Donald Trump says officials in Iran don't have a high opinion of one of his predecessors ... claiming some of them think Barack Obama's a "stupid son of a bitch."
POTUS made the shocking claim during the G7 Summit in Évian-les-Bains, France while sitting with Egypt's president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ... insisting Obama never could've nailed down as good of a deal with Iran as he did, while railing against the deal Obama signed with Iran over a decade ago.
Trump mentioned a $1.7 billion cash payment the United States made to Iran back in early 2016 ... money which the administration insisted was not connected to the deal. Critics have often brought up the suspicious timing of the payments.
Lindsey Graham's about to shock you ... not with something he says, but with his physical prowess ... breaking down UFC Freedom 250 while he's on the climb.
Charlie got Senator Graham in a tricky moment for any 70-year-old ... or so you would think. He asked Lindsey what he thought of the competition at UFC 250 just as they started climbing up a long flight of stairs.
Here's the thing ... LG's obviously been getting in his steps, because even as he commends the "very athletic" fighters for their impressive displays in the Octagon, he is going step after step after step like some cardio master!
Senator Ted Cruz says former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's way out of his league when it comes to datingKaty Perry ... and he says it takes one to know one.
Charlie got the Senator from Texas on Capitol Hill Tuesday and asked about the romance between Canada's former top dog and the Queen of Camp ... and you gotta hear Ted roar about the coupling.
Ted invokes an old school phrase -- "outkicking your coverage" -- to describe the disparity in this pairing ... before noting he's outkicking his coverage in his marriage to Heidi Cruz.
TMZ DC caught up with Shane after Sunday night's UFC Freedom 250 fights at the White House, and Shane didn't hold back when Charlieasked him about Hokit's ugly remark about the former First Lady.
Daniel Cormier is adamant an exchange with Eric Trump about fixed fights never happened ... with the UFC legend claiming his account must have been tampered with on Sunday.
The shocking post seemingly went up hours before the UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House South Lawn ... showing alleged DMs from President Trump's son asking if DC had any inside information that could help him with some bets.
The post was quickly deleted ... and Eric came forward to deny the conversation ever happened. He stated A.I. was involved in faking the messages. Cormier also followed up by asking, "Are people really this dumb?"
Dan Bongino thought Josh Hokit's shocking "joke" about Michelle Obama after his UFC Freedom 250 victory was pretty damn funny ... and says those clutching their pearls need to chill.
TMZ DC caught up with the former deputy director of the FBI after the huge White House spectacle ... and we had to ask what he thought of Hokit calling Michelle "a man" in his post-fight comments.
Check out the video ... Dan says the moment brought the house down ... because it was so wild and unexpected. He also addresses those who think the comment was in poor taste.
Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna says loving the UFC fight on the White House lawn isn't a choice ... it's chemical -- with testosterone producers sure to enjoy.
Our TMZDC team caught up with the Florida rep. before the controversial event on Sunday ... and we had to ask about all the backlash for the event.
Luna's clear that people who don't produce testosterone -- basically, weaklings and wimps -- are the only ones who can't get behind this event ... a knock on many liberals who have attacked the prez for going through with it.
Donald Trump is one of the oldest sitting presidents in U.S. history ... and now he's completed another decade of life.
Trump is turning 80 today, and he's celebrating at the White House UFC Freedom 250 event, which is going down on the South Lawn.
POTUS is sure to be decked out in his birthday best for the occasion ... we're guessing we'll see him in his signature spray tan and a dramatic combover.
But the Prez wasn't always this old! Check out our gallery to see for yourself and take a stroll down memory lane.
