White House

Caitlyn Jenner is being treated more harshly by her own, transgender community than the general public because they think she voted for Donald Trump ... but she didn't, according to her partner.

Sophia Hutchins says a few leaders in the trans community have poisoned them against Caitlyn, and the media just stoked the coals.

Sophia, who sat for an interview with Jim Breslo on his podcast, "Hidden Truth," didn't reconcile something her partner told Diane Sawyer ... that she voted for Trump.

Sophia says Caitlyn has had a hard time winning over the trans community, in part because they unfairly view her as unrelatable because she lives a privileged life. She blasts the media for telling untruths about her partner ... blasts them hard.

Sophia has long been an LGBTQ activist ... noting, when she was at college at the Christian school Pepperdine University, she fought the administration to get an LGBTQ club on campus. It rankles her that the media reduces her to being "a model."

Check out the full episode here.

Robert De Niro got back into his political comedy shtick again this weekend, making a sorry joke about Brett Kavanaugh hours after he was confirmed to the Supreme Court.

De Niro was receiving the Brass Ring Award Saturday evening at the Children's Diabetes Foundation's Carousel of Hope event in L.A., when, for whatever reason, he decided to wade into politics with a quip about the newly appointed Justice Kavanaugh. It mostly landed flat.

Seemingly out of nowhere, he goes ... "Now, one reminder. The drinks, wine and beer are flowing. But, be careful -- if you have too much, you may end up on the Supreme Court."

Besides the fact that he butchered the delivery of the line -- stumbling over his words -- it's clear he chose the wrong topic to bring up at a ceremony for the Children's Diabetes Foundation. The reactions to his joke were mixed, some nervously laughing ... others booing.

It's definitely not the first time De Niro has used his platform in such a public setting to bash the Trump administration. He got bleeped saying "F*** Trump" at the Tony Awards earlier this year, and seems to take every opportunity he can to slam the President.

3:20 PM PT -- Kavanaugh has reportedly been sworn in as the 114th Supreme Court justice in a private ceremony at court.

1:45 PM PT -- Trump congratulated the Senate on "confirming our GREAT NOMINEE" ... and says he will sign Kavanaugh's Commission of Appointment and swear him in later today.

There were no last minute surprises or curveballs -- Brett Kavanaugh got the votes he needed to be confirmed to the Supreme Court of the United States ... but just barely.

President Trump's pick to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy was confirmed by the Senate Saturday with a tally of 50 to 48 ... including crucial "aye" votes from Senators Jeff Flake, Susan Collins and Joe Manchin.

Republican Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski was set to vote 'no' on Kavanaugh, but as a favor to Montana Senator Steve Daines ... she voted 'present' to offset his 'yes' vote so he could attend his daughter's wedding. It really didn't matter anyway.

The confirmation comes after weeks of drama and controversy stemming from allegations made by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a party in the early '80s when they were both in high school.

Ford's claims led to a Senate hearing where both she and the judge testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee ... and a brief follow-up FBI investigation authorized by the Prez.

But, when it was all said and done, a majority of the Senate -- all but one Republican plus Manchin -- determined Ford's allegations were not corroborated and Kavanaugh was deserving of a spot on the highest court in the land.

If recent history with Neil Gorsuch is any indication, now that Kavanaugh's been confirmed ... he could be sworn in as early as Monday.

Before the Senate vote, Kavanaugh wrote a letter admitting he was overly emotional and said some things he shouldn't have during his testimony. However, he insists he'll be a "pro-law judge" who won't let partisan politics or public pressure influence his decisions.

Many people -- including Amy Schumer -- aren't buying it ... and have been consistently protesting Kavanaugh's appointment to the Supreme Court in D.C. this week.

Remember in January, when Hawaii residents received a terrifying text about an inbound ballistic missile with instructions to seek shelter immediately, but it turned out to be a false alarm?

Well, don't worry -- that's not going to happen with President Trump's new nationwide presidential alert texts ... it's a FEMA guarantee.

A spokesperson for the Homeland Security agency tells TMZ ... it has an infallible multi-step process in place to ensure the text system does not result in a major warning fail like what happened in Hawaii.

We're told for sending national alerts, the process begins with a special authentication procedure to make sure the person requesting to send it has the proper authority.

After verified approval, a 2-person "integrity check" procedure kicks in to ensure the alert contains the appropriate message and the info is properly formatted.

Finally, we're told the alert is only sent when BOTH of these alert operators have validated the content and format and hit the send button.

Dean Cain says his mom and sister were once victims of sexual assault but he's adamant those cases vastly differ from the accusations Brett Kavanaugh's facing ... and that's why he still supports Kavanaugh's SCOTUS nom.

We got Dean Thursday at the Javits Center for NY Comic Con and he thinks Kavanaugh will end up getting confirmed to the Supreme Court. Why? The TV Superman thinks Dr. Christine Blasey Ford was was silent for way too long.

Lindsey Graham says President Trump might not be deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize just yet, but if he wins it anyway ... liberals are going to lose it.

We got the South Carolina Senator on Capitol Hill Thursday evening and asked about the Prez being a favorite for the honor ... Graham says he's done a lot to deserve it by fighting ISIS and taking on Iran, but needs a little more help from North Korea.

As for the libs, Sen. Graham thinks if 45 manages to nab the Nobel, they'll be so distraught they'll head for the nearest window ... and take the leap.

Lindsey also throws some shade at past Peace Prize winner Barack Obama ... and a little at George W. too.

Brett Kavanaugh seems to be walking back his emotional outbursts at last week's Senate hearing over the allegations made against him by Dr. Christine Ford ... and he really wants you to believe he'll be a fair Supreme Court Justice.

President Trump's SCOTUS nominee penned a letter for The Wall Street Journal Thursday, in which he insists he's a "pro-law judge" who will not be influenced by partisan politics or public pressure ... and will "always strive to be a team player" with the other Justices.

He also admits he got "very emotional" during his testimony -- more than he's ever been -- but insists it's not who he is. He explains his behavior by saying it was the result of "my overwhelming frustration at being wrongly accused" and "my deep distress at the unfairness of how this allegation has been handled."

Kavanaugh adds ... "I might have been too emotional at times. I know that my tone was sharp, and I said a few things I should not have said. I hope everyone can understand that I was there as a son, husband and dad."

It seems like Trump's pick is trying to soften the blow with people who strongly oppose him being confirmed to the highest court in the U.S., which could happen this weekend.

6:30 PM PT -- We got video of Amy while she was being detained, and she got a police escort ... to take a pee. She also says she's remaining hopeful about stopping Kavanaugh's confirmation, and isn't going to stop the fight.

Amy Schumer talks the talk and walks the walk when it comes to denouncing Brett Kavanaugh -- 'cause she just got arrested in D.C. with a bunch of other people protesting the imminent vote on his confirmation.

Amy and other protesters were shepherded by D.C. police Thursday inside the Senate office building on Capitol Hill, where an officer asked if she wanted to be arrested. Amy didn't hesitate ... she said yes while holding a "We Believe Anita Hill" sign.

She also had a green shirt on that seemed like it might be a play on Melania Trump's tone-deaf "I Really Don't Care" jacket.

Amy was later seen in a lineup against a wall, where she and others, including Emily Ratajkowski, were being detained. We don't know yet what she's been arrested for ... possibly disturbing the peace or trespassing.

The mass protests in D.C. are in reaction to the FBI concluding its investigation, launched after Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified last week about her sexual misconduct allegation against Kavanaugh.

It appears what the FBI came back with hasn't swayed the vote of key Senators -- which means Kavanaugh is likely to be confirmed to the Supreme Court.

Stormy Daniels is living in fear of Donald Trump supporters ... so much so, the ex-porn star is banning everyone from taking selfies with her at her book signing.

Stormy is signing copies of her book, "Full Disclosure," Thursday night at the Barnes & Noble at The Grove, and a selfie ban is in full effect.

Stormy's lawyer, Michael Avenatti, tells TMZ ... she will have her normal security detail, and the selfie ban was put in place because of safety concerns.

If you're dying for a pic with President Trump's nemesis, Barnes & Noble staffers will snap a photo with your phone ... but there will be a table between you and Stormy.

We're guessing Stormy was spooked by the FBI probe into possible police corruption in connection with her arrest at an Ohio strip club. We're told some of the officers were pro-Trump and it appeared to be a personal vendetta.

Remember, Stormy's book details her alleged sexual encounter with Trump ... and she also claims Ben Roethlisberger tried to kiss her the day after she banged DT.

Talk about revenge courtesy of the Clintons -- the former POTUS and almost-POTUS met up with Christina Aguilera this week, which looked like a way better time than some folks are having in D.C. right now ... *cough* Brett Kavanaugh *cough*.

Bill and Hillary decided to catch Christina's show Wednesday night at Radio City Music Hall as part of her Liberation Tour and ended up getting a little meet-and-greet with CA herself backstage afterward. It's a good-looking trio, if we do say so ourselves.

When you're as famous as this couple is -- especially in NYC -- we imagine it ain't all that difficult to get a little VIP access every now and then. We know they tend to get special treatment when they hit the town together in the Big Apple ... even post 2016.

Can't blame 'em for enjoying themselves, especially after they're still getting dragged through the mud to this day. In case you missed it ... Judge Kavanaugh threw the Clintons under the bus during his boisterous opening statement last week while denying Dr. Ford's allegation, saying the entire episode was orchestrated as retaliation for them.

As for the show ... it looks like it was a sweet concert. Christina had Lil' Kim come on stage with her, and we're sure they did their usual numbers. Can't hold 'em down, those two ... Clintons neither.

Former RNC Chairman Michael Steele is adamant Donald Trump and his base don't accurately represent American values, and as evidenced by his controversial messaging in Mississippi.

We got Steele on Capitol Hill Wednesday afternoon and wondered what the prominent Republican had to say about the Prez mocking Dr. Christine Ford at Tuesday night's rally. ICYMI ... Trump intimated Ford belongs to a group of "really evil people" set on destroying his SCOTUS nominee, Brett Kavanaugh.

Steele RIPPED 45, calling what he said about Dr. Ford ... stupid, wrong and "disrespectful of the office." As for the crowd cheering as the President went off on Ford, Steele had one word for them ... and it wasn't a kind one.

Imagine President Trump sliding into your DMs -- okay, now take a deep breath because it's not THAT bad, but most likely you DID just get a text from him ... and a dead serious one at that.

If you haven't looked down at your phone recently ... FEMA sent out the first nationwide presidential alert text on behalf of POTUS Wednesday at 2:18 PM ET. It was just a test, and the real thing would only be used during a national crisis when it would be necessary to immediately contact all citizens.

We had our cameras set on Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star and at Time's Square -- and the moment the message hit was pretty obvious -- check out everyone who pulled out their phones.

Interestingly, the text is neutral and contains zero messaging directly from Trump -- "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed." FEMA says the Prez gives the go-ahead to send the text, while FEMA drafts and sends the actual message.

If you're wondering ... the system doesn't allow 45 to wake up in the morning and decide on a whim to send a blast message to all Americans. Still gotta see Twitter for that.

We all know the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore was contentious, but few knew how Dubya's dad really felt about his opponent ... until now.

Moments in Time is selling a letter the ex-POTUS wrote to his friend and former congressman Dan Rostenkowski on October 9, 2000 -- about a month out from election day. It's going for $12,500 ... so if you're a history buff, bust out your credit card.

In the letter, obtained by TMZ, Mr. Herbert Walker very clearly expressed his disdain for Gore, saying, "You can just imagine how proud we are of George W and how nervous we are about the election. I have gotten so I can't stand Al Gore."

He continues ... "I sit on the sidelines pained when the press or Gore attack. It is far worse when it's your son who is under heavy incoming fire, Danny, far worse!"

While H.W.'s derision for Gore seems to stem more out of anxiety from the race than the guy himself, there's no question that Bush Sr. was no fan. As you might know, his kid ended up going on to win the election ... but only after the Supreme Court weighed in 5-4.

Kanye West says he's reached out to Colin Kaepernick -- and wants to bring him to Washington D.C. for a special meeting with Donald Trump.

West -- wearing his Make America Great Again hat -- sat down with Harvey Levin on "TMZ Live" on Monday and said he hopes to bring the two sides together so they can work out their issues.

Of course, Donald Trump has been extremely critical of Kaepernick -- strongly pressuring NFL owners to fire all of the "sons of bitches" who don't stand for the national anthem.

Kaepernick has said he began kneeling to shine a spotlight on police brutality against black people -- but Trump feels the demonstration is disrespectful to the flag and military vets.

So, will Kanye succeed in putting together a peace summit between Trump and Kaep?

He didn't say if either side was open to the idea -- but Trump has praised Kanye as a brilliant leader, so we're guessing he would be in.

1:22 PM PT -- Finally, some true clarity from Kanye. He just tweeted ... "not abolish but. let’s amend the 13th amendment We apply everyone’s opinions to our platform."

1:10 PM PT -- Kanye just tweeted out what appears to be a clarification about his 13th Amendment remark, saying "the 13th Amendment is slavery in disguise meaning it never ended We are the solution that heals."

It seems like he might be talking about a specific part of the 13 Amendment that refers to people who are convicted of a crime, who can then be forced to work. Section 1 reads ... "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

Unclear if this is exactly where Kanye's head is on the issue, since he didn't offer more context to his tweets. But, if we're giving him the benefit of the doubt ...

Kanye West made a shocking comment Sunday ... "Abolish the 13th Amendment" ... the Amendment that outlawed slavery.

Kanye has been tweeting about his support for Donald Trump ... this in the face of his 'SNL' appearance last night where he wore his MAGA hat on stage, and delivered a pro-Trump rant toward the end of the show.

Kanye tweeted ... "This represents good and America becoming whole again. We will no longer outsource to other countries. We build factories here in America to create jobs. We will provide jobs for all who are free from prisons as we abolish the 13th amendment."

He added a footnote to that ... "Message sent with love."

It's hard to imagine what he means ... abolishing the 13th Amendment would at least, in theory, allow states to once again enslave human beings.

Omarosa believes all the crying and shouting Brett Kavanaugh did during this week's Senate hearing proves he's got 2 sides, but as long as everyone's focused on him ... it's a win for the Prez.

We got Omarosa at the Reagan National Airport in D.C. Saturday and asked about her tweet, which questioned how President Trump would react to his Supreme Court nominee crying during his testimony.

She says Kavanaugh's display showed an angry, aggressive side ... and even POTUS can't dispute that. Brett's fondness for drinking beer might be another strike against him with 45 too.

Then again, O says Kavanaugh's Supreme Court drama is exactly what Trump wants right now ... because it keeps everyone from focusing on the Russia investigation.

As we reported ... the Senate Judiciary Committee voted yes to recommend Kavanaugh be confirmed to the Supreme Court Friday, but there will also be an FBI investigation into the sexual assault allegations made against him by Dr. Christine Ford.