White House

Lil Pump is taking a cue from 50 Cent, and throwing his support behind President Trump ... saying he doesn't wanna pay a dime more in taxes, as Joe Biden's proposing.

The rapper chirped up this weekend in pretty clear terms, posting a pic of him shaking hands with DT -- clearly photoshopped -- and a ringing video endorsement.

As for why ... it seems to be in line with what Fiddy voiced just last week when he endorsed Trump as well -- they're not down to fall into a new tax bracket under Biden's plan. If he wins, JB has said he would try to upend Trump's tax law and get folks who make more than $400k to chip in their fair share -- way more than what they're paying now.

Of course, both 50 and Pump fall into that category, and neither seem willing or eager to give up any more of their wealth to Uncle Sam.

It seems 50 didn't mean it after all -- or he's on the fence. He later said "F*** Trump" when his ex, Chelsea Handler, called him out on 'The Tonight Show.'

She said she'd be willing to give him another go in the bedroom if he changed his tune ... and sure enough, he did. When it comes to LP, though, he sounds a little more serious.

Here's another thing ... Pump is actually catching a ton of flak right now for his endorsement, but more so for his use of the n-word in his video (and in general).

Voters in Philadelphia turned waiting in long lines to cast their ballot into a fun experience ... by mixing in some "Cha Cha Slide."

The good times went down in Philadelphia, as a large group of voters waiting for early voting in the city Saturday passed the time with some group dancing ... moving in unison to the hit by DJ Casper usually reserved for wedding receptions.

The viral video's more than just a random feel-good moment though -- it's part of the work being done by Nelini Stamp of the Working Families Party, who's also the campaign director for Election Defenders.

Nelini and the nonpartisan coalition's goal is to assure that voters are "staying safe and healthy outside of polling places across the country and bringing them some joy."

More importantly, it's aimed to combat voter suppression and intimidation by bringing "Joy to the Polls" ... which kicked off this weekend in Pennsylvania for the inaugural Vote Early Day.

You've probably heard it a million times -- this is the most important election of our lives -- and it's probably the most expensive too ... based on the millions it's costing to try to keep voters safe.

Get this ... the estimated cost in L.A. County for this year's general election is $91.7 million -- $33 MILLION more than 2016's price tag of $58.5 mil.

We're told the added cost is the result of the massive amounts of products needed to clean and sanitize voting devices after each voter ... along with all the soap, sanitizer and PPE provided for voters and workers.

There are also added operational costs in making voting locations socially-distant compliant ... and special care for disabled voters or those with health vulnerabilities.

Houston's experiencing a similar surge in general election costs this year compared to 2016 -- $33.2 million up from just $4.06 mil ... according to a spokesperson for Harris County.

Among the new expenses -- providing PPE including masks, gloves, and a "finger condom" to all voters ... because all the voting stations have electronic touch screens.

Another pro-Trump parade is going down this weekend -- only now, in NYC ... where a group identifying as Jews are showing their MAGA support, and bringing things to a boiling point with counter-protesters.

An event being dubbed "Jews for Trump" kicked off Sunday in Manhattan, where a massive convoy of cars and trucks waving Trump 2020 and American flags were caravanning through the downtown area ... flanked by both cops who were protecting them, and anti-fascist protesters who were chirping from the sidelines. Some folks wearing Proud Boys garb were also there in the mix among the Trump crowd -- eventually, all the groups clashed.

It's hard to say what exactly is sparking the violence, but it's happening nonetheless. Here's one video in which a counter-protester takes a Trump flag out of one of the parading vehicles, which is parked momentarily. As that squabble seems to simmer down, another one pops up across the way -- where two NYPD officers are wrestling someone to the ground.

Not too long after, utter chaos breaks out as people start to square up and swing on each other. Some folks are trying to break it up, others are jumping in -- it's almost impossible to differentiate at times.

At one point, a counter-protester comes up behind one of the 'Jews for Trump' dudes and taps him in the head before trying to run away. As he's fleeing, he gets kicked in the leg and topples to the ground, with his head hitting the pavement hard. And, seconds later ... even more brawls break out in an adjacent section. Like we said, complete pandemonium.

Some people on the ground claim the cops are definitely team Trump here, because some of the officers are arresting counter-protesters at the behest of the MAGA crew ... who are apparently being safeguarded by those same cops using bikes to maintain crowd control.

This jives with what was just in the streets of NYC earlier this weekend -- namely, an NYPD squad car saying "Trump 2020" over its built-in loudspeaker ... which is a violation of police policy.

The First Lady was cheerfully tagging along with the President on his way to the debate this past week ... or so it seems, because an awful lot of people don't think it was actually her.

Here's a photo that was taken Thursday ahead of the debate in Nashville between Donald Trump and Joe Biden ... in which DT is seen boarding a chopper with who appears to be his wife, Melania, already on board, smiling at the crowd that was bidding them a farewell.

We say appears because a crap ton of folks have studied this photo and others captured in the same few seconds ... and they believe this lady's a FAKE stand-in, not the real Melania at all. Prepare yourself -- this is a deep dive, but stupidly important work nonetheless.

Some have gone to the extreme lengths of zooming in and comparing the lines around her mouth ... not to mention playing dentist and seeing differences in the teeth. By most accounts, the mugs here just don't match up -- from chomper size to the curve of her smile ... many Twitter truthers simply aren't buying this is the real McCoy, but rather ... a look-alike.

BTW, this isn't the first time a "fake Melania" theory has surfaced. It's cropped up at least twice before -- most notably, in 2019 ... when Trump and Melania visited tornado-stricken Alabama to survey the damage. She was rocking massive shades then too ... but many said there's no way that was FLOTUS -- speculating she's got a few different body doubles.

Here's a strange scene right out of the Big Apple about a week and change out from Election Day -- hundreds of people lined around city blocks to vote in person at the first opportunity available.

The first day of early, in-person voting started Saturday in NYC ... and a WHOLE LOT of New Yorkers were eager to get out the vote the good old-fashioned way -- namely, standing in line for hours in chilly weather, just to cast their ballot and make sure it went through.

The good news ... many of them (we'd say the vast majority) are wearing face coverings and appear to be social distancing as best they can out there. The weird part ... just seeing the throngs of bodies insistent on voting in person, when voting by mail is an easier option and has actually been encouraged.

It's interesting ... the sheer number of people who seem dead set on exercising their right in this fashion -- especially during a pandemic, and especially in a place that used to be the epicenter of said pandemic. In our minds, it speaks to a couple of things happening.

For one, President Trump has waged a war against mail-in voting (and voting in general) ... constantly sowing doubt about the legitimacy of the process, suggesting voter fraud is rampant and even stripping down the Post Office from the inside out, via a lack of funding and a new Post Master General -- who's implemented a lot of what Trump's demanded.

We've seen reports of mailboxes being yanked out of the ground and sorting machines sidelined ... not to mention long delays in mail delivery, so people have reason to worry.

Barack Obama really should consider taking up stand-up comedy in retirement, because the dude's got some great jokes about President Trump ... especially when he's in Florida.

44 was at a rally Saturday in Miami, where he was campaigning for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. While addressing a crowd of drive-in supporters, he lobbed some zingers at DT's expense -- likening him to the infamous/reckless "Florida Man" who makes headlines every now and then ... oftentimes for absurd things.

Welp, not even Florida Man would do some of the stuff Trump has done in office -- like nonstop tweeting, threatening critics with prison time and countless other bizarre acts -- at least according to BO. He says we wouldn't tolerate this type of stuff from virtually anyone else in our lives, so why take it from the leader of our country?

Barack also talked about the façade of being tough -- something he says Trump is none of deep down, but something Joe actually is ... since he's been there and done that on the biggest stage. Another point Obama made -- if elected, folks wouldn't have to constantly hear about Joe and Kamala in office, unlike now ... where Trump runs the news cycle daily.

President Trump thinks Sacha Baron Cohen is an unfunny jerk who tried, but ultimately failed, to fool him years ago -- and to that, SBC says ... appreciate the plug, DT!!!

POTUS gave a harsh critique of Sacha and his work as Borat, especially as it pertains to the sequel that just came out this week. He told reporters on Air Force 1 that he didn't really know what the new fuss was all about -- it's about Rudy Giuliani, if he isn't aware -- but went on to say Sacha tried duping him a while back, but that he called out his whole act.

Trump reportedly said, "That's a phony guy and I don't find him funny." He also called him a "creep," and it appears Borat himself caught wind of the insult ... and promptly replied.

Sacha writes, "Donald—I appreciate the free publicity for Borat! I admit, I don’t find you funny either. But yet the whole world laughs at you." He also offers Trump a job while making a presumption about Election Day results.

What Trump's referring to when he says he caught Sacha in the act dates back to the mid-2000s, when SBC got Donald to agree to a sit-down interview with another popular character he plays ... Ali G. Ali tries pitching Trump on an ice cream invention, but Trump remains stoic throughout and eventually leaves the interview entirely. No gotchas, no scandal.

Trump has maintained over the years he saw right through Sacha's bit, which is why he cut the interview short and left abruptly. Sacha doesn't think that's entirely true, but in any case ... he's never been able to completely prank the guy -- unlike Trump's adviser, Rudy.

If you hadn't heard, Giuliani is one of Borat's "victims," if you will, in the new flick -- and is actually caught in what some might describe as a compromising situation with Sacha/Borat's sidekick, who's portraying a reporter.

After interviewing him, she invites him into her bedroom for a drink and removes his microphone and untucks his shirt. Then Rudy puts his hand down his pants, seemingly to tuck in his shirt, but Sacha's claimed it was more creepy.

For his part, Rudy has since claimed nothing inappropriate was going on and that he was just tucking in his shirt. Sacha and co. argue the opposite -- asking ... who knows where it would've gone if left uninterrupted?

President Trump just racked up another vote in his column ... his own.

Trump hit the polls early Saturday in West Palm Beach, FL, telling his supporters, "I voted for a guy named Trump."

Trump was a longtime New York voter, but he changed his residence last year to Mar-a-Lago, in Florida. He has beef with New York -- especially NYC -- because he says the Big Apple has treated him unfairly.

Trump tweeted, "JUST VOTED. A great honor!"

Trump said in-person voting was preferable to mail in, but remember -- he has voted absentee twice this year.

President Trump's claim wind "kills all the birds" is a bunch of hot air ... according to one of the country's largest bird conservation orgs. which says Trump's the real danger.

Trump raised eyebrows, and drew a laugh from Joe Biden, during Thursday's debate, when he declared wind-powered energy kills birds.

Kevin Fahey, the vice president for the Kern Audubon Society, isn't laughing though ... he says Trump's claim couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, he insists POTUS could care less about birds, because he's done lots of things to threaten their existence.

The organization says the biggest danger to birds is not windmills or wind-powered energy, as Trump would have you believe ... instead, we're told global climate change is the real grim reaper, and the best solutions for that existential threat are solar and wind power.

Kevin thinks Trump's not concerned with bird safety ... he says the comments are more likely about Trump's dislike for an alternative -- nonfossil fuel -- energy sources. Kevin points out Trump's administration has tried to roll back many regulations designed to protect birds, including the 100-year-old Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Trump's not completely wrong about windmills killing birds, but as with most of POTUS' claims, there's a catch.

Kevin says there have been bird deaths related to wind-power generation, but newer wind turbines are much safer for birds -- they spin slower and are much larger -- and some models are even equipped with bird detection devices that turn off the turbines when birds are in danger.

Danny Trejo wants voting rights restored to felons who've paid their debt to society, but while they're on the inside ... he thinks Kim Kardashian's doing more to help than President Trump.

We got the actor -- who spent years in various prisons back in the day -- at Trejo's Cantina in Hollywood, and asked him if prisoners should be allowed to vote from behind bars, or while on probation or parole.

Danny says ex-inmates should be allowed to vote, along with people being held in county jails before they've been convicted. He's staunchly in favor of states -- like Florida has done -- restoring voting rights to folks who complete their prison bids.

As for prison reform's impact on the election -- Danny scoffs at President Trump tooting his own horn. Despite, the fact POTUS signed the First Step Act into law ... Trejo doesn't think he deserves all the credit.

President Trump's got himself a costar at his latest rally in Florida -- one of his supporters who can't stop flashing what looks like the white power hand symbol in clear view of cameras.

Look closely at the video from Trump's Friday rally at The Villages in Central FL ... the man seated in the crowd over the President's left shoulder repeatedly made the 'ok' symbol ... commonly associated now with the white power movement.

What's more ... the guy flashing it is also wearing a black hat with yellow print, which some folks are claiming matches the logo for the Proud Boys.

As you know ... Trump refused to condemn white supremacy during the first Presidential debate, and instead told the alt-right group Proud Boys to "stand back and stand by."

The guy positioned behind the President certainly wasn't shy about using the hand symbol as he raised it almost every time there was an ovation. POTUS never acknowledged him, and it's possible he never saw the gesture being made.

President Trump's talking like he and Dr. Anthony Fauci are still on friendly terms -- despite each jabbing the other lately -- but that's news to Fauci, who says he has zero access to the Oval Office.

Dr. Fauci essentially said he's been bumped, telling NBC's Chuck Todd he no longer has the President's ear -- even though the coronavirus pandemic is ramping up again over most of the country.

The good doc says Trump is now listening more to Scott Atlas, the neuroradiologist and conservative think tank member the President added to the task force this summer.

Unlike what we've heard in recent weeks, Fauci did NOT take a shot at Trump for the shift -- watch, he says it more matter-of-factly -- but instead, he's still sharing his knowledge with Vice President Mike Pence and the rest of the Coronavirus Task Force.

He added, Pence relays information to Trump, who hasn't attended a task force meeting in several months. Worth noting ... the country reported at least 75,049 new COVID cases Thursday, the second-highest daily total since the pandemic started.

Great time for a game of telephone.

White House security is looking pretty lax in new video showing Sacha Baron Cohen's 'Borat' costar easily gaining access and coming within feet of President Trump.

The footage is of Maria Bakalova -- who plays Borat's daughter in the newly released sequel -- and shows her getting a tour of the White House press briefing room by OANN reporter Chanel Rion. It appears Rion, a regular member of the WH Press Corps, and her outlet were duped last month into getting Maria onto the White House grounds somehow.

There's also footage of Maria within feet of POTUS at a reception for Trump supporters back in February in Phoenix -- and there she's seen shaking Donald Trump Jr.'s hand. She was blonde at that time.

BTW ... Maria gaining access into the White House is NOT in the newly-released film, but it calls into serious question the security measures in place at 1600 Penn. Sacha claims Maria wasn't checked for a credential, nor did she have a COVID-19 test.

Jennifer Aniston isn't laughing with the folks voting for Kanye West ... she says a vote for Yeezy is flat out irresponsible.

The actress says she just dropped her ballot off and her early vote is for the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ticket ... adding there's nothing cool about voting for Kanye.

Jen explains her vote like this ... "a few men in power are deciding what women can and can’t do with their own bodies. Our current President has decided that racism is a non-issue. He has repeatedly and publicly ignored science... too many people have died."

She's urging voters to consider the implications in the election ... suggesting if Donald Trump wins re-election, it will hurt our nation's daughters, minority groups, elderly folks with illnesses and on and on.

Jen says the future of our country and the world is on the ballot and the election is all about voting for equal human rights, love and decency.

Cops in New York City and Los Angeles are worried about Election Day protests devolving into chaos ... even though police brass are saying the opposite.

Here's the deal ... NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan and John Miller, the head of intelligence and counterterrorism, are publicly stating there's no specific credible threats for Election Day, but they both say officers will be standing by and fully prepared to protect voters from any funny business.

However, we've learned cops are busy behind-the-scenes preparing for chaos ... in other words, violence and even riots.

A senior NYPD official with direct knowledge of the plan tells TMZ ... hundreds of cops from the reserve force will be primed and ready for possible riots and demonstrations.

We're told the NYPD is especially worried about the areas around Manhattan's Union Square and Flatiron District ... two places that saw riots and looting earlier this year, as well as Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza and Barclays Center.

If Donald Trump wins re-election, we're told the feeling among NYPD's rank and file is riots could occur because lots of folks hate Trump in NYC, his hometown.

We're also told rank and file cops fear Trump protests could start peacefully but spiral out of control when darkness falls, when riots usually pick up. We're told cops are preparing for such chaos with reserve forces.

If Joe Biden wins, we're told cops also think there could be trouble ... but not as bad as a Trump win. The big worry -- protests if Trump contests election results.

Police are preparing for similar scenarios across the country in Los Angeles.

LAPD sources tell TMZ ... cops are anticipating lots of Election Day demonstrations and they're afraid things could take a violent turn if Trump jumps to an early lead at the polls.

If Biden wins, we're told LAPD believes there could be issues but they're more worried about a Trump victory, which could bring more agitation and conflict among protestors.

Our sources tell us they're worried about a similar scene playing out to what we saw after the Lakers won the NBA title -- a peaceful gathering careening off the rails. As we reported ... there were 76 arrests outside Staples Center after the Lakers' clinch. It got ugly.

While we're told some cops are concerned about unrest on Election Day, our sources say LAPD will take swift action to thwart violence and lawlessness.

Sources say there will be a heavy police presence in L.A. a few days leading up to Election Day and about a week after ... reason being -- cops just don't know what's going to happen.