White House

President Trump says it's not true that he was "solely responsible" for CBS and Paramount firing Stephen Colbert from his late-night talk show.

Trump hopped on Truth Social on Tuesday and tried to distance himself from the firing, which has stirred up a big controversy.

POTUS says ... "The reason he was fired was a pure lack of TALENT, and the fact that this deficiency was costing CBS $50 Million Dollars a year in losses — And it was only going to get WORSE!"

If the UFC is having a Fourth of July fight night at the White House, Michael Chandler wants in on it BADLY -- telling TMZ Sports he's throwing his hat in the ring ... and he's down to finally settle the score with Conor McGregor!!

We caught up with Iron Mike this week ... and with all the chatter surrounding Dana White and President Donald Trump hoping to put on an Independence Day extravaganza at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue next year, we had to ask if he's interested.

Short answer?? Hell. Yes.

President Donald Trump is once again calling on the Washington Commanders to ditch their current name and return to their former moniker, the Redskins.

The former president took to Truth Social on Sunday, writing, "The Washington 'Whatevers' should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamoring for this."

Trump didn't stop there, also suggesting the Cleveland Guardians should return to their old name, the Indians, claiming, "Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen." Trump capped off the post by urging the teams' owners to "get it done."

Bad news for those hoping Dustin Poirier has one more fight in him after this weekend ... he tells TMZ Sports he's REALLY hanging up the gloves for good Saturday night.

We chopped it up with the 36-year-old ahead of his retirement match against Max Holloway in his home state of Louisiana. Before we got to that, we had to ask him if next year's potential July 4th card at the White House had him rethinking things.

But Diamond made it clear ... even the thought of throwing hands at one of the most iconic landmarks in the country isn't changing his mind.

Donald Trump's relationship with the late Jeffrey Epstein has been under a microscope lately over the Epstein files ... and TMZ has now unearthed a fascinating video of the two men watching a boxing match at the Trump Taj Mahal almost 3 decades ago.

Check out the footage ... which doesn't show anything untoward, but it's still super interesting seeing Trump and Epstein sitting near each other close to the ring where George Foreman is duking it out with Shannon Briggs at the casino-hotel in November 1997.

During the heavyweight championship fight, Trump is seen yapping with everyone seated around him, including Epstein -- who, at one point, appears to be chuckling at something the future 47th president said.

Dana White says they've made so much progress planning for the UFC's historic event at the White House ... that he'll soon be flying to D.C. to meet with President Donald Trump, where the close friends will finalize the game plan!

"We've already put together the whole plan," White told Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs daily on FS1). "We'll have all the rendering and stuff done in the next couple of weeks."

Dana added ... "I'm gonna fly out to D.C., sit down with him and walk him through it, see what he likes, doesn't like, and all that good stuff. Fourth of July in 2026, the 250th anniversary of the United States. It's gonna be badass!"

Michael Knowles says the controversy regarding Jeffrey Epstein had a "client list" or not won't break the MAGA movement ... but, he admits it might be the biggest challenge the coalition's ever faced.

The Daily Wire host appeared on "TMZ Live" Wednesday to discuss Donald Trump's recent Truth Social post where he told people he doesn't want the support of people who are doing the work of the "Lunatic Left" by focusing on Epstein.

Knowles says people in the MAGA movement want justice ... either in the criminal justice system or through political consequences if it comes out that our government or foreign countries played a part in assisting Epstein's abuse.

9:58 AM PT -- President Trump doubled down on his claim that the Epstein files are a hoax while he spoke to the media in the Oval Office ... claiming that anyone who believes in the hoax has been duped by Democrats.

Donald Trump is trying to be done with the Jeffrey Epstein firestorm, and he's making it crystal clear -- if you believe in some secret Epstein "client list," he doesn’t want your support!

In a heated Truth Social rant Wednesday morning, Trump called the Epstein Files a hoax cooked up by the "Radical Left" and Fake News -- insisting there's no secret list of bombshell names -- and he's calling out his own supporters for swallowing what he calls total "bullsh*t, hook, line, and sinker."

He lumped the rumors about Epstein -- the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender accused of sex trafficking underage victims who died in jail awaiting trial -- in with every scam and hoax he’s railed against before at the hands of Democrats ... painting it all as one big smear campaign to take him down.

D.L. Hughley says President Trump's attempt to downplay the Jeffrey Epstein controversy seems to implicate Trump ... and he's calling for the Epstein files to be released so folks can see who was hanging out with the pedophile.

The comedian joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live" and ripped into Trump for even associating with Epstein back in the day ... and he says if Trump has nothing to hide, it should be a no-brainer to release the files.

Trump promised to release the files if he was elected to a second term ... but earlier this month the DOJ and FBI sent out a memo saying there was no "little black book," that Epstein killed himself in jail, and that no one else in the case would be prosecuted.

Gavin Newsom has made it clear he cannot stand President Trump -- DT hates him back just as much, of course -- but the California governor just took his disdain for 47 to a whole new level.

Newsom was a recent guest on the "Shawn Ryan Show" podcast ... and he laid into the "son of a b*tch" Trump for calling in the military to crack down on L.A. after some protests against ICE raids turned destructive ... the direct result of the president's huge push for mass immigrant deportations.

When Newsom called in the California National Guard to help with the devastating wildfires that tore through SoCal in January, they were celebrated by locals as heroes. But Newsom tells Shawn ... they're now feared -- forced to hide their faces and torment communities.

Ellen DeGeneres is standing by Rosie O'Donnell following a post from President Donald Trump, who suggested revoking Rosie’s U.S. citizenship.

On Sunday, DeGeneres took to Instagram to stand behind O'Donnell, writing, "Good for you @rosie," in response to Rosie’s sharp rebuttal of Trump’s message.

The controversy first erupted Saturday when the former president took to his Truth Social platform, claiming he was "seriously considering" removing O’Donnell’s citizenship. "She is a Threat to Humanity," he wrote, "and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her."

JD Vance needs a bottle of rum and a heading, stat ... 'cause he and his family enjoyed a meal inside the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride at Disneyland Saturday.

The vice president hit the Blue Bayou Restaurant at The Happiest Place on Earth around 11:30 AM ... sitting with his wife, Usha, their children and what looks like Usha's parents.

Check out the pics ... like we said, it's the morning on the West Coast in the photos -- but, it looks like night because the restaurant is located inside the attraction, right next to where people get on and off the boat.

Ghislaine Maxwell is hopeful President Trump will review her case and pardon her ... after his DOJ's controversial announcement about the Jeffrey Epstein files this week -- but sources close to the President say there isn't a snowball's chance in Hell that'll happen.

A source close to Ghislaine tells TMZ … in the wake of the Trump admin's debunking of Epstein's so-called "client list" -- which some people had hoped would bring down various politicians and Hollywood celebs -- the British heiress and former Epstein partner is hopeful Trump will spring her from the joint.

We asked the White House if this is a legit option ... and we got a Hell No in return. A senior Trump official tells us ... there have been no discussions or considerations of a pardon for Ghislaine -- and there never will be.

The Secret Service suspended 6 agents connected to the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump last July.

The news comes just days ahead of the first anniversary of the July 13 attack at Trump's Butler, Pennsylvania rally -- and months after the Department of Homeland Security tore apart the Secret Service in an independent study ... calling it "bureaucratic, complacent and static even though risks have multiplied and technology has evolved."

The suspensions range from 10 to 42 days without pay, and include personnel in supervisory roles as well as line-level agents, according to ABC News. It's unclear when the suspensions went into effect, but they reportedly happened in "recent months."

The world's richest man is using his online platform to loudly dispute the latest government findings in the Jeffrey Epstein case ... and he's unleashing a torrent of doubt after a few quiet weeks following his accusation that President Donald Trump is listed in the files.

Sunday night Elon Musk tweeted on X ... "What's the time? Oh look, it's no-one-has-been-arrested-o'clock again" -- responding to a DOJ/FBI memo released this weekend declaring the disgraced financier Epstein did not keep a "little black book" or a client list of potential blackmail targets, and stating he was not murdered in jail.

Musk followed up with multiple posts and replies about the case, including one in which he appeared to agree with MAGA enthusiast Jack Posobiec's comment ... "If there were no clients, why is Ghislaine Maxwell still in jail?"

President Donald Trump has approved a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County, Texas -- the site of catastrophic flooding that has already claimed the lives of at least 80 people, including 28 children.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump says, "These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing."

The declaration will allow for critical federal aid and resources to assist more than 400 first responders currently engaged in massive search and recovery efforts across the region.