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An important piece of American history is hitting the auction block ... George Washington's letter setting the stage for future presidents and the country, and it's expected to fetch 7 figures!!!

Washington wrote and signed the letter in March 1789 at his Mount Vernon estate, just a few weeks before he took the oath of office to become America's first President. In the correspondence with a Naval officer in Philadelphia, GW vows to "make justice and public good my sole objects" during his presidency.

This literal national treasure is going up for sale through the good folks over at Gotta Have Rock and Roll ... and the auction house tells us it's expecting the winning bid to be at least $1 million.

The auction goes live today and ends September 22 ... and someone's gonna drop a lot of dead presidents on this artifact.

Vivek Ramaswamy is calling for peaceful protests if Donald Trump is tried and convicted in any of his 4 criminal cases because he says he firmly believes violence is not the answer.

The 2024 Republican Presidential candidate joined us Monday on "TMZ Live" and we asked if he would publicly discourage and denounce violent protests in the wake of a potential Trump loss in court -- a scenario lots of folks fear could happen.

Vivek, who emerged victorious in the first GOP debate, says peaceful demonstrations and self-expression are a core part of American life ... but he says he's dead set against violence in this country.

That's in line with his publicly stated view of the Jan. 6 insurrection.

The businessman-turned-politician says Trump's actions that fateful day were a "very bad decision," but he's not sure it rises to the level of a crime. That might seem like a backpedal from him ripping Trump's Jan. 6 behavior as "abhorrent" in his book, "Woke, Inc." ... but Ramaswamy says both statements can be true.

Vivek's also called Trump the best president in the 21st century, and yet, he told us would not be Trump's vice president ... if Trump wins the GOP nomination instead of him.

The conversation also features Vivek's thoughts, or lack thereof, on the strikes in Hollywood ... which he says don't have much of an impact on Americans by and large, so he hasn't given the issue much thought.

Vivek also touches on racism, white supremacy and discrimination ... and there's a pretty healthy debate.

Neil deGrasse Tyson is happy UFOs are being taken more seriously by our government ... but he highly doubts we've been visited by aliens, and he's got one big reason.

We got Neil at LAX, and he jumped on the subject of aliens visiting planet Earth, saying it's highly improbable out-of-this-world visitors could escape omnipresent video from cellphones.

Neil says he'd love for our government to be more open about any recorded phenomenon, but he doesn't think a full-on invasion has gone down that officials are keeping a secret.

In case you missed it, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had a laugh during the Republican debate over UFOs... but promised to give Americans the 411 if he gets elected.

This might be a sign -- but what's being communicated is in the eye of the beholder ... Donald Trump was floating sky-high over the great state of Florida this weekend! Eh, sorta.

Here's the deal ... a happy family was leaving Universal Studios in Orlando Saturday evening when they looked up during their drive back and saw what can only be described as the side profile of the ex-Prez -- only, it appeared in Cumulus form ... and the footage is unreal.

Take a look at this video -- obtained by TMZ -- which caught the uncanny celestial moment ... indeed, you can see the massive cloud blocking the setting sun -- and it looks like DT!

The coiffed hair, protruding nose, and puckered lips are unmistakably linked to Trump ... and there it was, just casually cruising across the gorgeous skies -- staying perfectly intact.

To make this story even crazier is what this family says they were doing right before they saw this. The hubby, Sonny Ritacca, tells TMZ that as they were exiting the park ... he and his wife had just seen Trump's mug shot for themselves -- which was released Friday evening.

Right at that moment, Ritacca says his spouse looked up ... and saw this heavenly being. He tells us the wife pointed it out and he agreed, it bared a passing resemblance -- with an added jab, "Yeah, that cloud is 6'3 and 215 pounds." Of course, that's a whole thing. 😅

The couple kept on driving and didn't get out -- neither did anyone else, it seems -- and they thought it was just an odd sight, which it is. Now, for the MAGA crowd ... they probably see this as a divine omen from the G-O-D himself, but others might view it a little differently.

Check out the sign this family captured as they were driving ... it's a "buckle up" warning.

Donald Trump and Martin Luther King Jr. have a lot in common, especially in their mugs -- at least that's what some on the right are saying ... on a momentous day, no less.

Indeed, this is a comparison that several conservatives on Twitter have actually been making over the last 24 hours -- which just so happens to fall on the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington Saturday, when MLK delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech in D.C.

The reason so many of these right-wing figures are suggesting DT and MLK are one in the same here, apparently, has to do with how they look in the police booking photos.

Obviously, Trump comes across as angry and defiant -- and many are suggesting he's echoing the likes of other iconic American figures throughout history ... like Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin and, yes, even Dr. King. That's what FOX News's Will Cain said Friday, anyway.

He got pushback from FOX contributor Jessica Tarlov ... who said what Trump's going through in the criminal justice system right now isn't even close to what MLK put up with.

One would think it's an obvious apples-to-oranges case, but it sounds like A LOT of Trump supporters legitimately think he's a victim of political persecution ... and a target of Justice Department. That was true in Dr. King's case, no doubt, but the jury's kinda out on Trump.

Dr. King, of course, was arrested many, many times over the years (wrongly, and often without just cause) for trying to stand up for civil rights for Black Americans. His imprisonments were often carried out down in the South, especially in Alabama.

Like Trump, though, he was also arrested by Atlanta-area authorities during a protest sit-in in 1960. That's not much of a connection, but some are connecting those dots regardless.

Another weird thing that's happening with this Trump/MLK phenomenon ... a ton of AI art is being generated and circulated that shows the two of them cozying up and posing together.

Now, as you might imagine ... there's been a lot of outcry over the viral juxtaposition. The argument on the other side of this is ... Trump is not the martyr his base is trying to make him out to be, and he certainly shouldn't be mentioned in the same convo as MLK at all.

None of MLK's family members have responded to this side-by-side just yet ... which makes sense. A lot of them are down in Washington right now trying to honor his memory/legacy.

Barack Obama's kids are just like us -- hitting the grocery store on their own to stock up on grub ... which is exactly what Sasha Obama was doing this week.

The ex-First Daughter -- who's 22 years old now -- was spotted out in WeHo Friday doing a little supermarket pop-in at a Trader Joe's there ... and as you can see, she was venturing out solo for the food run, without a bodyguard in sight (more on this later).

Sasha had on headphones and was wearing a pretty relaxed 'fit -- crop top, etc. Nobody seemed to recognize her, and no one bothered her either. She was just doing her thing.

It might not seem fascinating on its face -- after all, we know Sasha's been living out here in L.A. for a quick minute now ... as she's often spotted hitting the town, especially Hollywood.

Ditto for her sister, Malia ... who's also living in L.A. now and working as a professional screenwriter. Both of the Obama girls are usually rolling solo -- without any SS protection.

If you've been wondering why that might be the case -- seeing how their mom and dad are always surrounded by government-sanctioned bodyguards, and will be for the rest of their days -- the answer lies in Secret Service policy ... which says the kiddos get cut off after 16.

This explains why Sasha and Malia are almost always on their own ... and look like ordinary citizens. At this point, in Uncle Sam's eyes -- they very much are. Also, remember ... Barack has publicly said his daughters didn't like SS trailing them when they were teens, jokingly saying they had "PTSD" from the whole experience. So, yeah -- they've outgrown it.

President Joe Biden rubbed salt into Donald Trump’s wounds Friday, chuckling about his rival's now infamous mug shot while making a snarky remark.

JB poked fun at DT after he walked out of a Pilates class in South Tahoe, California, and answered a few questions from a gaggle of reporters waiting outside.

Biden was asked if he saw Trump’s booking photo and he started laughing, saying he caught the image on TV.

POTUS then mocked Trump, calling him a “handsome guy, wonderful guy.”

Some observers didn’t take kindly to Biden's remarks and booed him, showing the deep divide between voters and just how ugly our politics have become.

And Trump is in the middle of it with his myriad of legal woes stemming from the last presidential election. As you know, the 45th President has been indicted on state and federal charges in four jurisdictions around the country.

This past week, Trump posed for his historic mug shot at the Fulton County Jail in Georgia, where he stands accused of trying to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Oliver Anthony -- the singer whose "Rich Men North of Richmond" currently sits at the top of the charts -- says his message has been clouded, and despite what many may want to think, he's not a political pawn to be used by conservatives.

The Virginia native got candid in a self-taped video just a couple days after the GOP played his song during the first debate for Presidential hopefuls.

Anthony says it's funny because he wrote his hit song about the very people on stage and how they've lost their care and consideration for the common, working man.

The country-folk singer notes his message is bigger than one political party, noting, "It's aggravating seeing people on conservative news try to identify with me like I'm one of them."

Anthony's song seems to take aim at politicians as a whole, not a specific side of the aisle, he notes, "That song has nothing to do with Joe Biden, it's a lot bigger than Joe Biden."

He says, "I see the right trying to characterize me as one of their own, and I see the left trying to discredit me. I guess in retaliation. That s***'s gotta stop."

Donald Trump's now infamous mug shot was not the only hot topic burning up the Internet Thursday ... there was a HUGE debate over 45's physical attributes on his booking form.

As everyone already knows, the ex-POTUS surrendered to authorities at the Fulton County Jail last night after he was criminally indicted for allegedly trying to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

DT posed for his scowling mug shot, which was then beamed around the world. Then something else caught the public's eye ... on his booking sheet, Trump's hair was described as "Blond or Strawberry," and his height and weight were listed as 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds.

Many people -- mostly on the left -- weren't buying DT's physical description and took to "X," the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to weigh in on the matter.

Film Director Rob Reiner wrote, "215 pounds. No f**king way!"

Democratic strategist Sawyer Hackett insisted, "There is ZERO chance Trump is 6'3 and 215 pounds."

NFL reporter Scott Kacsmar posted a side-by-side photo comparison of chubby Trump and muscled football star Larry Fitzgerald, each with nearly the same physical characteristics. The caption read, "LIKE HELL."

ABC News noted Trump's height and weight were pre-reported to the jail to speed up the booking process ... giving skeptics even more ammo to think the numbers don't add up.

Donald Trump's now the first former U.S. President to get his mug shot taken ... as he's been booked for the 13 counts he's facing in Georgia for allegedly interfering in 2020 election results in that state.

Trump had a defiant look on his face, with his chin down for the historic photo.

The former prez surrendered Thursday evening at Fulton County Jail, where he was processed like any other alleged criminal -- fingerprints, mug shot -- and then promptly released after posting a $200k bond.

The whole process took less than 20 minutes, and according to Trump's booking info ... he stands 6'3" and is currently tipping the scales at 215 lbs. 🤔

He drew quite the spectacle -- TV cameras followed his motorcade from helicopters in the air and vehicles training on the ground as he made his way to and from his private jet at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Before taking off, Trump briefly spoke to reporters on the tarmac and derided not just the indictment, but the fact he had to go through the whole booking process. Although he's facing several other criminal cases, this is the first time he's been forced to take a mug shot.

Trump stands accused of engaging in organized crime activity for the purpose of overturning the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.

The indictment also charged 18 alleged co-conspirators -- including Rudy Giuliani and Trump's former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows -- both of whom have already surrendered and had their mug shots taken.

Trump's surrender comes about 24 hours after the first debate for GOP presidential candidates, which Trump did not attend.

As we reported ... a Fulton County grand jury indicted Trump on 13 counts earlier this month, including RICO (Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization) charges.

In addition to the Georgia case, Trump has 3 other criminal cases currently pending -- one in New York state for an alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election, a federal case tied to his classified documents scandal after leaving office, and another federal case pertaining to his alleged efforts to undermine the 2020 election with his actions on, before and after Jan. 6.

Cheryl Hines fears for her husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s safety while he's on the presidential campaign trail -- and she's imploring President Biden to make an exception and grant him Secret Service protection right away.

The actress and comedian was at LAX Thursday when she was asked about campaign safety because RFK Jr. is a Democratic candidate for president ... and, of course, due to his family's tragic history.

Cheryl says "great measures" are being taken to protect Kennedy, but says what they really wanted is the Secret Service -- but she points out RFK Jr.'s request has already been denied ... which she finds very odd.

As you know, Robert was only 9 years old when his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1963, and 5 years later, his father, Robert F. Kennedy, was shot and killed in L.A. while running for president.

Cheryl says she knows it's unusual for candidates to be assigned a Secret Service detail so early in the campaign, but says if ever there were a need for an exception ... RFK Jr. would be it, and she's asking Biden to reconsider their request.

Tan Mom Patricia Krentcil's run for the U.S. Senate is all about fixing healthcare, fighting for drag queens and, in general, having compassion for your fellow Americans ... principles she's laying out in her first campaign ad.

In the video, obtained by TMZ, Patricia lets Florida voters know she's changed a lot over the past decade, much like the rest of the country ... and says losing her husband to cancer and being in a medically induced coma opened her eyes to the Medicare and Medicaid struggles of millions of Americans.

On top of that, Patricia says she knows what it's like to look different -- saying drag queens shouldn't be targeted and harassed for being who they are.

She goes on to add they can be amazing role models for kids ... a pretty unique platform for any GOP candidate, these days.

As a mother of 5 kids growing up in a divided country, Patricia thinks she's more than qualified to tackle the nation's hot-button issues.

While Patricia's running as a Republican with views far left of most Republicans -- she joined us last week on "TMZ Live" to fill us in on her reasoning for choosing that party.

Donald Trump says he's surrendering to Georgia authorities Thursday while taking aim at the District Attorney prosecuting him ... after she charged him with racketeering for allegedly subverting the 2020 election.

The 45th President made the announcement on Truth Social Monday night and, in doing so, peppered Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis with insults dripping with sarcasm.

DT said, "The failed District Attorney of Fulton County (Atlanta), Fani Willis, insisted on a $200,000 Bond from me. I assume, therefore, that she thought I was a "flight" risk - I'd fly far away, maybe to Russia, Russia, Russia, share a gold domed suite with Vladimir, never to be seen or heard from again."

Trump also pointed out he's too famous to run away and hide, citing his huge TRUMP-labeled jet as an example. DT ended his diatribe with the usual gripes about witch hunts and radical left D.A.s.

Trump's also been ordered not to intimidate witnesses and others connected to the case, including the D.A. and other law enforcement. This could be dangerous territory for Trump who finds it irresistible to attack his foes.

Trump may have picked Thursday because the surrender would come hours after the first Republican debate -- from which he will be absent -- thus hijacking the headlines.

As we reported, Trump was criminally indicted last week by a Fulton County grand jury on 13 counts of 2020 election subversion under Georgia's Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, also known as RICO.

Eighteen other defendants were also charged in the sprawling case, including DT's former attorney Rudy Giuliani and Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

Trump has also been indicted in three other jurisdictions for alleged federal and state crimes involving the January 6th riots, mishandling classified documents and making a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Despite all his legal woes, Trump is still the Republican frontrunner in the 2024 presidential race and the likely nominee for his party, at least for now according to most polls.

We'll have to see if that changes considering his 4 indictments.

Joe Biden was slammed by angry Hawaiians who gave him the middle finger -- and a piece of their minds -- after he touched down in the island state to assess the damage caused by the deadliest wildfires in modern American history.

The 46th President flew into Lahaina, Hawaii, with First Lady Jill Biden on Air Force One Monday and were greeted by residents pissed off about Joe's response -- or lack thereof -- to the disaster that has so far killed a staggering 114 people with an estimated 1,000 more still missing.

Check out the footage ... survivors are standing on the side of the road flipping Joe the bird as his motorcade passes by, while spitting out, "Thanks for nothing" and "F**k you."

Other images show locals giving Joe the thumbs down while holding signs demanding relief for Lahaina -- which was hardest hit by the wildfires.

Of course, Biden is getting all this criticism because many believe he dropped the ball with his slow response to the tragedy. Biden barely made a peep about it for days after the fires erupted August 8, and he even went on vacation during the whole catastrophe. An official cause has not yet been disclosed.

Now, it appears Biden is trying to make up for it by touring the region, giving a speech about the devastation and offering millions in federal aid to those impacted. The White House has also defended Joe, describing his efforts as "robust" with a "whole-of-government response."

Sen. Ted Cruz fell victim to a seemingly obvious social media hoax during Hurricane Hilary ... because he truly believed there was a shark swimming through Los Angeles' flooded streets.

The U.S. Senator from Texas quote tweeted an image of a shark cruising through what seemed like a flooded L.A. freeway, and added his own technical assessment ... "Holy crap."

Well, good ol' Ted took the bait, hook, line, and sinker ... he'd reposted a Tweet from Barstool's Dan Katz, who claimed the shark photo was taken by a friend of his driving along L.A.'s 405 freeway.

Problem is ... the image is actually edited, and it's popped up a bunch over the past decade, usually when hurricanes hit the U.S. -- with the initial posting coming back in 2011 when Hurricane Irene slammed Puerto Rico.

Ted spends a lot of time on Elon Musk's app and the shark post went viral Sunday as the storm was dumping tons of water on California, but Ted somehow missed the community note giving context.

Interestingly, the shark photo also went viral during hurricanes in Ted's home state.

Ultimately, Ted realized he had been duped ... though he seemingly explained his thought process by saying, "In LA, you never know ..."

Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson says she's been iced out of network TV amid her campaign ... but says moving to TikTok has done wonders.

Williamson, formerly known as the "spiritual advisor" to Oprah Winfrey, joined us on "TMZ Live" Friday, chatting about not being able to bring her campaign to TV. She says she eventually realized the social media app would bring a lot of power to her cause.

She says the platform's been a great way to reach young U.S. voters ... and according to her, there's a shocking difference in intelligence on TikTok compared to on big news orgs.

As for the old stigma that young folks aren't rocking the vote, she says that's BS -- and tells us exactly why.

For those unaware, Williamson is 1 of 2 Democrats -- RFK Jr. being the other -- running against current prez, Joe Biden ... and since the DNC doesn't normally hold debates when a current president is in the mix, her campaign has been crucial to getting the word out.

She also wasn't welcomed into the race by her fellow Democrats, and staffers from her 2020 campaign didn't think she should go for it, but her move to TikTok is seemingly helping.

Williamson has raked in over half a million followers -- the most on the app compared to other candidates -- and since making the switch, she's been polling above 20% with voters under 30.