Nicolas Maduro Throws Up Peace Sign in Federal Custody After Landing in New York

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Nicolas Maduro's gone from president in Venezuela to prisoner in the United States ... and, we've got the first clear images of him in federal custody.

TMZ has obtained two videos of the deposed Latin American leader shortly after he landed in New York City ... and, he actually looks pretty relaxed for someone facing drug charges in the U.S.

Check it out ... after unloading Maduro from a truck they walk him right past the camera -- and the former prez flashes a peace sign.

President Nicolás Maduro Lands Stateside After Capture ... Walked Out of Plane Under Cover of Darkness

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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has landed in the United States after his capture by U.S. forces ... though we haven't seen a clear image of him yet since touching down.

A plane carrying the deposed Latin American leader and his wife Cilia Flores arrived at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York Saturday afternoon, according to CNN ... and, after a long time on the tarmac, there's finally been some movement.

There's a flurry of activity on the stairs leading up to the craft ... with the group slowly making their way down to ground level.

It's hard to tell exactly where Maduro is in the clip ... but a follow-up vid clearly shows the massive law enforcement force taking him into custody.

Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro Indicted on Drug and Weapon Charges ... Photo Shows Him in Custody

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10:30 AM PST --  President Donald Trump said Venezuela VP Delcy Rodríguez has been sworn in as the president of Venezuela -- when asked about her, Trump said, "She’s, I guess, the president" and said she was "picked by Maduro."

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"SHE REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A CHOICE"

He claimed she will work with the U.S., adding ... "She had a long conversation with Marco [Rubio] and said we’ll do what you need. She had no choice."

She previously denounced America's military involvement and Maduro’s capture.

9:16 AM PST --  President Donald Trump has announced that he plans to "run" the country of Venezuela “until such time that we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” in a press briefing Saturday morning. His announcement comes after the U.S. military captured the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, who are being transported to America on drug and weapons charges.

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TAKING THE REINS

Trump did not offer how the United States would oversee Venezuela but noted he has his eyes set on Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. He suggested American oil companies can rebuild the country’s energy infrastructure and consequently regaining rights to the oil there, adding ... "It’s going to make a lot of money."

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted on drug and weapons charges following their overnight capture by the United States military.

As you know, President Donald Trump said Saturday the pair was taken by U.S. troops and is currently on a warship en route to New York to face charges, which can carry a hefty prison sentence if found guilty.

The commander-in-chief also shared a photo of him in custody on the USS Iwo Jima looking quite comfy in a matching sweatsuit and a bottle of water in his hand.

In the indictment unsealed Saturday, Maduro and his co-conspirators have been charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machineguns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices.

Eric Adams To Andy Cohen Public Intoxication Is A Disease!!!

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Eric Adams is hitting back at Andy Cohen, saying he has a drinking problem after his boozed-up New Year's Eve critique of the former mayor on national TV.

Adams jumped on X Thursday and posted a stinging message, claiming the Bravo host needs "AA" -- which is short for Alcoholics Anonymous.

The ex-mayor then asked for anyone who cares about Cohen to give him help, adding that New Yorkers are concerned for him because public intoxication is a disease.

Andy Cohen Torches Former NYC Mayor Eric Adams Live on CNN

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Andy Cohen went scorched earth on former NYC Mayor Eric Adams moments after the New Year's Eve ball dropped ... unloading in a boozy, no filter rant on live TV as Anderson Cooper struggled to shut it down.

The Bravo honcho lit into Adams during CNN's New Year's Eve broadcast, torching the ex-mayor's run as chaotic and urging him to ride off into retirement. Cohen, holding a drink on air, mocked Adams' exit and appeared to take a swipe at his dismissed federal corruption case prompting Cooper and BJ Novak to jump in and attempt damage control.

At one point, Novak joked Cohen needed to be cut off, while Cooper awkwardly put an arm around his longtime cohost in a failed attempt to de-escalate the rant.

Jeffrey Epstein Files Congressman's New Year's Resolution: It's Time to Name Names!!!

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One of the members of the U.S. House Oversight Committee that's been releasing photos and documents from the Jeffrey Epstein estate has a New Year's resolution for the Epstein Files ... he wants to totally expose and put away the pedophile's enablers.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a Democrat from Virginia who sits on the committee, tells TMZ ... "My New Year's Resolution for the Epstein Files is to get the files released, name names, and let the courts and the court of public opinion judge those who perpetrated, covered up, and enabled these crimes so that they never happen again."

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ON A STROLL

And Subramanyam says Ghislaine Maxwell is one of their targets ... despite her currently serving a 20-year sentence in prison after being convicted of sex trafficking minors and other federal charges. He says Maxwell "should absolutely be held accountable for all the crimes she committed, including newly discovered crimes."

Trump White House Denies Report Mar-a-Lago Sent Teens to Epstein's Lair

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4:01 PM PT -- The White House is denying a report in the Wall Street Journal that President Trump's Mar-a-Lago spa in Florida used to send teenage workers to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's Palm Beach mansion.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tells TMZ … "It's shameful the Wall Street Journal is wasting their once great paper writing up fallacies and innuendo in order to smear President Trump and distract from his historic first year back in office."

Leavitt adds ... "No matter how many times this story is told and retold, the truth remains: President Trump did nothing wrong and he kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago for being a creep."

She continues ... "Now, it's President Trump’s own Justice Department that is releasing hundreds of thousands of pages of documents related to Epstein and his crimes."

Donald Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein may be even worse than previously thought ... according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.

The WSJ says DT's Mar-a-Lago spa in Florida would send teenage workers to Epstein's mansion, despite it being an open secret among the staff that the billionaire would sometimes expose himself during appointments.

According to the publication, the practice stopped in 2003 when an unnamed 18-year-old employee complained that Epstein "pressured her for sex."

Donald Trump Mess With My Supporters? You Can Go 'Burn In Hell!'

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President Donald Trump told Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Mesa County District Attorney Dan Rubinstein to "rot in hell" in an incendiary message posted on Truth Social Wednesday.

Trump began his message with sympathy for Tina Peters, who was sentenced to nine years in prison last year after she was convicted of election interference on multiple charges following a security breach of Mesa County election equipment after the 2020 presidential election.

Peters let an unauthorized individual gain access to a secure system to help support false claims about the election being stolen, Newsweek reports.

Trump wrote Peters was "trying to stop the massive voter fraud that goes on in her State" and added it'd be difficult to wish her a happy new year.

He described Polis as a "scumbag" and called Rubinstein "disgusting" and a "RINO" -- abbreviating "Republican In Name Only."

Trump concluded his message by wishing Polis and Rubinstein "only the worst" and called for Peters' release.

Rubinstein told The Hill Trump didn't have facts or law on his side and was simply "pounding the table."

President Trump lost the 2020 election, and lost all 62 court challenges to the results afterward.

Donald Trump Rubs JFK Center Name Change in Kennedys' Faces ... Immediately After Tatiana Schlossberg's Death

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Following President Donald Trump's abysmal ratings hosting the Kennedy Center Honors -- and the growing list of artists canceling performances at the venue due to DT's recent rebranding it with his name on top -- the president's retaliatory tantrum has begun.

Despite JFK's granddaughter, Tatiana Schlossberg, dying just hours earlier Tuesday, Trump took to Truth Social to flood his timeline with reposts of MAGA supporters mocking the Kennedy family.

One reads ... "The Kennedy Family have LONG neglected the Kennedy Center, btw. They don't raise money for it. They never show up. And the only Kennedy who has been there recently is a member of Trump's cabinet."

Another reads ... "The Trumps have always been supporters of the arts. The Kennedys are supporters of the Kennedys."

Donald Trump If Iran Keeps Building Weapons We're Gonna Teach Them A Lesson!

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President Donald Trump threatened to "knock the hell out of" Iran if the country continued developing weapons while speaking at Mar-a-Lago on Monday.

Trump made his remarks about the country's offensive ambitions after meeting with Israeli president Benjamin Netanyahu, and said he'd learned Iran's government is reportedly trying to "build up again" in an apparent reference to its nuclear program, reports the New York Post.

However, Trump said the Iranian government was interested in making a deal with the United States, which he described as a "much smarter" move.

Trump also referenced a set of strikes carried out on Iranian nuclear sites in June, and said Iran likely wished it had struck a deal with the United States earlier.

Volodymyr Zelensky Hey Trump, 50 Years Of Protection Would Be Nice!

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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly requested up to 50 years’ worth of security guarantees for his country during his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday.

While a proposed 20-point peace plan would ensure 15 years of security guarantees, which are mostly focused on stalling Russian aggression towards Ukraine, Zelensky asked for further guarantees from the United States, according to CNBC.

Trump spoke to reporters following the end of his meeting with Zelensky and claimed the sit-down went well, save for "one or two very thorny issues" remaining.

POTUS stated the issues were centered on what he described as "the land" -- portions of Ukrainian soil have been occupied by Russian forces, while others are still being fought over -- and said Ukrainian officials were "better off making a deal now."

Trump-Kennedy Center Host Axes Xmas Eve Concert ... Screw You Donald!!!

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President Donald Trump's controversial name change of the renowned Kennedy Center has really ruffled some feathers ... a Christmas Eve jazz concert was cancelled in protest at the performing arts center.

Chuck Redd, the host of the Christmas Eve concert, told the Associated Press that he pulled the plug on the event because he was pissed Trump switched the venue's name from the John F. Kennedy Center to the Trump-Kennedy Center.

Redd said, “When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert.”

Mookie Betts Tees Off With Barack Obama!!!

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Mookie Betts spent some quality time with a former Commander in Chief last week ... 'cause TMZ has learned the Dodgers superstar teed it up with Barack Obama for a full round of golf in Southern California.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Mookie and Barack played 18 holes together last Tuesday at Lakeside Golf Club, the ultra exclusive, members only course in Burbank.

We're told multiple Secret Service agents were stationed around the course, with cops on motorcycles nearby to keep things secure while the two enjoyed their day on the green.

Kash Patel Yeah, I Requested BMWs They're Super Inconspicuous!

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The FBI purchased several armored BMW X5s at director Kash Patel's request this year, sources told MS Now ... an expensive break from the traditional fleet of armored vehicles used by U.S. officials.

A spokesperson for the FBI confirmed the news about the lawman's new vehicles and stated the bureau had been planning to acquire newer cars. The spokesperson also said the purchase would save taxpayers millions of dollars without providing documents regarding the cost of the cars.

Patel is the first FBI director to utilize armored BMWs, law enforcement personnel told MS Now. The government reportedly had a contract with General Motors to provide Chevrolet Suburbans for officials' use.

Patel reportedly requested the cars to make his travel less noticeable to the public. FBI directors have historically been transported in Suburbans -- and have been protected by security details.

An individual said to be close to Patel said buying a new armored Suburban would have cost the government $480,000 ... which is more than twice the cost of the BMW.

Patel also reportedly requested the FBI purchase a new jet for his use earlier this year, although the proposal ended up being dropped.

Cost estimates for the proposed plane placed the purchase between $90 million and $115 million.

Ben Sasse Reveals He's Been Diagnosed With Pancreatic Cancer

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Former Republican senator Ben Sasse publicly revealed he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer last week in a lengthy message posted on X Tuesday morning.

Sasse didn't mince words while talking about the diagnosis ... describing it as a "death sentence," and adding he is "gonna die." The cancer has metastasized, already spreading to other parts of his body.

Sasse acknowledged he has "less time than I’d prefer" and admitted he is concerned about the future well-being of his family.

He added he wouldn't be "going down without a fight" and pointed to the advances in research into cancer treatment over the past few years as a sign of hope in his situation.

Sasse said his family has embraced "gallows humor" about the whole situation and wrote he'd have more to say about his health in the future.

Sasse's note was met with support from many of his former colleagues, as well as Vice President J.D. Vance, who replied he's "very sorry" to hear about the former senator's diagnosis.

Sasse represented his home state of Nebraska in the United States Senate from 2015 to 2023. He also had a career in education, as he served as the president of both Midland University and the University of Florida.

President Trump Should I Quit to Be a Full-Time M.C.?!?

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President Trump is joking about leaving the White House to pursue a career as a "Master of Ceremony" ... and it's all got to do with tonight's Kennedy Center Honors broadcast.

Trump hosted the event a couple weeks ago, but it's going to air tonight ... and he hopped on social media hours before the broadcast with a funny question ... "If really good, would you like me to leave the Presidency in order to make 'hosting' a full time job?"

Half the country would take that trade in a heartbeat.