This is 57 for Michelle Obama, who’s reflecting on a challenging year, and sending a motivational message to everyone going through the same — hang in there. The former First Lady celebrated her birthday Sunday, and thanked her millions of followers for their “lovely birthday wishes” … while sharing a pensive black-and-white photo of herself.

Staging preparations for Joe Biden‘s inauguration were interrupted Monday morning when smoke billowed up nearby … prompting a lockdown of Capitol Hill. BREAKING: Smoke rising behind Capitol building. Inauguration rehearsal appears to be evacuating. Emergency announcement playing at Capitol grounds. pic.twitter.com/86J9S8CsMY — Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) January 18, 2021 @JProskowGlobal As multiple groups were meeting to

Donald Trump‘s in jeopardy of losing another vote — this one with Hollywood’s labor union — and it could cost him a return to his beloved ‘Apprentice.’ Trump is facing expulsion from SAG-AFTRA, with the union’s board of directors set to gather Tuesday for a special session that could decide DT’s fate … according to

Martin Luther King Jr.‘s loved ones paid their respects to the legendary Civil Rights leader … on the day America honors the man whose dream for equality in the country is still being fought for today. MLK’s sister, Christine King Farris, her son Isaac Newton Farris Jr. and MLK’s daughter Bernice King were among the

Play video content @LionsShareNews Rosie O’Donnell is just days away from being able to declare victory over her longtime nemesis, President Trump, and says the cherry on top would be him standing trial and going to prison. Rosie was at LAX Monday when she opened up about how she’s feeling as Trump’s final days in

Play video content Exclusive TMZ.com The daughter who publicly ID’d her own mother as a bloodied participant in the Capitol riots feels some guilt for calling her mom out … but says she doesn’t regret it, for several reasons. Helena Duke joined “TMZ Live” Monday to add some context to why she decided to out

Play video content You And Me Both/iheart Hillary Clinton thinks President Trump continues to do Vladimir Putin‘s bidding, and that his allegiance might be behind the Capitol insurrection. HC hosted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on her podcast, ‘You and Me Both,’ and openly speculated Trump might have been on the phone with Russia’s President the

Exclusive As Joe Biden‘s inauguration looms — and as many expect civil unrest — a number of the Capitol Police’s rank and file fear they won’t be supported by leadership if they have to use deadly force to protect themselves. Capitol Police sources tell TMZ … there’s been a lot of chatter lately about officers

President Trump‘s double impeachment isn’t altering some big plans he’s already making … to build and fill his Presidential Library. As Trump prepares to move out of The White House, several boxes and items were hauled out Thursday … including a few storage containers marked “Presidential Library Gifts.” The bins are clear, but it’s still

The insurrectionists who breached the U.S. Capitol absolutely had murder on their minds … according to federal prosecutors who want one of the most notorious rioters to remain in custody. In docs, obtained by TMZ, the feds say there’s strong evidence supporting that “the intent of the Capitol rioters was to capture and assassinate elected

Play video content CNN A D.C. Metro police officer says he went into “survival mode” after Capitol rioters reached for his gun and yelled, “Kill him with his own gun.” Officer Michael Fanone, a narcotics detective who normally works in plain clothes, says he threw on a uniform to help with backup during the Jan.

Exclusive Airbnb is blocking and canceling reservations in the D.C. area for Inauguration Day, but supporters and protesters looking for a crash pad have a plan B … they’re flocking to Craigslist. The online classifieds site is fast becoming the place to go for those looking to sleep somewhere other than a hotel for the

Donald Trump appears totally checked out of D.C. with less than a week remaining in his Presidency … because Vice President Mike Pence is literally assuming Trump’s duties. The VP sat at the head of the table during a Thursday briefing on the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris …

It’s far from a pizza party, but the National Guard troops stationed in the nation’s capital to keep the peace ahead of Inauguration Day are being treated to pizza on the reg … thanks to thoughtful donors. A cargo van loaded with stacks of pies was delivered to troops throughout D.C. Friday, from the popular

Play video content The mob of pro-Trump insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol absolutely plotted together to wreak havoc — led by a woman with inside knowledge … and a megaphone. New video footage from inside the Capitol shows many rioters scrambling to coordinate their movements. One man is heard asking about the floor plans, then

Play video content Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she could feel death breathing down on her last week as Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, searching for lawmakers … and you can tell she’s still shaken. AOC’s revealing she had an incredibly close encounter on Jan. 6, which had her seriously feeling like she would die right

Breaking News This is one where the image tells the whole story … members of the National Guard protecting the Capitol trying to get some much-needed sleep, using a cold, marble floor as a bed. It’s the embodiment of the phrase, “No rest for the weary.” The Guard is protecting the building in the wake

Exclusive The Capitol riots seem to have resulted in Americans on both sides of the aisle agreeing on something — not removing President Trump from office … but rather deciding it’s time to buy a gun. TMZ’s reached out to gun shops in 20 U.S. cities this week, and half of them reported a substantial

The guy who was wearing animal fur and parading around with a policeman’s shield inside the Capitol building during last week’s riot is the son of a prominent judge in Brooklyn … who now has to watch his boy go through the criminal justice system. 34-year-old Aaron Mostofsky was arrested Tuesday and brought before a

Breaking News President Trump just became the first Commander-in-Chief to be impeached twice — and what happens next may decide whether he can ever run for office again. The U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday on one article of impeachment that was introduced earlier this week — incitement of insurrection — and the motion passed

Nancy Pelosi‘s lectern is back at the U.S. Capitol … a week after a Florida man gleefully carried it out during a failed coup. The House Speaker’s lectern was wheeled into the building Wednesday and, as we reported, it did not suffer any damage. Still, pretty sure the lectern was or will be sanitized like

Play video content Exclusive TMZ.com Rep. Jim Clyburn says the Republican members of Congress who want to be armed on the House floor are striking fear into colleagues — and he believes they might have ill intentions. The Congressman from South Carolina dropped his bombshell Wednesday on “TMZ Live” … revealing his suspicion of several

President Trump is singing a different, more peaceful, tune now that he’s about to be impeached a second time — he’s now urging law and order from his followers. Banned from Twitter, the Prez instead had to issue a statement Wednesday through the White House in which he urged non-violence among his supporters. Trump says

Play video content Aaron Copeland/YouTube The insurrectionists at the Capitol were out to harm and possibly kill Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the video that has just surfaced makes this all pretty much undeniable. New video has surfaced from Wednesday’s attempted coup, and in one clip you hear a loud,

Play video content The Oregonian/YouTube Shots of Capitol police officers letting pro-Trump rioters easily pass their line and facilitate the storming of the Capitol appears to be a practice that’s been in place from sea to shining sea since at least December … because something similar happened in Oregon. Republican State Representative Mike Nearman was

Breaking News The guy most everyone (infamously) remembers as the bare-chested insurrectionist with animal horns and face paint who stormed into the Capitol is now in federal custody. Jacob Chansley — more commonly known as Jake Angeli, per prosecutors — was arrested Saturday in Phoenix on charges of knowingly entering/remaining in any restricted building or

Play video content @iheartmindy / Twitter Lindsey Graham belatedly tried distancing himself from Donald Trump Wednesday night after the insurrection, and a group of hecklers just gave Graham even more distance between him and Trump. The South Carolina Senator was trying to fly out of Reagan National Airport in D.C. Friday morn when he encountered

Nothing was spared in or around the Capitol in the chaos and destruction triggered by President Trump … including the Inauguration stage which suffered significant damage. TMZ got these pics showing the stage’s siding torn to shreds … as it appears the insurrectionists were gung-ho to do maximum damage. The stage itself is still standing,

Play video content Exclusive TMZ.com Ashli Babbitt, the woman who was shot in the Capitol as she and other Trump supporters stormed into the building, was pumped up after the President’s speech … and posted one last video as she entered the mayhem. Ashli went live on Facebook Wednesday in the moments leading up to

Play video content Exclusive TMZ.com Miami Mayor Francis Suarez says while the 305 was once a hot spot for COVID-19 infections, his city’s found a way to turn the page … while other major cities are struggling. The Mayor joined “TMZ Live” Thursday and touted Miami’s progress in battling the coronavirus — a stark contrast