White House

President Trump was abruptly removed from his coronavirus briefing in what seemed like an immediate threat -- but he returned shortly to say it was due to a shooting outside the White House.

Trump's Monday evening news conference was interrupted by a Secret Service agent telling him he needed to leave, and there were reports the WH was on lockdown briefly as the press was asked to clear the lawn outside.

However, the Prez came back minutes later and told reporters there was a shooting outside and someone was taken to the hospital. He says Secret Service agents were responsible for the shooting, which he claims occurred just outside of the property at 17th and Pennsylvania Ave.

Video showed law enforcement tending to the person on the ground.

Trump says he waited in the Oval Office until he got the all clear, and told agents he wanted to return for his regular Q&A.

He went back to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic -- or as he still puts it, the "China virus" -- and the economy.

Law enforcement is still on the scene investigating the shooting.

Rudy Giuliani believes Kanye West secretly wants Donald Trump reelected, and the former NYC Mayor seems to be saying Ye could spoil Joe Biden's chances.

We got the President's personal attorney Sunday in NYC and asked whether he thought Kanye's campaign could shake up the election. Rudy's hesitant to weigh in on Ye's bonafides ... but he does say Mr. West is still a fan of 45.

Rudy goes way further ... insinuating Kanye could be a surrogate for Trump to get the black vote. RG says Kanye is expressing the dissatisfaction African Americans feel about the way they've been treated and ignored for decades, specifically by Democrats.

Kanye has made it clear -- at least publicly -- he's not a spoiler ... that he's in it to win it. Nevertheless, in a close state, Kanye could become a deciding factor if he maintains 2% of the vote or higher.

Remember ... there are multiple reports Republican operatives are working to get Ye on the ballot in various states, including the swing state of Wisconsin.

Kanye West wants you to donate to his campaign so he can become the 46th POTUS, and he's making the pitch by laying out his positions on various issues, and one thing's clear ... he's playing to both Democrats and Republicans.

Ye, who calls his platform, "Creating a Culture of Life," is seeking contributions ranging from $20 to a grand. As for his positions, the first is revealing ... "Restore faith and revive our Constitutional commitment to freedom of religion and the free exercise of one's faith, demonstrated by restoring prayer in the classroom including spiritual foundations."

That seems to be a cornerstone of his campaign ... freedom of religion, which for him includes a hard-line, antiabortion stance. This position clearly targets Republican voters.

But, then he pivots to the Dems, promising to reduce household debt and student loan debt. He also wants to restructure the educational system, by opening it up to "at-risk and vulnerable populations."

He takes a stand on policing, promoting policies that "treat all Americans the same, regardless of race, color, or ethnicity." And, he promises to protect the environment by promoting clean air and water as well as renewables.

And, then he pivots back to Republican voters, promising to "place Americans' best interest first and foremost." He also vows to "Maintain a strong national defense."

Kanye says he's not a spoiler ... he's in it to win it. This turn shows he's trying to win votes by traversing party lines.

Nick Cannon says America needs another Black man in the White House ... that's why he's team Kanye 2020.

Nick was at LAX Friday when the photog asked him what he thought of Ye's run. Answer: "I love it!"

Now, the photog took it a step further and asked if he'll still be with Kanye when he casts his ballot, and Nick gave the semi-emphatic "Yes." We say semi because there's clearly a slight smirk.

On another subject ... Nick was asked about his recent troubles over some anti-Semitic comments. Nick has been earnest in attempting to educate himself ... even meeting with rabbis.

Kanye West's Presidential run just got a death blow, at least in Illinois, where election officials say more than half his submitted signatures are invalid ... and that means he's off the ballot.

TMZ broke the story ... multiple people stepped up to object after Kanye submitted his petition to get on the ballot in his home state. That triggered a review -- from the State Board of Elections -- of all the 3,128 signatures on his documents.

The tally is in, and 1,928 were ruled invalid ... which leaves Ye way more than a thousand short of the 2,500 needed to be a Presidential candidate on the state's ballots. What we don't know is what was wrong with the bad ones.

It could be any number of issues -- fake names, fake addresses, unregistered voters in Illinois -- or even simply an illegible signature.

Bottom line is Illinois will be officially removing him on August 21, or he still has the option to gracefully announce he's withdrawing.

Although Illinois isn't considered a swing state in the Presidential campaign, it's a big blow for Kanye ... not only because he's from Chicago, but he just boldly declared his "goal is to win."

Hell, he even posted his 2020 vision board, which included the number 46 ... as in the 46th President of the United States.

Kanye West insists he's out to become America's 46th President, not just play spoiler for Joe Biden in the upcoming election -- that is, if you buy into his vision boards and ALL CAPS tweets.

The rapper's presidential campaign is facing increased scrutiny and skepticism lately, as various reports suggest it's being fueled by Republican political operatives working for President Trump to get Kanye on certain states' ballots ... in order to steal votes from Biden in November.

Kanye even seemed to indicate this is the case in his latest interview with Forbes when he didn't deny the spoiler accusation, but later he tweeted ... "THE GOAL IS TO WIN."

So ... he's sticking to being serious about winning, even if all signs point to him having no chance.

Kanye also shared his "2020 Vision" board, but it doesn't do much to clarify things.

As we reported ... a Wisconsin official is outraged over what he calls a "shameful, pitiful" ploy by the GOP to use Kanye -- despite his mental health issues -- for what he believes is a trick to lure black voters away from Biden in his state.

Kanye has enlisted the help of a third-party organization in order to acquire enough signatures needed to get him on the presidential ballot, especially in major swing states like Wisconsin and Ohio.

A Milwaukee Councilman is slamming Republicans for what he believes is a trick to lure black voters in Wisconsin to cast their ballots for Kanye West and steal votes from Joe Biden ... but he predicts it will backfire.

Cavalier Johnson has been the Alderman for Milwaukee's 2nd district, and he's sounding the alarm for what he calls a "shameful, pitiful" ploy attempting to take advantage of a man struggling with mental illness.

There have been reports Republican operatives are behind Kanye's efforts to get on the Wisconsin ballot. As you know, Wisconsin was a swing state in 2016 and if it's close again, a spoiler like Kanye could make all the difference.

Johnson says ... "It’s hard to imagine how this president and the GOP could top the racism, xenophobia, white supremacy, COVID failures, apologies for Russia, pocketing millions in taxpayer dollars with visits to Trump-branded golf courses, etc.," but he accuses them of doing exactly that in Wisconsin.

Despite his outrage and disgust, the councilman doesn't think the plan will work, saying when the word gets out it will further unite the black community in support of Biden.

As we reported ... Kanye has enlisted the help of a third-party organization in order to acquire enough signatures needed to get him on the presidential ballot, especially in major swing states like Wisconsin and Ohio.

Kanye West's egalitarian community is being resurrected -- or so it seems, 'cause the guy wants to lock up the rights on a name for it ... which is in line with his Presidential campaign.

Ye's company, Yeezy LLC, just filed legal docs declaring his intention to snag the exclusive rights to a phrase for his dome-like structures -- which Ye and co. actually call shelters in the paperwork. Ya ready??? Looks like he's gonna call them ... "2020Vision."

It's not the first time Kanye's used that phrase -- if you'll recall, he dropped that same verbiage when he announced his presidential campaign about a month ago. At the time, Ye wrote ... "We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States! #2020Vision."

Kanye's team also reveals more details on how they plan to use "2020Vision" -- saying he intends to use the name on permanent metal and non-metal dome shelters, as well as actual construction and engineering services that'll be used to make them a reality.

Remember, Ye already erected a number of these dome structures on his Calabasas property not too long ago -- only to see them get torn down when the City came knocking after he failed to obtain the proper permits ... not to mention pissing off his neighbors with the noise.

At the time, it seemed like Kanye was putting the project on pause -- and it wasn't clear if he was going to try again in the same area ... or try rebooting elsewhere, like on his Wyoming properties.

Saw this coming from a mile away ... but here's President Donald Trump going scorched earth on the NBA kneelers -- calling the demonstration "disgraceful."

"When I see people kneeling during the playing and disrespecting our flag and national anthem, what I do personally is turn off the game," Trump said Wednesday morning in a phone interview with "FOX & Friends."

"I think it's disgraceful. We work with [the NBA], we worked with them very hard trying to get open. I was pushing for them to get open. Then I see everybody kneeling during the anthem. That's not acceptable to me."

"When I see them kneeling during the game, I just turn off the game. I have no interest in the game. Let me tell you this, plenty of other people out there, too."

During the call, Trump also claimed NBA ratings are way down -- when according to TV sports media outlets, the rating are up 14% from the average before the season was suspended.

Trump added, "We have to stand up for our flag, stand up for our country. A lot of people agree with me. If I'm wrong, I'm going to lose an election. That's okay with me. I will always stand for our flag."

Trump has always hated kneeling -- and publicly blasted Colin Kaepernick and other NFL stars for taking a knee back in 2017 ... calling for the NFL fire any "son of a bitch" who doesn't stand for the Star-Spangled Banner.

Ever since the NBA rebooted last week, just about every player, coach, ref and staff member inside the Bubble have taken a knee during the anthem before games.

Only 4 people -- 2 players, 2 coaches -- have stood for the anthem.

LeBron James, who took a knee, said he hopes the demonstration makes Colin Kaepernick proud and helps to shine a spotlight on police brutality and social injustice affecting the Black community and others.

During the call, Trump also claimed he's done more for the Black community than any other president -- with the "possible exception of Abraham Lincoln."

Rep. Jim Clyburn's adamant that President Trump is dead serious about remaining in office -- whether or not he wins the election -- and says it's not out of the question that military leaders will have to remove him from The White House.

The South Carolina congressman and third-ranking Democrat in the House made headlines this week when he responded to Trump's call to delay the November election by saying ... "I feel very strongly that he is Mussolini. Putin is Hitler."

Clyburn's sticking to that, and in our "TMZ Live" interview he compared Trump's tactics to those of a fascist leader ... who wants to remain that way for life. He says there have been talks about Trump refusing to leave, and there will be more as the election gets closer.

He points out Trump has already stated this in the past "jokingly," but Clyburn believes he means it ... and history has shown what can happen if it's not taken seriously. Coincidentally, Trump just tweeted a campaign video suggesting he's not joking either.

So, what happens if Trump loses, but refuses to accept it? Rep. Clyburn admits he doesn't have the answer yet -- it would be unprecedented after all -- but it's clear ... lots of people on the Hill are plenty worried.

Clyburn tells us he believes government officials and military leaders have already seen how Trump has misused and abused his power -- with his use of force to dispel peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park for a photo op coming to mind -- so they'll be ready.

Michelle Obama's struggling through 2020 -- she just revealed she's "dealing with what she calls some form of "low-grade depression" ... partly brought on by President Trump's actions.

The former First Lady dropped a new episode of her podcast on Spotify Wednesday, and while discussing mental health with former NPR anchor Michele Norris -- said she's got the blues "not just because of the quarantine but because of the racial strife, and just seeing this administration watching the hypocrisy of it, day in and day out, is dispiriting."

During the chitchat, Michelle talked about nationwide civil unrest and Trump's response to it -- and said it's all bringing her down. She added, "I don't think I'm unusual in that."

Michelle was describing what millions of us have been feeling over the last few months -- "I have to say, that waking up to the news, waking up to how this administration has or has not responded, waking up to yet another story of a Black man or Black person somehow being dehumanized or hurt or killed or falsely accused of something, it is exhausting. And, it has led to a weight that I haven't felt in my life in a while."

President Trump is doubling down on his well-wishes for alleged child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell behind bars -- his reason ... Jeffrey Epstein might've been killed in there himself.

DT sat for an interview with Axios, which just aired on HBO Monday night. They covered A LOT of topics -- but one in particular that raised eyebrows was Trump's feelings toward Maxwell, and by extension ... her longtime associate, Epstein, who died last year.

Check it out ... the reporter asks why Trump would send someone accused of horrible crimes his regards -- he said this last week during a press conference at the White House -- and 45 answered by suggesting she, too, could be at risk at dying while in custody.

Trump says her "boyfriend" Epstein was "either killed or committed suicide" while in jail, and that he wished her good luck ... further saying to let prosecutors prove she's guilty. The reporter follows up by asking if he thinks she could also die while in custody, and DT seems to confirm that's where his head's at. He says he's not wishing anything bad upon her.

It's interesting that Trump's peddling the conspiracy theory Epstein was knocked off at the hands of others -- because that's exactly how Epstein's own camp feels about it too.

The handwriting is now on the wall ... Donald Trump is revealing his plan to stay in office beyond January 20, 2021, and he wants to do so without even having an election.

Trump, who has made false claims about voter fraud, just tweeted, "With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???"

So, Trump is trying to start a groundswell to put off an election where polls show him way behind Joe Biden. The claims of voter fraud have no foundation ... nevertheless, he's been beating that drum for months.

So, why would Trump want to delay the election? Well, we just got word on GDP for the second quarter, and it reached historic proportions, plunging more than 32%. It's pretty obvious Trump wants to stall, hoping for a vaccine and an economic rebound.

The big worry ... Trump might as well just come out and say it ... he's not gonna leave The White House willingly. Bill Maher has been saying that for months, and the evidence is mounting that he's right.

In fact, in 2018, Trump reportedly said this about Chinese President Xi holding the position for life ... "And look, he was able to do that.  I think it's great.  Maybe we'll have to give that a shot someday."  So scary.

Kanye West's self-proclaimed running mate -- though she's yet to confirm this herself -- has returned online with her "spiritual coaching" site ... but gives no indication she's campaigning for West/Tidball 2020.

Michelle Tidball was name-dropped by Kanye as his VP pick in his Forbes interview -- following his surprise July 4 announcement that he's running for Prez -- but very little was known about her ... and her website got yanked shortly afterward.

As we first told you ... Michelle's site, Yarash.org, touted her as a "Biblical life coach" but also included some odd takes on mental health -- such as doing your dishes and making your bed to combat mental illness.

The Yarash site is back up, and though it's been revamped and edited ... it STILL doesn't mention anything about Kanye, being his Veep, or anything political at all really.

Instead, the site is gussied up with new animated graphics, an autumnal color scheme, Hebrew-style font, and tighter copy ... but features her same smiling portrait.

Michelle's old teleconferences and Bible study sessions -- where we discovered her mental health advice -- have been taken down. Her bio has been toned down quite a bit too ... but she's still advertising 50-minute life-coaching sessions for $65.

The Wyoming woman recently stated Kanye was doing "fine" and there was nothing to worry about ... amid his erratic behavior and wild Twitter rants, but she dodged any VP talk.

Kanye West is getting super serious in his bid for the White House ... his campaign is beefing up its staff and bringing in tons of folks with political know-how.

Sources close to Kanye tell TMZ ... Yeezy's hired a crack team of political advisors and people with experience to help him navigate how to get on the ballot in more states.

We're told Kanye's advisors are hiring people to work on the campaign. They're also recruiting volunteers, and they've contracted third-party organizations to assist with spreading campaign awareness and getting boots on the ground across the United States.

Our sources say the campaign's main objective right now is gathering enough signatures to get Kanye on the ballot in each of the remaining states.

We're told volunteers are canvassing for signatures in West Virginia -- hitting popular spots like restaurants and shopping malls -- and campaign staffers are working in New York ahead of Thursday's deadline to qualify for the ballot.

In West Virginia, the Secretary of State's office tells us Kanye needs 7,144 signatures by Monday to get on the ballot. If Yeezy gets enough signatures, it will trigger a review to verify every person is indeed a registered voter.

TMZ broke the story ... Kanye's facing a huge hurdle back in his home state, Illinois, where there are several objections over the validity of signatures gathered to get Ye on that state's ballot.

As we reported ... Yeezy's already submitted paperwork to get on the ballot in New Jersey, Oklahoma, Illinois and Missouri.

Joe Biden seems to have one particular person in mind for his VP running mate ... it's Sen. Kamala Harris, and there are clues from his notes that accidentally became public.

The presumptive Democratic candidate was taking questions from reporters Tuesday, and at one point ... one of the photogs captured a close-up shot of the notes he had on him, which featured a bullet-point list of topics and highlights ... including a whole section on Harris.

In fact, KH was the first item on Biden's notepad -- under her name were a few things he (or his staff) wanted him to address ... first being, "Do Not Hold Grudges." After that, Biden touched on the fact she's campaigned with him and his wife, Jill, she was talented, she'd be a great help to the campaign and he has great respect for her.

There was talk early on that Biden would pick Harris if he got the nom, but lots of people thought that plan was 86'd after the Senator went after the former VP for his civil rights record during the first debate. That said, Harris is one of the few contenders with executive experience -- She was the D.A. in San Fran and CA Attorney General.

But, there's this ... Biden's top campaign adviser who's helping vet candidates, Chris Dodd, didn't like the fact Harris had "no remorse" when confronted about the way she went after JB. Dodd reportedly considered her attack a cheap shot, and apparently wanted Harris to apologize for it or something, but she didn't. Her reported response, a chuckle and "that's politics."