White House

President Biden says Gov. Andrew Cuomo should step down if the ongoing investigation finds his sexual harassment accusers are telling the truth.

Biden weighed in on the Cuomo controversy Tuesday during an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos ... and he went so far as to say Cuomo could end up being prosecuted as well.

New York's Attorney General is probing allegations Cuomo sexually harassed a number of women, including 2 ex-staffers alleging misconduct ranging from an unwanted kiss to remarks about their sex life and appearance.

Before today, President Biden had said he didn't want to comment on Cuomo -- one of his close political allies -- until the investigation was completed.

For his part, Cuomo has denied the allegations ... but New York's 2 U.S. Senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, have called on him to resign ... as have several Democrats in the House, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

As we reported ... Cuomo doubled down on his denial earlier this month, after a new photo of him grabbing a woman's face surfaced. He vehemently denied touching anyone inappropriately, but acknowledged he might've been a little too chummy for comfort at times.

President Biden isn't throwing his youngest German Shepherd to the wolves over his White House biting incident -- in fact, he's adding context that makes the pup sound like a good protector.

The Prez sat with ABC for an interview that aired Wednesday morning, and George Stephanopoulos dropped a hard-hitting question -- is 3-year-old Major out of the dog house yet??? Yep, it got a chuckle out of Joe as well.

The answer ... yes, he is, according to his owner. Biden explained the circumstances of how Major came to nip at someone -- and it sounds like someone the First Dog wasn't familiar with made one too many quick movements.

President Biden also clarified another important detail ... Major's bite didn't break the skin.

Remember, Major AND Champ were both sent back home to Delaware after the dustup -- but Biden clears that up too, saying they weren't necessarily being banished without their parents to care for them. Watch ... sounds like the First Lady wasn't too far behind them in the transfer.

Fact is, Major, and his older bro Champ, are making a tough transition. Life in the White House can be stressful -- even for dogs. One of their trainers was on TMZ Live, breaking down the challenges of getting them ready for life in D.C.

Vice President Kamala Harris is taking to the skies to plug the COVID relief package -- and in addition to GOP pushback, she's also fighting severe weather ... so bad, she had to get a new ride.

Check out these photos of the Veep and the Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, waving goodbye to spectators Monday as they boarded AF2 at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland ...

All was good as they departed to Vegas, as you can see, but check out the shot of them eventually landing in L.A. ... something is clearly missing: the Vice Presidential seal has vanished!

The wind -- whipping around and tossing Kamala's hair every which way -- ripped the seal clean off the aircraft. They seem to be deplaning the exact same way they came in, and yet ... no official marker can be seen. So, at first glance ... ya might not have known who was touching down at LAX.

We kid, of course ... any reporter who was there certainly knew it was Kamala and Doug. Still, it makes you wonder how they're plastering those decals onto AF1/2 ... is it Velcro???

Anyway, because of mechanical issues with yesterday's carrier ... VP Harris had to use another plane on Tuesday to go about her travels. Fun fact for those who didn't know: the new plane is also called Air Force Two -- whatever aircraft she's in gets that title.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be honored at the midpoint of Women's History Month ... it will be RBG day in the city where she grew up, and there's a new statue to memorialize the honor.

The statue of the late Supreme Court Justice was unveiled Friday in Brooklyn ... the place where she formed her values.

The Prez of Brooklyn Borough, Eric Adams, said, "RBG was clearly a symbol of what's great about this country and how, when we are inclusive, we can stop the level of exclusiveness that is pervasive throughout this country."

RBG had a say in the statute -- it was designed by Gillie and Marc Schattner while Ruth was still alive, and she gave it her stamp of approval.

As for honoring RBG during Women's History Month ... who better?  As a civil rights lawyer, she was the locomotive that propelled women's rights into the law books of America, and as a Supreme Court Justice, she fought hard to maintain and expand women's rights as well as the civil rights of others.

Someone's apparently pissed Jennifer Lopez performed at President Biden's inauguration -- they've been flooding LAPD with 911 calls to her home ever since then.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... there have been at least 15 calls made to cops about J Lo's L.A. area crib for everything from loud music and people fighting to a man and woman arguing.

We know what you're thinking, but we're told this has nothing to do with Alex Rodriguez or their engagement-ending breakup. We're told the couple wasn't even in the home, and the complaints the callers reported turned out to be fake.

As for what's behind all the calls ... our sources say they started shortly after Jennifer's Inauguration Day performance. One operating theory is the calls were politically motivated, or just someone sour on her versions of "This Is Your Land" and "America the Beautiful."

Donald Trump's taking to the friendly skies in a not-so-friendly plane for someone who was the most powerful man on Earth a couple months ago ... a jet so compact he can't stand up in it!!!

Trump was spotted by the DailyMail in NYC taking a few short steps into what appears to be a Cessna Citation X ... a super-midsize jet that's the envy of all social media influencers but a basic bird for your average CEO. The jet's reportedly a 1997 model registered to the Trump Org.

It's one helluva downgrade for the ex-Commander-in-Chief ... who for 4 years enjoyed all the luxury Air Force One had to offer.

Of course, no one expected Trump to continue flying on his own private 747 after leaving the White House, but it's still surprising to see him flying around in the Cessna instead of his 757 with his name on it -- a 43-seater Trump used during his first campaign.

It's unclear why he opted for the 8-seater ... which forces him to bend down his 6-foot-3 frame while inside a cabin with a 5-foot-7 height. There's no red carpet either.

Cesar Millan says President Biden's dogs getting a time-out from The White House is unacceptable, because he thinks it's time for some group learning -- humans included -- and he can be the teacher.

The famed dog trainer is concerned about the canine situation at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, where the First Pups were recently sent away after some aggressive behavior and a biting incident involving the 3-year-old German Shepherd rescue, Major. The older dog, Champ, also got the boot.

Cesar suggests this is a textbook example of dogs not being accommodated to feel safe and comfortable in a new environment, and says more training or disciplining for the Biden's pets isn't the answer ... the solution falls on the 2-legged folks at the WH.

"The Dog Whisperer" tells us in order to remedy this problem, EVERYONE working around Major and Champ needs to be trained on how to properly interact with the pooches. He says there's a formula to everything ... but we'll let him explain that.

Millan says his team has reached out to the Prez to offer his services ... but he already has some competition for the job.

President Biden's dogs just got the old heave-ho from the White House ... sounds like they were too aggressive for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

The Bidens' 2 German Shepherds, Major and Champ, were shipped back to the family home in Delaware last week following some un-doglike (or maybe doglike) behavior at the White House, including a biting incident.

Major, the 3-year-old pooch Biden adopted from a Delaware animal shelter in 2019, reportedly got his chompers on a member of White House security.

Major's also said to have been pretty agitated around the residence ... allegedly charging, jumping and barking at staff and security.

Champ, meanwhile, seems to be getting the short end of the stick ... he's been sent back to Wilmington too ... even though he's about 13 years old and has slowed down considerably due to his age.

With the German Shepherds out of the White House, the place is going back to how it was under Donald Trump ... a no-pet zone.

Unclear if Major and Champ are banished to Delaware for good, or if they're just in timeout.

President Biden's dog trainer says the White House was just too crazy of an environment for German Shepherds used to chilling in Delaware, and they need more training before going back to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. ... and he's the man to do the job.

Mark Tobin -- who trained Biden's dogs, Major and Champ, before -- appeared on "TMZ Live" Tuesday and told a pretty simple story. Joe's pups suffered from culture shock at the White House. They went from a typical, single-family home, to a residence jammed packed with hundreds of strange people and an insane amount of activity.

As you know ... Biden's dogs have been sent back to the family home in Delaware following some aggressive behavior at the White House by Major, including a biting incident. A White House official said the First Lady had been traveling so until she returns the dogs will stay with a family friend in Delaware.

Mark, who runs K-9 Camp Training in Delaware, says he's putting in a call to the Bidens shortly so he can re-train the 2 dogs even before they make their way back to D.C.

Donald Trump had to know his first trip back to NYC since leaving the White House would be a turbulent one ... and the Big Apple is delivering.

There are about a dozen or so protesters outside Trump Tower in Manhattan waving a huge "Arrest Trump" banner. There's also a giant inflatable caricature of Trump and others are holding signs that read "Go Home Florida Man" and "Indict Trump."

It ain't all bad news for 45 in the Democratic stronghold of NYC -- a throng of Trump supporters also gathered nearby pumping up his potential return to the Oval Office in 2024.

It's unclear what brought Trump, who arrived Sunday night, back to his old stomping grounds ... but it could be tied to his legal problems. The Manhattan D.A.'s Office is currently investigating Trump for tax and bank-related fraud.

The White House is now weighing in on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's interview with Oprah ... applauding them for their courage to tell their story.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked Monday during her daily briefing if President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden had any reaction following Meghan's claims of racism against the Royal Family.

Psaki sidestepped whether the Bidens actually watched the interview, but added ... "For anyone to come forward and speak about their own struggles with mental health and tell their own personal story — that takes courage, and that's certainly something the President believes, and he's talked about the importance of investing in a lot of these areas that they’re committed to in the future as well."

She was careful, though, not to ruffle any feathers across the pond because Psaki also emphasized America's "strong and abiding relationship" with the United Kingdom.

Amanda Gorman, the poet who stole the show at President Biden's inauguration, says she went from hero to suspect, adding it's a reality of what Black girls are forced to endure.

Amanda was walking home Friday -- apparently in L.A. -- when a security guard seemingly felt she was a threat and followed her. When she got to her home, she says he demanded to know if she lived there because "you look suspicious."

Amanda says she showed the guard her keys and went inside, but that's not the end of the story. After the guard realized she lived there, there was no apology ... nothing.

Amanda says, "This is the reality of black girls: One day you're called an icon, the next day a threat."

To that Amanda agreed ... "In a sense, he was right. I AM A THREAT: a threat to injustice, to inequality, to ignorance. Anyone who speaks the truth and walks with hope is an obvious and fatal danger to the powers that be."

Donald Trump's got a home outside the GOP if they ditch him in 2024 -- namely the American Independent Party ... which says he's their guy, assuming he runs for POTUS again.

AIP chairman Markham Robinson tells us he and his party cohorts are dead set on nominating Trump to head up their ticket for the next presidential race ... that is, if Trump decides to have another go at it.

There's still a lot of time to see how things officially play out, but Markham made clear he and the AIP leaders were more than enthusiastic at Trump's apparent desire to stay in politics, which he strongly hinted at during his CPAC speech this past weekend.

In Markham's eyes, DT is the perfect guy to lead their party -- for starters, they're notoriously far-right ... and support a limited role in government, tax cuts and are pro-life. Just take a look at his MAGA supporters ... and you can see how some see it as a good fit.

The American Independent Party's first presidential nominee was segregationist George Wallace. Another segregationist, Lester Maddox was also the party's standard-bearer in the '70s.

Of course, the AIP also nominated Trump and Pence in 2016 -- which Republicans obviously didn't support, especially in California ... the only place they're currently recognized on the ballot. Markham says they're working on expanding their reach nationwide, hopefully in time for 2024.

As for whether Trump himself wants any part of Markham and Co. ... probably not. He was firm in his remarks at CPAC about sticking with the GOP, saying he wasn't jumping ship to start his own thing. Presumably, that means he ain't itching to run over to the AIP either.

We've seen this before with these guys ... they can nominate whoever the hell they want, even if that person doesn't publicly agree or acknowledge. Just ask Kanye about that ...

Former President Donald Trump just uttered his first public words on camera since leaving office in January -- and it sure sounds like he's teeing up another run at the White House.

DT appeared in Orlando Sunday for the conservative convention -- where he served as the marquee speaker for the whole shebang. After delaying for more than a full hour ... Trump finally showed up to a more than welcoming crowd, asking them ... "Do you miss me yet?"

Trump said he was committed to supporting the Republican party over the next four years, and insisted he would NOT start his own party -- despite speculation to the contrary.

45 went on to slam what he described as the left's radicalism, socialism and another buzzword going around these days ... cancel culture. He then bashed Joe Biden's first month as President, saying it's been "disastrous" -- especially on the immigration front.

Then came the big takeaway from his remarks ... the fact that he strongly teased the possibility of him running for President in 2024. He was coy about it -- saying "Who knows?!?" -- but it might as well have been a campaign announcement.

The whole speech sounded eerily similar to his 2015 launch speech ... he was back to calling undocumented immigrants "rapists" and "killers" ... and the rhetoric was just as fiery as ever. Trump rambled at many points in the speech, touching on COVID and foreign policy in somewhat incoherent riffs.

A few things he didn't touch on very much ... his second impeachment and acquittal, the Jan. 6 insurrection, or the Nov. 3 election. On that latter topic, he DID again suggest he won, joking that maybe he would "beat them" for the third time. FWIW, he lost fair and square.

Also absent from Trump's speech ... his wife, Melania. She was nowhere to be seen, but he did mention her -- saying she sends her regards. Anyway, get ready for more Trump ... we think.

Howard University's President says the money that's been pouring into the school is a testament to its dedication to diversity, and yes ... its connection to famous alums like VP Kamala Harris.

Dr. Wayne Frederick joined us on "TMZ Live" Friday on the heels of receiving a massive $20 million donation from the Marriott Foundation for a hospitality leadership center ... something he tells us has been in the works for a while.

The center will be named the Marriott-Sorenson Center in honor of Marriott's late CEO Arne Sorenson, who Dr. Frederick says was devoted to diversity and shared the same values as Howard U.

Speaking of diversity, Dr. Frederick dropped a huge hint that Howard will be making a huge progressive step when it hires its next president ... at least, it will if he gets his wish.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic wants LeBron James to stay in his lane when it comes to politics ... saying the L.A. Lakers superstar (and other athletes) should stick to what they're good at, and leave politics to politicians.

The 39-year-old A.C. Milan striker criticized politically outspoken athletes in an interview with UEFA and Discovery+ Sweden ... calling it a "mistake" to get involved.

"I like (LeBron) a lot, and he is phenomenal at what he's doing, but I don't like when people have some kind of status, they go and do politics at the same time what they're doing. Do what you're good at," Zlatan said in the clip.

Of course, LBJ is one of the most socially and politically active athletes today -- he's gotten into public beefs with former President Donald Trump and has continuously used his platform to speak out against injustice and inequality in America.

Zlatan clearly thinks it's best he keeps his opinions to himself.

"Do the category you do," Ibrahimovic continued. "I play football because I'm the best at playing football. I don't do politics. If I would be a political politician, I would do politics."

"That is the big first mistake people do when they become famous and they become in a certain status. Stay out of it. Just do what you do best because it doesn't look good."

Of course, it's not the first time LeBron has been criticized for his involvement in politics -- remember, TV host Laura Ingraham famously told the 4-time champ to "shut up and dribble" after speaking out against Trump.