White House

"Let’s bring her up here and look at her ass."

That's what former President Donald Trump told staffers as he summoned a "young, highly attractive" aide to his private office on Air Force One ... this according to a new book.

Stephanie Grisham -- the former White House press secretary under Trump famous for holding zero press briefings -- makes the claims in her book due out Tuesday, saying she tried to keep Trump away from the press wrangler he allegedly took a liking to.

TMZ's obtained an excerpt from the book -- titled "I'll Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw in the Trump White House" -- in which Grisham says Trump was ogling the young woman from the day he first laid eyes on her.

In fact, Grisham writes ... "I began to notice that he was taking an unusual interest in a young, highly attractive press wrangler on my team ... What I do know is that he behaved inappropriately. And, since the woman worked for me, I tried to protect her and keep his unusual interest in her under wraps."

Grisham says Trump often asked her about the woman, and when he wanted the aide to see him on Air Force One, Grisham made sure they weren't left alone because, "the whole thing never felt quite right."

Things allegedly got weird on one trip Grisham missed ... she claims Trump asked how the woman was doing before instructing his staff to bring her to his office cabin so he could get a look at her butt ... so Grisham tried keeping the aide off future trips.

Grisham says she doesn't know if anything happened between Trump and the woman, but she writes that she came close to telling Melania about her husband's alleged behavior before ultimately being "too chickens***."

President Reagan's attempted assassin will soon shed the restrictions that came with his initial prison release ... a federal judge granted John Hinckley Jr. an unconditional release.

Hinckley, now 66 years old after his failed 1981 assassination attempt, was released from prison in 2016, and was living at his mother's house under court-ordered supervision for all of that time. The level of supervision has gotten lighter over the years.

Now, the judge just signed off on a full release, set to begin next June, which means Hinckley will no longer be ordered to steer clear of the Reagan family or Jodie Foster ... with whom he was infatuated when he pulled the trigger.

As you know ... Hinckley was found not guilty by insanity for the 1981 shooting that left Reagan with a chest injury. His press secretary, James Brady, was paralyzed, while a Secret Service agent, and cop were also shot.

Hinckley was committed to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in D.C. after the verdict, where he lived until 2016 when a federal judge signed off on his release, with restrictions.

Prosecutors say Hinckley is now living on his own for the first time in about 4 decades -- his mother passed away this past July -- and one of his primary doctors is about to retire and disband his therapy group. Still, the Department of Behavioral Health says Hinckley is a low risk for future violence.

Hinckley's lawyer says his client wants to express regret and apologize to his victims' families, Jodie and the American people ... and claims Hinckley's full release is a victory for mental health.

Hillary Clinton is happily taking a consolation prize after missing the big one 5 years ago -- settling for the title of Madam ... but in a collegiate setting, well across the pond.

The former Democratic presidential candidate and Secretary of State was honored Friday at Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland ... where the head honchos tapped her to be the school's 11th chancellor -- the first female one in the institution's history -- and where she was officially inaugurated as so, dressed in a graduate's gown ... no cap.

HC posted photos Saturday in the aftermath of her ceremony, writing ... "Just call me Madam Chancellor. @qubelfast #LoveQUB" The shots show her heading into the building where she ended up delivering some nice remarks and praised NI as a beacon of democracy.

Looks and sounds pretty nice in these still pics -- but it was far from that in real life ... as there were anti-war protesters just outside shouting at her as she went in -- calling things like "war criminal" and saying "shame on Queen's." Yeah ... it was pretty intense.

Hillary didn't seem to pay them much mind though -- in fact, she even gave them a slight wave before she went up the steps and into the venue ... and, luckily, things didn't escalate beyond that.

A piece of presidential history is hitting the market ... Abraham Lincoln's death certificate could be yours to take home, as long as you've got some pretty deep pockets.

It's pretty cool ... the document is over 156 years old and it appears to still be in pretty good condition, noting Abe's infamous assassination on April 14, 1865, in cursive penmanship.

While the doc states the obvious, it's also got an interesting nugget ... pointing out our 16th president's estate was worth $85,000 at the time of his death. In current dollars that would be $1.42 million. That's a pretty good chunk of change for the 1860s.

David Davis, one of Honest Abe's closest friends, signed Lincoln's death certificate after taking his body back to Illinois following his assassination at Ford's Theater in Washington D.C.

Abe's death certificate is going up for sale at Moments In Time, with an asking price of $425,000. We don't recommend paying with $5 bills or pennies.

Border Patrol agents attempting to push back Haitian migrants trying to cross into the U.S. used what appear to be horse reins as whips to keep them at bay ... and now, the White House says it's looking into the tactic.

The images surfaced this week amid a chaotic situation at various parts of the U.S.-Mexico border, especially in Texas ... where scores of people have been wading across the Rio Grande to the U.S. side -- including thousands of Haitians, many of whom have set up camp under a bridge in the town of Del Rio, which has grown exponentially in recent days.

As a way to deter people ... some border agents on horseback were photographed and taped swinging around what seems to be either reins or lariats attached to the saddle equipment on their steeds. The photos and video here don't appear to show the agents actually make contact with any of the Haitians trying to cross, but still ... it looks bad.

The sheer optics of this -- white border agents apparently trying or threatening to whip predominantly Black Haitian migrants -- has caught the Biden administration's attention.

POTUS's Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, was asked about it repeatedly during Monday's press conference ... and said the staff had seen the footage, but needed more information to make an assessment on what was actually happening before weighing in further.

Still, Psaki did acknowledge that based on what they'd seen thus far ... it didn't seem like anything that'd be appropriate in any scenario, but made a point to say they were trying to gather the full context and more details -- despite reporters pushing back and getting testy.

Nicki Minaj's tweet about her cousin's friend becoming impotent and getting swollen testicles has really blown up ... to the point where she's getting chided both on American soil and beyond.

Trinidad and Tobago Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh blasted the rapper Wednesday, calling her claim about one person's alleged side effect of the COVID vaccine on the Caribbean island bogus.

The health minister said the reason it took his department a couple days to respond is because they were looking into Minaj's comments, adding ... "Unfortunately, we wasted so much time yesterday running down this false claim."

As you know ... Nicki's received major backlash ever since she tweeted about why she's hesitant to get vaccinated, which included the anecdote about her cousin's friend in Trinidad.

It led to senior health officials like Dr. Fauci condemning her unscientific claim, but Nicki later claimed she was invited to The White House to speak with medical experts and get educated on the vax.

However, a WH official later clarified that it did NOT extend an invite for Minaj to visit, but simply offered to hop on a phone call to discuss questions about the safety and effectiveness of the COVID vaccine after her tweets.

Nicki has not taken too kindly to this clarification, and responded with a 14-minute Instagram video claiming she was invited ... and suggesting she's being made out to look like a liar.

For what it's worth, Nicki also claimed her Twitter account had been suspended, but the company denied taking any action against the account.

Thousands of folks, including 3 presidents, observed a moment of silence at Ground Zero to mark the exact moment when an American Airlines Jet slammed into one of the World Trade Center Twin Towers 20 years ago.

President Joe Biden, along with former Presidents Obama and Clinton, observed a moment of silence as people remembered the life-changing event 2 decades ago.

Nearly 3,000 people died as a result of the terrorist attack ... an assault on America that triggered the war on Afghanistan -- a war that many say went on way too long.

Various family members read the names of those who perished during the attack.

Bruce Springsteen took the podium and sang "I'll See You in My Dreams" as the crowd took it all in.

President Biden will leave New York City and visit the other 2 sites where the other 2 planes went down -- the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

President Obama has said in the lead-up to the anniversary, "One thing that became clear on 9/11 - and has been clear ever since - is that America has always been home to heroes who run towards danger in order to do what is right."

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks ... and the man who caught President Bush's ceremonial pitch before World Series game 3 in NYC says #43 sent him a letter this week, commemorating the powerful moment.

TMZ Sports talked to former New York Yankees catcher Todd Greene -- who was Jorge Posada's backup at the time -- about that unforgettable October night in the Bronx, only 49 days after 9/11, when GWB fired a strike from the mound, symbolizing America's resolve.

"I get the same feeling too when you think back to that moment and how electric the stadium was that night and just what it meant for our President Bush to walk out on the field and as a symbol of strength, as a symbol of healing, as a symbol of unity for our country which is really, really important," Greene, who played 11 seasons in the big leagues, tells us.

"To hear the USA chants and then have President Bush give the thumbs up on top of the mount -- it was, again like you said, it will get the hairs standing on your arms now."

Of course, baseball season was in full swing when the terrorist attacks happened ... and the sport played a critical role in bringing back a sense of normalcy to America.

The 2 most unforgettable moments were Mike Piazza's go-ahead home run against the Braves 10 days after 9/11 ... and of course, Bush's pitch.

It'll never be forgotten.

The Yankees ended up winning the game (down 2 games to none, they had to), behind a strong performance from Roger Clemens, 2-1.

Greene -- who wasn't even supposed to be the catcher who caught the pitch -- says he hasn't spoken to Bush over the years, but did receive a letter in the mail on Wednesday from the former president.

"He sent me a personalized letter that I just received yesterday. President Bush saying how much that moment meant for him and that he was honored, well not honored, I was honored to be on the field with him at the time and just in remembrance of that moment."

How many times will Donald Trump mention "Sleepy Joe" or "fake news" while commentating the Evander Holyfield vs. Vitor Belfort fight??

If you're thinking it's a high number and have some money to put up, there's a bunch of prop bets goin' down on what the former POTUS will say on Saturday night!!

Here's a list of what MyBookie will be keeping a close eye on during the big event:

(Not familiar with betting?? The "-" is how much you need to risk to win $100 ... and the "+" is how much you’ll win if you wager $100).

How many times Trump says "Fake News" --
Over 10.5 -140
Under 10.5 +100

Will Trump curse on the broadcast --
Yes -160
No +120

How many times he'll say "China" --
Over 2.5 -150
Under 2.5 +110

Will Trump announce he's running for president in 2024 --
Yes +250
No -500

Will Trump say "Sleepy Joe" --
Yes -120
No -120

Which family Trump will namedrop more during the broadcast --
The Bidens -110
The Clintons +225
The Cuomos +400

There's also a wager on what #45 is gonna "debate" about first -- from COVID-19 to Afghanistan to the anniversary of 9/11 ... plus the border, China and climate.

But, if you're not into politics like that, you can also put money on what color Trump's tie will be.

There's one on the Mrs. too -- if Melania Trump will pop up on the broadcast -- and the chances we'll see her ain't good.

Monica Lewinsky and Linda Tripp's relationship is under a microscope in Ryan Murphy's 'Impeachment' series -- and the journalist who first got the real-life story says there's no way to soft-pedal how Monica was stabbed in the back.

Author and journalist Michael Isikoff joined us Thursday to recount his 1997 meetings with Tripp ... which led to him uncovering the fact an independent counsel was investigating Bill Clinton's affair with the then-22-year-old White House intern. He said it was clear to him Linda was betraying Monica's confidence ... something he calls "indefensible."

Those of you alive back then will recall Tripp secretly recorded her conversations with Monica about Clinton -- and now a whole new generation will see those meetings play out in "Impeachment: American Crime Story."

Isikoff says Monica, who's a producer on 'Impeachment,' deserves the opportunity to tell the scandal from her perspective. As he puts it, Linda's treatment of Monica was "dicey" from an ethical standpoint.

Speaking of ethics, Isikoff -- who wrote the book, "Uncovering Clinton: A Reporter's Story" -- also told us why he turned down Tripp's offer to steal Monica's infamous blue dress and hand it over to him.

Of course, Tripp eventually turned over the dress, with Clinton's semen stain on it, to independent counsel Ken Starr, along with her recordings of Monica.

President Biden brings up his late son, Beau, way too much for comfort, and it might be a political mistake -- so suggests the NYT, which had to tweak a headline over this.

The paper of record published a story Saturday that's all about how some people are seriously tired of Biden invoking Beau in seemingly any context ... and citing his grief over his boy's death as a way to connect to the topic at hand. Lately, that's been Afghanistan.

The Times' OG headline for this story read, "Biden, Still Grieving His Son, Finds That Not Everyone Wants to Hear About It" -- which caught TONS of backlash, and was changed. Now, it says, "In Invoking Beau, Biden Broaches a Loss That’s Guided His Presidency."

The NYT reports some Biden advisers acknowledge that, yeah, JB does name-drop Beau a lot ... and doesn't always tweak his approach based on his audience, which might be smart in certain situations -- as Biden's gotten criticism over this of late ... including from one Gold Star father, whose own kid recently got killed in Afghanistan during the chaotic pull-out.

Mark Schmitz told WaPo that during a dignified transfer last week for the 13 Marines killed during a bombing in Kabul -- for which Biden was present -- the Prez apparently steered a private convo they had to his own son, which Schmitz found inappropriate ... seeing how they were there to remember the recently fallen. Not just that, but many point out Beau wasn't killed in combat ... he died of brain cancer, after serving as a military lawyer in Iraq.

With all that said, that first headline is pretty harsh ... and fairly insensitive. Many online say Biden should be allowed to grieve however the hell he wants -- and the Times seems to have taken notice, 'cause they changed how they phrased it. Still, the sentiment remains.

On the flip side ... there are other families who've lost children to tragedy -- and have gotten face time with Joe after the fact -- who've said they appreciate Biden connecting with them on a personal level by talking Beau, humanizing him. So, it's a mixed bag of reception here.

Pete Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, are brand new parents ... with a couple bundles of joy they just introduced to the world this weekend.

President Biden's Transportation Secretary made the announcement Saturday, writing ... "Chasten and I are beyond thankful for all the kind wishes since first sharing the news that we’re becoming parents. We are delighted to welcome Penelope Rose and Joseph August Buttigieg to our family." He attached a photo of him and Chasten holding their kids.

The siblings are wrapped in blankets, while Chasten and Pete look at each other in a hospital bed. Presumably, these newborns are adopted -- it's no secret the couple have been trying to undertake the process for a good while ... and now, they're at the finish line.

Looks like their children might be twins ... but it's not entirely clear if they adopted from one birth parent or two. The babies are also about a month old now -- Pete first broke the news of their arrival back in mid-August, and this is the first time he's shared a pic.

He wrote at the time, "For some time, Chasten and I have wanted to grow our family. We're overjoyed to share that we've become parents! The process isn't done yet and we're thankful for the love, support, and respect for our privacy that has been offered to us."

Here's a painfully dramatic picture ... the last U.S. soldier leaving war-torn Afghanistan following a 20-year battle that's, arguably, changed nothing in the country.

His name is Maj. Gen. Chris Donahue, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps. His unit's based out of Fort Bragg, N.C. and on Monday he became the final soldier to board a C-17 cargo plane out of Kabul airport to officially end the U.S. mission.

The night vision image shows Chris carrying his firearm and a look of resignation as the pullout ended under cover of darkness.

According to the Pentagon ... this 20-year war saw more than 775,000 American troops serve and more than 2,400 of them were killed in combat. The departure of Donahue's unit officially brings an end to America's longest war, and meets the August 31 deadline.

President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden on Sunday attended a ceremony at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to honor the 13 U.S. troops killed during last week's terrorist attack in Kabul as their bodies arrived in caskets wrapped with U.S. flags. The President vowed to hunt down those responsible for the attack.

With the U.S. now out of Afghanistan, the Taliban has taken over the entire country ... including Kabul airport. An L.A. Times reporter captured the moment Taliban fighters entered a Hangar at the airport to examine Chinook helicopters and other equipment.

NFL legend Herschel Walker is following in his buddy Donald Trump's footsteps and starting his own political career ... by running for U.S. Senate in the state of Georgia.

Walker officially filed paperwork for the seat -- currently held by Democratic U.S Sen. Raphael Warnock -- with the Federal Elections Commission on Tuesday ... and is surely expected to get public support from #45.

Of course, Trump and Walker have been tight for decades ... dating back to when the running back played for the USFL's New Jersey Generals, which the businessman owned at the time.

Walker later appeared on Trump's 'Celebrity Apprentice' show in 2009 ... and was "fired" in the 8th episode.

Trump even added Walker to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition in 2018 ... where he still serves as council chairman.

Trump said back in March that it would be "fantastic" if Walker ran ... saying, he would be "unstoppable, just like he was when he played for the Georgia Bulldogs, and in the NFL."

"He is also a GREAT person. Run Herschel, run!"

Walker made an emotional speech at his Republican National Convention last August, saying POTUS was not a racist.

"It hurt my soul to hear the terrible names that people called Donald. The worst one is racist," Walker said at the convention.

"I take it as a personal insult that people would think I've had a 37-year friendship with a racist. People who think that don't know what they're talking about."

President Biden did right by getting the U.S. out of Afghanistan but Rep. Barbara Lee -- who was against the war from the get-go -- says there was one HUGE problem ... the execution sucked.

The Congresswoman from Oakland joined "TMZ Live" Thursday and praised 46 for getting U.S. troops out of Afghanistan because, in her words, there was "no military solution." She said adding 10,000 troops would have exacerbated the situation because it would have inevitably created another 20 futile years of military operations in the war-torn region.

That said ... Lee didn't let Biden off the hook. She took him and the administration to task over the execution. She called it "horrible" ... adding the U.S. has a moral obligation to make sure Americans, allies and journalists alike have a safe passage out of Afghanistan.

Biden told George Stephanopoulos he had no regrets over the U.S.'s chaotic exit from Afghanistan, because he said they didn't make any mistakes. Lee begs to differ ... and she's calling on U.S. troops to stick around until all appropriate personnel who want to get out ... do get out.

Biden was grilled on whether U.S. troops might stay beyond the August 31 deadline. The prez initially hedged saying it depended on the situation ... but finally relented and said he may keep troops there past the deadline until all Americans are out. He did not say the same for the Afghan allies who are at grave risk.

Lee -- the star of a documentary, 'Speaking Truth to Power,' dropping Friday -- says she doesn't feel vindicated 20 years after opposing the war on Afghanistan. She made the argument on the House floor just 3 days after the September 11 attacks ... and was the lone House member to cast a "no" vote authorizing then-President George W. Bush's actions.

NFL cornerback Cameron Kinley -- who fought to delay his U.S. military service to play in the league -- was cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team announced.

The former Navy standout signed with the Bucs as an undrafted free agent shortly after graduating the Naval Academy ... but because of his commitment to serve as an officer, the Navy refused to delay his service.

The 22-year-old fought hard to get the decision reversed ... even asking President Joe Biden for help when we spoke to him in June ... saying, "I'm just asking that you consider helping me with this situation I am currently in."

The Secretary of Defense finally gave Kinley the delay on July 6 which was right in time for Bucs' training camp -- and he got to see the field in the preseason opener this past weekend, banking in 6 tackles.

But, on Sunday, the Bucs announced they waived three players -- including Kinley.

"I'm definitely grateful I had an opportunity to be a part of the organization," Kinley told ESPN after the cut.

"I was able to learn a lot on and off the field from the players, coaches and support staff. I wish the Buccaneers the best this season and I look forward to what God has next for me."

Kinley is subject to waivers and if he's unclaimed, he can sign with another team as a free agent.