TMZ.com

President Biden is closing out the year on a one-on-one chat with the man upstairs -- and depending on where you land politically ... this could be interpreted a couple different ways.

Joe's down in the U.S. Virgin Islands right now with his family, where they touched down Wednesday in St. Croix ... and where JB here was seen visiting the Holy Cross Catholic Church in the city of Christiansted Saturday ... popping out with a wave and a smile.

He was being tailed by a ton of Secret Service agents, of course ... a few whom looked like they came straight from MIB headquarters. No sign of Jill or the other Bidens here with him -- although, they were right by his side when they landed last week on Air Force One.

On its face, this is just another holy Biden outing ... nothing all that crazy coming from a guy who's famously religious and who frequents churches quite a bit in his spare time.

Now, on the flip side ... some might see this as a sign that the dude's saying his prayers for a potentially rocky 2024 -- especially as the next presidential election starts to take shape.

So far, it's looking like Joe will face off with Donald Trump again -- that is, unless he isn't convicted and jailed first ... or if he's successfully kept off certain states' primary ballots, all of which remains to be seen at this point. Numbers-wise, DT is far and away the GOP fave.

As for JB and how he's faring in the polls ... it ain't that great -- as there doesn't seem to be too much enthusiasm about a second Biden term, even among people in his own party.

Uncle Joe's had a bit of an up-and-down presidency 3 years in, but the one thing he's got going for him is that he's ... not being prosecuted, on a number of fronts. Still, POTUS has some fires to put out with his base if he's gonna win 'em over come election day in Nov.

Don Lemon says the most detrimental presidential candidate Americans could elect isn't Donald Trump ... but rather Nikki Haley.

The former CNN host joined us Friday on "TMZ Live," and said he thinks there's good reason to sound an alarm on Haley's campaign ... saying she's a more dangerous candidate than Trump.

Don says it's a case of the devil you know versus the devil you don't ... calling out Haley for being unclear on her views, flip-flopping on Trump's insurrection and ripping her track record on abortion and racism.

The way Don sees it ... we've already survived one Trump presidency, and Haley presents a new set of unknowns that might end up being worse than anything Trump ever did.

It's another shot at Haley from Don ... as we reported, he blasted her on social media Thursday for leaving slavery out of her answer on the cause of the Civil War.

Haley's apologized and asked for grace, something Don says is hypocritical.

Remember, Don and Nikki had beef when he was at CNN ... he called her past her prime, and says she showed him no grace for his poor choice of words ... which he's said was just a prime case of misspeaking on live television.

Don's speaking out on political issues for the first time since leaving his post at CNN ... and he says he can finally speak his mind about all candidates, including Republicans.

While he says he doesn't want Trump back in office, and Haley might be worse ... he tells us why Chris Christie is earning his respect, even though he disagrees with most of his policies.

Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley may wanna get outta New Hampshire for good ... first she was roasted for her Civil War comments and now she got slammed by a nine-year-old for being a flip-flopper on Donald Trump!

In her latest Granite State headache, Haley was holding a campaign event Thursday in North Conway when a precocious adolescent named Adam grabbed the mic and unloaded on the former South Carolina governor.

Adam mentioned that Chris Christie – another 2024 Republican presidential challenger -- had called Haley a flip-flopper on pardoning Trump if he were convicted of a federal crime.

The boy told Haley he agreed with Christie and compared her to former Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry. As you may recall, Kerry lost the 2004 election to Republican rival George W. Bush after changing his position on numerous issues.

Haley began her response by saying she was proud Adam asked the question before defending herself on the "flip-flopper" claim.

She maintained her position that she thought Trump was the "right president at the right time" and agreed with many of his policies, but he's now become too chaotic and should not be put back in the White House.

She insisted Christie had become "obsessed" with Trump, while also scolding Adam for comparing her to serial flip-flopper Kerry. She then vowed to pardon Trump if he were convicted because it would be in the best interest of the country.

Haley's latest migraine came just one day after she flubbed her answer on what caused the American Civil War. At a campaign stop in Berlin, NH, Haley left out the fact that slavery triggered the bloody conflict between the Union and the Confederacy in the 1800s.

As a result, Haley was blasted by the media and most everyone else. Even former CNN anchor Don Lemon gave Haley a shot for her slavery SNAFU, saying she did not show him any grace when he said she was past her prime during a live TV broadcast.

Haley has since clarified her comments, expressing that slavery sparked the Civil War, but that there’s a larger picture about the role the government plays in our lives.

Don Lemon hasn't forgotten about his clash with Nikki Haley earlier this year ... bringing it up as a way to diss her over fumbling a question about the cause of the Civil War.

The former CNN anchor is ripping Nikki for asking for grace for omitting slavery from her answer ... he says she was quick to pounce on him when he called her past "her prime" earlier this year on CNN, and didn't leave him room to ask for grace.

As you know ... Nikki is catching tons of flak for not mentioning slavery as a catalyst for the Civil War in response to a question on the presidential campaign trail.

Nikki's since backtracked, telling CNN she didn't mention slavery because she thought it was so obvious.

Don says he's glad she's clarified her remarks ... adding, "In the spirit of the season, let's see if her actions match her corrected words moving forward."

Nikki Haley may need a refresher course in American history ... the 2024 Republican presidential candidate failed to mention slavery as the catalyst for the Civil War.

The former South Carolina Governor was talking to a bunch of voters in Berlin, New Hampshire Wednesday when a man asked her what caused the American Civil War. Nikki bungled the answer, saying the government was infringing on people's rights.

Here's her full response ... “I mean, I think the cause of the Civil War was basically how government was going to run. The freedoms and what people could and couldn’t do.”

As you see, nowhere did Nikki mention the word slavery, which most people know was the reason for the war between the Union and the Confederacy.

Haley then asked the man what he thought triggered the conflict, prompting him to reply, "I'm not running for president."

Haley followed up with an even more tone-deaf response, saying, “I think it always comes down to the role of government and what the rights of the people are. I will always stand by the fact that I think government was intended to secure the rights and freedoms of the people. It was never meant to be all things to all people."

Considering all the backlash she received for her comments, Nikki may want to clarify what she meant, as she travels around the Granite state with four more campaign stops.

Rudy Giuliani might be praying to God to help him pay the $146 million debt he owes to two former Georgia election workers he defamed -- and we got the pictures to prove it!!

The former NYC mayor was photographed attending the Christmas midnight mass with other worshippers at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan. Rudy, accompanied by a brunette woman, sat down in one of the pews to listen to the priest's sermon -- and possibly ask the Lord for a large infusion of cash!!!

Strangely, Rudy was wearing a big grin on his face when he has very little to smile about lately. Case in point: Rudy just lost a massive legal battle in a Georgia civil court where a judge recently ordered him to pay the whopping sum of money to the two ex-election workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea "Shaye" Moss.

In their defamation suit, Freeman and Moss claimed Rudy had spread lies about them as he tried to overturn the 2020 Presidential election on behalf of Donald Trump, working as 45's personal attorney.

The women have filed a second defamation suit against Rudy for similar statements he made after the judge's first ruling.

As for Rudy, he has reportedly filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to seek protection from creditors given the massive sum of money he owes them.

But Rudy seemed to have a few bucks still stashed away in his bank account. On Thursday, TMZ obtained photos of Rudy pulling out cash from an ATM inside a Citi Bank.

Kevin Spacey is back for his annual Christmas-time Frank Underwood shtick, only this time he has big news ... teasing a presidential run, and breaking it to Tucker Carlson.

The actor showed up in TC's latest X interview, which just dropped Sunday -- and yes, he's completely in character as his former "House of Cards" anti-hero for the 7-minute video. While he never outright says he's running for POTUS, he certainly suggests he just might.

Watch ... Spacey (as Underwood) says he's not above stepping into the race at this late hour, explaining that he believes the country needs someone like him during this dark time.

Tucker asks him directly if he's running, but KS stops short of outright committing to it.

Per usual, it's very bizarre ... but it is consistent, which we suppose he gets some kudos for. Spacey's been doing this whole Frank Underwood thing for a few years now -- ever since he was effectively canceled during the #MeToo movement -- and each year, it's weird as hell.

Remember, Spacey's role was nixed from the final season of 'HOC' amid his scandal ... and he's been trying to mount a comeback ever since, with not very much mainstream success.

2:54 PM PT -- Schneider just released another statement, saying, "Seriously, folks? This is my final comment on this. I neither said nor implied any such thing. Despite headlines claiming otherwise, in my post, I absolutely did not call for an act of violence or threaten a U.S. president as many other celebrities have done in the past. I suggest you re-read my actual post and pay attention to the words before believing this nonsense."

He continues, "It’s my position, which I am entitled to have, that some of our nations leaders in Washington have lost their way, and corruption runs rampant, both on our nation’s borders and abroad. Transparency and accountability must happen in order for our constitutional republic to survive. There is no threat implied or otherwise in that statement."

"Dukes of Hazard" star John Schneider's Twitter fingers just landed him in a whole lot of trouble ... his recent call for President Biden's execution has now caught the attention of the US Secret Service.

A rep for the SS tells us they are aware of the comments Schneider made -- when he stated Biden and his son "should be publicly hung" -- and while they don't comment on "matters involving protective intelligence," the SS "investigates all threats related to our protectees."

You don't have to read much between the lines to figure out the Secret Service will certainly have a chat with Schneider in the near future.

As we reported ... Schneider tweeted a direct response to President Biden Wednesday, writing, "Mr. President, I believe you are guilty of treason and should be publicly hung. Your son too. Your response is..? Sincerely, John Schneider."

Biden's original tweet, which triggered Schneider's response, was about former President Trump, where Biden said, in part, "Trump poses many threats to our country: The right to choose, civil rights, voting rights, and America’s standing in the world."

Unclear exactly why Schneider decided to take down his tweet, but it was gone by Thursday.

In a statement to TMZ, Schneider tells us he, specifically, didn't call for an act of violence ... instead, saying, "Seriously, folks? I said no such thing. Despite headlines claiming otherwise, I absolutely did not call for an act of violence or threaten a U.S. president."

Guess it's now up to Secret Service agents to get in touch.

7:33 AM PT -- The driver in question, 46-year-old James Cooper, has been charged with DUI and inattentive driving ... this according to the Wilmington Police Department.

Part of President Joe Biden's motorcade was involved in a crash, with things so scary the Secret Service thought there was a threat to POTUS' life ... and they moved in quick.

The dramatic moment was caught on video Sunday as Biden and his wife, Jill, were leaving campaign headquarters in Delaware, where there was press outside waiting to ask him questions as he was getting ready to board a waiting SUV and head home for the night.

Right as he was responding to one question about his standing in the polls, you can hear a loud bang off-camera -- which captures the Prez's attention ... and all his SS agents too.

Those around him quickly whisked him away and got him inside the car closest to him, and others swooped in to attend to whatever the heck had just happened there on the street. As it turns out, some Joe Schmo had rammed into one of the motorcade SUVs.

You can tell SS agents didn't know what was going on, and they treated it as an intentional move -- closing in on the driver with guns drawn and telling him to put his hands up .... which he most certainly did. Soon, it became evident ... it was a random accident.

In the end, nobody was harmed ... and cops are now investigating the cause and whether any potential impairment was at play. From the sounds of it, no one was arrested.

Still, pretty dramatic ... good to know these guys are always ready to spring into action.

A U.S. Senate staffer who was filmed having sex in a high-profile space on Capitol Hill has lost his job after a tape showing the deed leaked -- and now cops are investigating.

The man depicted in the footage -- which was first published by The Daily Caller, and which has been making the rounds online since -- has been identified as 24-year-old Aidan Maese-Czeropski ... an aide to Democratic Maryland Senator Ben Cardin.

Unclear exactly when this sex tape was filmed, but TDC got its hands on it and threw it up on its site. Indeed, it shows Maese-Czeropski having anal sex with another man in a judiciary hearing room within the Hart Senate Office Building ... and reports indicate it's one where confirmations/grillings go down -- including for SCOTUS nominees, etc.

The camera is being held by the man who's doing the penetrating -- he films both Maese-Czeropski in front of him and the empty room that they're in ... capturing lots of angles.

It appears the two men are having sex where Senators themselves often sit ... perched up on the bench and looking down onto the table where witnesses/nominees would normally be.

Once the staffer in question was linked to Cardin ... a spokesman for his office confirmed the guy was no longer working for the lawmaker -- saying, "Aidan Maese-Czeropski is no longer employed by the U.S. Senate. We will have no further comment on this personnel matter."

Aidan himself appears to have also addressed the scandal -- a purported message from his since-scrubbed LinkedIn is being circulated ... and it reads in part, "This has been a difficult time for me, as I have been attacked for who I love to pursue a political agenda."

He adds, "While some of my actions in the past have shown poor judgment, I love my job and would never disrespect my workplace. Any attempts to characterize my actions otherwise are fabricated." Just about all of Aidan's social pages have now been wiped.

A local politician in Western Ukraine turned a village meeting into chaos Friday morning when he detonated 2 grenades, injuring 26 people ... and it was live streamed on Facebook.

The man enters the council room during a heated discussion. He stands around for around half a minute, then pulls the grenades out of his jacket and tosses them into the room.

You hear the explosions and people screaming as the room fills with smoke.

What makes this even more horrific ... the man's grievance was over his salary. The council members were debating whether to give themselves a wartime pay increase. He had been arguing with his fellow council members, left the meeting and came back with the grenades.

Jake Paul is keeping his political ties strong, because GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will be VIP'd up when "The Problem Child" steps in the ring this weekend ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Vivek's spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin tells us the presidential hopeful is heading to Orlando to support Jake during his Friday night showdown with Andre August ... and says they've actually become good friends.

We're told Jake's hooked up Vivek with ringside seats -- he'll be seated next to Jake's pals and teammates when the first round bell rings. Once it's over, Vivek plans to get a quick face-to-face catch-up with Jake and his fam ... before heading straight back to Iowa for 6 scheduled campaign events on Saturday.

The bond between Ramaswamy and Paul is no secret, thanks to Jake recruiting the candidate for a joint TikTok dance in September, which went viral.

While it might have seemed like a stunt done for fun and games, Vivek later explained during a GOP debate why he thinks TikTok is vital for winning elections ... it's all about influencing the next-gen.

Vivek Ramaswamy won't forget to hit mute on his next conference call ... not after falling victim to a hot mic, allowing thousands of people -- including Elon Musk -- to hear him takin' a leak!

The Republican presidential candidate was in a Spaces chat on X with Elon, Alex Jones, Andrew Tate and others over the weekend ... and as Alex was chatting, ya couldn't help but hear a steady stream coming directly from Vivek's microphone.

After some awkward chat about the sound, Vivek ends up getting called out as the bathroom culprit -- he apologizes for the mishap, and Elon jokingly says he hopes the guy's feeling better ... which Vivek says he definitely is.

As they say, nobody beats the whizz!

Vivek is still in the running for the White House on the Republican side ... along with Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, Asa Hutchinson and, of course, frontrunner Donald Trump.

As we reported, Vivek sunk to fat-shaming in last week's debate -- telling the former NJ Governor Christie to enjoy a nice meal and get out of the race for Prez ... this coming after CC jumped to Nikki's defense, who was taking a beating from Vivek.

Joe Biden's L.A. fundraiser was interrupted Friday by screaming pro-Palestinian demonstrators as police in riot gear stood guard, trying to keep the peace.

The 46th Prez arrived by motorcade to last night's political event in Holmby Hills, where dozens of demonstrators had gathered to voice their anger over what they see as the extermination of the Palestinians by Israel.

Scores of Palestinians have been killed since the bloody Israel-Hamas war began in October. At the time, Hamas terrorists invaded the Jewish state and slaughtered 1,400 Israelis, triggering the deadly conflict. Hamas rules over the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

During Friday's fundraiser, demonstrators threw objects at officers and passing vehicles, while holding up signs that read, "No votes for mass murderer," a reference to Biden's 2024 presidential bid. They were also chanting "Free free, Palestine" and "Long Live Palestine."

LAPD Chief Michel Moore said his officers did not have to use force or make any arrests because the demonstrators eventually dispersed.

Meanwhile, Biden delivered a short speech at the celebrity-studded event, calling his 2024 Republican rival, Donald Trump, a threat to democracy. He also talked about his first-term economic successes and the federal judges he has confirmed to the courts.

Presidents of Harvard, MIT and Penn are on the hot seat after telling Congress they have reservations about banning calls for Jewish genocide, and the Executive Director of the MIT Free Speech Alliance seems to agree with them.

Peter Bonilla appeared on "TMZ Live" Friday, and he said Liz Magill, the President of Penn, was wrong to walk back her position and suggest censorship was appropriate when it came to calling for Jewish genocide.

Bonilla says it opens the door to all sorts of censorship. Harvey then posed a hypothetical question ... what if students who were members of the KKK protested with burning crosses and called for the genocide of Black people?  Bonilla said that's a different situation, and they should be banned and/or disciplined.

The question ... what's the difference? Bonilla talks about the fact there's dangerous history with the KKK, but Harvey notes there's also history with Jews.

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy took a low blow at former NJ Gov. Chris Christie in the latest Republican debate, essentially telling him to get out of the race and go stuff his face.

Ramaswamy fired off the remark Wednesday night in Tuscaloosa, Alabama ... claiming Christie's only experience on the topic of foreign policy was shutting down the George Washington Bridge -- an infamous moment during his time as Governor.

That woulda been politics as usual, but then Ramaswamy took it to fat-shaming -- he added, "Just walk yourself off that stage, enjoy a nice meal, and get the hell out of this race."

The crack garnered some applause, but mostly a whole lotta booing.

His harsh words came after Christie jumped to fellow candidate Nikki Haley's defense -- Ramaswamy accused her of not knowing where specific provinces in Ukraine were if she was given a map.

Christie called her a "smart, accomplished woman," and blasted Ramaswamy for being, in his eyes, "the most obnoxious blowhard in America."

Frontrunner Donald Trump again wasn't in attendance for the 4th debate, but he grabbed plenty of headlines leading up to it.