Leavitt says Trump does not want Democratic lawmakers executed, following video that reminds service members to refuse illegal orders
Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Donald Trump does not want to see Democratic members of Congress executed. This, after he fired off several posts on Truth Social accusing six lawmakers – who posted a video telling members of the military that they are able to “refuse illegal orders”– of sedition, and saying that their behavior is “punishable by DEATH!”.
Notably, Trump also shared posts that called for the Democrats (all of whom are veterans or worked in the intelligence community) to be removed from office, arrested, or killed. One user, who the president reposted, wrote: “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!!”
Today, Leavitt said that lawmakers in the video “conspired” to encourage active duty service members to “defy the president’s lawful orders”.
“If they hear this radical message from sitting members of Congress,” the press secretary added, “that could inspire chaos, and that could incite violence, and it could certainly disrupt the chain of command.”
Leavitt went on to suggest that the Democrats’ actions were a double standard. “If this were Republican members of Congress … this entire room would be up in arms,” she said. Throughout the briefing, the press secretary offered no explanation for the threats of violence levied by the president.
Key events
Zelenskyy to negotiate with Trump over US-Russia peace deal requiring painful concessions
My colleagues, Luke Harding and Andrew Roth, report that the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has said he will negotiate with Donald Trump on a US-backed peace plan that called on Kyiv to make painful concessions in order to end the Kremlin’s invasion of his country.
Zelenskyy’s office on Thursday confirmed that he had received the draft peace plan, which was prepared by US and Russian officials, and that he would speak with Trump in the coming days about “existing diplomatic opportunities and the main points that are necessary for peace”.
“We agreed to work on the points of the plan so that it would bring a worthy end to the war,” Zelenskyy’s office said in a statement.
The cautious response from Ukraine’s presidential administration followed angry denouncements of the plan by some Ukrainian officials who called it “absurd” and unacceptable. Zelenskyy’s public statement came as he held talks on Thursday with a high-ranking US military delegation, led by the army secretary Dan Driscoll.
Meanwhile, House Democratic leadership condemned Trump’s comments. “Political violence has no place in America,” said House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic whip Katherine Clark and Democratic caucus chair Pete Aguilar in a statement.
“We have been in contact with the House serjeant at arms and the United States Capitol Police to ensure the safety of these Members and their families. Donald Trump must immediately delete these unhinged social media posts and recant his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed,” they added.
‘This is a time for moral clarity’: Democratic lawmakers defend video, as Trump says behavior is ‘punishable by death’
The six Democratic members of Congress who took part in the video, which reminds active duty members of the military and intelligence community that they are able to “refuse illegal orders”, said that the president’s posts on social media – which include deeming their conduct “punishable by death” – will not deter them.
“Our service members should know that we have their backs as they fulfill their oath to the Constitution and obligation to follow only lawful orders. It is not only the right thing to do, but also our duty,” they write in a statement. “Every American must unite and condemn the President’s calls for our murder and political violence. This is a time for moral clarity.
The video that incited a social media outburst from Donald Trump included messages from the following Democratic lawmakers:
-
Senator Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA intelligence officer
-
Senator Mark Kelly, a former navy captain
-
Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander, a former intelligence officer
-
Congressman Chris Deluzio, a former Navy officer
-
Congressman Jason Crow, a former paratrooper and army ranger
-
Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan, a former air force officer
“Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this constitution,” they said in the direct-to-camera video. “No one has to carry out orders that violate the law.”
They go on to say: “We know this is hard, and it’s a difficult time to be a public servant … we need you to stand up for our laws, our constitution, and who we are as Americans.”
Leavitt says Trump does not want Democratic lawmakers executed, following video that reminds service members to refuse illegal orders
Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Donald Trump does not want to see Democratic members of Congress executed. This, after he fired off several posts on Truth Social accusing six lawmakers – who posted a video telling members of the military that they are able to “refuse illegal orders”– of sedition, and saying that their behavior is “punishable by DEATH!”.
Notably, Trump also shared posts that called for the Democrats (all of whom are veterans or worked in the intelligence community) to be removed from office, arrested, or killed. One user, who the president reposted, wrote: “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!!”
Today, Leavitt said that lawmakers in the video “conspired” to encourage active duty service members to “defy the president’s lawful orders”.
“If they hear this radical message from sitting members of Congress,” the press secretary added, “that could inspire chaos, and that could incite violence, and it could certainly disrupt the chain of command.”
Leavitt went on to suggest that the Democrats’ actions were a double standard. “If this were Republican members of Congress … this entire room would be up in arms,” she said. Throughout the briefing, the press secretary offered no explanation for the threats of violence levied by the president.
White House says Mamdani meeting is a testament that Trump is ‘willing to meet with anyone’
Karoline Leavitt said that she “didn’t want to get ahead” of the president as he prepares for a meeting with New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.
“I also think it speaks to the fact that president Trump is willing to meet with anyone and talk to anyone and to try to do what’s right on behalf of the American people,” Leavitt said, while continuing to refer to Mamdani as a communist.
In response to a question from a reporter, McMahon said that she is in touch with “probably a dozen members of Congress” in an attempt to codify her changes to the Department of Education.
Standing beside Leavitt today is the education secretary, Linda McMahon. Earlier this week, the Department of Education (ED) announced a move to outsource several of its functions to other agencies. It’s part of the administration’s plan to dismantle the ED entirely.
“The Democrats’ government shutdown made it painfully obvious that American families do not need the Department of Education,” Leavitt noted in the briefing room.
McMahon explained that the six interagency agreements are an attempt to cut out “bureaucratic bloat” and “shift educational authority from Washington DC, to your state education agency, your local superintendent, your local school board entities that are accountable to you.”
Karoline Leavitt kicks off her press briefing today, touting the latest (delayed) jobs report. “In particular, construction jobs surged by 19,000 in September, the largest monthly gain in a year,” Leavitt said. “Nearly all of this solid monthly job growth came from the private sector and went to Americans rather than foreign born workers.”
We’re due to hear from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt momentarily. We’ll bring you the latest lines from the briefing here.
In her eulogy, which appeared to carry subtle digs at Donald Trump – who was reportedly not invited to Dick Cheney’s funeral, Liz Cheney spoke of her father’s devotion to the US, which she called “deep and substantive.”
“He spent his life studying the history of our great republic. He knew you couldn’t truly appreciate what it means to live in freedom if you didn’t understand the sacrifices of the generations who came before, and he made sure that his children and grandchildren understood this too,” she said.
Cheney, who has previously condemened Trump over his involvement in the January 6 riots across Capitol Hill and has called him a “fascist,” went on to talk about memories from her father as he flew over Washington DC after becoming secretary of defense in 1989.
“He described departing from the Pentagon. ‘As my helicopter lifted off the Pentagon helipad, I could look across the river to the great monuments of Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln, to the White House and the Capitol building where all the great decisions that have shaped 200 years of American history were made. And I could look directly out on Arlington national cemetery and remember what a terrible price 1000s of brave Americans have paid so that all of us could enjoy the blessings of liberty,’” Cheney said.
Cheney , a vocal critic of Trump’s administrations, served as the Republican vice chair of the House January 6 special committee despite political peril which saw her ostracized from the Republican party. She has also said that Trump’s “election fraud claims were false,” adding: “No president can defy the rule of law and act this way in a constitutional republic, period – comments that stand in stark contrast to her eulogy that hailed father’s public service towards the US.
Liz Cheney: ‘Defense of constitution and defense of your political party was no choice at all’
Dick Cheney’s daughter, Liz Cheney, just delivered her eulogy.
“He wouldn’t force his opinion on you or demand you do things his way. He might not share his opinion at all if he didn’t ask. In fact, he was known to go long stretches of time without saying a single word,” said Liz Cheney.
“But if you watched closely, if you asked questions, you listened when he did speak, you had the experience of seeing the world opening up in front of you, of looking at things in new ways, of benefiting from his clarity of thought, his ability to crystallize what was important and what wasn’t,” she continued.
Liz Cheney went on to say: “Though he was inspired to service by president [John F] Kennedy, Dick Cheney became a Republican, but he knew that bonds of party must always yield to the single bond we share as Americans. For him, a choice between defense of the Constitution and defense of your political party was no choice at all.”
