It was a fairly short press briefing today, and one devoid of questions about Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump said he signed the bill to release the Epstein files last night, after the story dominated headlines all week.

But the story seemed to get buried today by news on Ukraine, Trump's social media comments about sedition, and Mamdani's upcoming visit to the White House.

Image source, Getty Images

We've just shared some Republican reactions to Trump's posts about sedition, now let's see what some key Democrats have said.

California Governor Gavin Newsom: "The President of the United States of America just called for the death of Democratic lawmakers. This man is sick in the head."

Hakeem Jeffries, House minority leader: "Donald Trump must immediately delete these unhinged social media posts and recant his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed."

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro: "Not only has the President failed in his responsibility to lead this country — he is actively encouraging political violence once again, ratcheting up the real risk of danger to our elected leaders and deepening the divides in our country."

Jamie Raskin, leading Democrat on the US House Judiciary Committee: "The President’s statements are an intolerable threat to the safety of these Members of Congress and their families and, it should go without saying, have no place in our democracy."

House Speaker Mike Johnson called a video from some Democrats - which encouraged military service members to refuse illegal orders - as "wildly inappropriate" and "very dangerous".

The Department of Justice and Pentagon will be reviewing the matter, the top Republican in the House said.

Asked about Trump’s posts saying sedition was "punishable by death", Johnson said the president was simply "defining the crime of sedition".

Tennessee senator Marsha Blackburn told Fox News: "What we have is a group of elected officials who... they have stage four Trump derangement syndrome."

"They are really so very frustrated, and I think that's because the American people have said, 'We don't agree with you, your party has gone so left.'"

After a series of rapid question and answers, the White House briefing abruptly ended.

Several topics were covered, but one that kept surfacing was Trump's posts on social media earlier today about "seditious" behaviour.

Leavitt was asked if the president wanted to "execute" members of Congress?

Leavitt swiftly replied: no.

It's a topic that's been discussed since Trump wrote on social media this morning, "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH" in reference to a video released by Democratic lawmakers.

Six Democratic lawmakers recently posted a video on X encouraging US military members to obey the Constitution and "refuse illegal orders".

Responding to a reporter's question, Leavitt said the focus should instead be on the "dangerous" words of the Democratic lawmakers, who she said encouraged active-duty service members to violate the chain of command.

"It perhaps is punishable by law," she said.

We have reactions from Republicans and Democrats on Trump's comments, which we will share with you next.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Asked about Ukraine and the potential of a peace plan, Leavitt reiterated her earlier written statement that Trump is "frustrated" with both sides of the conflict.

Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, she said, has been exploring what both sides want to achieve a "lasting peace" in Ukraine.

Leavitt, however, did not provide more details on the plan, which she said is "still in flux".

"We are having good conversations with both sides," she said.

The press secretary also angrily shot down any suggestion that Ukraine was kept out of the plan, saying that the White House is "hearing out" both sides of the war.

She has repeatedly pointed to the Middle East as an example of what can be possible in terms of the warring parties in the Ukraine war.

Image source, Getty Images

The briefing has now finished, but we still have a few more comments from Leavitt to bring you.

Leavitt says the president and his national security team remain "steadfast" in working toward and end to the war in Ukraine. She says the president is frustrated with both sides, with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio building a plan over the last month.

They have been "engaged with both sides" in ongoing talks, she said, and the president supports the plan.

"I know there's a lot of criticism out there and a lot of doubters, but I would just remind you of the historic success that this president and his team accomplished in the Middle East," Leavitt said, referring to Trump's plan for a Gaza ceasefire which has been endorsed by the United Nations.

Leavitt has bluntly shot down earlier reports that the US reversed its previous position, and was in fact planning to attend the G20 summit in South Africa.

"I saw the South African president running his mouth a little bit," Leavitt says, about Cyril Ramaphosa's remarks.

"That language is not appreciated by the president or his team," Leavitt continues.

She clarified that the US was "not participating in official talks" at the summit, and said a representative from the US embassy in South Africa will be there to recognise that the US will be the next host.

A reporter asks Leavitt what President Trump meant when he called a Bloomberg reporter "piggy" aboard Air Force One last week.

During that encounter, the reporter had started to ask Trump why he was pushing against the release of Epstein files "if there's nothing incriminating in the files", but Trump interrupted her, lowering his head and saying "Quiet. Quiet, piggy".

Leavitt says that Trump is known for being open, honest, and frank with the American media and the public.

"He calls out fake news when he sees it. He gets frustrated with reporters when you lie about him, when you spread fake news about him and his administration," Leavitt said.

She says Trump is the "most transparent president in history".

Image source, Reuters

Leavitt is now asked a follow up question about if the president was inciting political violence with his social media posts earlier today.

She says it is the lawmakers who are inciting violence with their remarks to US military officers to defy illegal orders.

"They are literally saying to 1.3 million active duty service members to defy the chain of command, not to follow lawful orders."

Leavitt is asked about tomorrow's planned White House visit from New York City mayoral-elect Zohran Mamdani, and whether Mamdani could say anything that would "ease" Trump's concerns.

Leavitt avoids answering the question and says: "You'll hear from the president directly."

"Tomorrow, we have a communist coming to the White House," Leavitt continues.

Mamdani is a self-described democratic socialist who campaigned on a platform of affordability in one of the most expensive US cities.

The statement leaves open the prospect of a potentially icy reception.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

While the outset of the briefing was dominated by Secretary McMahon's comments on education, as well as by Leavitt's comments on the economy and domestic policy, the questions have largely been focused elsewhere.

After a question on the president's upcoming meeting with incoming New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani - who she described as a "communist" - a question came in on Trump's "seditious behaviour" post.

Leavitt quickly pivoted, blaming Democrats for having "conspiring" together to try sway US servicemembers to "defy the president's lawful orders" which she said could "lead to chaos".

She also claims that several Democrats "knew what they were doing" and used their status as veterans and members of the national security apparatus for political gain.

This appears to be the White House's stance on this topic - that Trump's post is the result of action from Democrats.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Education Secretary Linda McMahon is now taking reporters' questions on her department.

Soon, we'll likely hear questions about the biggest topics of the day - like a plan to end the war in Ukraine, and the Epstein files - once Leavitt begins taking questions.

Leavitt has now turned to the topic of education, saying Trump is taking steps to fulfil his promises to close the US Department of Education and return education policy to the state and local level "where it belongs", she says.

She says the agency has entered into a partnership with other federal departments to ensure it delivers on programmes that will better serve students.

Leavitt begins by touting Trump's economic record, saying the US has added 119,000 new jobs in latest jobs report and that wages are up 3.8%.

Leavitt also says that Thanksgiving will cost less for Americans with the cost of popular holiday dish turkey down 16%.

"President Trump's entire economic agenda, his aim that we're putting more money back into the pockets of hard working Americans," Leavitt says.

Trump has focused on affordability since his Republican Party's poor performance in recent off-year elections across a handful of states.

Image source, Reuters

Karoline Leavitt has arrived and the press briefing has started.

With her is Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

Things are running a few minutes behind schedule for the White House briefing. There seems to be a problem getting two TV screens behind the lectern to work.

The briefing should get under way shortly.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is expected to hold a press conference in just a few moments.

You can click watch live at the top of this page to follow along. And we will bring you text updates throughout the briefing.

Image source, Reuters

While we wait for the White House briefing to begin, let's unpack another story that has gained momentum today in Washington.

President Donald Trump wrote on social media this morning: "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!". It is seemingly in reference to a video shared by some Democratic lawmakers.

Six Democratic lawmakers recently released a video on X, encouraging US military service members to "refuse illegal orders" and obey the Constitution.

The video does not identify which orders specifically, but claims that the Trump administration is "pitting our uniformed military" against American citizens, seemingly referring to Trump's deployment of the National Guard to US cities against the will of some local officials.

"Right now, the threats to our constitution aren't just coming from abroad, but from right here at home," two of the lawmakers say in the video.

Trump wrote two social media posts about the video, with one saying those involved were "traitors" and the message was "dangerous to our country". He said their "words cannot be allowed to stand".

Senior Pentagon officials arrived in Ukraine today to "discuss efforts to end the war" with Russia, the US military has said.

The team, led by US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, held talks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko this morning. They are expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later in the day.

The US has been preparing a new proposed framework to end the war, the White House confirmed today.

It was reportedly drafted by President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev.

Reports of the plan emerged on Wednesday, the same day Ukrainian officials said at least 26 people had been killed in a Russian missile and drone attack on blocks of flats in Ukraine's western city of Ternopil.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt gave the following statement this morning on the proposed peace deal in Ukraine:

"President Trump has been clear since day one that he wants the war between Russia Ukraine to end, and he has grown frustrated with both sides for their refusal to commit to a peace agreement. Nevertheless, the President and his team never gives up, and the United States has been working on a detailed and acceptable plan for both sides to stop the killing and create a durable, lasting peace."

A senior US official also tells the BBC that Special Envoy Witkoff has been quietly working on this plan for a month, receiving input from both the Ukrainians and the Russians on what terms are acceptable to them to end the war.

The official adds that both sides will have to make concessions, not just Ukraine, and the president has been briefed on the plan and supports it.