Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt didn’t just struggle at Thursday’s White House briefing — she unraveled. Pressed by a row of unflinching female reporters demanding clarity on President Donald Trump’s explosive threats against Democratic lawmakers, the press secretary launched into shaky, shifting explanations that only raised more questions.
And when the follow-ups kept coming, her composure buckled — and the briefing ended in the most telling way possible.
It started about 22 minutes in when CBS News Chief White House Correspondent Nancy Cordes asked, “This morning, President Trump accused six Democratic lawmakers of ‘SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR punishable by DEATH.’ Just to be clear, does the president want to execute members of Congress?”
Leavitt insisted he did not — and immediately shifted blame.
“Let’s be clear about what the President is responding to,” she said, scolding the room. She accused the lawmakers of “orchestrating a video message” encouraging military members to “defy the President’s lawful orders,” claiming such messaging could “lead to chaos” and even “people getting killed.”
She continued escalating, declaring the six lawmakers “knew exactly what they were doing” and calling their message “dangerous” and “perhaps punishable by law,” before adding, “I’m not a lawyer.”
Cordes pressed again: “Isn’t the president encouraging political violence when he says members of Congress should be killed?”
Leavitt snapped back, “Why aren’t you talking about what these members of Congress are doing to encourage and incite violence?” She falsely claimed they were telling 1.3 million active-duty troops “not to follow lawful orders.”
Cordes corrected her, “Actually, they said they can refuse an illegal order.”
Leavitt talked over her, insisting Democrats were suggesting Trump gives illegal orders — “which he has not” — and fumed, “We do things by the book. They should be held accountable.”
When Leavitt tried to move on, another reporter asked whether Trump expected officials to follow orders they believe might be illegal. Leavitt dodged, “The president expects the administration to follow the law.”
She attempted once more to shut down the exchange, but CNN’s Kaitlan Collins jumped in, “Karoline, you misquoted Democrats in that video. That’s actually not what they said—”
Leavitt completely ignored Collins, gathered her binder, and walked out mid-question as reporters shouted follow-ups.
Social media erupted, calling Leavitt out for her blatant disregard for what the video actually said.
X user and retired Army guard Dave Thul wrote, “Encouraging members of the military to question unlawful orders is the opposite of inciting violence. It is preventing it.”
“They were very specific and said unlawful orders. If Trump and Republicans read more into it, that says a lot … If Trump had no plans for unlawful orders, why respond so harshly?” this X user wondered observantly.
“Leavitt is notorious for bending the truth and pushing lies. She’ll never accept accountability,” one person wrote while another added, “This is their political strategy. “Lie and leave.””
Others applauded the reporters for holding Leavitt’s feet to the fire.
“Finally. Talk back to her,” urged one viewer on Threads.
“It’s waaay past time journalists start calling Leavitt out on her bullshit press conferences. The tide is turning,” another noted.
Jude also added that Collins and Mary Bruce deserve credit for their bravery. “More needed! When a president calls for the death penalty and hanging of Democratic Congressmen, you know that the United States is near the end of democracy. The United States will soon not be part of the “free world””
The six Democrats, including Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly, and Congress members Chris Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan, Maggie Goodlander and Jason Crow, all either former military or former intelligence workers, posted a video on social media urging U.S. troops to refuse to follow illegal orders.
That sent Trump into a social media frenzy Thursday morning.
“It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL,” Trump first wrote, including a link to the story about the Democrats’ video by the right-leaning Washington Examiner.
“Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. Their words cannot be allowed to stand – We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET,” he raged.
His next post was even more stunning: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”
Trump also reposted a series of other outraged posts calling the Congress members “traitors” and “domestic terrorist Democrats.” In another post he wrote, “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!!”
And finally, “This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP??? President DJT,” an indignant Trump raged.
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