White House walks back Trump’s suggestion of executing Democrats who urge military to disobey illegal orders – live

8.51pm GMT
Here's a recap of the day so far

The White House said today that Donald Trump does not want to see Democratic members of Congress executed. Earlier, the president fired off several posts on Truth Social accusing six Democrats of sedition, and saying that their behavior is “punishable by DEATH!”, after they posted a video telling members of the military that they are able to “refuse illegal orders”. Notably, Trump also shared posts that called for the Democrats to be removed from office, arrested, or killed. One user, who the president reposted, wrote: “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD !!” Today, press secretary Karolin Leavitt said that lawmakers in the video “conspired” to encourage active duty service members to “defy the president’s lawful orders”.
The six Democratic members of Congress who took part in the video, all of whom are veterans or worked in the intelligence community, said they would not be intimidated by the president’s comments. “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 wrote in a statement. 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 said. “Donald Trump must immediately delete these unhinged social media posts and recant his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed,” they added.
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”. In a statement, Zelenskyy’s office added: “We agreed to work on the points of the plan so that it would bring a worthy end to the war.”
A federal judge temporarily halted Donald Trump’s deployment of national guard troops to Washington DC. District judge Jia Cobb, an appointee of Joe Biden, temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying troops to enforce the law in the nation’s capital without approval from its mayor. The ruling applies to the roughly 2,000 members of the guard who were deployed to DC, when Trump instituted a crime crackdown at the end of the summer. Her decision won’t take effect until 11 December, to allow the administration time to appeal.
Also today, Donald Trump and JD Vance were snubbed, by not being invited to Dick Cheney’s funeral. Cheney, the former vice-president to George W Bush, and a Republican defense hawk who became a fierce critic of the current US president, died earlier this month at the age of 84. At his service today, attended by several high-profile political figures, his daughter, Liz Cheney, delivered a eulogy. Without overtly attacking the president she alluded to her father’s role in her decision to lead the effort to hold Trump to account for his role in the January 6 insurrection by his supporters. A reminder that Cheney is the former Republican congresswoman who served as the vice-chair of the House January 6 committee and was deeply critical of Trump’s role in the Capitol riot.
The US jobs market added 119,000 jobs in September, according to the latest monthly jobs report, which was delayed by six weeks due to the shutdown of the federal government. Amid heightened uncertainty surrounding the strength of the US economy, the much-anticipated reading was stronger than the 51,000 jobs expected by analysts to be added in September. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, remained steady at 4.4%.

Updated at 8.58pm GMT

8.48pm GMT
Federal judge blocks Trump's deployment of national guard to DC

A federal judge temporarily halted Donald Trump’s deployment of national guard troops to Washington DC. District judge Jia Cobb, an appointee of Joe Biden, temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying troops to enforce the law in the nation’s capital without approval from its mayor.
The ruling applies to the roughly 2,000 members of the guard who were deployed to DC, when Trump instituted a crime crackdown at the end of the summer. Her decision won’t take effect until 11 December, to allow the administration time to appeal.

8.20pm GMT
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.

Related: Zelenskyy to negotiate with Trump over US-Russia peace deal requiring painful concessions

8.09pm GMT

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.

7.48pm GMT
'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 wrote 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.”

Updated at 8.32pm GMT

7.30pm GMT

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.”

Updated at 7.39pm GMT

7.14pm GMT
Leavitt says Trump does not want Democratic lawmakers executed, following video that reminds service members to refuse illegal orders

The White House said today that Donald Trump does not want to see Democratic members of Congress executed. Earlier, the president fired off several posts on Truth Social accusing six Democrats of sedition, and saying that their behavior is “punishable by DEATH!”, after they posted a video telling members of the military that they are able to “refuse illegal orders”.
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.

Updated at 8.52pm GMT

6.49pm GMT
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.

6.36pm GMT

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.

6.33pm GMT

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.”

6.26pm GMT

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.”

6.21pm GMT

We’re due to hear from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt momentarily. We’ll bring you the latest lines from the briefing here.

6.08pm GMT

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.

5.38pm GMT
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.”

5.18pm GMT

One of Cheney’s seven grandchildren, Elizabeth Perry, just noted that the former vice-president “was tough with a kind heart”.
“Dick Cheney wasn’t just my grandpa. He was my best friend, my hero, my role model, and the most influential person in my life,” said Perry, who is the daughter of former congresswoman Liz Cheney.

Updated at 6.07pm GMT

5.13pm GMT
Vance offers condolences to Cheney while speaking at Breitbart event

JD Vance, who is not attending Dick Cheney’s funeral today, offered his condolences to the former vice-president’s family.
“Obviously there are some political disagreements there, but he was a guy who served his country. We certainly wish his family all the best in this moment of grieving,” Vance said, while speaking at an event hosted by the far-right news outlet, Breitbart.

5.02pm GMT

Bush recalls that Cheney offered to step aside as vice-president in 2004, in case the 43rd president wanted to replace him.
“I thought about it for a while,” Bush said today. “But after four years of seeing how he treated people, how he carried responsibility, how he handled pressure and took the hits, I arrived back at the conclusion that they do not come any better than Dick Cheney.”
Bush noted that “in a profession that attracts talkers” Cheney was “a thinker and a listener”.

4.56pm GMT
George W Bush remembers his vice-president's 'busy and purposeful' life

Speaking now, former president George W Bush remembers Dick Cheney – who served as his vice-president for his entire administration – as a “a stoical man”.
“As I quickly discovered in 2000, when you choose one Cheney, you get four,” Bush quipped of the close relationship his vice-president had with his wife, Lynne, and their two daughters, Liz and Mary. “His busy and purposeful life was an adventure they experienced together. In a family so close you dread the day when the circle is broken.”

4.47pm GMT

Reiner added that Cheney showed “a genuine fortitude” in the face of “true mortal terror” that he faced while suffering with heart disease for most of his adult life.

4.37pm GMT

We’re now hearing from Dr Jonathan Reiner, Dick Cheney’s cardiologist.
“I want to acknowledge the many doctors and nurses here with us today who took such magnificent care of the vice-president over a span of 27 years,” Reiner said. A reminder, that Cheney suffered from several heart attacks during his life, and ultimately died from complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.

Updated at 4.37pm GMT

4.28pm GMT

Cheney’s casket is now being placed in front of the altar, and his family are taking their seats.

4.25pm GMT

While there are several high-profile political figures at Dick Cheney’s funeral today, notably absent are Bill and Hillary Clinton and Barack and Michelle Obama.
A spokesperson for Bill Clinton said that former president had an unavoidable scheduling conflict which prevented him from attending today’s service.

4.09pm GMT

Covered in the American flag, Cheney’s casket was just carried into the National Cathedral by the military honor guard. Walking behind were members of his family, including his widow Lynne and elder daughter Liz Cheney.

3.51pm GMT

In the first row at Dick Cheney’s funeral, former vice-president Kamala Harris and her predecessor, Mike Pence, sit next to each other.
We’re expecting former president George W Bush, who Cheney served as vice-president, to deliver a speech today.

Updated at 4.07pm GMT

3.07pm GMT
Diginitaries gather for former vice-president Cheney's funeral

Several US dignitaries, including former presidents Joe Biden and George W Bush, are attending the funeral of Dick Cheney at the National Cathedral in Washington DC today.
The former vice-president died earlier this month at the age of 84. His daughter, former congresswoman Liz Cheney, will speak at today’s service. As we noted earlier, Donald Trump and JD Vance were reportedly not invited to the funeral. However, all former living vice-presidents will be in attendance. This includes Mike Pence, who served as Trump’s right hand during his first administration.
My colleague, David Smith, will be at the cathedral and providing updates.

2.51pm GMT
Epstein survivors urge justice department to 'do the right thing' and release complete files

Several survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse have urged the justice department to “do the right thing” and “not withhold information” when it comes to the complete release of files related to the late sex offender. Attorney general Pam Bondi has said she will comply with the legislation and release all records within 30 days. However, the ongoing probes into several Democrats’ ties to Epstein, at the behest of Donald Trump, could limit what the DoJ is able to release, on the argument that releasing them would affect active investigations.
“Do not use pretexts to evade accountability. Do not rely on loopholes. Release the truth,” the survivors wrote in a joint statement today. “Until the truth is revealed in full, every criminal in Epstein and Maxwell’s deeply perverted orbit is held accountable, as well as the government for its negligence, justice will not have been served.”
Without fanfare, Trump signed the bill on Wednesday, which received near-unanimous consent in Congress.

Updated at 2.53pm GMT

2.10pm GMT
Federal agents arrest 250 in immigration crackdown in Charlotte

Federal agents have arrested more than 250 people in and around Charlotte, North Carolina as part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown agenda – that has expanded to several cities across the country.
The Department of Homeland Security published the latest numbers on Wednesday, after the operation, known as ‘Charlotte’s Web’ began in Tar Heel state’s largest city over the weekend, and expanded to Raleigh in recent days.
DHS also touted that those arrested include “numerous criminal illegal aliens with extensive immigration and criminal histories”. In a statement, homeland security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said: “We are going to continue to do our job and stand up for North Carolinians who live in fear because of violent criminal illegal aliens.”

1.53pm GMT
US added 119,000 jobs in September, beating expectations in delayed report

The US jobs market added 119,000 jobs in September, according to the latest monthly jobs report, which was delayed by six weeks due to the shutdown of the federal government.
Amid heightened uncertainty surrounding the strength of the US economy, the much-anticipated reading was stronger than the 51,000 jobs expected by analysts to be added in September. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, remained steady at 4.4%.
September’s jobs report was initially scheduled to be released in October, only to be delayed by the shutdown. ADP’s unofficial private sector jobs report for September noted a loss of 29,000 jobs; its report for October pointed to an increase of 42,000 jobs.
The complete official jobs report for October will not be released, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Wednesday, as a result of the prolonged shutdown, during which data collection and processing was not conducted.

Related: US added 119,000 jobs in September in report delayed by federal shutdown

1.27pm GMT

Donald Trump is in Washington today, but has no public facing events. At 2pm ET, the president will meet with freed Israeli hostages and their families. That is closed to the press, but we’ll let you know if that changes.
We will, however, hear from press secretary Karoline Leavitt at 1pm ET. She’ll hold a briefing with reporters, and it will be our first opportunity to hear from a White House official since Trump signed the bill compelling the justice department to release the complete trove of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

1.05pm GMT

The US broadcast regulator has also written to the BBC over its editing of Trump’s January 6 speech, an error which led to the resignations of two of its news bosses last week.
Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), wrote to executives at the BBC on Wednesday, PA news agency is reporting, saying that the edit appears to “meet the very definition of publishing a materially false and damaging statement.”
Carr has also written to two US broadcasters, PBS and NPR, to find out whether the programme was aired in the US and had broken FCC regulations, it’s been reported.
The BBC has apologised to the president for the speech edit, which it says was an error of judgment. It’s facing a defamation lawsuit from the president.

Updated at 2.13pm GMT

12.56pm GMT
Trump reportedly not invited to Cheney funeral

Two former presidents, Joe Biden and George W.Bush, and all four living former vice-presidents will attend the funeral for the former vice-president Dick Cheney today, which is taking place at the Washington National Cathedral.
However it’s been reported in some US outlets that neither Trump nor current Veep J.D Vance have been invited to the memorial service – a breach of normal conventions given sitting presidents typically pay their respects.
However Cheney in his final years was a strong critic of Trump and his MAGA-brand of Republican politics, actively campaigning against his re-elected after the January 6 Capitol riots.
Following Cheney’s death on 3 November, Trump also said very little about the former giant of Republican politics.
It’s reported that Bush will deliver remarks at the funeral today. Former Veeps Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, Al Gore and Dan Quayle will also be present. We’ll bring you more from that ceremony later today.

Updated at 1.02pm GMT

12.31pm GMT

The latest jobs data is also due today, after the six-week government shutdown pushed the release of these figures back almost two months.
Federal workers who collect data on hiring and unemployment had been furloughed so couldn’t do their jobs.
September’s payrolls report is expected to show a modest gain of 50,000 jobs according to economists. The employment rate is expected to be steady at 4.3%.

Updated at 12.35pm GMT

12.20pm GMT
Former Prince Andrew faces deadline to respond to Epstein inquiry

Today was the deadline given to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor to respond to a US Congress committee’s request to talk to him as part of their investigation into Epstein’s crimes.
The panel earlier this month wrote to the former prince asking for him to submit to their questioning. It was a request that came just a week after he was stripped of his royal title.
They gave him two weeks to respond to the request, for information on the specifics of his relationship with Epstein, who killed himself in a New York jail cell in 2019. Andrew has always strongly denied any wrongdoing.
But his name appears in documents and flight logs subpoenaed from Epstein’s estate and publicly released by the committee. He has also been accused by one of Epstein’s victims of assault, the late Virginia Giuffre, of sexual assault.
“The oversight committee will investigate allegations of abuse by Mountbatten Windsor, and will seek information on Epstein’s operations, network, and associates based on the men’s longstanding and well-documented friendship,” the committee said in a press release on 6 November.
In their letter to Andrew they wrote: “It has been publicly reported that your friendship with Mr Epstein began in 1999 and that you remained close through and after his 2008 conviction for procuring minors for prostitution.”
It is unknown yet if Andrew has responded. As we’ve been reporting, Trump has also approved the release of more files by the committee.

Updated at 12.22pm GMT

11.55am GMT
Larry Ellison discussed axing CNN hosts with White House in takeover bid talks

Senior White House officials have discussed internally their preference for Paramount Skydance to acquire Warner Bros Discovery in recent weeks, and one official has discussed potential programming changes at CNN with Larry Ellison, the largest shareholder of Paramount.
The discussions, according to people familiar with the matter, comes as Paramount portrays itself as the best bid for Warner Bros Discovery, after it announced last month it was open to offers, because it would have an easier time getting through regulatory review.
Ellison often speaks to connections at the White House but, in at least one of the calls, engaged in a dialogue about possibly axing some of the CNN hosts whom Donald Trump is said to loathe, including Erin Burnett and Brianna Keilar, the people said.
The conversation also touched on floating names to replace Burnett and the possibility of running CBS assets like its flagship 60 minutes program on CNN air – proposals that have animated the White House, the people said.
That discussion, described by people on the condition of anonymity because they are sensitive, were characterized as informal since Ellison does not have a formal role at Paramount. Still, he holds a major ownership stake in the company, which is run by his son, David Ellison.
Spokespeople for the White House and CNN declined to comment. The elder Ellison, Oracle and Paramount did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Related: Larry Ellison discussed axing CNN hosts with White House in takeover bid talks

11.38am GMT
Trump officials reveal plan to roll back regulations in Endangered Species Act

The Trump administration presented a new plan to roll back regulations in the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on Wednesday, a move experts fear will accelerate the extinction crisis if adopted.
The proposed changes would allow the federal government more power to weigh economic impact against habitat designations, remove safeguards against future events – including the impacts from the climate crisis – and rescind the “blanket rule” that automatically grants threatened species the same protections as those designated as endangered.
Under the plan, newly listed animals and plants could face years without protections as details in tailored regulations are ironed out, delays that would only be exacerbated by the deep cuts to staffing at agencies charged with the work. The definition for “critical habitat” would also be narrowed, excluding areas where species don’t currently occupy, even if it was once considered their habitat.
The proposal is one of many attempts Donald Trump has made to dismantle critical wildlife protections in order to boost energy extraction and industrial access, even in the most sensitive and vulnerable wilderness areas across the US.
“This plan hacks apart the Endangered Species Act and creates a blueprint for the extinction for some of America’s most beloved wildlife,” said Stephanie Kurose, deputy director of government affairs at the Center for Biological Diversity in a statement, adding that the proposals are “a death sentence for wolverines, monarch butterflies, Florida manatees and so many other animals and plants that desperately need our help”.
The four new rules, put forward by the US Department of Interior in coordination with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, largely echo moves that the US president made in his first term to limit the landmark 1973 environmental law, which were undone under Biden.
Trump administration officials claimed the proposal will reign in expansions of the ESA that they believe hindered resource development and created heavier burdens for businesses and landowners, bringing the statue closer to its original intent.

11.20am GMT

Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko has met US army secretary Daniel P. Driscoll, saying the pair had a chance “to assess the situation on the ground and to witness first-hand the consequences of Russian aggression”.
“While Russia continues killing innocent civilians, destroying homes, and targeting critical infrastructure, the strategy of pressure on Russia is proving effective. It is crucial to further strengthen energy and financial sanctions against the aggressor state,” she said.
Svyrydenko noted that she also confirmed Ukraine’s commitment to the US-Ukraine reconstruction investment fund, set up with US president Donald Trump.
Not a word on the rumoured US peace proposal, notably.
You can follow more on Europe live here:

Related: Ukraine’s PM hosts US army secretary after American and Russian officials draft plan to end war – Europe live

Updated at 11.21am GMT

11.01am GMT

It’s one outrage in days full of outrageous material.
“Quiet, piggy,” Donald Trump told a female reporter in a press gaggle, pointing his finger at her angrily.
It wasn’t the first time – not even the hundredth time – the US president has attacked the media. And it’s hard for any storyline to break through the administration’s “flood the zone” strategy, much less one like this. Nothing seems to stick. But the “quiet, piggy” clip has taken off, several days after the admonishment occurred on Air Force One last Friday, and without much help from the media itself.
“I don’t know why the ‘Piggy’ thing is bothering me so much,” wrote Hank Green, a YouTuber and author. “It’s one more unforgivable thing in a list of 20,000 unforgivable things, but I’ve been mad about it for like 12 straight hours.”

Trump is going through a string of losses: Democrats dominating in off-year elections, having to reverse course on the Epstein files, Republicans refusing to get rid of the filibuster to end the shutdown, a faltering economy. There’s a possibility that he’s losing his air of impenetrability, and his grip on the right could maybe, just maybe, be loosening.
The anger he displayed in the clip could be a sign of someone on the back foot, overreacting to a question Bloomberg correspondent Catherine Lucey was asking about why Trump was fighting against releasing the Epstein files “if there’s nothing incriminating in the files”. The files related to the child sexual abuser released so far by Congress show that Epstein communicated regularly, and derogatorily, about women with a host of prominent friends.
Lashing out at a female reporter with a derogatory insult amid a news cycle dominated by politicians splitting hairs over a man who ran a sex-trafficking outfit – it was pretty on the nose.
But the clip also pinged around the internet in the same news cycle as Trump telling another female reporter it was rude to ask Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist whom the CIA determined was killed at the direction of the crown prince.

Related: ‘Unforgivable’: Trump’s ‘piggy’ insult is stoking more outrage than usual

10.47am GMT

In August, Donald Trump started a campaign of aggression against Venezuela. The US president first launched airstrikes on alleged drug boats off the coast of the South American country – a move largely condemned as extrajudicial killings – then deployed US naval assets in the Caribbean.
The Guardian’s Latin America correspondent, Tom Phillips, explains why the claims the targeted boats were carrying drugs destined for the US are dubious and what Trump’s actions could mean for the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, in this video explainer:

10.27am GMT
Justice department has 30 days to release all Epstein files after Trump signs bill

Donald Trump signed a bill on Wednesday directing the justice department to release files from the investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, surrendering in the face of joint pressure from Democratic opponents and the president’s conservative base.
The signature marked a sharp reversal for Trump, who had the authority as president to release the documents himself, but chose not to.
Democrats have gloried in the controversy over the files and the possibility they may contain compromising information about Trump, who had a personal friendship with Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Trump sought to flip that script after signing the bill in a posting to Truth Social that pointed out Epstein’s ties to the Democratic party.
“Perhaps the truth about these Democrats, and their associations with Jeffrey Epstein, will soon be revealed, because I HAVE JUST SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!,” Trump wrote on Wednesday night.
The justice department has 30 days to release all files related to Epstein, including the investigation into his death by suicide in a federal prison cell. The legislation permits redacting identifying information of victims, but specifically bars officials from declining to disclose information over concerns about “embarrassment, reputational harm or political sensitivity”.
Trump waffled on the issue for years before finally succumbing to political pressure. On the campaign trail, he pledged to release the Epstein files. Once in office, he changed his position, calling the issue a “hoax” and railing against those who wanted to make the documents public.
But he reversed course in recent days after it was clear the House of Representatives would pass legislation, saying “we have nothing to hide” and that “it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party, including our recent Victory on the Democrat ‘Shutdown’”.
After Trump indicated his approval of the bill, Republican holdouts swiftly moved it through the House and then the Senate. Mike Johnson, the US House speaker, had stalled the bill for months, and after the House passed it, Johnson said he hoped the Senate would amend it, which it did not.
The justice department said earlier this year that it had released all the documents it could about Epstein without hindering investigations or revealing information about his victims.

Related: Trump signs bill to compel release of more Epstein documents

10.05am GMT

Larry Summers, the former president of Harvard University, will stop teaching at the school while it investigates his connection to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, a spokesperson for Summers said on Wednesday.
Emails recently released by the US House oversight committee reignited questions about Summers’ relationship with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges of sex-trafficking minors. Many of the messages indicated a friendship that lasted well into 2019. Contact only ceased shortly before Epstein was arrested in July of that same year.
The Harvard Crimson was first to report the news.
Steven Goldberg, the spokesperson for Summers, told the newspaper that Summers, an economist and former US treasury secretary, is not scheduled to teach next semester, and that his co-teachers will take over the remaining classes of the current semester.
Summers will also take immediate leave from his role as the director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School, which he has led since 2011.
“Mr Summers has decided it’s in the best interest of the center for him to go on leave from his role as director as Harvard undertakes its review,” Goldberg said.
The announcement comes mere days after Summers announced that he would step back from public commitments in light of the resurfaced messages with Epstein but would continue to teach.
In the emails, Summers appears to ask Epstein for advice on pursuing a romantic relationship with a woman that he describes as a mentee. In one message from 2018, Epstein refers to himself as Summers’ “wingman”.

Related: Larry Summers to relinquish Harvard teaching role amid Epstein investigation

9.51am GMT

In his latest post to Truth Social, Donald Trump has criticised Jimmy Kimmel again. Describing the late-night host as a “bum”, Trump called for him to be taken off “the air”.
Late-night hosts, including Kimmel, recently celebrated the congressional votes to release the Epstein files and decried Trump’s warm meeting with the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.
In his post, Trump wrote:

Why does ABC Fake News keep Jimmy Kimmel, a man with NO TALENT and VERY POOR TELEVISION RATINGS, on the air? Why do the TV Syndicates put up with it? Also, totally biased coverage. Get the bum off the air!!!

9.26am GMT

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its website on Wednesday to say that claims about vaccines not causing autism are not “evidence-based”, reports Reuters.
Vaccine skeptic and US health and human services secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr as well as US president Donald Trump have promoted the theory – contrary to scientific evidence – that childhood vaccines are a cause of autism. But the CDC’s website previously said “studies have shown there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing autism spectrum disorder”.
According to Reuters, as of Wednesday night the agency’s website states:

The claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism.

It added that health authorities have “ignored” studies supporting the link between the two.
Reuters reports that the agency kept the header “Vaccines do not cause autism” on its webpage, saying that it has not been removed due to an agreement with Senator Bill Cassidy, chair of the US Senate’s committee on health, education, labor and pensions.
The anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense, which was previously led by Kennedy, applauded the changes to the CDC’s website, reports Reuters. The group said on X:

The CDC is beginning to acknowledge the truth about this condition that affects millions, disavowing the bold, long-running lie that ‘vaccines do not cause autism.

Kennedy has linked vaccines to autism and sought to rewrite the country’s immunization policies. Trump has also linked autism to the taking of pain medication Tylenol by pregnant women, a claim that is also not backed by scientific evidence.
The causes of autism are unclear, but no rigorous studies have found links between autism and vaccines, medications or components like thimerosal or formaldehyde.

Updated at 9.40am GMT

9.08am GMT
Trump and Mamdani to meet in Oval Office on Friday after months of bickering

Donald Trump has confirmed a long-awaited meeting with New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will happen in Washington this week.
The sit-down, which Trump said on social media would take place on Friday in the Oval Office, could possibly represent a detente of sorts between the Republican president and Democratic rising star.
Saying it was “customary” for an incoming New York City mayor to meet with the president, Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec said the incoming mayor planned to discuss with Trump “public safety, economic security and the affordability agenda that over one million New Yorkers voted for just two weeks ago”.
Trump for months has slammed Mamdani, falsely labelling him a “communist” and predicting the ruin of his home town if the democratic socialist was elected. He also threatened to deport Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and became a naturalised American citizen in 2018, and to pull federal money from the city.
But following the November elections – in which Republicans lost badly in Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia, as well as New York – Trump has spoken more about affordability, which had been a focal point across the Democratic campaigns. Last week in a social media post he declared that the Republicans were the “Party of Affordability!” This comes as the president and his fellow Republicans insist the economy has never been stronger.

Related: Trump and Mamdani to meet in Oval Office on Friday after months of bickering

9.00am GMT
Opening summary

Donald Trump signed a bill on Wednesday directing the justice department to release files from the investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, surrendering in the face of joint pressure from Democratic opponents and the president’s conservative base.
The signature marked a sharp reversal for Trump, who had the authority as president to release the documents himself, but chose not to.
Democrats have gloried in the controversy over the files and the possibility they may contain compromising information about Trump, who had a personal friendship with Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Trump sought to flip that script after signing the bill in a posting to Truth Social that pointed out Epstein’s ties to the Democratic party.
“Perhaps the truth about these Democrats, and their associations with Jeffrey Epstein, will soon be revealed, because I HAVE JUST SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!,” Trump wrote on Wednesday night.
The justice department has 30 days to release all files related to Epstein, including the investigation into his death by suicide in a federal prison cell. The legislation permits redacting identifying information of victims, but specifically bars officials from declining to disclose information over concerns about “embarrassment, reputational harm or political sensitivity”.
Meanwhile, Trump has confirmed a long-awaited meeting with New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will happen in Washington this week, setting up an in-person clash between the political opposites who for months have antagonised each other.
The sit-down, which Trump said on social media would take place on Friday in the Oval Office, could possibly represent a detente of sorts between the Republican president and Democratic rising star.
Calling Mamdani by his full name – and putting the mayor-elect’s middle name of Kwame in quotation marks – Trump posted on Wednesday night that Mamdani had asked for the meeting, promising: “Further details to follow!”
More on these stories in a moment, but first, here are some other key developments:

Trump’s anti-climate agenda could result in 1.3m more deaths globally, analysis has found. A ProPublica and Guardian analysis that draws on sophisticated modeling by independent researchers found that Trump’s “America First” agenda of expanding fossil fuels and decimating efforts to reduce emissions will add substantially to the human cost, with the vast majority of deaths occurring outside the US.
Federal prosecutors on Wednesday said they had never presented the final version of the indictment filed against James Comey to a full federal grand jury, a concession that adds to mounting challenges in their effort to prosecute the former FBI director.
A state department is proposing to suspend 38 universities including Harvard and Yale from a federal research partnership program because they engage in diversity, equity and inclusion hiring practices, according to an internal memo and spreadsheet obtained by the Guardian. The memo, dated 17 November, recommends excluding institutions from the Diplomacy Lab – a program that pairs university researchers with state department policy offices – if they “openly engage in DEI hiring practices” or set DEI objectives for candidate pools.
Larry Summers, the former president of Harvard University, will stop teaching at the school while it investigates his connection to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, a spokesperson for Summers said on Wednesday. Emails recently released by the US House oversight committee reignited questions about Summers’ relationship with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges of sex-trafficking minors. Many of the messages indicated a friendship that lasted well into 2019. Contact only ceased shortly before Epstein was arrested in July of that same year.
Democratic representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly funneling more than $5m worth of federal disaster funds from her company into her 2021 congressional campaign. The indictment states that Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, stole $5m in Fema overpayments that their family healthcare company received, moving the money through multiple accounts to hide its origins.