White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will speak to reporters Thursday amid rising tension in the Middle East between Israel and Iran following nearly a week of air strikes between the two nations.
President Trump has not ruled out the possibility of joining Israel in its assault against Tehran’s nuclear program — though he has not directly endorsed a plan to target Iran’s supreme leader. Trump pushed back on reporting Thursday that he already approved attack plans against Iran, reiterating that the administration is still mulling the idea.
The press briefing also comes as the U.S. celebrates Juneteenth — a federal holiday celebrating the day the last formerly enslaved Black people were notified of their freedom through the Emancipation Proclamation, officially marking the end of the Civil War.
The event is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. EDT.
Watch the live video above.
