JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/ui-lightness/jquery-ui.css">
<textarea><div>some content<br></div></textarea>


<br><br>
output:

<div id='output'></div>

JavaScript

var textarea = $('textarea').val();

textarea = $('<div>').html(textarea).find('br').remove().end().html();

$("#output").text(textarea);