Lawrence O'Donnell criticized a social-media post by former President Donald Trump during a broadcast of MSNBC's "The Last Word" on June 24, 2024 [1].
The exchange highlights the ongoing tension between mainstream media commentators and the former president's communication style. O'Donnell's critique focuses on the specific rhetoric used in the post, suggesting it crosses a threshold of acceptable political discourse.
During the segment, O'Donnell took issue with the content of the post. He said the language was something "the worst American war criminals never said" [2]. The host used the platform to denounce the nature of the messaging, framing it as an extreme departure from standard political rhetoric.
The segment aired on the MSNBC program and was later shared as an audio-only version on YouTube [1]. O'Donnell did not elaborate on a specific policy in the clip but focused on the linguistic impact of the post [2].
This critique follows a pattern of O'Donnell using his program to analyze the public statements of the former president. The broadcast occurred on June 24, 2024 [1], marking another instance of high-profile media condemnation of Trump's social media activity.
Trump has frequently used social media to communicate directly with voters, often bypassing traditional press channels. O'Donnell's reaction reflects a broader media effort to hold such communications to a standard of conduct he associates with historical legal, and military norms [2].
“the worst American war criminals never said”
This incident underscores the deepening divide between Trump's unconventional communication strategy and the expectations of traditional journalistic standards. By comparing the rhetoric to that of war criminals, O'Donnell is attempting to frame the former president's language not as political strategy, but as a violation of fundamental norms of governance and human rights discourse.
