Overview

• On July 9, MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell declared President Trump’s second term and the accompanying press corps the “stupidest” in American history during his program The Last Word.
• O’Donnell highlighted Trump’s “I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?” response to a question about paused Ukraine weapons shipments as an example of presidential evasion met with journalistic timidity.
• He accused White House reporters of acting as “accessories” to a presidency that weaponizes ignorance by failing to rigorously challenge the president’s statements.
• The administration has continued to bar Associated Press journalists from White House spaces and threaten to cut funding for NPR and PBS after the AP refused to adopt the term “Gulf of America.”
• O’Donnell’s remarks have reignited scrutiny of the administration’s competence, the press corps’ accountability and broader battles over media influence and access.