MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell has criticized former President Donald Trump's departure from Air Force One last month, describing it as a failure of his own 'Hollywood hero test.' The comments came after a report detailed that Trump was secretly transported in a catering truck to a smaller plane due to an assassination threat from Iran, while White House staffers and journalists remained unaware of the danger on board.
O'Donnell argued that Trump's actions contradicted the "tough guy" image he frequently promotes on social media, often through AI-generated images depicting him as a hero. He cited screenwriter Andrew Marlowe, creator of the film "Air Force One," who told The New York Times that he found it difficult to imagine an audience supporting a character who would treat others on board as "potential sacrificial lambs" without their knowledge, especially if the threat was significant.
According to a U.S. official familiar with the matter and materials reviewed by The Washington Post, Trump was departing Turkey after a NATO summit when the threat reportedly prompted extraordinary security measures. The exact moment of his departure from the larger aircraft was reportedly captured on video. Trump has since asserted that he was acting selflessly and was at greater risk on the initial plane than those left behind.
O'Donnell suggested that Trump's approach to heroism is defined by movies rather than real life, contributing to his tendency to post fabricated heroic images of himself. The MSNBC host concluded that Trump has done more than any other president to reveal himself as "a deeply cowardly man."