MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell suggested that President Donald Trump’s appearance at the Republican National Committee’s convention in Dallas, Texas, could represent his “last hurrah” on a political convention stage. O’Donnell posited that Trump might become too politically toxic for future conventions.
Trump’s address to the RNC’s “midterm convention,” which O’Donnell described as a “profoundly stupid idea,” included a promise to send $5,000 checks to American adults if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate. This event occurred amidst an ongoing conflict with Iran, which has been linked to rising gas prices and a decline in Trump’s approval ratings.
During remarks to the media before the convention, Trump stated that oil prices would decrease after the election, predicting gas prices would fall to $2 per gallon. O'Donnell noted that Trump made a similar promise in September 2024. Citing AAA figures, O'Donnell highlighted that gas prices in Alaska were $5.03 per gallon on Wednesday, 81 cents above the national average.
O’Donnell argued that Trump’s failure to deliver on past promises, particularly concerning gas prices, might explain why some Republican reelection candidates, such as Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska, opted to skip the convention. According to O’Donnell, these actions indicate that Trump is lying when he makes post-election promises about economic outcomes.