The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell Lawrence: Trump tries Epstein-style cover-up of second boat strike video
Dec 11, 2025
Rep. Adam Smith, a prominent Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, discusses the pressing need to release the controversial second boat strike video involving Trump. He emphasizes the importance of transparency and outlines potential investigations into military operations. Smith also dives into the Democrats' approach to tracking Trump officials' connections with immigration contractors. In a broader context, the narrative critiques Trump's tactics to divert attention from scandalous issues, drawing parallels to past cover-ups.
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Episode notes
Presume Trump Is Lying
- Lawrence O'Donnell urges treating Donald Trump statements as presumptive lies due to repeated falsehoods and denial patterns.
- He argues the press should presume Trump is lying until independent verification proves otherwise.
Opaque Tanker Seizure Raises Legal Questions
- Lawrence highlights Trump's vague seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker and the president's admitted uncertainty about legal details.
- The lack of a clear public legal rationale raises questions about authority and international reaction.
Cover-Up Playbook Repeats
- Lawrence connects Trump's effort to declare the second boat-strike issue 'dead' with past attempts to bury damaging material like the Epstein files.
- He warns this is a cover-up attempt to prevent public access to a potentially incriminating video.
