Lawrence O’Donnell: Trump’s Tough Guy Persona Has ‘Collapsed’ After Secret Flight Out of Turkey

Lawrence O'Donnell blasted President Trump on Tuesday evening, asserting that the commander-in-chief's "gun-toting tough guy" image has "collapsed" following the Iran conflict and his clandestine departure from Turkey in July. According to the Washington Post, Trump secretly flew out of Turkey aboard a different military aircraft after a NATO summit in response to assassination threats from Iran.

The journalists and most of the staff aboard Air Force One aboard that night were never informed of his absence, as he reportedly switched planes by secretly riding in a catering truck.

O'Donnell highlighted that Trump's self-image is heavily reliant on his perceived bravery and tough-guy persona, which is what makes his secret flight particularly undermining. He contrasted Trump's actions with former President Bill Clinton's decision to switch planes during a perilous trip between Pakistan, making sure the journalists aboard were aware of his absence while keeping the switch hidden from potential terrorist threats.

O'Donnell argued that this difference demonstrates Trump's inability to live up to his self-imposed "Hollywood Hero Test," a standard he pretends to achieve in his fabricated persona as a brave and adventurous leader.

The host went on to criticize Trump's conflicts with Greenland, Canada and Iran, arguing that every "imaginary asset" Trump claimed to possess is collapsing. Greenland's people stood up to Trump's threats, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney boldly confronted the president's bullying, and Trump's image as the great negotiator, particularly during his ongoing war with Iran, has crumbled.

O'Donnell concluded by stating that everything Trump has touched has turned to chaos, emphasizing the president's failure to uphold his tough guy persona.