Trump’s Iran – Lawrence O’Donnell on Tuesday derided President Donald Trump’s claim that a forthcoming memorandum of understanding proves Iran will “never have a nuclear weapon,” arguing Trump is recycling the core language from the 2015 JCPOA while refusing to release the m
At the G7 summit. President Donald Trump said he wasn’t releasing the text of a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending his war with Iran before Friday’s ceremonial signing. Then he offered a preview anyway—insisting that the document is “great” and telling a reporter: “Here’s what it says: Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.”.
Lawrence O’Donnell didn’t buy it.
After playing the exchange during Tuesday’s monologue on “The Last Word” on MS NOW. the host snapped that only “an imbecile” could treat that statement as a breakthrough. “Only an imbecile could think that that would be some kind of breakthrough in 2026. to have a written agreement that says Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. ” he said.
O’Donnell pointed out that the United States and other countries already negotiated an 18-page written agreement—publicly released—where Iran put that same promise in writing years earlier. “Eleven years ago. Iran put this in writing in the publicly released. 18-page. written agreement negotiated by [then] Secretary of State John Kerry and agreed to by the United States and five other countries. ” he said.
He then referenced the language from that agreement: “Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons.”
Trump, O’Donnell reminded viewers, exited the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (or JCPOA) in his first term, even though it was secured in 2015 under then-President Barack Obama.
“So Donald Trump’s big claim today after going to war with Iran is that his war has convinced Iran to put in writing exactly what Iran put in writing 11 years ago without a war,” O’Donnell said. “Yes, Donald Trump thinks you’re imbeciles if you believe that.”
The host argued Trump’s approach to selling the memorandum to the public and Congress has been to keep the wording out of sight while pushing a narrative that doesn’t match the document’s supposed substance. “Donald Trump is approaching his so-called deal with Iran the only way he knows how. which is to lie about it nonstop. That is what Donald Trump wants Congress to do,” he said.
O’Donnell also said MS NOW obtained a copy of “talking points” the White House sent to congressional Republicans. In the first one, he said the document falsely claims, “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. President Trump drew that line and enforced it when no other President would.”
He played another clip of Trump describing Obama’s deal as “a road to a nuclear weapon. ” despite what O’Donnell said was the agreement’s actual purpose: a pledge from Iran not to develop a nuclear weapon. O’Donnell also disputed Trump’s assertion that the deal allowed Iran to proceed. characterizing it instead as a vow from Iran to do the opposite.
For O’Donnell, the refusal to release the memorandum’s text wasn’t a procedural choice—it was a strategy. “That’s why Trump does not want to make the memorandum public,” he said.
He closed by arguing that Trump must keep a specific story going to justify the war and the resulting arrangement. “That’s the lie that Donald Trump must keep telling to try to desperately justify his war in Iran. which most Americans opposed. and his deal with Iran — that is so embarrassing. he can’t let the wording of it become public. ” O’Donnell said.
The “Last Word” segment urged viewers to watch the full discussion on MS NOW’s YouTube account.
United States politics Iran nuclear weapons JCPOA Donald Trump Lawrence O'Donnell G7 summit memorandum of understanding Congress White House talking points John Kerry
Wait so Trump’s saying Iran can never have nukes because of a memo? Sounds like marketing.
Lawrence O’Donnell is acting like he’s the only one who read the old deal lol. But if it’s the same language, why are they even pretending it’s different? Also “not releasing it” before signing is sus.
I’m confused because didn’t the JCPOA already say stuff like that? Like didn’t we already do this song and dance in 2015 and then it fell apart anyway. So is Trump trying to sell that “we fought them” somehow made it true this time? Seems backwards to me.
Im not even sure what a memorandum of understanding is vs a real agreement. They keep talking like it’s totally binding but it’s not even released yet. And if Iran’s “never” having a nuclear weapon is already in an 18-page document from years ago… then Trump’s big “breakthrough” is basically reusing old words? I mean I could’ve told you that.