The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell

Lawrence: Senator says ‘we have a delusional president’ as war continues

Mar 26, 2026
Emily Gregory, a Florida state representative-elect focused on affordability and property insurance, and Mark Kelly, a former Navy pilot and U.S. senator on defense and intel, join the conversation. They discuss Iran rejecting Trump’s peace plan, military strategy and recruitment risks, classified documents and motives, airport chaos tied to DHS funding, and a surprising Florida flip.
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INSIGHT

Video Briefings Are War Propaganda Not Intelligence

  • Donald Trump is receiving daily war briefings as short montage videos emphasizing strikes and explosions rather than comprehensive intelligence assessments.
  • Lawrence O'Donnell and reporting say the videos fuel a distorted perception of success and may leave gaps in strategic context, raising concerns about decision quality.
INSIGHT

Shifting War Goals Risk Unnecessary Ground Combat

  • Sen. Mark Kelly warned the war has unclear objectives and shifting goals, which risks putting thousands of U.S. troops in harm's way without a coherent strategy.
  • He emphasized decision-makers must synthesize DIA, CIA, NSA, and DOD intelligence and have leaders who listen, not just yes-people.
INSIGHT

Classified Documents Linked To Business Motive

  • New reporting from Jack Smith's memo suggests Trump retained top-secret documents tied to his worldwide business interests and showed a classified map to associates.
  • Cory Booker argued this pattern fits Trump's longstanding grifting and could indicate national security was sacrificed for profit.
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