MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell Explains How JD Vance Could Destroy Trump
Lawrence O’Donnell said Vice President JD Vance has the power to end Donald Trump‘s presidency over his response to the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein controversy.
On Thursday’s (July 17) edition of MSNBC’s The Last Word, O’Donnell touched on a recent Wall Street Journal report that alleged that, in 2003, Trump sent Epstein a letter for his 50th birthday that included the line, “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret,” in addition to an imagined conversation between the pair.
Trump has denied writing the letter and threatened to sue the WSJ and its owner, Rupert Murdoch. This comes after the Department of Justice and the FBI released a statement earlier this month stating the long-rumored Epstein client list doesn’t exist. Trump has faced backlash, even from staunch MAGA supporters, for his handling of the situation.
On Thursday night, Vance took to X to share his own response to the WSJ report, writing, “Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bulls***. The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it. Where is this letter? Would you be shocked to learn they never showed it to us before publishing it? Does anyone honestly believe this sounds like Donald Trump?”
Doesn’t it violate some rule of journalistic ethics to publish a letter like this without showing it to the victim of this hit piece?
Will the people who have bought into every hoax against President Trump show an ounce of skepticism before buying into this bizarre story?
— JD Vance (@JDVance) July 17, 2025
He followed up, adding, “Doesn’t it violate some rule of journalistic ethics to publish a letter like this without showing it to the victim of this hit piece?”
O’Donnell reacted to Vance’s post, noting that Vance’s demand for the WSJ to release the letter could be detrimental to Trump’s presidency.
“The answer is no. It does not violate journalistic ethics, and the worst thing that can happen to Donald Trump is for the Wall Street Journal or anyone else to release publicly a copy of that letter,” the long-time news anchor said, per Mediaite. “The worst thing that could happen to Donald Trump is exactly what his vice president, JD Vance, is demanding tonight.”
He continued, “JD Vance, the person who would move up to the presidency, if this issue becomes so difficult that it drives Donald Trump out of the presidency through impeachment or resignation. We have seen this happen to a president before, and Donald Trump has never been weaker.”
O’Donnell pointed out how Trump himself is not asking to see the letter, nor would any Trump advisor suggest Vance publicly demand to see the letter.
“Donald Trump doesn’t want you to see that letter, but JD Vance wants you to see that later letter,” the host said. “If JD Vance creates a groundswell demand by more and more Trump supporters for the release of that letter, that could do more damage to Donald Trump than anything that has ever happened to Donald Trump in his entire political career. And it’s JD Vance who’s doing this.”
He added, “If JD Vance wanted to defend Donald Trump tonight, no one, absolutely no one would have advised him to say, ‘where is the letter?’ No one would’ve advised him to try to provoke Rupert Murdoch tomorrow to release that letter. No one would have advised JD Vance to provoke the Wall Street Journal tomorrow or someone else to release that letter. That is the most dangerous thing JD Vance could have said tonight.”
“If JD Vance wanted to harm Donald Trump tonight, wanted to start forcing him out of the presidency, demanding to see the letter would be a very good way to do that,” O’Donnell concluded.
The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell, Weekdays, 10/9c, MSNBC
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