Lawrence O’Donnell Lauds 1 Reporter’s Heated Exchange With Trump: ‘That’s How You Do it’

On Dec 10, 2025

MS NOW host Lawrence O’Donnell on Monday commended ABC News reporter Rachel Scott, who reminded President Donald Trump about his recent promise to release the full video of a U.S. military strike against suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean.

The “Last Word” host played footage of Scott inquiring about the matter during a White House press conference Monday, where Trump claimed he never made such a vow — and Scott told him he did. O’Donnell let the clip finish before stating, “That’s how you do it.”

“That’s how every reporter should do it with Donald Trump,” he argued. “Donald Trump said to Rachel Scott, ‘I didn’t say that … this is ABC fake news,’ to which Rachel Scott said, ‘You said that. You said that you would have no problem releasing the full video.’”

O’Donnell continued, “And that’s how you do it. You don’t let him get away with his lie.”

Trump was incensed when Scott asked about his commitment to release the full footage of the controversial Sept. 2 attack in the Caribbean, which included a follow-on strike against the shipwrecked survivors — and thus appears it could be a war crime.

Trump last week said he would “certainly release” the footage, but claimed Monday he “didn’t say that.” Scott continued to press him, reminding Trump that he had said the decision was up to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“You are the most obnoxious reporter in the whole place,” Trump told Scott. “Let me just tell you, you are an obnoxious, a terrible — actually a terrible reporter, and it’s always the same thing with you. I told you, whatever Pete Hegseth wants to do is OK with me.”

O’Donnell noted just how easily Trump “changed his story” after “one round of lying.”

He added that the full truth about releasing the video only came out after Scott noted that Hegseth has said, “We’re reviewing that right now.” When she asked him if he is thus ordering Hegseth to release it, Trump said simply, “Whatever he decides is OK with me.”

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O’Donnell argued, “We know that Donald Trump will order Pete Hegseth to release the video or Donald Trump will order Pete Hegseth, as he obviously is now ordering him, to not release the video — because Donald Trump believes the video looks like murder.”

Trump has been on a tear insulting female reporters in recent weeks, appearing particularly pressed about the Sept. 2 strike. CNN host Kaitlan Collins reportedly asked him last week about the ongoing boat strikes, prompting an insult-laden response on social media.

O’Donnell noted Monday that the Trump administration has had no qualms about publishing footage of other deadly strikes on social media, “But not this one — because he thinks whatever it is is just too bad for us to see.”

Before diving into the litany of resulting questions about what the video may show, O’Donnell left off with a rallying cry.

He said Monday, “If you are a member of the White House press corps and Donald Trump has not told you that you are a terrible reporter … [or that] you are the most obnoxious reporter in the whole place, then you are not doing your job — you are failing.”