Teamster President Sean O’Brien’s Pro-Worker Speech at RNC Only Helped Trump and His Anti-Worker Agenda

Teamster President Sean O’Brien gave a rip-roaring speech to the Republican National Convention in which he denounced politicians, condemned the banks and corporations, and demanded justice for workers. It was a ringing, rousing, radical speech on behalf of the underdogs of America presented to a party that represents the very banks, corporations, and politicians that O’Brien denounced, a party committed to supporting business, suppressing unions, and trampling on the rights of the oppressed.

He was, as the Good Book says, casting pearls before swine.

What was he thinking? One had to be amazed both by his audacity — he was bearding the lion in its den — and by his naivete, since Republicans will completely ignore him. His speech will not convince those who make up the party, the congeries of corporate executives and small businesspeople, lawyers and politicians, grifters and hangers-on, and an increasing number of far-right and quasi-fascist fanatics. Yes, he said true things about the American working class, many true things—but that was completely canceled out with his tacit endorsement of Trump by attending the convention.

Why was O’Brien there? He was not there to speak truth to power, to use the old adage. He was not there to challenge the powers that be but rather to be accepted among them. He was there to suck up to the powerful. He praised Trump for inviting him and for being a tough SOB. He praised Republican Senator Josh Hawley. He also thanked Trump’s running mate Senator J.D. Vance during a separate interview at the convention. O’Brien is hoping that should Trump win, he will have a friend in the White House. But Trump will never be a friend of American workers.

Why did Trump invite O’Brien to the Republican Convention? Trump has no love of labor unions or workers? He’s notorious for evading, resisting, and stiffing them. Trump is a sworn enemy of the labor movement. Trump’s friends who have written up Project 2025, the blueprint for his next presidential term, would virtually eliminate unions. Trump invited O’Brien in order to attract more American workers to support and vote for him. Trump hopes that the Teamster president’s presence will help him win in the states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. To use the time-honored political term for such a person, O’Brien is a useful idiot, a fool manipulated by Trump.

O’Brien may have been taken in, but Teamster rank-and-filers and other workers will, we hope, see through this charade and recognize Trump has zero interest in improving the lives of working people.

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