‘Betrayed’: Unions, White House irate over Teamsters president’s RNC speech
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White House officials, congressional Democrats and several labor leaders say they are angry about Teamsters President Sean O’Brien’s prime-time address to the Republican National Convention on Monday night, which marked a striking departure for a powerful union that for decades has supported Democrats.
In a speech closely watched by other union officials, O’Brien praised former president Donald Trump — calling him “one tough SOB” after Saturday’s assassination attempt — as well as his running mate, Republican Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, for “truly [caring] about working people.”
Breaking from nearly all other speakers at the Republican convention, O’Brien did not publicly endorse Trump. He also criticized corporate greed and took pains to emphasize that he would work with any lawmaker who would support union priorities, regardless of party affiliation. But his very presence in Milwaukee — among GOP lawmakers and a former president who have pushed a policy agenda sharply at odds with that of the unions — sent shock waves through labor and Democratic circles.
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