MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell took aim at President Donald Trump Tuesday night after the president gave a puzzling response to a straightforward question about the controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention facility in Florida.
During a segment on The Last Word, O’Donnell criticized Trump’s mental acuity after the president drifted off-topic when asked by a Fox News reporter how long detainees would be held at the new site in the Everglades.
Instead of providing a timeline—days, weeks, or months—Trump responded with a tangent about his affection for Florida, saying:
“Look, this is my home state, I love it. I love your government. I love all the people around. These are all friends of mine… I’ll spend a lot of time here.”
O’Donnell reacted sharply:
“This was a simple question. Couldn’t be simpler. And Donald Trump completely missed it. He thought they were asking about his own travel plans.”
He continued, calling it “a stunning exhibition of the emptiness and total dysfunction of Donald Trump’s mind,” and paused the clip to avoid playing what he called “the banality of Donald Trump’s creeping dementia.”
O’Donnell then read the remainder of Trump’s remarks, which included comments about his Palm Beach residence and local taxes—none of which addressed the actual question about the migrant facility.
“There’s a character named Donald Trump with a red hat and orange makeup who shows up at these events, and words come out of his mouth—but he’s not there,” O’Donnell said. “His mind does not work. And that is a crisis for the United States of America.”
The detention center, officially unnamed but nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz” due to its remote, swampy location and surrounding wildlife, is designed to hold up to 3,000 migrants. The administration claims the harsh conditions—thick wetlands populated by alligators, crocodiles, and snakes—will deter escape.
During the press conference, Trump stated bluntly:
“We’re surrounded by miles of treacherous swampland, and the only way out is really deportation.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also spoke in favor of the location’s natural barriers:
“From a security perspective, if someone escapes, there’s a lot of alligators you’re going to have to contend with.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, nicknamed “Ice Barbie” by critics, is overseeing the facility and broader deportation initiative.
O’Donnell concluded by tying Trump’s scattered remarks to his administration’s larger policies:
“We’re living with the banality of cruelty. That’s the pain we’re all feeling.”
The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment.
