International Brotherhood of Teamsters president Sean O’Brien joined ‘Your World’ to discuss how ‘one of the strongest unions’ will reach an endorsement for a 2024 candidate. Former President Trump privately met with a top union boss on Wednesday, less than two weeks before the critical Iowa caucus. Teamsters President Sean O’Brien thanked Trump for the sit-down in a statement the union posted late Wednesday night. “There are serious issues that need to [be] addressed to improve the lives of working people across the country, and the Teamsters Union is making sure our members’ voices are heard as we head into a critical election year,” O’Brien said. “We thank the former President for taking time during this private meeting to listen to the Teamsters’ top priorities.”
The meeting between former President Trump and Teamsters boss Sean O’Brien has sparked both support and criticism. O’Brien mentioned that there would be a roundtable with “rank-and-file” union members and the former president later in January. The Teamsters have been meeting with 2024 presidential candidates on both sides of the aisle, as the massive workers union considers who to endorse.
While President Biden received the Teamsters’ endorsement in his 2020 race against Trump, the union has made it clear that they will not automatically hand it over again. Despite Biden touting himself as the “most pro-union president in American history,” the Teamsters are actively engaging with various candidates to determine their stance on worker issues.
Critics on the left have voiced their disapproval of the meeting between Trump and O’Brien. Green New Deal spokesperson Prerna Jagadeesh expressed concern on social media, stating, “There’s a way to respect that some members support Trump without platforming a union-busting, right-to-work-supporting fraud like him.”
Former President Trump has been actively courting the union vote in his potential re-election bid, as he visited Detroit last year to meet with striking autoworkers instead of participating in the second Republican primary debate. In 2020, the Teamsters endorsed then-candidate Joe Biden over then-President Trump.
The Teamsters, known as one of the strongest unions, are focused on addressing worker issues and ensuring their members’ voices are heard during this critical election year. The union’s president, Sean O’Brien, has engaged in discussions with both Trump and other 2024 presidential candidates to determine the best endorsement for their members. The decision will hold significant weight, considering the Teamsters’ considerable influence in shaping labor policies and their impact on the American workforce.
