Sean O’Brien, president of the Teamsters union, is reportedly set to address the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next month, posing a potential challenge to Joe Biden’s blue-collar worker base ahead of the November election.
Donald Trump, the presumed Republican nominee, disclosed yesterday via his Truth Social platform that O’Brien had agreed to speak at the convention. Trump expressed anticipation in seeing O'Brien represent the Teamsters.
"Our GREAT convention will unify Americans and demonstrate to the nation's working families they come first," Trump wrote. "When I am back in the White House, the hard-working Teamsters, and all working Americans, will once again have a country they can afford to live in and be respected around the world."
A spokesperson from the Teamsters confirmed the news to The Guardian, describing it as “truly unprecedented” because it marks the first occasion a Teamsters general president will address the RNC.
The union, which wields significant influence, represents over a million members in industries including trucking, packaging, manufacturing and logistics.
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"Our 1.3 million members represent every political background, and their message needs to be heard by as wide an audience as possible, and that includes all political candidates running for elected office," the spokesperson said. "We appreciate former President Trump's openness to inviting a labor leader to speak on behalf of working families.”
The Teamsters endorsed Biden over Trump in 2020, but their current president, Sean O'Brien, hasn’t endorsed any candidate for the upcoming election.
O'Brien has invited Biden, Trump and others to speak to the union, drawing criticism from progressives after meeting privately with Trump, the report read.
While O'Brien praised Biden’s support for workers, he emphasized the need for further union strengthening. His upcoming speech at the RNC challenges Biden’s strong union support and his claim to be the most pro-union president in U.S. history, The Guardian added.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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