AFT’s Weingarten Responds to Desperate Trump Election Lies

For Release:

Thursday, July 16, 2026

WASHINGTON—AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement after President Donald Trump delivered a farcical prime-time address to the nation:  

“Donald Trump is desperate and afraid. Instead of tackling the cost-of-living crisis, he’s dredging up sad, 6-year-old conspiracy theories to sow doubt in democracy and seize control over the midterm elections.

“He doesn’t want his disastrous record to be subjected to the will of the people, so he manufactures crises and peddles conspiracies to divert the public’s attention and abuse his dwindling power. 

“Trump lost the 2020 election. Tonight’s slew of recycled, embarrassing lies, rejected by 60 courts, election officials and many of his own supporters, show he’s permanently lost credibility with the American people.”