IHIP News Podcast
Episode: Trump Has Another Disaster After Being Called Out
Date: November 18, 2025
Hosts: Jennifer Welch & Angie “Pumps” Sullivan
Episode Overview
In this feisty, sharply progressive episode, Jennifer and Angie break down a recent sequence of right-wing political and economic talking points, with particular focus on the ongoing economic struggles faced by ordinary Americans under Republican leadership and Trump’s latest missteps. With their trademark mix of frustration, biting humor, and commentary rooted in lived experience, they aim their ire at Fox News, billionaire exploitation, and the hypocrisy in Republican economic and social policies.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Fox News' “War on Christmas” & Economic Spin
[00:48 – 04:24]
- The hosts ridicule Fox News’ recent segment about holiday spending, noting a clip where viewers are told not to buy gifts for adults.
“Adults don't need gifts, okay? Focus on the people in your life who are age 3 to 18. Grandma doesn't need slippers. If they don't live by you, don't get them a gift.” – Fox News segment [01:06]
- Jennifer finds it disingenuous, highlighting the disconnect between Fox’s rosy economy narrative and overt acknowledgment that viewers can barely afford Christmas:
“They cannot tell the truth ... but it’s so stunning to me that they sit there and give Trump all this praise and lie about the economy, yet somebody goes on their air and says you can't afford to buy gifts for people that aren't children.” – Angie [01:28]
- Angie offers a broader critique of Fox’s attempts to soft-pedal economic suffering, linking it to conservative values and outlining warning signs of an impending economic downturn, including an AI-fueled stock bubble:
“What’s about to happen is going to be massive and it is this AI bubble and it’s going to pop. ... And if you remember back in ‘08, the mortgage crisis, this is ripe. And they say it could potentially be even worse than that one.” – Angie [02:36]
2. Trump Allies Struggle With Inflation Reality
[04:24 – 06:02]
- Jennifer plays a clip of a rare instance where a Fox News guest actually challenges the party line on inflation:
“Inflation is still 3%. It’s still too high. ... When you keep saying prices are falling, that's not true because inflation is still—the 3% is on top of all the inflation we had during the Biden years.” – Fox News guest [04:34]
- The defense: “Purchasing power has gone up ... we've dug a $3,000 hole … gained $1,200 back already.” – Fox News panelist [05:09]
- Jennifer’s blunt response:
“All, everything he just said was a lie. ... Everybody knows if prices are up and you’re making the same wage ... math doesn’t. Math.” – Angie [05:33]
- The hosts lampoon convoluted economic spin as another form of right-wing propaganda.
3. Trump’s Track Record & Donor Culture
[06:02 – 08:24]
- Angie delves into Trump’s personal/financial failures (“casinos, stakes, all of these things”) and current administration’s “shakedown” mentality—calling out major donors who are now seeking to have their names etched in Trump’s infamous ballroom.
“Your name is going to go in a history book as a rich person that exploited everyday working Americans so that you could kiss a man that has dementia so that you could kiss his ass, because that’s how morally broken you are.” – Angie [07:30]
- With escalating passion, Angie is laser-focused on naming and shaming the exploiters: “Let’s just see who has integrity, who has a backbone, who is principled in this country. Let’s keep going.”
4. Trump's Opposition to Minimum Wage Increases & “American Exploitation”
[08:24 – 11:05]
- Jennifer points out Trump’s recent address to McDonald’s franchisees, urging them to fight higher minimum wages:
“He does not give a shit about the working class.” – Jennifer [08:30]
- Angie rages against American capitalist culture: the way corporate leaders (Bezos, Musk, the Waltons) are celebrated for underpaying workers.
“The shittier they treat people, the more the system rewards them. And that is something that is uniquely American. And it is something led us to this fascist moment.” – Angie [09:40]
- She calls out In-N-Out Burger’s billionaire heiress for moving operations to avoid labor laws, telling her to “sit down, shut the fuck up, and take care of your employees and quit exploiting people.”
“I’m so sick of this component of Republican policies while at the same time they’re big Jesus people. It is such a scam.” – Angie [10:32]
5. Demonization of the Working Poor & Healthcare Realities
[11:51 – 13:06]
- Jennifer rails against conservative narratives that paint low-income Americans as lazy, especially while undermining social programs like SNAP and Medicaid. Clip plays of Dr. Oz suggesting people can just “be healthier” to reduce healthcare costs.
“Obesity ... drives probably a quarter of all health care expenses. So if you really want to drop the cost of health care in America, get healthier.” – Dr. Oz [12:21]
- Angie attacks the out-of-touch logic, pointing out that healthy food is expensive and SNAP doesn’t cover high-quality options:
“It makes me so mad that they demonize poor people that are working, fighting to keep their wages low and then this prick…” – Angie [12:36]
6. Bigotry & Hypocrisy in MAGA Movement and the Heritage Foundation
[13:06 – 16:48]
- Angie broadens the critique to highlight the hypocrisy among Trump allies, including Dr. Oz, who, as a Muslim, supports a coalition rife with Islamophobia and bigotry.
“You’re not the special Muslim ... you’re not the magic homosexual ... All of you are in the sights of the Heritage Foundation. ... The big tent of MAGA is the big tent of racists.” – Angie [13:31–14:30]
- She cautions that all marginalized groups are being used transactionally, and Democratic leaders must avoid selective outrage on human rights issues:
“If they start talking about throwing some group under the bus, run for your life. Because they're no different than what we’re being sold right now.” – Angie [16:36]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
“Christmas won.” – Angie [03:15]
Lampooning the idea that there’s a “war on Christmas” by describing New York at Christmas as overwhelming compared to conservative states. -
“I’m going to blare the Phantom Opera while I give Bubba a blowjob in the corner. ... I’m going to keep that at the top of the news cycle.” – Angie [07:55]
A wild, memorable, sarcastic rant linking Trump donor culture to debauchery and historical shame. -
“The shittier they treat people, the more the system rewards them.” – Angie [09:40]
A serious indictment of American corporate culture’s perverse incentives. -
“If you think you can join a party based on anti-science and you’re a doctor, you’re a dipshit. But also if you think you can join a party that is based on bigotry and you are a Muslim, and at some point they're not going to turn the knives at you, you're a bigger dipshit than is ever imaginable.” – Angie [14:00]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:48 – 04:24: Fox News’ holiday economic advice & culture wars
- 04:24 – 06:02: Inflation reality and right-wing spin
- 06:02 – 08:24: Trump’s financial failures, donor shakedowns, and historical shame
- 08:24 – 11:05: Trump’s opposition to wage increases; exploitation in US capitalism
- 11:51 – 13:06: Demonizing poor people; Dr. Oz’s “just be healthy” take
- 13:06 – 16:48: Bigotry and transactional politics within MAGA & Heritage Foundation
- 16:48 – End: Book plug, episode wrap-up (skipped for content focus)
Tone & Style
The conversation is highly informal, peppered with expletives, sarcasm, and emotional outbursts, reflecting the hosts’ frustration and dark humor. Political critique is direct and unapologetic, making the analysis accessible and cathartic for like-minded listeners.
Conclusion
Jennifer and Angie deliver a scathing, entertaining breakdown of recent right-wing economic and cultural talking points, tying them to broader issues of corporate greed, systemic exploitation, and the MAGA coalition’s underlying bigotry. They urge listeners to look for credible leaders who stand holistically for human rights, and not to be duped by selective policies or faux populism.