Acosta Reacts to Trump’s Disastrous Dictator Parade

Summary

Summary of "Acosta Reacts to Trump’s Disastrous Dictator Parade" - The MeidasTouch Podcast

Release Date: June 16, 2025

In this compelling episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast, hosts Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas are joined by esteemed journalist Jim Acosta to dissect former President Donald Trump’s recent event—labeled as a "dictator parade." The conversation navigates through the intricacies of the parade itself, the contrasting responses from corporate and independent media, and the broader implications for American democracy.

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1. Introduction to Donald Trump’s Dictator Parade

The episode kicks off with Ben setting the stage for the discussion:

[00:28] Ben: "Jim, I gotta ask you to react to Donald Trump's disastrous dictator parade. But perhaps more importantly, the coverage, how I think independent media stepped up in covering the disastrous dictator parade accurately, how I think corporate news failed to meet the moment."

Ben introduces the central topic—Trump’s attempt to emulate a dictatorial display during his birthday celebration and the subsequent media coverage.

2. Jim Acosta’s Initial Reaction

Jim Acosta provides his immediate impressions of the event:

[01:15] Jim Acosta: "I mean, you know, it was, it was as if somebody showed the, the, the GIF or the meme of Donald Trump as a toddler riding the toy tank down Pennsylvania Avenue. I mean, that's what it looked like. [...] it was more snoozalini than Mussolini."

Acosta characterizes the parade as a poor imitation of authoritarian displays, highlighting Trump's lackluster performance and the event's underwhelming execution.

3. Critique of Corporate Media Coverage

The discussion shifts to how mainstream media outlets portrayed the parade, with both Ben and Jim expressing skepticism:

[03:23] Ben: "This was the headline that, you know, the Washington Post ran. [...] when I look at that, I go like, y' all are doing that on purpose. And. And is it that you think that we're stupid?"

Ben criticizes the Washington Post for what he perceives as an attempt to inflate the parade’s significance, contrasting it with the actual minimal attendance and disorganized presentation.

[04:37] Jim Acosta: "What they're doing and how they were reporting it on Saturday, [...] many of these outlets are running scared right now. They're just afraid to take on this president. And that's where independent media fills the void."

Acosta accuses corporate media of fearfulness and a lack of accountability, suggesting that major outlets are hesitant to challenge Trump’s narrative effectively.

4. The Power and Responsibility of Independent Media

Jim Acosta underscores the vital role played by independent media in these scenarios:

[11:21] Jim Acosta: "Independent media is where it's at right now. [...] Where would we be as a country if right now all we could do was rely upon corporate media [...]"

Acosta emphasizes that independent media outlets like The MeidasTouch Podcast are crucial for delivering unfiltered and honest reporting, especially when corporate media fails to provide comprehensive coverage.

[13:21] Jim Acosta: "They're just not going to fall for the tweets that say the tanks rolled down Pennsylvania Avenue [...] They're going to have to go to places like you and me and. And we're going to give it to them the way they want it, which is to give it to them straight."

He highlights the audience’s growing distrust in traditional media and their reliance on independent sources for accurate information.

5. Detailed Analysis of the Parade’s Execution and Symbolism

Ben and Acosta delve deeper into the specifics of the parade, analyzing its shortcomings and public perception:

[07:03] Ben: "At the core of this, though, also to me is basic competence. [...] It reminded me of, you know, when you go to like a four or five year old kid's birthday party [...] what are you even giving me?"

Ben uses an analogy of a child's poorly organized birthday party to illustrate his view of the parade's incompetence and lack of professionalism.

[08:22] Jim Acosta: "The real American strength, the real American might that was on display over the weekend, [...] was in those no Kings protests across the country. [...] Trump did over the weekend just clearly backfired like an Abrams tank."

Acosta contrasts the failed display of power with the robust and widespread protests, asserting that true American strength lies in its democratic response and civic engagement rather than orchestrated displays of might.

6. The Future of Media and Democracy

The conversation concludes with reflections on the evolving media landscape and the importance of maintaining democratic integrity:

[13:30] Jim Acosta: "You got to see, people are craving this kind of outlet. [...] We're going to give it to them the way they want it, which is to give it to them straight."

Acosta reiterates the necessity for independent media to continue providing transparent and unvarnished truth to support and sustain democratic values.

[13:33] Ben: "Hit subscribe let's get to 5 million subscribers. The truth is more important than ever."

The hosts and Acosta encourage listeners to support independent media channels to ensure the dissemination of factual and unbiased information.

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Notable Quotes

• Ben Meiselas [00:28]: "How independent media stepped up in covering the disastrous dictator parade accurately, how corporate news failed to meet the moment."

• Jim Acosta [01:15]: "Donald Trump’s dictator birthday Parade [...] was more snoozalini than Mussolini."

• Jim Acosta [04:37]: "These outlets are running scared right now. They're just afraid to take on this president. And that's where independent media fills the void."

• Jim Acosta [11:21]: "Independent media is where it's at right now. [...] Where would we be as a country if we didn't have independent media right now?"

• Jim Acosta [13:30]: "We're going to give it to them the way they want it, which is to give it to them straight."

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Final Thoughts

This episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast serves as a critical examination of Donald Trump’s attempt to project an image of authoritarian strength and the subsequent media portrayal of the event. Through insightful discussion with Jim Acosta, the hosts highlight the shortcomings of corporate media in addressing such pivotal moments and celebrate the indispensable role of independent media in upholding truth and democratic principles. The conversation underscores a growing public demand for honest and direct reporting, positioning independent outlets as the torchbearers for integrity in journalism.

Listeners are encouraged to support independent media ventures like The MeidasTouch Podcast and Jim Acosta’s Substack to ensure the continued flow of unfiltered and accurate information vital for a healthy democracy.

Transcript

[Narrator]

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[Ben]

NMLS 696891 I'm joined by none other than Jim Acosta. Jim, I gotta ask you to react to Donald Trump's disastrous dictator parade. But perhaps more importantly, the coverage, how I think independent media stepped up in covering the disastrous dictator parade accurately, how I think corporate news failed to meet the moment. And then even with the no Kings coverage as well, how I think independent media really flexed its muscle covering the media. Millions and millions of people who shut up showed up while corporate news didn't. But first, let me show you this video.

[Jim Acosta]

First.

[Ben]

Jim, your reaction.

[Jim Acosta]

I mean, you know, it was, it was as if somebody showed the, the, the GIF or the meme of Donald Trump as a toddler riding the toy tank down Pennsylvania Avenue. I mean, that's what it looked like. I mean, this was, I mean, this was obviously an embarrassment for Donald Trump. He wanted a Kim Jong Un style dictator parade for his birthday. And it was, it was more snoozalini than Mussolini. There were times where he could barely stay awake. And I think that video just showed a few moments ago, which I think was captured by Scripps journalist Liz Landers. I mean, the squeaking tank wheels, I mean, that was all you could hear in that one moment. There, there were other, you know, crowd shots that showed that it was lightly attended. And of course, you know, true to form, Steve Chung, the communications director over at the White House, you know, in very Sean Spicer esque fashion, puts out a tweet saying 250,000 people showed up for Trump's birthday party down on the mall. And it's just so sad. I mean, they just cannot help but continue to lie to soothe this president's very fragile psyche and ego. But the fact of the matter is, I mean, Ben, what you were saying just a few moments ago is just hitting the nail right on the head. I mean, obviously this was a moment for independent media. Not only did independent media accurately cover the sprawling protests that were taking place across the country as far as part of the no Kings movement over the weekend, I think they accurately described, you know, what an epic fail. Donald Trump's dictator, you know, birthday Parade, you know, how it went down. And. And so, I mean, I think it's a very healthy moment for the country when that sort of thing happens, because if you just watch the corporate press and what they were doing and how they were reporting it on Saturday, I was looking at some of the coverage and the Chirons, you know, that are on screen, you can just tell that a lot of these outlets are running scared right now. They're just afraid to take on this president. And that's where independent media fills the void.

[Ben]

Look, you've got. This was the headline that, you know, the Washington Post ran. And look, there are some Washington Post writers who still there, who I respect. They, you know, they do some great work. But, I mean, when we all saw with our eyes what a disaster that Dictator parade was, and this is what their post was on Blue sky. Nonetheless, planes roared over D.C. on Saturday. Tanks rolled along the National Mall. Brass bands resounded, and thousands of soldiers marched past cheering crowds as the army put on the largest show of military might in the capital in more than three decades. And then on the left, for those audio listeners, you've got this, I guess, the one photo they could show, which is like kind of a. Kind of a contracted photo to make it look like there's more people there. You have tanks in D.C. and on the right, they have a guy who I guess they're using as their Trump supporter, wearing a J6 hat as though, like the J6 memorabilia. And when I. When I look at that, I go like, y' all are doing that on purpose. And. And is it that you think that we're stupid? I mean, what, What? What?

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah, yeah, it's strange. I mean, I was down in D.C. on Saturday, and I covered some of this stuff. I mean, I saw some of the January six type folks who are down there, and they were. They were out there in force. So, I mean, so in some respects, it was a dictator birthday bash, because the people who would like to have a dictator in this country did show up to support Donald Trump. But at the same time. Yeah, I mean, when you see things like that, you know, it almost feels as though what they're trying to do is they're trying to cover the presidency as if Ronald Reagan were in the Oval Office or George H.W. bush were in the Oval Office, and we're back in that, you know, that safe space of the 80s and the early 90s, you know, when the press could cover this stuff. But, I mean, if Katherine Graham, the legendary publisher of the Washington Post, were to see that Tweet, she would be rolling her grave right now. That's an embarrassment to the Washington Post. I mean, obviously, you know, this is all, you know, I think, being driven by the hand of Jeff Bezos to some extent inside that news organization. And I was, you know, Ben, I don't know about you, but I was surfing around trying to figure out if anybody had any independent crowd estimates of what went down on the National Mall. And it was very hard to find besides anecdotal reports. I saw a local news reporter in Washington, a guy named Mark Seagraves who works with the local NBC state, very reputable journalist in the local market here. And he said that the crowd size was nowhere near what they were predicting in terms of the 200 to 250,000 people range. And so, you know, in the old days, I mean, I covered the beginning of the first Trump administration when Donald Trump and Sean Spicer tried to say this was the largest inauguration crowd in the history of the world, full stop. And then you could use, we all went to, you know, the Google and found the crowd estimates. We found the, you know, the bird's eye view photographs of the National Mall, put them side by side with Barack Obama's, and that's the kind of stuff that just sends Donald Trump into orbit. I mean, but the other thing is just look at the footage of when he was watching the tanks and the soldiers go by. He could barely stay awake. I mean, he was obviously underwhelmed by what took place. And I have to assume behind the scenes he's not happy with the way it turned out. But he has only himself to blame, as he typically does in almost every, you know, situation he gets himself into.

[Ben]

You know, at the core of this, though, also to me is basic competence. Because, yeah, I don't think that we should have military parades, period, full stop. But there's probably a competent way to organize it and pull it off at a high level with the pomp and circumstance and pageantry to put our military in a positive light and make everybody at least look good. I mean, when I saw members of the army holding like a drone above their head, it was that, I mean, it reminded me of, you know, when you go to like a four or five year old kid's birthday party and it's like a Ninja Turtle party, but instead of the Ninja Turtles, they show up. And this is, I guess, my own trauma growing up, I'm revealing they show up in like the cardboard box Ninja Turtles. And it's like, these aren't even then what what are you even giving me?

[Jim Acosta]

Right?

[Ben]

Like, it just looked so low brow.

[Jim Acosta]

And Santa's beard could barely hang on his face kind of situation, you know? Yeah.

[Ben]

And you go across the board, they can't fundamentally execute tasks. And this shouldn't be a Democrat and a Republican thing. Just as people who like competent, responsible, adult leadership, they can't execute tasks like.

[Jim Acosta]

No, and I totally, I totally get what you're saying. And I should say celebrating the 250th anniversary of the US Army, I'm down for that. That's totally fine. My grandfather on my mom's side was in the U.S. army. He served in World War II. He's buried in Arlington National Cemetery. We all love and support our troops. There's just no question about that. But if the purpose, if Donald Trump's purpose was to flex America's muscles and just put on this show of force down on the National Mall, and the video that we have is the squeaking tank wheels going down the street and the guy holding the drone over people's heads. I mean, come on, like, what are you doing here? Get out of here with this stuff. The United States military does not need Donald Trump to put on display what America's military might is all about. You know, the United States can do that on its own. And so to some extent, it was sort of, you know, it ran counter to that purpose. It was, it was not, you know, it did not show off America's strength. In many ways, it showed America's divide on Saturday because here you had, you know, this weak ass display of faux strength down on the National Mall. There were Republican members of Congress who were nervous about showing up. There were members of the military and military veterans who were nervous about showing up because they didn't like the idea of what you were just saying, Ben, which is, why are we having military parades in this democracy? Unless, like, we've won a war or something, you know, I mean, you know, if you want to have a ticker tape parade because we've won a war, that's a totally different situation. But. And then on the other side of things, you have these massive, huge protests, I mean, from New York City to Missoula, Montana, where people just took to the streets and showed out in force. And it was really, to me, if you want to know about what America's strength is all about, I look to the no Kings rallies that took place over the weekend, because what it showed was that America's democracy has not been defeated by, by this dictator wannabe. I mean, he can try to roll his tanks down Pennsylvania Avenue and flex his muscles and all of that stuff. And Pete Hegseth can show up in a camouflage tie that he got at the gap. But at the end of the day, the real American strength, the real American might that was on display over the weekend, I think, was in those no Kings protests across the country. Because what it shows to me is that accountability is on its way. Accountability is coming. We may have to wait until 2026. We may see some. Some glimmers of hope here and there in the gubernatorial races, congressional races that are coming up. But it showed to me that people are hopping mad. They're taken to the streets and they're not going to take this shit lying down. They're just not going to do it. And, you know, I think what Trump did over the weekend just clearly backfired like an Abrams tank.

[Ben]

Jim Acosta, the sub stack you're doing is boom. And tell people about it.

[Jim Acosta]

Yeah, I mean, you know, we're having a great time over there. You know, over the weekend, I got together with Don Lemon and Joy Reed. We did some of our own coverage and had some great people on there like Mike Fanone and Olivia Troy and, you know, Jolly, he was out there in the field talking to folks. And to me, it's sort of in the same vein of what you guys are doing over at Midas Touch. And I think a lot of people have been inspired by what you guys are doing. Independent media is where it's at right now. I mean, it's just, you know, where would we be as a country if right now all we could do was rely upon corporate media and social media that is controlled by sycophants of Donald Trump, you know, like Elon Musk, you know, for 24 hours, he criticizes Donald Trump and then, you know, after he's threatened, he goes back into his shell. Where would we be as a country if we didn't have independent media right now? And this was a huge independent media moment. Ben, over the weekend, everybody, you know, people were tuning in. I mean, we had, I'm sure you had tons of people. We had hundreds of thousands of people tune in to the joint effort that I did with Don and Joy. And it just goes to show you, people are craving this kind of outlet. They are just sick and tired of these corporate media outlets with their cheesy coverage. Both sidesy. Let's have the Trump guy on. And lie and lie and lie. They don't want that anymore. That people want the truth and they want it to be unvarnished. And they want to take on this dictator wannabe. They don't want to. They're not gonna fall for the tweets that say the tanks rolled down Pennsylvania Avenue and the the jets roared overhead as Donald Trump saluted the. I mean, people just don't buy that shit anymore. It's just. It's over. It's over. You know. You know, if folks want to hear the truth, they're going to have to go to places like you and me and. And we're going to give it to them the way they want it, which is to give it to them straight.

[Ben]

Check out Jim Acosta substack everybody. Jim, appreciate the work you're doing. An honor to be shoulder to shoulder with you in this fight for our democracy. Say thanks for everything you do.

[Jim Acosta]

You got it, Ben. Thanks a lot. Thanks for what you do. Really appreciate it Everybody.

[Ben]

Hit subscribe let's get to 5 million subscribers. The truth is more important than ever. Check out our new truth over lies collection at store midst touch.com all 100% USA union made.