The MeidasTouch Podcast: 🚨All Hell Breaks Loose as Trump Invades Iran!!

Date: February 28, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas (Guest: Ron Filipowski appears as lead host)
Theme: Breaking down the unprecedented U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran, Donald Trump's call for regime change, and the regional and political fallout.

Episode Overview

This episode delivers urgent, hour-by-hour coverage and analysis of the United States and Israel launching joint military strikes against Iran, the tit-for-tat escalation across the Middle East, and the political chaos surrounding Donald Trump’s push for Iranian regime change. The MeidasTouch team (primarily Ron Filipowski in this episode) dissect media reports, military actions, Trump’s statements, and historic context, blending news, banter, and pointed democratic critique.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Opening Salvo: War in the Middle East

[02:08] The show opens with video and news of Iranian missile retaliation against the U.S. Naval base in Bahrain after U.S.-Israel joint strikes.
Operation Details:
- U.S. and Israel call the campaign “Operation Epic Fury.”
- The MeidasTouch crew facetiously dub it “Operation Epstein Fury” or “the Jeffrey Epstein War,” mocking its motives and optics.
Scope of Strikes:
- Iran fires missiles at Israel, UAE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai), Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.
- Strikes include “decapitation” or “assassination” efforts targeting Iranian leadership, with no current confirmation of high-profile deaths (e.g., Ayatollah or Iranian President).
- Houthis in Yemen announce attacks on cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

2. Regional Fallout

[04:00] “If the Strait of Hormuz is shut down, that would also be disastrous in terms of our economy and economies throughout the world.” — Ron Filipowski
Widespread missile attacks trigger alarms and military alerts from Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
Multiple states assert their “right to respond militarily” after their sovereignty is violated.

3. Trump’s Rhetoric and Messaging

[05:40] Amid war’s outbreak, Trump focuses on posting about domestic grievances and the 2020 election, instead of leadership or strategy.
[09:34] Quote:
Donald Trump (clip):
“The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties. That often happens in war, but we're doing this not for now. We're doing this for the future. And it is a noble mission. We pray for every service member as they selflessly risk their lives to ensure that Americans and our children will never be threatened by a nuclear armed Iran.”
[10:17] In a video, Trump claims Iranians "asked" for U.S. help for regime change:
Donald Trump (clip):
“For many years, you have asked for America's help, but you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want. So let's see how you respond... Now is the time to seize control of your destiny... This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass.”
— Trump, to the people of Iran
The hosts sharply criticize Trump for taking a cavalier attitude toward U.S. casualties and failing to explain the rationale or costs of a “regime change” war.

4. Hypocrisy and 180s

[11:03] Ron Filipowski recalls Trump’s past statements attacking Obama as “weak” and predicting that Democrats would start a war with Iran.
- [11:50] Donald Trump (archival clip):
  “Our President will start a war with Iran because he has absolutely no ability to negotiate. He's weak and he's ineffective.”
Mockery of MAGA and Neo-Con War Posturing:
- The hosts point out the reversal of MAGA rhetoric: “We’re not for endless wars,” now morphing into cheerleading for regime change.

5. Missed Diplomatic Opportunities

[12:20] Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Al Basadi explains (on Face the Nation, [13:21]) that Iran was poised to agree to zero enrichment, full material removal, and international oversight.
- [13:34] Badr Al Basadi (clip):
  “They will not be able to actually accumulate that material that will enable them to create a bomb… zero accumulation… full and comprehensive verification by the IAEA…”
The Meiselas team bemoans that, despite diplomatic progress, the U.S. pivoted to demanding regime change, showing it was no longer about nuclear weapons but about toppling the Iranian government.

6. On-the-Ground Developments

[14:32] Trump, asked in Texas just before the strikes, delivers an incendiary message:
Donald Trump (clip):
“They should make a deal, but they don't want to quite go far enough... They've been blowing the legs off our people, blowing the face off our people, the arms. They've been knocking out ships one by one. But every month there's something else… you can't put up with it too long… They have to say, ‘we're not going to have a nuclear weapon.’ And they just can't quite get there. They want to enrich a little bit.”
Israeli intelligence uses Telegram and even Iranian prayer apps to urge mass revolt in Iran.

7. Analysis and Banter

The hosts underscore the regional danger, especially if the conflict spreads, and lampoon the “Operation Epstein Fury” framing as emblematic of political farce and distraction.
They point out dire U.S. domestic needs, such as unaffordable healthcare, contrasting them with the costs of overseas war.

Notable Quotes & Moments (With Attribution)

[04:00] “If the Strait of Hormuz is shut down, that would also be disastrous in terms of our economy and economies throughout the world.”
— Ron Filipowski
[09:34] “The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties. That often happens in war, but we're doing this not for now. We're doing this for the future. And it is a noble mission…”
— Donald Trump (video clip)
[10:17] “Now you have a president who is giving you what you want. So let's see how you respond… Now is the time to seize control of your destiny…”
— Donald Trump, addressing Iranians
[11:50] “Our President will start a war with Iran because he has absolutely no ability to negotiate. He's weak and he's ineffective.”
— Donald Trump (archival clip, attacking Obama)
[13:34] “They will not be able to actually accumulate that material that will enable them to create a bomb… zero accumulation… full and comprehensive verification by the IAEA…”
— Badr Al Basadi, Foreign Minister of Oman

Timeline with Timestamps

[02:08] Missile strikes: Iran retaliates against US installations and regional countries.
[04:00]-[07:00] Economic implications, international reactions, and focus on the Strait of Hormuz.
[09:34] Trump’s video message on casualties and the “noble mission.”
[10:17] Trump calls for regime change and Iranian revolt.
[11:03]-[12:01] Clips of Trump’s past criticizing Obama, exposing GOP hypocrisy.
[13:21]-[14:12] Omani mediation: Iran’s near-agreement to halt enrichment.
[14:32] Trump’s pre-strike statement blaming Iran for violence on US troops.
[15:33] Announcement on Israeli Mossad leveraging social media and apps inside Iran to stir revolt.

Summary and Takeaways

This high-octane episode dissects the outbreak of direct U.S.-Iran military conflict, amplified by Israel, and fueled by President Trump’s overt push for regime change. The hosts highlight the abrupt shift away from nuclear concerns to full-throated calls for toppling the Iranian regime—contrasting this with recent successful diplomacy. Archival clips and satirical nicknames drive home the degree of hypocrisy, misdirection, and danger now unfolding, while foreshadowing the war’s potential to spiral throughout the Middle East and send shock waves back home.

Tone: Urgent, critical, darkly witty, and fiercely pro-democracy.

Further Listening/Engagement

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New episodes Tuesdays & Fridays; breaking news updates daily.

Transcript

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Ron Filipowski (2:08)

What you just saw right there was Iran's retaliatory missile strikes against Bahrain and specifically ballistic missile strikes directed against the US Fifth Fleet Naval Support Activity Installation in Bahrain. Iran retaliated against every nation essentially in the Middle east other than Oman, following the United States and Israel launching a joint military operation and attack against Iran late last night. The United States is calling its military strikes with Israel against Iran Operation Epic Fury. At the Midas Touch Network we are calling it Operation Epstein Fury or the Jeffrey Epstein War. There is now a full fledged war taking place between the United States and Israel against Iran. All hell is breaking loose in the Middle East. Iran responded against the military strikes by the US And Israel against Tehran by shooting ballistic missiles into Israel, also by shooting ballistic missiles into the UAE and specifically at Abu Dhabi and Dubai, by shooting ballistic missiles at Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. We also saw ballistic missiles and cruise missiles coming from either Israel or the United States, trailing over Iraq into Iran. This was being referred to by Israel as decapitation or assassination strikes. You had Israel focusing on taking out the top Iranian military and political leadership while the US Was attacking military infrastructure. On the other hand, you had Iran attacking some of the neighboring Middle east countries, but specifically focusing on where there were United States military assets. Also in Yemen. The Houthis over there said that they would be utilizing their capabilities, or what remains of their capabilities in order to once again attack the cargo ships in the region, specifically the ships that are traversing the Strait of Hermuz. You see right here an image the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman. You see the Strait of Hormuz right there, which is right by Iran. This is one of the main shipping routes out of the Persian Gulf. And so if the Strait of Hormuz is shut down, that would also be disastrous in terms of our economy and economies throughout the world. So let's give you some of the latest information. Hat tip to the open source intelligence defenders. They do a good job at least aggregating some of this news. We could show you some of the images of what it looked like as well in Iran and in the surrounding areas as I go through what went down. So here's what we know. A joint US Israeli operation was launched last night. Trump is now calling for regime change. This is not about stopping Iran from enriching uranium. By all accounts. The Oman foreign minister said that Iran was basically, in the mediated discussions, agreeable to no longer enriching uranium and agreeable to oversight. But Donald Trump has made it very clear. He posted on his social media platform a video he'll be speaking of this morning as well, saying, this is about regime change. This is about changing the leadership in Iran. Really nothing to do with about uranium enrichment anymore. It's changing the entire structure of Iran. And Donald Trump and Israel are calling for the Iranian people to revolt, to get out on the streets and topple the Ayatollah. The opening waves of these strikes have been characterized as assassination strikes, confirming early reports of decapitation strikes. According to Israel, they've had success in hitting numerous top military leadership of Iran. There are reports though that they were not able, at least as of right now, to hit the Ayatollah and the President of Iran. Officials from both the US And Israel say that this is going to be a multi day military campaign. As I mentioned earlier, Israel is focusing on military targets and the US Is helping as well with some of the bunkers. There have been lots of ballistic missiles being fired at this time. We have images right here. Israel said, look, we engaged in this quote, unquote preemptive strike. And then when Iran then hit, then launched ballistic missiles into Israel, Israel says we've got to defend ourselves. We have a right to defend ourselves. Iran has launched strikes on US Bases across the Middle East. Explosions are seen in the US Naval base in Al Jafar, Bahrain. That's what you saw at the beginning of this video. Video alarm sirens followed and multiple explosions in Kuwait, in Abu Dhabi and in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE said it has the right to respond militarily if it wants to. Saudi Arabia Riyadh hit as well. They said they have the right to respond against Iran and that their sovereignty has been violated. In Qatar, an official source at the Ministry of Defense told Al Jazeera that an Iranian missile was intercepted by their Patriot defensive system. And there's still lots of attacks going on there as well. Throughout all of this. Donald, like last night, as America was at war, I mean, we're 100% at war now with Iran. Like, let's be clear about what this is. Donald Trump, though, was posting messages about his 2020 election conspiracies after the United States was at war. This is how demented this guy is. He posted photos of Fawney Willis, the Fulton County District Attorney. And Donald Trump goes. As Georgia prosecutor pursued Trump, Biden DOJ invited her to get lucrative grants memo shows, like, that's what he was doing last night. He was making lots of posts like that. Also, Donald Trump made a video of himself wearing a baseball cap or a cap that said USA on it. He was sweaty and grotesque looking and he was giving this speech that he just posted on Truth Social is failing social media company. And he goes, the lives of American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties, but that's what happens in war. That was his, that was his message. Like, not really discussing with American people why we're doing regime change, what the costs are going to be. Like not trying to like sell this war to us or like, let us know why with all of the problems we're facing in the United States, we're going to war with Iran for regime change because didn't they always say it was about enriched uranium? So now it's total mask off. It's about regime change. But here Donald Trump says, you know, look, yeah, our soldiers may die, but, like, that's what war is. So, like, whatever. Here, watch what he says. Here, play this clip seeks to kill.