All Hell Breaks Loose as Trump Loses Control on World Stage

Summary

The MeidasTouch Podcast: "All Hell Breaks Loose as Trump Loses Control on World Stage"

Date: March 25, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

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Overview

The March 25th, 2026 episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast dissects the explosive deterioration of the United States' global standing under Donald Trump’s most recent foreign policy moves, specifically focusing on the chaos erupting in the Middle East. The hosts contextualize how Trump's handling of Iran, Iraq, and alliances with Gulf states and Israel, has placed the U.S. in a vulnerable, isolated, and widely-criticized position. Drawing on real-time developments, government statements, and global media reactions, the hosts deliver impassioned analysis—infused with their trademark comedic banter and unapologetic defense of American democracy.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Escalation of Conflict: U.S., Iran, and the Middle East (02:07–10:24)

• Iranian Strikes & Trump’s Ceasefire Claims

  • Iran continues launching waves of strikes on U.S. bases and Israeli targets, showing no signs of de-escalation.
  • Trump’s proclamations about being ready for a “30 day ceasefire” and making backroom deals with Iran are roundly mocked and rebuffed by Iranian officials.
  • Notable Quote [Iranian Military Spokesperson, quoted by Ben, 06:09]:

    “Our position from day one has been clear and remains unchanged. Someone like us will never come to terms with someone like you. Not now, not ever. Have your internal conflicts reached the point where you’re now negotiating with yourselves? Don’t call your defeat an agreement.”

• Deteriorating Alliances and Global Humiliation

  • French military leaders publicly complain about U.S. unpredictability and lack of communication regarding military operations [04:02].
  • Turkish President Erdogan blames the war on political survival tactics and stresses that the global population is "paying the price."
  • Gulf states and other allies question the reliability of the U.S. security umbrella.

• Economic Fallout: Qatar and LNG Crisis

  • Qatar, a long-term U.S. partner, declares force majeure on liquefied natural gas (LNG) contracts due to Iranian retaliatory strikes after joint U.S.-Israel action against Iran’s energy infrastructure.
  • Losses impact global markets and energy security across Italy, Belgium, South Korea, China, and even Taiwan [05:24].

2. Iraq & Rising Hostility Against the U.S. (07:44–10:24)

• Baghdad’s Response and Escalation
  • Iraq’s government authorizes Iran-aligned Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) to defend against U.S. attacks after deadly airstrikes, signaling a sharp turn in Iraqi-U.S. relations.
  • The PMF, integrated within state security, launches drone attacks against U.S. military assets in Baghdad, explicitly displaying their capabilities in publicized footage.
  • Notable Moment [Ben, 09:23]:

    “…They make hype videos of it and they're showing that at will. They can destroy anything they want… There was nothing shooting it down. There was nothing going against. You see for yourself what's going on right there.”

3. Debunking Propaganda—Trump’s False Claims of Progress (12:16–18:00)

• Iran’s Global Messaging

  • Iran’s President Pizzaskian asserts broad public disgust toward America and Israel, emphasizing that “stability… is possible only through cooperation and respect for the will of the nations.” [12:40]
  • The hosts stress the U.S. is stuck because Trump sided with Netanyahu’s offensive strategy, dragging the U.S. into direct conflict with Iran:

    “The war is unlawful. It’s not authorized by Congress. Why are we even there? What are we trying to accomplish?” [Ben, 15:40]

  • U.S. troop deployments—including elite paratrooper units and major naval forces—are described as visible, ominous signs of escalation with no exit plan.

• Allies Reevaluating U.S. Partnership

  • Gulf states resent being left exposed by U.S. actions, especially after ignored warnings about the consequences of attacking Iran’s gas infrastructure.
  • Gulf economies suffer, while American gas companies stand to benefit—fueling accusations that Trump puts commodity prices above allies’ lives.

• Propaganda & Media Spin on Both Sides

  • U.S. personalities and officials use bombastic rhetoric—“I negotiate with bombs. I put my hand on the throttle and go hard... We loiter over the skies of Iran waiting for the order to rain down death”—providing Iran with fodder for their own propaganda machines [Ben quoting Pete Hegseth, 17:56].
  • Hosts highlight how this tough talk actually projects U.S. weakness and gives adversaries an upper hand in the information war.
  • Notable Quote [Ben, 18:54]:

    “Y’ all look so pathetic and weak to the rest of the world. You’re cosplaying strength and you are displaying utter weakness. And you blink. And Iran knows they got you on the ropes.”

4. Looming Threats: The Red Sea, Houthis, and Wider Regional Risks (19:45–21:00)

• Houthis Await Activation

  • The hosts warn that Yemen's Houthi rebels remain dormant but poised to escalate and possibly close the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz at any moment—intensifying economic and military risks globally.
  • Quote [Ben, 20:44]:

    “The Houthis haven’t even been activated. And they can on a moment’s notice… then the Red Sea gets shut down. Iran now controls the Hormuz Strait with an iron fist.”

• Iran’s Messaging to U.S. Forces

  • Iranian officials openly taunt U.S. troops, inviting them to come closer, citing two decades of asymmetric warfare preparation.
  • Quote [Ben, citing Iranian official, 20:55]:

    “For years we’ve been waiting for the American entry into the designated points, and for over two decades we’ve been training with asymmetric warfare strategy. For this very moment.”

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Direct Mockery from Iran
  • “Don’t call your defeat an agreement.” — Iranian Military Spokesperson (06:09)
• Sharp Condemnation of Trump’s Weakness
  • “You’re cosplaying strength and you are displaying utter weakness.” — Ben Meiselas (18:54)
• Rhetorical Absurdities
  • “I negotiate with bombs. I put my hand on the throttle and go hard… we loiter over the skies of Iran waiting for the order to rain down death.” — Pete Hegseth, Fox News Personality (quoted by Ben, 17:56)
• Gulf Allies’ Disillusionment
  • “Trump only speaks about the Strait of Hormuz or the price of oil. In his eyes, the Gulf societies are barely worth a single barrel of crude.” — Paraphrased summary of Gulf commentary (16:55)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• [02:07–10:24]: Introduction of crisis; Iran’s attacks; weakening alliances; Qatar LNG crisis; escalation in Iraq.
• [12:16–18:00]: Iran’s global propaganda; U.S. military deployments; host breakdown of Trump’s misleading statements and disastrous consequences.
• [19:45–21:00]: Risk of Yemen escalation; strategic threats to Red Sea shipping; Iran’s taunts to U.S. forces.

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Conclusion

This episode delivers a scathing critique of what the hosts characterize as Trump’s reckless incompetence on the world stage, focusing on the dire strategic and diplomatic fallout. They piece together direct statements, open-source intelligence, and media coverage to paint a picture of rapidly escalating conflict, unraveling alliances, and the exposure of American “paper tiger” strength. Throughout, they maintain urgency, clarity, and their familiar mix of humor and outrage.

If you want to understand the current global chaos and how it directly links to Trump’s foreign policy, this episode is essential listening.

Transcript

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All hell is breaking loose as Donald Trump has caused the entire world essentially to turn against the United States very, very quickly. What you just saw there at the beginning of this video was Iran launching its 80th wave of strikes on US bases and infrastructure and at Israel. Since this war has begun, Iran has shown no signs of slowing down its strikes. Now as Donald Trump is out there saying he's ready to do a 30 day cease fire and he's ready to do a deal with Iran, the Iranian military leadership is responding, mocking Donald Trump and mocking the United States. Essentially, it is Deeply, deeply embarrassing. I'll get to that in a moment. But equally embarrassing to have French military leaders like France's army chief, Fabian Mondon warning that the United States is becoming increasingly unpredictable, affecting France's security interest. We were surprised by an American ally who's becoming increasingly unpredictable and doesn't even bother to inform us when they launch military operations. That's France's army chief right there. Or listen to what Turkish President Erdogan is saying on Iran. He says, although the war is Israel's war, the whole world is paying the price. The war is Netanyahu's war for political survival. But 8 billion people are suffering the consequences. And from people in Iraq to Turkey to Pakistan to Lebanon to Egypt and within Arab nations, people are speaking out against the United States. Especially as the United States security umbrella is demonstrating that it ain't providing security. All the pay for play schemes funneling money to Trump and his family. Trump has demonstrated not just that he's a paper tiger, but that he is weak and pathetic and just lies all of the time about everything. I mean, think about Qatar. They bought Donald Trump his own jet, his own private jet. They gave him, right? They were expecting in return that Donald Trump would help. But instead Qatar Energy has now declared a force majeure on their additional liquefied natural gas contracts. By the way, it's gonna impact Taiwan and others running out of LNG. Qatar provided about 20% of the LNG to the world, can't get it right now. And so state owned Qatar Energy has declared force majeure on several long term gas supply contracts with buyers in Italy, Belgium, South Korea and China citing major disruptions to its LNG export capac. Just so you know, a force majeure means that there is this force of God that we can't follow through on our contract. So we're breaking our contracts as permitted by a force majeure. This act of God, if you will. The move allows the company to suspend its deliveries without being found in breach. The disruptions are linked to the damage caused to it when Iran struck it after the US And Israel struck the Iranian South Pars facility, which is connected to the northern facilities of Qatar. Now, as I mentioned before, you have Iran responding to Donald Trump saying that, oh, we're involved in this negotiation and that negotiation. You have the spokesperson for the Iranian military saying to the follow, saying the following. Our position from day one has been clear and remains unchanged. The someone like us will never come to terms with someone like you. Not now, not ever. Have your internal conflicts reached the point where you referring to Donald Trump in the United States that you're now negotiating with yourselves. Don't call your defeat an agreement. You will see neither your investments in the region nor previous energy and oil prices return until it is our will. Nothing will return to how it was. That will only happen when the idea of acting against the Iranian people is completely erased from your minds. Earlier this morning I did a video on what Iran has said. It's non negotiables are it listed its demand. The Trump regime called it laughable. So anytime Donald Trump and his deranged regime are out there saying oh we've got a deal in principle with Iran or they're agreeing to this or we think we're very close to a 30 day cease fire, it is all a lie. Every that's why I'm reading to you what they're saying in Iran right now and what they're saying, what Trump's regime saying, what the Iranian regime is saying. Okay, everything that Trump is saying about that is a complete and utter lie. Just take a look at what's happening by the way in Baghdad in Iraq as the war spreads there. So in Baghdad, the government there in Baghdad has cleared the PMF to defend itself after deadly strikes on a militia headquarters. Iraq's National Security Council has authorized the Popular Mobilization Forces PMF to respond to U.S. attacks under the right to self defense. According to Mayor News Iran's regime media. This decision follows airstrikes on a PMF command headquarters in Anbar Province in western Iraq, killing at least 15 fighters, including senior commander Saeed Al Baji and wounding about 30. The PMF is a state backed network of militias integrated into Iraq's security forces accused the US of carrying out the strike. It came a day after a reported 24 hour ceasefire between US forces and the Iraqi resistance factions. The Prime Minister's office said Iraq will summon the US Ambassador essentially in protest, calling the strike a breach of sovereignty. So the let me be clear what just happened there? The Iraqi government is basically saying that it's Shiite militias can go and attack the United States. And the question is, are they doing that or is that just a bluff? They're doing it. Let me just read this to you as well. The Iraqi National Security Council has said it has agreed to confront and respond to military attacks after a series of deadly U.S. airstrikes targeting the popular mobilization forces in the country. The PMF and Iranian aligned militias have carried out a series of operations inside Iraq since the start of the war in Iran. The PMF was founded during the war against ISIS and is linked to the government. In sum, this could bring the US back to war with Iraq. Back to war with Iraq. And if you're like, well, what are they really going to do? Take a look right here. This is what they've done in the past 24 hours. Iranian backed groups in Iraq released footage show you right here of FPV drones targeting Camp Victoria's base in Baghdad, Iraq. Look at the an MPQ 64 radar can be seen being hit in the footage while the second drone seemingly targets two, uh, 60 Blackhawk choppers. You'll see it. And the drones that are being used by these Iranian backed groups, they're just flying around taunting and they have it on. Do you see what they're doing on camera? But I'm not going to play them, I'm not going to play the music. But then they make hype videos of it and they're showing that at will. They can destroy anything they want. Essentially right there. There was nothing shooting it down. There was nothing going against. I mean, you know, you see for yourself what's going on right there.

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[Political Commentator]

Now you have the President of Iran, Massoud Pizzaskian, who's been speaking with the Prime Minister of India, the Prime Minister of Pakistan and others here. Here was his message yesterday. Today we are witnessing the awakening of the people of many countries around the world. The people of Pakistan, Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt and Arab countries are loudly expressing their disgust for America, Israel and their crimes. The hearts of the free people of the world are not with the Zionists. Stability in the region is possible only through cooperation and respect for the will of the nations. Now, why am I reading this to you? Why am I sharing this to you? Because Donald Trump's spreading the propaganda out here that we have this peace deal that's basically reached with Iran and everything is great. And they're speaking with this guy Gallobaoff, and we are so close to, we're so close to a deal and a 30 day cease fire and, and what Donald Trump say yesterday, that they've offered Donald Trump a prize, they've given him a gift, they've given him a present. Iran responded to that by doing a video saying, here's your present, Donald. Instead of launching a ballistic missile at Erbil in Iraq. When Donald Trump's out there, it was very reminiscent of COVID um, when Donald Trump said, like a miracle, it's going to go away, don't worry, I give myself an A. Things are great. And by not confronting it, by not telling the truth, things got worse and worse and worse and worse and worse. And things that perhaps even could have been resolved spiraled out of control. We should not be in a war against Iran in the first place. The war is unlawful. It's not authorized by Congress. Why are we even there? What are the objectives? What are we trying to accomplish? Trump said he obliterated all the nuclear weapons Last June. So what do you mean right now you want to get rid of the nukes? You said you got rid of him before. We're there, as Marco Rubio said, because Netanyahu said that he was going to strike Iran first and that Iran would then strike the United States. So Donald Trump said, okay, I guess we're going in there with you. Netanyahu, side by side, went in, invaded Iran. Iran responded. And now the US is stuck in a quagmire. And the US is sending troops, the 82nd Airborne Division, elite paratroopers from there heading into the Middle East. Thousands of soldiers on the USS Tripoli, Marine Expeditionary Unit heading into the Middle East. USS Boxer and other Marine Expeditionary Units taking off from the coast of San Diego. When I was in San Diego, by the way, it's when they were leaving, you could see the ships basically leaving there. So, you know, you see the Marine expeditionaries and a lot of the military leaving. They're heading to the Middle east right now. And you have this cascading horrors of events happening right after, you know, one. One after another right now. Let, let, let me read this to you as well, because I think, as Dina Esfund explains, some in the Gulf area are asking themselves about the value of their relationship with the US now as a result of the Iran war. This was inevitable the minute Trump did something that was going to have blowback on them first. As naive Nahar writes today, Trump postponed striking Iran's energy infrastructure. This was two days ago, out of fear of fluctuations in U.S. market prices. Yet for over 20 days, he has watched Gulf societies come under Iranian missile strikes as Gulf economies incur tens of billions of dollars in damages. Without this prompting any change in his decisions. When the Qatari minister of energy warned his American counterpart that striking Iran's gas fields would inevitably trigger retaliatory strikes against gas fields in the Gulf, he was disregarded. They attacked Iran anyway, leaving the Gulf states to face their fate alone against Iranian missiles. Striking Iran's gas fields did not create any strategic advantage, but rather inflicted massive losses upon the Gulf's energy sector, which ultimately benefits American gas companies. Trump only speaks about the Strait of Hormuz or the price of oil. In his eyes, the Gulf societies are barely worth a single barrel of crude. While that's going on, you have Iran trying to make a pitch to the Gulf nations saying, now's the time to unite, now's the time to join. We need you now more than ever. And let's be clear, it is propaganda. Yes, in war, there is propaganda. And in peace, sadly, there is propaganda and we try to cut through it. We try to give the true story. But part of war is also winning a communications battle, right? So yesterday, when you have Pete Hegseth, I don't even want to play his clips because it makes me vomit. When he was giving the press conference and he goes, I negotiate with bombs. I put my hand on the throttle and go hard. And it's like, we. These are direct quotes. I'm not exaggerating this. We. And he does like the karate chops with his hand. We loiter over the skies of Iran waiting for the order to rain down death. Right? You have him saying all of those things and Iran is like, okay, this is what you're doing. Okay, thank you for writing the propaganda for us. We're going to take that and we're going to tell the people and other Arab nations. So here's what the United States is saying. Here's what Netanyahu saying. Here's what they're doing. What do you think about that? And Iran is using that to say, look, these, this is a deranged and demented regime in the United States led by Donald Trump and you've been betrayed their message. And Donald Trump's out there saying, I've been given gifts and presents from Iran, but if you don't give me any more gifts, I will gladly bomb your infrastructure. The war crimes. You're saying it out loud too. You're just saying you're going to do war crimes and you're doing the war crimes and you and Netanyahu are doing the war crimes. We see, we, we can see what's happening in, in Lebanon. We can see what's happening in Gaza. We see what's happening when you strike the elementary school and then cover it up. The regime's still covering up. You killed 165 little girls while covering up the Epstein files. Being predators against little girls here in the United States. It's sickening. It's sickening. It's sickening to see this as an American. It's sickening to see the weakness. It's sickening to see how weak we look there, right? This doesn't look strong. Hegse thinks this makes him look like a tough guy or something. Y' all look so pathetic and weak to the rest of the world. You're cosplaying strength and you are displaying utter weakness. And you blink. And Iran knows they got you on the ropes. They see when you make up this. Why would they agree to a 30 day ceasefire and allow you to use it to strike them again and build up your ammunition. Like you don't think they realize that you've telegraphed everything? And by the way, they probably have access to all of your messages also, because you all use like signal and apps that people warned you against using. And I'll make one final point before I go. I think this is an important one. We aren't even talking about the Red Sea yet. And we're going to very soon, because the Houthis haven't yet even been activated. And they can on a moment's notice, within hours. They can be activated within seconds, frankly. And then the Red Sea gets shut down. The strait and the Red Sea gets shut down while there are ships there. And Iran now controls the Hormuz Strait. With an iron fist. With an iron fist, right. And it's out there saying things like Iranian official Ali Akbar Ahmadiyin, we have one message for the American soldiers, Come closer. For years we've been waiting for the American entry into the designated points, and for over two decades we've been training with asymmetric warfare strategy. For this very moment, we've now we have just one message for the American soldiers, come closer. Or Iranian official Saeed Jalil, the one who once spoke of regime change and the fragmentation of Iran, now hopes that someone in Iran will engage in dialogue with him, though this too is merely an attempt at deception. I'll leave you with that. Let me know what you think. Hit subscribe let's get to 7 million subscribers. Thanks everybody for watching.

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