Ben (4:39)

You think the Trump administration's attack on the ap, given their longstanding reputation, their distribution, their use by all of these other outlets, it's really an attack on all the other kind of major outlets out there really trying to do reporting, that's why they're picking on the ap?

Jim Acosta (4:58)

Absolutely. And I think they're trying to send a message. They're trying to say, listen, if you don't do things our way, there's a price to be paid now. I mean, we need to remind the viewers out there the reason why they're doing this to the AP is because they refuse to Call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, which is the dumbest thing. I think if you were to come up with a list of the dumbest things that Donald Trump has done as president of the United States, renaming the Gulf of Mexico would have to be in the top five. I mean, you know, obviously telling people that they can inject disinfectants into their body, that's probably still at number one. That's the reigning champion. But renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, I'd have to put it in my top five. And because the Associated Press won't go along with that, because they're serious journalists and they're not here to do the propaganda for the aspiring autocrat in the Oval Office. That's why they're being punished. And I worry it's a test case. I worry that if they get away with this, they're gonna start doing it to other news organizations, other journalists, and then it's a slippery slope from there.

Ben (6:03)

You've seen a lot of press secretaries in your day. Let's talk about Caroline Levitt, the current holder of that position. It seems that every day she goes out there, takes another almost Q drop. I call him at this point is another lie from Elon Musk and then spreads it and just says it matter of factly. She goes on Fox and then spews the propaganda there. I think Jesse Waters was bragging yesterday about the propaganda machine they created about how Elon Musk first posted. And then the podcast Bring it and then Fox brings it. Let me show you this video of Caroline Levitt, the short clip from her last night on Fox where she lied about tens of millions of deceased people getting Social Security. This was quickly debunked, but now all, you know, tens of millions of Americans now believe this the same way they believe they were condoms going to Hamas in Gaza.

Unknown Speaker (6:58)

Here, play this clip he is now delivering on it. And I've been fighting fake news reporters all day long here in the Washington, D.C. swamp who are trying to fear monger the American people into believing that this administration is going after their hard earned tax dollars and their hard earned Social Security checks. So I want to set the record straight on your show tonight, Sean, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to do so. President Trump has directed Elon Musk and the Doge team to identify fraud at the Social Security Administration. They haven't dug into the books yet, but they suspect that there are tens of millions of deceased people who are receiving fraudulent Social Security payments.

Ben (7:40)

Jim, what do you make of Caroline.

Jim Acosta (7:41)

Levitt, you know, she. It's hard to see somebody out Spicer, Sean Spicer, or out Huckabee, Sarah Huckabee, Sanders. But Caroline Levitt, she is. She's making a run for it. You know, she just might get on Trump's all star team of liars. You know, she might be on the bench right now, but if she keeps working hard, she does her homework, she just might make it onto the team. It's a sad and sorry state of affairs, but what we're seeing right now from this White House is exactly what we saw during the first Trump administration. They perform for the audience of one. Ben. Sean Spicer did this. And as I used to say about Sean Spicer, the problem for Sean Spicer was not that Melissa McCarthy became Sean Spicer, it was that Sean Spicer became Melissa McCarthy and that caricature that we used to all laugh about on Saturday Night Live and Caroline Levitt, unless they've already done it on snl, I would have to think that something like that is in the works because the skit writes itself. They're such bad liars. I mean, it's sort of like anybody has kids out there, when your kid is telling you a tall tale and you're just looking at them like, okay, Johnny, sure, yeah, I believe you. And you just walk away saying, what the hell? That kid's not telling me the truth. That's what's going on over at the White House right now. But make no mistake, they are performing for an audience of one. And so if she gets out in front of the cameras and starts telling the truth, Donald Trump, who was addicted to being on tv, hearing about himself on tv, reading about himself online, he's probably watching these briefings and thinking to himself, well, wait a minute, they can't go out there and tell the truth. They have to tell it the way I tell it, which is, you know, all lies. And, you know, we're right back where we were in that first Trump White House, Ben. It is a very sad and sorry state of affairs. And I feel. I feel very sorry for the fact checkers out there, because once again, they're working in overdrive, you know.

Ben (9:43)

And finally, let's talk about the promises that have already been broken. Donald Trump said that he was going to lower prices on day one. He said there was going to be all these jobs right away. We weren't going to know what to do with all of these jobs. He said that there would be peace in Ukraine in 24 hours. Instead, Trump sends Marco Rubio to meet with Sergey Lavrov in Saudi Arabia and tries to cut out Europe and Ukraine from that conversation. Nothing really came out of it other than some great photo ops for Russian propaganda. And what's Donald Trump been doing? He's been like driving around in a NASCAR racetrack and circles for photo ops and going to the super bowl, costing taxpayers millions of dollars. You think people are starting to get fed up across the country? And do you think that sentiment's growing?

Jim Acosta (10:35)

Yeah. I mean, take any poll that comes out right now that shows, you know, Trump's doing this well with voters or that well with Republicans or this well with. And throw all that out the window. It's going to take some time for people to absorb what's taking place right now. You're absolutely right, Ben. When Trump was out there on the campaign trailer, he said on day one, I'm going to start lowering prices in this country. That hasn't happened, he said, on day one. And perhaps even getting into the Oval Office, he said he's going to solve the war in Ukraine. Hasn't happened yet. And what is he doing? He's going to the Super Bowl. He's going to the Daytona 500. You know, it's like he's on the StubHub rapid rewards program. You know, I was talking about this on my show on Substack yesterday, Ben. The question I was asking was, you know, hasn't he gotten over the cool and fun part of being President of the United States? He had four years to do that. This is like that movie Dave, if anybody remembers the movie Dave, where Kevin Klein suddenly becomes President of the United States and he goes out and has a ball being president. You know, he's got the giant robotic arms at the one factory photo op and so. And he has a great time. But that's when you're Donald Trump and you're facing an inflation problem in this country that's very stubborn. When you've got a war in Ukraine that needs to be solved, you can't be out there doing laps at the Daytona 500. You need to be working in overdrive for the American people. And he's just not gonna do that. He is essentially a part time president who has delegated the presidency to Elon Musk. And the question that folks are gonna have to start asking, and I think they're already starting to ask, is, what the hell did we vote for here? People did not vote for Donald Trump to act like Kevin Klein in the movie, Dave, and just go have a good time being president. Of the United States. He was elected to solve people's problems. He's just not doing that right now. Not even close.

Ben (12:20)

Jim, where can people find your reporting right now where you based? I know, I've been following your substacks have been incredible. Let let all the people know out there.

Jim Acosta (12:29)

Yeah, Ben, really building the plane mid flight right now on substack. Really enjoying that experience. Loving being an independent media, being an independent journalist. So if folks want to watch the show on substack, we're airing pretty typically at 4 o'clock every day eastern. But some of that slides back and forth depending on, you know, things that I'm up to. Also writing some articles on substack. Folks can find it there and then the shows can be found also on Apple podcasts and on YouTube. So I've got some other things in the works as well that I'll maybe put that tease out there. But there's more to come so folks stay tuned for that. Not to sound like a TV guy, but more coming.

Ben (13:13)

Well, one of the number one I requests requests I always get is to bring you on here the Midas Touch network. And so I know all the Midas mighty will be happy to see you here. Jim Acosta, thanks for joining us and everybody check out his substack.

Jim Acosta (13:25)

You bet. Great to see you Ben. Love the Midas touch. You guys keep doing what you're doing. You're doing great.

Ben (13:29)

Thanks Jim. Everybody hit subscribe. Let's get to 5 million subscribers. Let's get to 5.

Jim Acosta (13:35)

Let's do it.

Ben (13:35)

Can't get enough Midas. Check out the Midas plus substack for ad free articles, reports, podcast daily recaps from Ron Filipkowski and more. Sign up for free now@midasplus.com.

Unknown Advertiser (13:56)

Marketing is hard, but I'll tell you a little secret. It doesn't have to be. Let me point something out. You're listening to a podcast right now and it's great. You love the host, you seek it out and download it. You listen to it while driving, working out, cooking, even going to the bathroom. Podcasts are a pretty close companion. And this is a podcast ad. Did I get your attention? You can reach great listeners like yourself with podcast advertising from Libsyn Ads. Choose from hundreds of top podcasts offering host endorsements or or run a pre produced ad like this one across thousands of shows. To reach your target audience in their favorite podcasts with Libsyn Ads, go to Libsyn ads.com that's L, I B S Y N ads.com today.