The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: Fox News Collapses on Air as Trump Wrecks Their Coverage
Date: October 23, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

Overview

This episode centers on the Meiselas Brothers’ critical and comedic analysis of recent Fox News coverage, particularly how the network is responding to controversial actions and narratives surrounding Donald Trump’s presidency. The brothers dissect Fox’s framing of economic issues, Trump’s unprecedented White House renovations, bizarre social media antics, and the current government shutdown. The episode’s tone blends outraged political commentary with their trademark sibling banter, relentless fact-checking, and pointed mockery of MAGA talking points.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fox News’ Dwindling Credibility Amid Trump’s White House Turmoil

• The episode opens with the hosts blasting Fox News for trivializing real economic hardship, as epitomized by reports on “Hamburger Helper” sales rising amid inflation.
  • Quote: “State regime media known as Fox News was collapsing live on air last night as Donald Trump is crashing everything in the United States and literally desecrating the White House with zero self awareness.” – Host, [00:00]
• They draw a direct line from economic woes back to Trump, disputing Fox’s normalization of the crises.

2. Normalization of White House Demolition

• Fox News attempts to equate Trump bulldozing the East Wing to past presidents' modest White House updates, like Obama repainting a tennis court for basketball.
  • Clip from Fox: “Never mind that Barack Obama built his basketball court. Richard Nixon rolled in a bowling alley... President Trump adds a taxpayer-free ballroom. And suddenly the left’s doing the meltdown mambo.” – Fox News Host, [01:08]
• The hosts emphasize the absurdity of this comparison, highlighting the unprecedented scale and private interests involved.

3. Trump’s Bizarre Social Media and Meme Culture

• Fox News figures defend Trump’s vulgar AI videos—depicting him defecating on protesters—by calling him a “meme lord.”
  • Quote: “Trump’s a meme lord. He’s strafing feces over everybody. And Democrats... were like, ‘We need to up our social media game.’” – Fox News Commentator, [02:12]
• The brothers express horror at the normalization of such behavior from a sitting president.

4. Fox News' Deflection and Outlandish Commentary

• The conversation turns to Fox’s coverage of JD Vance, mocking previous rumors about his personal life, which the brothers use to highlight Fox’s penchant for distractions and political character defense.
  • Quote: “They said he had sex with a couch... Not what happened, but they were really on this weird thing.” – Fox News Host, [03:13]
• The hosts argue that such segments are meant to deflect from real issues.

5. False Promises and Moving Economic Goalposts

• Treasury Secretary Scott Besant is criticized for repeatedly pushing back timelines for economic recovery.
  • Quote: “Didn’t Donald Trump say on day one groceries were going to be more affordable? ...Now you’re saying 2027.” – Host, [03:30]
• Fox commentators promise “great years” in 2026–27, which the hosts mock as evasive and misleading.

6. Jessica Tarlov as Fox News’ Lone Voice of Reason

• The hosts praise Tarlov for contextualizing Trump's actions amid the government shutdown and for calling out the administration on real problems impacting Americans, like ACA premium hikes, beef imports, and New Jersey’s political fallout.
  • Quote: “I am choosing to talk about the shutdown and what’s happening to our ranchers and our farmers... those are the stories of what is happening in America today. That is how Donald Trump's administration is hurting everyday Americans, most of whom voted for him.” – Jessica Tarlov, [06:27]

7. Militarization and MAGA Rhetoric on Civil Rights

• Senator Markwayne Mullin’s defense of deploying the National Guard is dissected and compared (inappropriately, the hosts argue) to historic civil rights interventions.
  • Quote: “There is a federal role and... we've seen it repeat in history before where National Guard has been used to protect federal agents and federal property in time of disturbance.” – Fox News Commentator, [08:03]

8. The Real Motives Behind the White House Ballroom

• The brothers dismantle claims that Trump’s White House demolition is comparable to minor upgrades by previous presidents, calling out lack of process and the potential for corporate quid pro quo.
  • Quote: “The only things that have happened is someone added a tennis court, somebody added a swimming pool... It wasn’t just a president behaving as a dictator, sending bulldozers... No, we know that the White House doesn’t get demolished in prior presidencies. Just stop the bullshit.” – Host, [10:37]

9. Republican Attacks on Healthcare

• Commentary by Tommy Tuberville, Claudia Tenney, and Rick Scott is criticized for attacking Obamacare and pushing for a return to pre-ACA policies, which the brothers assert would harm millions.
  • Quote: “Obamacare wrecked everything. No, it didn’t. Y’all wrecked everything.” – Host, [14:58]
• The episode underscores Fox’s refusal to engage in good-faith healthcare debate and the hypocrisy of figures like Rick Scott, linked to Medicare fraud.
  • Quote: “When they talk about waste, fraud and abuse, it’s you.” – Host on Rick Scott, [17:18]

10. Class Warfare and Economic Inequities

• The hosts call for taxing billionaires and highlight American workers’ suffering, contrasting the plight of ordinary citizens with the excesses of the ultra-wealthy.
  • Quote: “They need 11 private jets while you can’t afford your rent? Nah, F that.” – Host, [16:09]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [00:00] Host: “Fox News was collapsing live on air last night as Donald Trump is crashing everything in the United States and literally desecrating the White House with zero self awareness.”
• [01:08] Fox News Host: “Never mind that Barack Obama built his basketball court … President Trump adds a taxpayer-free ballroom. And suddenly the left’s doing the meltdown mambo.”
• [02:12] Fox News Commentator: “Trump’s a meme lord. He’s strafing feces over everybody.”
• [06:27] Jessica Tarlov: “Those are the stories of what is happening in America today. That is how Donald Trump's administration is hurting everyday Americans, most of whom voted for him.”
• [10:37] Host: “No, we know that the White House doesn’t get demolished in prior presidencies. Just stop the bullshit. Honestly, just stop it. Behave like grownups.”
• [14:58] Host: “Obamacare wrecked everything. No, it didn’t. Y’all wrecked everything.”
• [17:18] Host: “When they talk about waste, fraud and abuse, it’s you [Rick Scott].”

Relevant Timestamps

• 00:00–01:08: Fox covers Hamburger Helper and White House renovations; initial banter.
• 01:08–02:28: Fox defends Trump’s East Wing demolition; Trump’s online meme antics discussed.
• 03:00–03:30: Fox pivots to JD Vance rumors.
• 03:30–04:52: Treasury Secretary Besant’s shifting economic promises; refund claims.
• 05:38–07:17: Jessica Tarlov addresses real economic pain from shutdown, farming, and beef imports.
• 07:17–08:52: National Guard deployments equated to civil rights– era interventions.
• 10:37–12:21: Steve Scalise and others defend the ballroom's grandeur; hosts’ exasperation.
• 14:04–17:18: Critiques of GOP health care attacks— Tuberville, Tenney, Rick Scott.
• 17:18–18:22: Rick Scott’s Medicare fraud past surfaces in healthcare debate.

Tone and Style

Throughout, the hosts blend fiery criticism with sardonic humor, punctuating Fox News’s serious coverage with irreverent asides and relatable outrage. They feature liberal use of expletives and sarcasm, summarizing Fox talking points and then swiftly debunking them with facts, alternative perspectives, and direct audience engagement.

Conclusion

The MeidasTouch brothers use this episode to showcase the dissonance between Fox News’s pro-Trump messaging and the lived reality of Americans grappling with economic and political instability. They call out Republican hypocrisy, media normalization of the abnormal, and advocate for policies that directly tackle inequality— all while keeping listeners engaged through their distinctive, comedic approach.

Listeners leave with a clear sense of the hosts’ viewpoint: that Fox News is complicit in obfuscating the deepening crises under Trump, and that true accountability resides in daylighting hypocrisy, championing real solutions, and engaging the broader public in the fight for democracy.