Fox News Crashes on air after Trump’s Terrible Address

Summary

The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode Title: Fox News Crashes on Air After Trump’s Terrible Address
Date: December 18, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

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Overview

In this episode, the Meiselas brothers dissect Fox News’ frantic and, at times, surreal coverage following Donald Trump’s widely-panned national address. The discussion skewers Fox’s attempts at damage control, highlights the network’s propagandistic tendencies, and takes a broader look at disinformation in right-wing media. Along the way, they tackle issues ranging from the MAGA ecosystem’s accountability gap to Fox’s scapegoating after a tragic school shooting in Providence, Rhode Island.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fox News Meltdown After Trump’s Speech

• Introduction to Fox’s Reaction (01:00)

  • Ben sets the stage by describing Fox News as “state regime media” having “a nervous breakdown on live TV, collapsing on air after Donald Trump’s disastrous speech.”
  • He frames Fox’s praise for Trump’s address as sycophantic and disconnected from bipartisan criticism elsewhere.

• Fox Personalities Praise Trump in Surreal Terms

  • Various Fox hosts and guests attempt to paint Trump’s speech as “incredible,” “disciplined,” and “worthy of Ronald Reagan,” despite widespread negative reactions.

  • Notable Quotes:

    • “[Trump’s] was one of the most powerful and just engaging speeches that he’s given in a very long time.” – Fox Guest Lee (02:16)
    • “If I were a Democrat, tonight would leave me very unnerved.” – Newt Gingrich (04:01)
    • “To watch President Trump give a 19 minute disciplined speech…was worthy of Ronald Reagan.” – Newt Gingrich (05:12)

  • The brothers contrast Fox’s assessment with reality, noting that Trump’s approval is “the worst in presidential history” (04:13).

• Hosts’ Reaction

  • Ben: “It seemed like Adderall-ridden, cognitively declining bizarro world. But this is what they say on state regime media. It’s a cult, y’all.” (02:47)
  • The brothers repeatedly underline the performative praise as both laughable and dangerous.

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2. Dan Bongino’s Resignation and Conspiracy Theories

• Discussion of Dan Bongino Leaving the FBI (06:14)
  • Laura Ingraham suggests Bongino left to "return to his lucrative media life," just before Epstein files are to be released, prompting widespread speculation about the timing and Trump’s potential interference.
  • The hosts imply there may be more to the story, especially given the proximity of the Epstein Transparency Act’s impact.

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3. Jim Jordan, Jack Smith, and GOP Secrecy

• Jordan’s Comments on Special Counsel Testimony (08:12)

  • Jim Jordan points out Jack Smith “did not take the fifth like his deputies did,” but dodges substantive discussion, revealing a defensive posture after long public attacks on Smith and his investigation into Trump.
  • The brothers lampoon Jordan’s reticence:

    “Jack Smith was like, can I testify publicly? …and then Jim Jordan, tough guy Jim Jordan’s like, no, we’ve got to do it in private.” – Ben (09:04)

• Media Distraction Tactics

  • As scrutiny grows, Fox shifts toward distraction—interviewing Kayleigh McEnany about dating apps amid major national developments (10:24).

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4. Providence School Shooting and Fox News Scapegoating

• Fox Blames Local Authorities After FBI Fumble (10:37 – 14:37)

  • In the fallout from a tragic school shooting in Providence, the FBI’s missteps in identifying the suspect provide Fox with new targets: the city, the mayor, and the university.
  • Jesse Waters goes on the attack, casting suspicion on local officials and making insinuations about Mayor Smiley’s participation in LGBTQ+ events, as if it were relevant to the tragedy.
    • “I don’t trust this guy Smiley. He seems to be covering something up. The entire leadership team is a joke.” – Jesse Waters (12:36)
    • “Smiley wasn’t tired when he was marching for gay pride or fighting Trump.” – Jesse Waters (14:23)

• Hosts Condemn Fox’s Culture War Distractions

  • Ben points out the real issues Americans face: affordability, health care, and insecurity, criticizing Fox for prioritizing “attacking gay rights” over substantive solutions.

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5. Fox’s Reluctant Acknowledgment of Economic Issues Under Trump

• Discussion of Job Losses and Economy (14:56)
  • For a moment, Fox admits more job losses under Trump than Biden, with increasing unemployment. The network, however, tries to spin the numbers and distract from broader context.
    • “Industries that are creating jobs like health care are actually creating lower paying jobs…so I think there’s a lot of cracks in the labor market.” – Fox News Host 2 (14:56)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ben Meiselas (on Fox’s loyalty to Trump):

  “These people are more pathetic than the propagandists from North Korea or Russia or wherever else they do state regime propaganda.” (01:00)

• On Fox’s denial of reality:

  “Donald Trump’s approval right now is like, the worst in presidential history…But there’s still lots of people who look at that and like, oh, that makes sense to me.” – Ben (04:13)

• On Fox turning culture war into distraction:

  “Everything has to be revolving around attacking like gay people or trans people or immigrants. It’s just so pathetic. Grow the hell up, will you, and deal with the problems the American people are actually grappling with right now.” – Ben (13:24)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Fox News meltdown post-Trump speech — (01:00 – 06:14)
• Dan Bongino’s resignation and media spin — (06:14 – 07:11)
• Jim Jordan on Jack Smith’s testimony — (08:12 – 09:04)
• Fox’s school shooting scapegoating (Providence) — (10:37 – 14:37)
• Labor market and job losses under Trump — (14:56 – 15:28)

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Conclusion

This episode serves as a blistering takedown of Fox News’ post-Trump address coverage, exposing the performative nature of its praise and the relentless pursuit of distractions and scapegoats in the face of uncomfortable truths. The Meiselas brothers blend humor, sharp critique, and a call to action for pro-democracy engagement, making the case for reality-based, accountable media—while unmasking the disinformation tactics at play in the current media landscape.

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For full context and more unfiltered banter, tune in to The MeidasTouch Podcast. Don’t forget to “join the Meidas Mighty” by subscribing and supporting pro-democracy voices!

Transcript

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[Ben Bretton Jordi]

State regime media, which calls itself Fox News, was having a nervous breakdown on live tv, collapsing on air after Donald Trump's disastrous speech, which was criticized by both the left and the right and the center, a bipartisan reaction to Donald Trump's terrible speech, but not on state regime media where they said, wow, what a difference. This is an incredible speech. I want you to watch as these sycophants, as these people who are more pathetic than the propagandists from North Korea or Russia or wherever else they do state regime propaganda. Baghdad Bob from back in the day. Watch what they do.

[Jesse Waters]

First.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

I'll show you Hannity and this other guy. Watch this right here. Here, play this clip.

[Fox News Host 1]

Wow, what a difference a year makes. Mr. Travis, I got to tell you, I don't think Joe Biden would be capable of that speech. Your thoughts?

[Fox News Host 2]

Well, it was after his bedtime, so.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

100% he wouldn't have been capable of this speech. Then next they bring on this guest Lee and here's what she has, here's what she has to say. Let's play this clip.

[Fox News Guest Lee]

I think we all know to be true, that if Donald Trump spent that entire address to the nation listing out all the childhood cancer that he's cured or anything of the sort, anything that's good and kind, the Democrats would still find a way to attack him and make him sound like a crazy man. I just watched that speech. Donald Trump was so kind, he was so calm. I think that was one of the most powerful and just engaging speeches that he's given in a very long time. And he wasn't trying to shout his accomplishment at Americans. He was trying to remind Americans about the truth of the economy. Because we've seen a concerted effort by the mainstream media to lie.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

Oh, and then you have Lindsey Graham saying, Mr. President, you didn't just say the best is yet to come. What we saw there was one of the most incredible speeches. It was like the, like, literally the worst, weirdest. It seemed like Adderall ridden, cognitively declining bizarro world. But this is what they say on state regime media. It's a cult, y'.

[Newt Gingrich]

All.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

Here, play this clip.

[Fox News Host 1]

So the trend lines are real. Mr. President, you just did not say the best is yet to come. You prove to the American people that when it comes to their prosperity and security, by this time next year, you'll see a major difference when these tax.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

Cuts, then they bring on Newt Gingrich, get his perspective of things, and he's like, what this speech showed was discipline. He was prepared. He was organized. If I were a Democrat, I'd be very nervous. I'd be very nervous right now. By the way, I'll play the clip in a second. But this is why you can't speak logically to these people. Seriously. I mean, these people have bad intentions. They are delusional, they are filled with hate, and they say things like this. Here, play this clip.

[Newt Gingrich]

And I believe President Trump showed tonight that he's prepared to focus, to be disciplined, to communicate, and if I were a Democrat, tonight would leave me very unnerved.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

I. I'm laughing, but it is. It is deeply serious because they're out there trying to push this message on some people who still buy it. I mean, Donald Trump's approval right now is like, the worst in presidential history. He's underwater in every single category. But there's still lots of people who look at that and like, oh, that makes sense to me, which is so. Which is so freaking odd to me. But in any event, the majority of Americans are waking up. The majority of Americans have already woken up. And let me this next clip right here of Gingrich before doing so. Just a reminder, please hit subscribe to the Midas Touch YouTube channel. As you know, state regime media, which calls itself Fox, is constantly attacking us. They show our clips as well, and they attack us. So let's just stand up to him, please, and make sure you're subscribed. We got to keep being bigger and getting more views and engagement than them. Newt Gingrich over here says that was 19 minutes of discipline. Here, play this clip.

[Newt Gingrich]

I see so many good things. But I'll tell you, we've known each other a long time. To watch President trump give a 19 minute disciplined speech that covered that many facts was worthy of Ronald Reagan. That was a good speech. It was an important speech. Someday people will say it was one of the most important speeches of his career because it set the table for the entire debate over the next year and laid out what Biden did to make the country a disaster. What Trump has already done and where we are going in general and why that's the right direction. I think it's a very, very important speech.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

More for Gingrich right here. Let's play it.

[Fox News Host 1]

I'll tell you, I would not want to be in the position of the shoes of Democrats. They have to hope that the president's policies fail, that the economy doesn't recover, that somehow, you know, his border policies and his peace policies are not successful. I don't think that's a good position to be in.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

Okay. And then moving topics. You have Laura Ingraham try to justify why the Deputy FBI Director, Dan Bongino announced that he's quitting the FBI after being the deputy FBI director. Why he's quitting 24 to 48 hours before the Epstein files are set to be released based on the Epstein Transparency act that was signed into law, where we know Donald Trump's going to obstruct. And here's what Laura Ingram says about why Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino is leaving. Here, play this clip.

[Laura Ingraham]

And the first big departure from the administration was announced late today. After only nine months on the job, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is still stepping aside. Now, this is not surprising. He loved his lucrative media life and he wants to get back to it. But first, clueless in Providence.

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[Ben Bretton Jordi]

And then you've got Jim Jordan who is asked about Special Counsel Jack Smith's testimony. And notice that Jim Jordan right here, he doesn't have a lot to say other than that Jack Smith did not invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination. Let me play you this clip and let me tell you what went down here.

[Jim Jordan / Ryan Reynolds]

Play this clipman. So I can't get into the details of Mr. Smith's testimony, but I will tell you he did not take the fifth like his deputies did. We have deposed three of his deputies. They took the fifth. A couple of them took the fifth multiple times. 70 and 71 times, respectively. One of them we referred to the Justice Department because we believe he was truly obstructing our investigation. We don't do many of these referrals. The facts have to be there. And we did for Mr. Windham, one of his deputies. So I think we got some important information today, right?

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

Do you notice that after Jim Jordan was out there attacking Jack Smith every single day on state, regime media and all the other regime media outlets, by the way, Jack Smith was like, can I testify publicly? I would like to testify publicly in the House and the Senate. Let's do it before all of the American people. I want to do this in public. And then Jim Jordan, tough guy Jim Jordan's like, no, we've got to do it in private. And from all we've heard, we did a video about it earlier. Jack Smith just utterly exposed Donald Trump's crimes, the theft of these classified documents, the crimes related to the January 6th insurrection. But this is precisely why MAGA wanted to keep it secret, right? Like, oh, we, we don't talk about that. We don't talk about that anymore. They are so pathetic. If you're a tough Jim Jordan, if you're a tough guy, James Comer, if you're a tough guy, Magaz, Tough Gals magazine, why wouldn't you have Jack Smith just testify in public? If you claimed he lied, go after him. That's what Jack Smith said anyway. So now, now Fox has to distract. And so they have Kayleigh McEnany talking about the things that. I know it's on everybody's mind right now. Everybody's wondering, Kaylee, did you ever use a dating app? Here, play this clip, I think.

[Laura Ingraham]

Did you, did you ever online date one Time. And I met my husband on Twitter. Yeah, well, that's different than a dating app. But what do you. But I did do a dating app for a short period of time in New York City. It was a disaster. Nevertheless.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

And then just think about this with Providence reeling. Providence, Rhode island, reeling right now after a horrific school shooting where Donald Trump spread disinformation about the suspect being in custody. After the FBI, the now completely dysfunctional and broken FBI, where you have the deputy FBI director resigning, by the way, as well, while they were kicking through the snow and they were providing Mayor Smiley of Providence with incorrect data, incorrect videos, incorrect surveillance of the shooter, and they brought the wrong suspect into custody based on bad information from the FBI. So now state regime media has to attack. Yeah, Providence. Attack the city, attack the university, attack the mayor. So, Jesse Waters, I mean, who, who, who would have thought that there would be a world where a regime media exists that attacks the school and the mayor in the aftermath of a shooting that the FBI has botched and blames it and casts blame on the university and the mayor? Watch what Jesse Waters says here. Play this clip.

[Jesse Waters]

The FBI doesn't have jurisdiction over this case. When the locals ask for help, they'll help. But the locals are running this investigation.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

The FBI is. No jurisdiction. No jurisdiction. Then he goes, I don't just think about the lack of accountability. You're the FBI. If you claim you don't have jurisdiction, make jurisdiction. That's the thing with these weak, pathetic individuals. Right? It's like fema. Now we don't have jurisdiction. It's a state issue. You're fema. What do you think your job is? It's a lack of accountability, a lack of care, a lack of adulthood amongst these magus. Jesse Waters then says, I don't trust this guy Smiley one bit. Play this clip.

[Jesse Waters]

We still don't know anything about the suspect. They put out something yesterday asking eyewitnesses to contact them if they saw anything. Now, if you control a crime scene, you immediately bring in everybody that was in the auditorium and you ask them questions and interrogate them, and that's how you control the information. Brown had no control over this. The cameras, we still don't know anything. All the video we've seen so far have been from ring cameras from residential neighborhoods. I don't trust this guy Smiley. He seems to be covering something up. The entire leadership team is a joke. Hopefully the FBI can come in and make some, some real progress.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

They are gas. And then he attacks Mayor Smiley from walking in a gay parade. This Guy walked in a gay parade, okay? Every. Everything has to be revolving around attacking like gay people or trans people or immigrants. It's just so pathetic. Grow the hell up, will you, and deal with the problems the American people are actually grappling with right now. Affordability. Americans can't afford things. Americans can't afford rent. Americans are psychologically tortured, living paycheck to paycheck if they're lucky enough to get a paycheck. Right now you're ripping away health care from over 20 million Americans and you're doing attacking gay rights. What are you doing? Anyway, play this clip.

[Jesse Waters]

The best video we have of this guy is a ring camera shot where you can't see his face. But Mayor Smiley says he just wants to go to bed.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

Everyone you see behind us, we've all been working for now 49 hours.

[Jesse Waters]

We're tired. Tired. Two students are dead, nine in the hospital, and you have no clue what happened. Smiley wasn't tired when he was marching for gay pride or fighting Trump.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

I guess at least on this segment though of Fox, they do admit that at the end of the day, there's a lot of job losses under the Trump regime. In fact, 40, 54% more job losses this year than under former President Biden. Unemployment's ticked up to 4.6%. It's a disaster under the Trump regime. Here, play this clip of things.

[Fox News Host 2]

We had a government shutdown, we had the doge. So the numbers are distorted because of that. But at the end of the day, we need to create more jobs. And we're not. The industries that are creating jobs like health care are actually creating lower paying jobs because they, they can't sort of find doctors overnight, they can't find skilled nurses overnight. And they're sort of flooding the system with sort of lesser skilled helpers. And those are lower wages. So I think there's a lot of cracks in the labor market.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

There you have it, folks. Let me know what you think. Hit subscribe. Let's get to 6 million. Thanks for watching. Hey, Midas Mighty. It's Ben Bretton Jordi and we just want to thank you for being the backbone of this movement. This year tested us more than ever. But together we proved that pro democracy voices don't just compete. We win.

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We took on the entire magmachine, won a Webby for podcast of the year.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

The Midas Touch podcast.

[Podcast Host/Ad Reader]

And you were with us every step of the way.

[Ben Bretton Jordi]

And trust us, what we're working on next is bigger, bolder and built for 2026. Let's keep this momentum going. Spread the word. We are just getting started.

[Podcast Host/Ad Reader]

Shout out to the Midas Mighty Hey.

[Jim Jordan / Ryan Reynolds]

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[Jim Jordan / Ryan Reynolds]

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