The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: Fox News has Tables Turned as Dems Hijack Network…On Air!!!
Date: January 12, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

Episode Overview

This episode centers on a remarkable string of Democratic figures unapologetically “hijacking” Fox News—known by MeidasTouch as "state regime media"—to deliver blunt truths and counter MAGA narratives in real-time, much to the visible discomfort of the Fox hosts. The Meiselas brothers break down these on-air confrontations, dissect the authoritarian rhetoric surrounding recent ICE and law enforcement actions, and highlight the increasingly desperate propaganda efforts by Fox, including attacks on beloved children’s entertainer Ms. Rachel. The episode also critiques the Trump regime’s tactics, draws historical parallels with other authoritarian governments, and spotlights the resistance emerging both from elected officials and everyday Americans.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Democrats Push Back on Fox—Live, and Unfiltered

• Fox News “Hijacked”: Ben, Brett, and Jordy celebrate Democratic Congressman Alkin Kloss, Senator Mark Warner, and former AOC aide Corbin Trent for commandeering the Fox airwaves, refusing to play defense but instead going directly on offense with facts, empathy, and direct challenges to Fox's framing.
• Authoritarian Tactics Exposed: The hosts outline how the Trump regime and Fox deploy classic strongman tactics—painting immigrants and blue states as enemies, using “sex trafficking” rhetoric to justify militarized crackdowns, and flipping narratives on their heads.
• International Parallels: Ben analogizes what’s happening in Minnesota to Viktor Orban’s Hungary (03:00–04:30), noting how “authoritarian governments promise to crack down on evil, but are actually engaged in it or using it to justify violence and suppression.”

2. Notable On-Air Fox Confrontations

Rep. Alkin Kloss Schools Peter Doocy (04:52–06:45)

• Accountability for ICE: Kloss dismantles Fox’s law-and-order talking points, redirecting responsibility for a recent ICE-involved shooting squarely back on law enforcement:

  “You have a badge, you have a gun... You are accountable for everything that happens or fails to happen in that operation.... No US Citizen should be afraid of their own government. And that is what ICE has created.” (Rep. Kloss, 06:10)

• Victim Blaming Called Out: Kloss accuses Doocy (and Fox) of classic victim-blaming:

  “You’re victim blaming here.” (06:18)

• Refusal to Let Fox Control the Narrative: Clips highlight Kloss’s insistence that the onus must be on trained law enforcement, not civilians, in any deadly encounter.

Corbin Trent (Former AOC Communications Director) Strikes Back (07:52–08:41)

• MAGA “Protection” Absurdity: Trent lampoons MAGA proposals to grant absolute immunity for police shootings and draws on his Appalachian roots to reject the Fox framing:

  “I thought this guy was a hillbilly... and I can tell you, hillbilly values... are that the government ought not be able to have absolute immunity when they shoot you in the face. But maybe we came from a different Appalachia.” (08:26)

Sen. Mark Warner on Foreign Policy “Cowboyism” (08:48–12:41)

• Trump’s Military Adventurism: Warner lays out how Trump’s promised drawdown of foreign wars has instead turned into unrestrained, unilateral threats and bombing campaigns across an array of nations, including Mexico, Venezuela, and even NATO member Greenland:

  “Are we going to continue to strike out against any leader around the world that Donald Trump doesn’t like?... I just don’t understand what his policy is. And if the only check on the president... is his own morality, that’s not the way our system is supposed to work.” (Mark Warner, 09:39–10:03)

• Costs vs. Needs: The hosts emphasize the trade-off between endless military spending and domestic investments in health care, education, affordable housing (11:09–11:59).

3. Fox News’ Propaganda Pivot

Attacks on Ms. Rachel (14:52–16:00)

• Targeting Empathy and Inclusion: The brothers call out Fox’s bizarre fixation with attacking children’s entertainer Ms. Rachel, simply due to her association with inclusive, progressive figures and values.

  “Who doesn’t like Ms. Rachel? Who else don’t you like, Barney?” (Commentator, 14:56) “With this Ms. Rachel person, it just immediately creeps me out when you have adults that dress like children and behave that way. If you’re a parent... maybe second guess it for reasons of being creepy and also some of her political leanings a little problematic.” (Tommy Lahren, 15:45)

Kristi Noem and Tom Homan Justify Militarized ICE Actions (17:15–22:54)

• “Saving Children” as a Pretext: Governor Kristi Noem and former ICE Director Tom Homan deploy lurid rhetoric about “sex trafficking” to justify mass ICE presence and intimidation tactics in Minnesota—ignoring “the real aim is to terrorize blue communities,” the hosts note.

  “We brought dozens and dozens of those individuals to justice already... Every day we get another individual that was [involved in] sexual assault against a child... I can’t believe that the mayor and the governor can defend allowing those people to go out there and victimize more...” (Noem, 18:24)

• Direct Threats to Dissent: Homan ominously warns that unless “hateful rhetoric” (i.e., criticism of ICE and the Trump regime) decreases, “there will be more bloodshed.”

  “I said way back in March, if the hateful rhetoric doesn’t decrease, there will be bloodshed. Unfortunately, I was right. And it’s not over. There will be more bloodshed unless we decrease the hateful rhetoric.” (Homan, 22:36)

4. The Authoritarian Playbook—As Exposed By MeidasTouch

• Boogeymen and Distractions: The hosts explore how Fox, Trump, and their allies cycle through scapegoats—from the Somali community in Minnesota (current) to previous demonization of Haitians.
• Weaponizing Law Enforcement: The brothers highlight the dangerous pattern of using “protecting children” as a pretext for broad, authoritarian crackdowns not rooted in genuine public safety concerns.
• Citizen Resistance: Local networks now track ICE raids, enable remote schooling, and protest, drawing the ire and threats of authorities, but also hope and resilience.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Context | |:-------------:|:-------------------|:------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 06:10 | Rep. Kloss | “You have a badge, you have a gun... You are accountable for everything that happens or fails to happen in that operation.... No US Citizen should be afraid of their own government. And that is what ICE has created.” | | 08:26 | Corbin Trent | “I thought this guy was a hillbilly... and I can tell you, hillbilly values... are that the government ought not be able to have absolute immunity when they shoot you in the face. But maybe we came from a different Appalachia.” | | 09:39–10:03 | Sen. Warner | “Are we going to continue to strike out against any leader around the world that Donald Trump doesn’t like?... I just don’t understand what his policy is. And if the only check on the president... is his own morality, that’s not the way our system is supposed to work.” | | 15:45 | Tommy Lahren | “With this Ms. Rachel person, it just immediately creeps me out when you have adults that dress like children and behave that way. If you’re a parent... maybe second guess it for reasons of being creepy and also some of her political leanings a little problematic.” | | 18:24 | Kristi Noem | “We brought dozens and dozens of those individuals to justice already... Every day we get another individual that was sexual assault against a child... I can’t believe that the mayor and the governor can defend allowing those people to go out there and victimize more...” | | 22:36 | Tom Homan | “I said way back in March, if the hateful rhetoric doesn’t decrease, there will be bloodshed. Unfortunately, I was right. And it’s not over. There will be more bloodshed unless we decrease the hateful rhetoric.” | | 14:56 | MeidasTouch host | “Who doesn’t like Ms. Rachel? Who else don’t you like, Barney?” |

Important Timestamps & Segments

• [03:00–04:30]: Authoritarian tactics and Hungary–U.S. parallels
• [04:52–06:45]: Rep. Alkin Kloss dismantles Fox ICE shooting narrative
• [07:52–08:41]: Corbin Trent on government accountability and MAGA hypocrisy
• [08:48–12:41]: Sen. Mark Warner critiques Trump’s foreign policy and military overreach
• [14:52–16:00]: Fox News & Tommy Lahren attack Ms. Rachel
• [17:15–18:45]: Kristi Noem uses “sex trafficking” to justify ICE actions
• [22:08–22:54]: Tom Homan’s warning of “more bloodshed” if dissent continues

Tone and Style

The Meiselas brothers maintain their signature blend of sharp political analysis, unapologetic pro-democracy stance, and biting humor, punctuated by moments of outrage and empathy for the most vulnerable. The language remains direct, irreverent, and intensely critical of authoritarian tactics.

Takeaways

• Democrats are no longer playing defense on Fox—they’re taking over the narrative, challenging propaganda in real-time, and refusing to yield ground.
• The Trump/Fox alliance is increasingly relying on fear, scapegoating, and “authoritarian-in-disguise” tactics, targeting immigrants and political opponents under the guise of public safety.
• Ordinary citizens, progressive lawmakers, and even children’s entertainers now find themselves at the center of nationwide ideological battles—but resistance is growing, and the MeidasTouch podcast continues to amplify their voices.

For full context and all the knockout on-air moments, listen to the full episode on the MeidasTouch Network.