Fox News Loses It After Trump Oval Office Meltdown

Summary

The MeidasTouch Podcast Summary: "Fox News Loses It After Trump Oval Office Meltdown"

Episode Overview

In this compelling episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast, hosts Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas delve into the former President Donald Trump's controversial Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The episode critically examines Fox News' reaction to the fallout of this encounter, highlighting the network's response and the broader implications for American democracy and international relations.

Key Discussions

1. Trump and Zelensky's Oval Office Encounter

   The episode opens with Ben Miceli expressing strong criticism of Fox News, comparing its operations unfavorably to state-run media in Russia and North Korea. He remarks, "Fox is more shameless than Russia state regime media. Fox is more shameless than North Korea state regime media" (00:00). Ben argues that Fox News unfairly vilified Zelensky after the meeting, portraying the Ukrainian president as antagonistic while defending Trump's actions.

2. Fox News' Portrayal of Zelensky

   Ben highlights specific instances where Fox News hosts, including Laura Ingraham and Jesse Watters, criticized Zelensky's demeanor and professionalism during the meeting. For example, Laura Ingraham is quoted saying, "Zelinsky was like an annoying nat. He never shut up in camouflage" (01:09). Jesse Watters further comments, "We run the world. This is America's world, he's our proxy. This world, this ends when we say it ends" (01:24), underscoring the network's stance that America has ultimate control over international affairs.

3. Critique of Fox Hosts and MAGA Republicans

   The hosts condemn the behavior of Fox News personalities and certain MAGA Republicans for their alignment with Russian propaganda tactics. Ben states, "These people are cartoonishly evil and pathetic and dumb" (01:51), emphasizing the destructive impact of their narratives on public perception and democracy.

4. Caroline Levitt's Analysis

   Caroline Levitt, who appears on the show, provides insight into the consequences of Fox News' coverage. She asserts, "This was a defining day... the truth of the matter is we're Americans, that's our president" (05:45). Levitt argues that Zelensky's respectful approach was undermined by Fox's selective portrayal, which ultimately harms both Ukraine and America's strategic interests.

5. Senator Lindsey Graham's Commentary

   Lindsey Graham is featured multiple times in the episode, critiquing Zelensky's conduct and supporting Trump's handling of the situation. At 13:03, Graham praises Trump, stating, "President Trump handled it in a fashion that if I'm China, I'm Iran, I'm any would-be adversary I'd be worried about right now. He gave a master class and how to stand up for America." He further contends that Zelensky's actions have damaged the U.S.-Ukraine relationship beyond repair.

6. Volodymyr Zelensky's Stance

   The podcast references Zelensky's own words from the meeting, where he emphasizes gratitude towards the American people and rejects the notion that Ukraine is to blame for Russian aggression. At 11:20, Zelensky remarks, "I respect President and I respect American people... We are Americans, that's our president, and no foreign leader comes into the Oval Office and disrespects us that way."

7. Impact on U.S. Democracy and International Relations

   The hosts argue that Fox News' biased coverage and the behavior of certain political figures reflect a troubling trend towards authoritarianism and undermine democratic values. Ben declares, "We're watching the most pathetic Putin pawns in the White House behave in a way that brings shame on the U.S." (16:36), calling for vigilance in defending democracy against such influences.

Notable Quotes

• Ben Miceli (00:00):

  "Fox is more shameless than Russia state regime media. Fox is more shameless than North Korea state regime media."

• Laura Ingraham (01:09):

  "Zelinsky was like an annoying nat. He never shut up in camouflage."

• Jesse Watters (01:24):

  "We run the world. This is America's world, he's our proxy. This world, this ends when we say it ends."

• Caroline Levitt (05:45):

  "The truth of the matter is we're Americans, that's our president, and no foreign leader comes into the Oval Office and disrespects us that way."

• Lindsey Graham (13:03):

  "President Trump handled it in a fashion that if I'm China, I'm Iran, I'm any would-be adversary I'd be worried about right now."

• Volodymyr Zelensky (11:20):

  "I respect President and I respect American people... We are Americans, that's our president, and no foreign leader comes into the Oval Office and disrespects us that way."

Conclusions and Insights

The Meiselas brothers assert that Fox News' handling of the Trump-Zelensky meeting exemplifies a dangerous departure from journalistic integrity, aligning more with authoritarian propaganda than democratic discourse. They argue that this behavior not only distorts public perception but also jeopardizes international alliances and the effectiveness of U.S. foreign policy.

Furthermore, the episode underscores the importance of holding media outlets accountable for their influence on democratic processes and the necessity for unbiased reporting in maintaining the integrity of political institutions. The brothers emphasize their commitment to supporting democracy and combating misinformation, positioning The MeidasTouch Podcast as a crucial platform for truth and democratic values.

Final Thoughts

In "Fox News Loses It After Trump Oval Office Meltdown," The MeidasTouch Podcast delivers a scathing critique of Fox News' response to a pivotal political event. Through incisive analysis and passionate discourse, the Meiselas brothers shed light on the intersection of media, politics, and democracy, urging listeners to remain vigilant and informed in the face of biased narratives and political maneuvering.

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Note: The timestamps in brackets (e.g., 00:00) refer to specific moments in the transcript where the quoted statements occur.

Transcript

[Ben Miceli]

I mean Fox is more shameless than Russia state regime media. Fox is more shameless than North Korea state regime media. I mean it, I mean Putin and Kim Jong Un must be like, hey Fox, can you maybe teach our state regime media what you're doing? Give us some tips. I mean after Donald Trump disgraced the United States, humiliated himself with that despicable appearance in the Oval Office where he and J.D. vance laundered Putin's talking points to attack Ukrainian President Zelensky, Zelensky in the Oval Office in front of the world media. Unfortunately, Zelinsky stood up to Donald Trump and pushed back and apparently that made Donald Trump have a boo boo that hurt Donald Trump's feelings. So Trump said peace talks are now off because Donald Trump's a petulant little third grade bully. No offense to petulant third grade bullies. So Fox, which calls itself Fox News, which it isn't, they had to cover for Donald Trump. They had to say Zelinsky was bad and Zelensky was rude and Dear Leader was so, so let me show you what went down. You had Laura Ingraham say the following. Let's play it.

[Laura Ingraham]

Zelinsky was like an annoying nat. He never shut up in camouflage.

[Ben Miceli]

But by about, I think she's describing herself and other Fox host there like Jesse Waters who then said the following.

[Jesse Watters]

We run the world. This is America's world, he's our proxy. This world, this ends when we say it ends. It doesn't end when Zelensky, if he wants to go it alone, go it alone. I'm glad we helped him. Russia invaded, we got his back. At first it was the right thing to do, but now it's not. Now the war's over and he doesn't recognize it's over. And reality is going to eat this guy alive if he doesn't recognize this.

[Ben Miceli]

What he goes, we run the world. This is America's world, he's our proxy. I mean these people are cartoonishly evil and pathetic and dumb. Like I can't even believe what I am watching. I mean I can I guess because it's Jesse Waters and Laura Ingram and Sean Hannity. But this is so utterly pathetic. So then you have Laura Ingraham brings on the propaganda, she calls herself a press secretary, Caroline Levitt and she goes, oh, Zelinsky was so rude. He was rude to Donald Trump and you can't be rude to Dear Leader. Here, play this clip.

[Jesse Watters]

So he was on the brink of signing an economic agreement that would have ensured economic prosperity for the Ukrainian people and recouped American tax dollars for funding this war. Instead, because of his rude and antagonistic ways, the deal blew up in his face.

[Ben Miceli]

She's the worst. Again, this is all so pathetic. And then they call on this guy who's like, when you're coming for a peace deal, put on a suit. Why wasn't Zelensky wearing a suit? Here, play this clip.

[Jesse Watters]

When you're coming in for a peace deal, put a suit on. He used to wear suits. A suit is not a costume. His war greens regalia, that's a costume. Like the one he wore on the COVID of Vogue in 2022. You get the feeling this whole thing.

[Lindsey Graham]

Is kind of dress up.

[Jesse Watters]

I mean, he's not exactly Winston Churchill.

[Laura Ingraham]

Yeah, well, I think when Churchill wanted America to get involved In World War II, can you imagine him coming over here and kind consulting, you know, fdr, just strafing the whole Oval Office. That probably wouldn't have. Elon Musk doesn't wear suits either, we should say, and also wears hats and T shirts in the Oval Office. But that's kind of his. He's not asking for money. He's volunteering. Yeah, and he's volunteering.

[Jesse Watters]

He's trying to give your money back, not take it. So, you know, you got to dress for the occasion. But, boy, that thing was like WWF Friday Night smack.

[Ben Miceli]

What are these people even talking about? I mean, y'all see the insanity here, that this is what Fox is doing it. You see the, you know, the sleight of hand. They're going to turn this against Zelinsky. But this seems like it was all kind of part of the plan to begin with, you know, try to provoke a fight and then be like, well, that's why, I guess we should let Putin do the genocide in Ukraine. Because Donald Trump got his feelings hurt. For what reason do. I mean, there's nothing that Zelensky did in the Oval Office that was wrong. I mean, Donald Trump and J.D. vance were behaving amateurish, pathetic, undignified. I mean, they were behaving just so ghoulishly. And all Zelensky was like, is, yeah, Putin's a bad guy, and stop blaming Ukraine for Russia invading it. I mean, and Zelensky said thank you over and over again. What did you expect him to do? I mean, but this brings you into the psychology of these spineless MAGA Republicans who literally behave the way like North Korean politicians behave to Kim Jong Un. I never thought this could happen in the United States of America. These spineless people here's Jesse Waters saying, oh, everyone should be friendly. And what Zelensky did was undignified. Here, play this clip.

[Jesse Watters]

Everyone seemed friendly, about to eat lunch, doing what they do. Then for some reason Zelinsky got an.

[Ben Miceli]

Attitude and they bring on these spineless MAGA Republican senators right here, like Senator Schmidt and Senator Schmidt basically, like, you do not disrespect. That was disrespectful. Here, play this clip.

[Laura Ingraham]

Embarrassed. Adam Kinzinger's embarrassed. Do they realize they're actually hurting their cause by appearing on television? I mean, it's making it harder to get to any type of, any positive outcome for Ukraine.

[Caroline Levitt]

Yeah, the America Last crowd has always got something to say, but I think today was telling. I think people should pay attention to the people who were defending Zelensky versus the people who were defending America. So it's a kind of a defining day. I think a fault line that had existed for a while is now out in the open. And it's very, as you said, it's very educational, it's very instructive. But the truth of the matter is we're Americans, that's our president, and no foreign leader comes into the Oval Office and disrespects us that way, especially when we're trying to help.

[Ben Miceli]

I mean, I mean, I think all of these people are just straight up crazy at this point. Like we were watching a bunch of like maniacs. I mean, here is Senator, Senator Schmidt again. Here's what he has to say. Play this clip.

[Caroline Levitt]

And they were very clear today. I just think, and I also have golfed with President Trump from time to time today. For Zelensky, this was a gimme, this was a one foot putt that he just blew past the hole with his arrogance and his smugness. It totally backfired. The biggest losers here are the Ukrainian because you have an American president, the only person on the planet, Laura, who can bring peace and he couldn't bring himself just to say thank you today, to say thank you and just listen as opposed to popping off. And then he got escorted out of the Oval Office and out of the White House. So this thing's really in jeopardy now. And I think that. But I'm glad the American people have a president and a vice president who are willing to stand up for them.

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[Ben Miceli]

Let's play it.

[Jesse Watters]

And so it's very unfortunate for the Ukrainian people and for President Zelensky that he walked in with this mindset of give, give, give from the without much gratitude for what the American people have done here. Caroline Levitt is again, his countrymen are dying. And most of all, President Zelensky failed to recognize that he is walking into the Oval Office with a new sheriff in town. And that sheriff is Donald Trump.

[Ben Miceli]

Then they bring in this guy, Scott Besant, their Treasury secretary, who's just like the most arrogant guy ever, too. And he was like, oh, you know the Democrats, just watch this. Let's play it.

[Adam Kinzinger]

But I have to tell you, Laura, today I was shocked that he would behave like this on camera in front of the world when we were. If he had issues he wanted to bring up with President Trump, the proper venue for that would have been 15 minutes later. We were going to walk into the White House dining room and have lunch, just 16 of us. And he could have, they have voiced his concerns privately. I actually think, you know, everyone'sthe Democratic side of the ledger is saying, oh, this was a setup. Vice President Vance and President Trump set up President Zelensky. I actually think he was always going to do this, and I think he was surprised with the forceful reaction he got back.

[Laura Ingraham]

Mr. Secretary, this was something to behold. People say, oh, well, Trump was the aggressor. I mean, Zelensky was coming to get help from the United States, continued help, and he disrespected his host. You just don't do that.

[Ben Miceli]

Back to Jesse Waters right here.

[Lindsey Graham]

No, no, you've done a lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble.

[Volodymyr Zelensky]

I know you're not winning.

[Lindsey Graham]

You're not winning this.

[Jesse Watters]

Don't tell the vice president. He's speaking too loudly. He can speak however he wants to in the White House. Have you ever seen a foreign leader come into America and talk this way?

[Ben Miceli]

And by the way, give President Zelinsky credit. He went on Fox and he defended himself, he defended his country and he said, there's nothing I need to apologize for. I'm very thankful for the American people. I've told Trump I was thankful for him before. I've told J.D. vance I'm thankful for him. I told former President Biden I'm thankful. I've said I'm thankful a hundred times. Just stop saying that Putin is a good guy and stop blaming Ukraine for Russians killing Ukrainians. That's all I'm saying. I, as a Ukrainian, I'm not going to accept that Russia is the good guy here. And that's all Zelinsky saying. So there's nothing I need to apologize for. Here, play this clip.

[Volodymyr Zelensky]

Fire. During all these years, 10 years.

[Jesse Watters]

So I'm not hearing from you, Mr.

[Ben Miceli]

President, a thought that you owe the President an apology?

[Volodymyr Zelensky]

No, I respect President and I respect American people. And if, I don't know if I think that we have to be very open and very honest, and I'm not sure that we did something bad. I think maybe sometimes some things we have to discuss out of media, with all respect to democracy and to a free media, but there are things where we have to understand the position of Ukraine and Ukrainian. And I think that is the most important thing.

[Ben Miceli]

And again, just the behavior, like, oh, Zelensky, you need to like Fox as the propaganda network. You want to say you're sorry? Do you want. It's like, what? There's nothing but I can say I'm sorry for. It's like insane. Here Zelenskyy is again. Let's play it. Do you think the public Spat in the Oval Office in front of the media, served Ukrainians well today.

[Volodymyr Zelensky]

I think this kind of, this kind of spat is. I mean, this we have. I mean, this is not good for both sides anyway. And I will, I very open, but I can't, you know, change our Ukrainian attitude to Russia. And I don't want their killers for us. You know, this is very, very clear that Americans are the best of our friends, Europeans are the best of our friends, and Putin with Russian, their enemies. And it doesn't mean that we don't want peace. We just want to recognize the reality, the real.

[Ben Miceli]

Then they bring in Lindsey Graham. Let me show you what Lindsey Graham has to say.

[Lindsey Graham]

President Trump handled it in a fashion that if I'm China, I'm Iran, I'm any would be adversary I'd be worried about right now. He gave a master class and how to stand up for America.

[Ben Miceli]

Okay, so what we saw, here's Lindsey Graham again.

[Laura Ingraham]

What do you want to see happen next?

[Lindsey Graham]

Well, I don't know what's going to happen next. I don't know if you can repair the damage. I don't know if you can ever do a deal with Zelinsky anymore. Listen, did you see a guy that you felt good about going into business with? And I've been a fan. I met him more times than I can count. But today showed just poor judgment, showed lack of control. Now, what I want him to do, I guess, is just to say I screwed up big time for my country and for the US Relationship, and if I had it all do over again, I'd done it differently. I'm sorry. If he can't say that, then Ukraine, you either need to send us somebody new we can deal with or just accept the consequences.

[Ben Miceli]

Senator, thanks for popping on another clip of Lindsey Graham.

[Lindsey Graham]

I told President Trump, I said, there's two ways to look at this. Your interaction with Zelensky was maybe the best television I've ever seen. But it's deeper than that. The world is now watching how Trump behaves and acts when he's pressed. I thought he stood up for America, that we're a good people, we want to help you, but we're going to be respected. So I think Moscow is probably more afraid of Trump than ever. Hope the Chinese are and I hope the Iranians are. As to Zelensky and Ukraine, to the Ukrainian people, America wants to help you. The way the meeting went today, you made it almost impossible to help you.

[Ben Miceli]

And again, they're like, I need you to apologize. Apologize right now. Here Play this clip.

[Lindsey Graham]

I just think there's no way the President could have signed that deal, given the way he and JD and our country were treated. I don't know if you can put. Put it back together. I don't know if you can repair the damage. And I busted my ass to try to help Ukraine, to make sure we help them win a war that would, you know, get this war over in a way that we don't have further aggression. And Donald Trump's the man to do it. I told him this morning, I told him, don't take the bait. Don't let the media or anybody else get you into a argument with President Trump. What he's doing today is resetting the relationship. You should be grateful. Now, whether or not we can put this back together, I don't know, but Zelensky is going to be on your network tonight. If I were him, I would profusely apologize to the way he treated our president and the Vice president and the Oval Office and show a little bit of gratitude for what the American people have done.

[Jesse Watters]

Senator, how does Moscow and Putin look at this?

[Ben Miceli]

No, I think Zelensky demonstrated strength. And even when Donald Trump was outside of the White House, they were like, what do you want him to do, Donald? Like, what do you want Zelensky to do? And Trump was like, say, stop saying negative things about Putin. Stop saying bad things about Putin. It's Putin this, Putin that. Yeah, because Putin unlawfully invaded Ukraine, you idiot. Here, play this clip.

[Lindsey Graham]

He's got to say, I want to make peace. He doesn't have to stand there and say about putting this. Putin that. All negative things. He's got to say, I want to make peace. I don't want to fight a war any longer. His people are dying. He doesn't have.

[Ben Miceli]

I'm telling you, this is the. Trump's corruption and his evilness is matched by his idiocracy. We're watching the most pathetic Putin pawns in the White House behave in. In a way that brings shame on the. It's. It's shameful as can be. And to the rest of the world, we're sorry for this. These freaking maniacs here. Until they rip this microphone from my very hand, we will stand with democracies across the world here in the United States and abroad at the Midas Touch Network. That's what we will do. Yes, we're run by a maniac authoritarian regime here now in the United States, but we will use this platform to continue to spread the truth. Thank you for watching Hit Subscribe let's get to 5 million subscribers. The truth is more important than ever. Check out our new Truth Over Lies collection at store Midas Touch.com All 100% USA Union made.