Fox Viewers Freak Out Over Trump’s Early Disasters - The MeidasTouch Podcast

Summary

The MeidasTouch Podcast Episode Summary Episode Title: Fox Viewers Freak Out Over Trump’s Early Disasters
Release Date: February 24, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Podcast: The MeidasTouch Podcast

Introduction

In the February 24, 2025 episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast, the Meiselas brothers delve into the growing disillusionment among Fox News viewers regarding former President Donald Trump’s administration. Combining sharp political analysis with their signature humor and brotherly banter, Ben, Brett, and Jordy explore the multifaceted reasons behind the shift in Fox's audience sentiment, the impact of Trump's policies on the economy, and the broader implications for American democracy.

Fox Viewers Turning Against Trump

The episode opens with Ron Filipkowski discussing the recent downturn in the stock market, setting the stage for a deeper conversation about Trump’s perceived failures. Filipkowski states, “At some point, you can try to put lipstick on an orange turd, but the turd will always surface” (00:26), illustrating the inherent challenges of masking economic and political shortcomings.

The brothers highlight a significant trend: Fox viewers who were once staunch supporters of Trump are now expressing regret over their support. Brett points out, “We’re seeing comments that are overly complimentary to Trump and Elon Musk to the point of being cultishly bizarre… Now we’re seeing these comments saying, ‘I regret voting for him,’” (00:26). This marks a dramatic shift from unwavering loyalty to vocal criticism among the network’s audience.

Social Media Backlash and Public Sentiment

The discussion transitions to the role of social media in amplifying viewer dissatisfaction. Jordy notes, “Fox viewers are flooding the comment sections with negative feedback, describing Trump’s leadership as turning America into a ‘Muppet show’ and labeling it as ‘cringe’” (00:26). The brothers emphasize that this backlash is not only internal but also visible across various social media platforms, indicating a widespread erosion of support.

Notable comments from viewers include:

“You turned America into some Muppet show within days. So people are getting the bad economic data right now.”
“Elon Musk just caught on a hot mic calling Donald Trump a complete con artist… Our country is a joke with him as president and Trump as king” (00:26).

These sentiments underscore a growing frustration with the administration’s direction, particularly concerning economic policies and leadership style.

Economic Downturn and Inflation Concerns

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to analyzing the current economic hardships attributed to Trump’s policies. The brothers discuss rising inflation, increasing grocery prices, and a crashing stock market. Filipkowski remarks, “Inflation is surging, grocery prices rising higher than ever. Right now, the market is crashing” (00:26). This economic instability is presented as a direct consequence of Trump’s leadership, exacerbating public discontent.

Brett adds, “Inflation is growing. The Fed is not going to be cutting interest rates anytime soon,” (02:06), highlighting the long-term challenges the economy faces under current policies. The brothers argue that these economic issues are eroding consumer confidence, leading to reduced spending and increased financial insecurity among Americans.

Alleged Plans to Alter the Postal Service

The conversation takes a critical turn towards Trump’s proposed changes to the United States Postal Service (USPS). Filipkowski asserts, “Trump plans to fire the United States Postal Service governing board and merge the Postal Service into the Commerce Department” (02:06). He vehemently criticizes this move as unconstitutional and detrimental to a long-standing American institution.

Congressmember Dan Boyer is quoted, reinforcing the illegality of such actions: “The Constitution gives Congress power to establish the U.S. Postal Service… Its status as an independent agency was also established by Congress and law” (02:06). The brothers argue that undermining the USPS would disrupt decades of reliable mail service, affecting everything from essential medications to the efficacy of e-commerce.

Media Portrayal of Trump and Elon Musk

The hosts also examine Fox’s portrayal of Elon Musk, noting a shift towards idolizing Musk as a “meme” figure. Filipkowski highlights Fox’s promotional tactics, such as displaying graphics and videos that depict Musk humorously: “Elon Musk’s like, I’m a meme. Now I’m a meme” (02:06). This approach, according to the brothers, trivializes serious economic and political issues by juxtaposing them with internet meme culture.

Larry Kudlow’s interjections provide additional context, with him commenting on the surreal blending of internet culture and serious politics: “I am become meme… it’s like living the meme” (01:43). The brothers suggest that this strategy is an attempt by Fox to maintain viewer engagement amidst growing dissatisfaction with Trump’s administration, but it ultimately undermines the network’s credibility.

Political Implications and Future Projections

Looking ahead, the brothers speculate on the potential fallout from the current political climate. Filipkowski warns, “We are a joke… Our country is a joke with him as president and Trump as king” (02:06). They predict increasing polarization and potential power struggles between Trump and influential figures like Musk, citing their conflicting personalities and egos as potential flashpoints.

Furthermore, the discussion touches on the broader implications for democracy. Filipkowski emphasizes, “The MeidasTouch Podcast combines brotherly love, comedy, news coverage, and deep discussions about supporting our democracy,” reinforcing the podcast’s mission to advocate for democratic principles amidst rising authoritarian tendencies.

Conclusion and Final Remarks

In the episode’s closing segments, the brothers address recent statements from Democratic Congressmember Jamie Raskin, who questions Elon Musk’s leadership over Dogecoin. Raskin’s remarks are presented to highlight the absurdity and confusion surrounding public figures’ involvement in cryptocurrency: “The administration took the position… that Elon Musk is not the head of Doge… Who is Doge?” (12:45). Filipkowski uses this to underscore the chaotic state of political discourse and the blending of serious economic issues with internet phenomena.

The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to support democratic institutions and stay informed about the evolving political landscape. The Meiselas brothers reaffirm their commitment to providing insightful and honest analysis, encouraging their audience to engage critically with the news and support the podcast’s mission to defend democracy.

Notable Quotes from the Episode

Ron Filipkowski (00:26):
“At some point, you can try to put lipstick on an orange turd, but the turd will always surface.”
Ron Filipkowski (02:06):
“Inflation is surging, grocery prices rising higher than ever. Right now, the market is crashing.”
Brett Meiselas (02:06):
“Inflation is growing. The Fed is not going to be cutting interest rates anytime soon.”
Jamie Raskin (12:45):
“The administration took the position in court this week that Elon Musk is not the head of Doge and is not leading Doge. So who is leading Doge?”

Key Takeaways

Shift in Fox Viewership: A noticeable decline in support for Donald Trump among Fox News viewers, with increasing public criticism and regret expressed on social media.
Economic Concerns: Rising inflation, increasing grocery prices, and a crashing stock market are central to the public’s dissatisfaction with Trump's administration.
Postal Service Controversy: Trump’s proposed changes to the USPS are deemed unconstitutional and potentially harmful to essential services and the economy.
Media Strategies: Fox News’s portrayal of Elon Musk as a meme reflects an attempt to engage viewers amidst declining trust, though it may undermine serious discourse.
Democratic Vigilance: The episode underscores the importance of supporting democratic institutions and remaining vigilant against authoritarian shifts in leadership.

By dissecting these critical issues, The MeidasTouch Podcast provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the current political and economic landscape, emphasizing the need for informed and active participation in safeguarding democracy.

Transcript

Ron Filipkowski (0:00)

All right, so the markets look to close weekly. So the week to date numbers, everybody's in the red. Rough day today, but we'll be right back here on Monday to do it all again. That's it for us. Kudlow's next.

Larry Kudlow (0:18)

Hello, folks. Welcome to Kudlow. I'm Larry Kudlow.

Ron Filipkowski (0:21)

Stocks are swooning, and Charles Payne is.

Larry Kudlow (0:24)

Going to help us out in just a little bit.

Ron Filipkowski (0:26)

Tell. Tell us why all this is happening. At some point, you can try to put lipstick on an orange turd, but the turd will always surface. In this case, in this case right here, Fox viewers are learning that Donald Trump is, surprise, surprise, a complete con artist. And Fox viewers are turning against Donald Trump. We're seeing that on the various Fox posts throughout social media as Fox viewers are flooding the comment sections that are us just overly complimentary to Trump and Elon Musk to the point of being. Being cultishly bizarre. And now we're seeing these comments saying, ugh, I regret voting for him. This is so cringe, really. You turned America into some Muppet show within days. So people are getting the bad economic data right now. Inflation is surging, grocery prices rising higher than ever. Right now, the market is crashing, and Fox is trying their best promote Elon Musk. So they show this graphic right here and this video. Let me show it to you. That Elon Musk's like, I'm a meme. Now I'm a meme. And they posted this on their Instagram account. Play this clip.

Larry Kudlow (1:43)

I am become meme. Yeah, pretty much. I'm just. I'm living the meme. It's like there's living the dream and there's living the meme, and it's pretty much what's happening. You know, you like Doge started out as a meme. Think about it. Now it's real. Isn't that crazy?

Ron Filipkowski (2:06)

Okay, now they received, like, literally thousands of responses. And here's what some of the responses said turned a serious, respectable country into the Muppet show within days. I regret voting for Trump. Uh, this is way too cringe. Elon Musk just caught on a hot mic calling Donald Trump poor. Textbook definition of clowns. Effing cornball too drugged up to take his sunglasses off. Lmao. We are a joke. We are currently the laughing stock of the world. Some memes beyond embarrassing. Our country is a joke with him as president and Trump as king. What the f is he even laughing about? Bro is zooted on kettle dog thinks he funny guy at school and you as a quote, news Network think this is funny. And okay, sad. Lots of memes depicting Elon Musk as a clown. This is all pathetic. This was all a joke and I didn't think everyone would fall for it, but here we are. Is this a panel at Comic Con? It is officially 1984. Other comments? This guy is a James Bond villain. I guarantee he and Trump will turn on each other eventually. Two egos like this cannot occupy the same space. I hope you saw him showing off with a chainsaw to cut the federal government. No shame, no remorse for all these people now without jobs. Heartless. It was a joke to him. Remember, you may need these folks, especially the cancer and medical research one day. Because, of course, Trump and Doge are gutting cancer research and firing veterans and firing government workers at all levels and trying to get rid of Medicaid and trying to get rid of the Department of Education. A lot of bad indicators right now. And it is a I told you so F around. Find out. Leopards eating your face. It just is very unfortunate that these brainwashed people ended up dragging the rest of us with them into this fricking mess right now. So, sure, they're finding out, but y'all dragged us into this when we tried to tell you, yes, Project 2025 was real. Yes, they're doing these things. And you were like, no, he's not really gonna do him. No way. He just says that. He just. He's a great businessman. No, he, he isn't. He bankrupted most of his businesses in the past. Objectively, just look it up. He bankrupted most of his casinos and most of the companies he worked with went out of business. His current company, Trump Media, last year only did about three and a half, $3.6 million in revenue. Total total revenue was under $4 million on $400 million in losses. Like, how do you even do that? How do you lose 400? Earn in revenue. Not profit. Not net, net. Not EBITDA revenue. So Trump's Trump Media made less than, I don't know, your local McDonald's. Not the company. The one franchise. Your local coffee shop, your Boba Spot, a small mom and pop restaurant, does about that in revenue. Um, and probably earns a little bit of a profit, too. Not losing this money. Like, Trump's the worst businessman ever. And now he's doing it to our freaking economy. Inflation is growing. Fed is now not gonna be cutting interest rates anytime soon. Um, all of this while we learn that consumer sentiment's got like an all time low right now. And it's Crash. People aren't spending money cuz they're afraid of all of the chaos being caused by Donald Trump. Planes are like crashing every other day it seems. Uh oh, and here's the new news. Trump plans to fire the United States Postal Service governing board and he will merge the Postal Service into the Commerce Department. I mean you can't, how do you even do these things without legislation? I mean what the hell are these spineless Republicans doing now? He wants to, he wants to destroy our mail, our medication. Yeah, they want us to just suffer so that they can have everything, I guess and just make the people feel all of this pain for like no reason because they're freaking sick. You know what? It would disrupt 55 years of non political male service and threatens to upend trillions of dollars of E Commerce and the 250 year old US mail system. As Congressmember Dan Boyer says, the Constitution gives Congress power to establish the U.S. postal Service, which it did by law during the Washington administration. Its status as an independent agency was also established by Congress and law. The U.S. postal Service is wildly popular with the American people and its service is essential and irreplaceable. Nobody voted for this. It is brazenly illegal, unconstitutional and corrupt. We're seeing, as I said, inflation rise even New York Post a Murdoch property is telling Donald Trump, Donald, they have to, they have to treat him like a, like a fricking baby. Like a baby book. Remember the baby books like um, see spot run C spot run C spot jump. See spot sit. See spot eat. Rupert Murdoch knows Trump is such an idiot. He has to communicate to Trump with picture books, the COVID of the New York Post which is a Murdoch owned property. Because Murdoch seeing people turning against Trump, especially with his support of Putin as well. This is a dictator. Dear Donald, this is what it says, Trump, this is a dictator. And it's a photo of Putin and 10 other Ukraine war truths we ignore at our peril. Big bold letters. Cuz they know what an idiot Donald Trump is. Meanwhile, Trump is sending emails like this to his supporters. They want me to fire Elon Musk. They're the Democrats, they want me to do it. But Elon Musk is Dark Maga. So claim your doc. Dark MAGA hat. I'm being flooded with requests for Dark Maga hats because Elon Musk has gone dark maggot. The hell are we even talking about here? Gone Dark Maga? I mean these people like, like genuinely, I don't want to say insane because it gives them like oh, insanity defense. These people are psychotic though. This is at the conference where Trump speaking CPAC Trump is speaking at a conference whose attendees are promoting the third term project. So they went from project 2025 which they're implementing now they call it the third term project which calls to override the Constitution to let Trump hold on to power. And their signage, this is what the Trump supporters want depicts Trump as Julius Caesar who declared himself a dictator for life. Here was Trump on audio yesterday calling into Fox saying please don't blame me for the economy. Play this clip that when does it become your economy? When is it a Trump economy where we get to see if your plans are working well.