Podcast Summary: The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: Furious Canada Strikes Back at Trump Over War Crimes
Date: December 7, 2025
Hosts: Ben Meiselas, Brett Meiselas, Jordy Meiselas
Notable Guest: Charlie Angus (Midas Canada)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode centers on the growing outrage in Canada towards Donald Trump and his administration, specifically in response to alleged war crimes committed off the coast of Venezuela. The Meiselas brothers contextualize these events within the broader issue of international law, shifting global alliances, and the alarming normalization of cruelty and extrajudicial violence. The episode features a deep, emotional segment from Charlie Angus of Midas Canada, who draws historical parallels and issues a passionate call for accountability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Canadian Fury and Severed Ties

• Canada’s Changing View of the US:
  Canada, traditionally a close ally of the United States, is now publicly distancing itself, no longer considering America as a partner due to ongoing war crimes and the Trump administration’s actions.

  • Quote:
    “Canada has now moved on. They don't view the United States as an ally or a partner or a friend anymore, and for good reason.”
    (Political Commentator, [02:25])

• Comparison to World War II:
  Charlie Angus frames the current situation alongside the historical alliance during the World Wars, expressing shock that Canada now views the US as a “Nazi fascist regime.”

  • Quote:
    “…the perspective of Canada seeing the United States as this essentially Nazi fascist regime is something… Canadians never could fathom. But that's the reality right now and the dynamic that exists, unfortunately.”
    (Political Commentator, [02:54])

2. War Crimes: From Venezuela to Gaza

• Extrajudicial Killings by the US:
  The episode focuses on alleged extrajudicial murders by US forces, with Canadian outrage magnified by online bragging and dehumanizing social media content, notably a cartoon by Pete Hegseth.

  • Quote:
    “These extrajudicial killings are very serious. These are war crimes. They're crimes against even the United States military code…”
    (Charlie Angus, [03:31])

• Dehumanization and Social Media:
  A recurring theme is the normalization and even celebration of violence through memes and social posts, including the perversion of the Canadian children’s character “Franklin” into a symbol of violence.

  • Quote:
    “…Hegseth turns Franklin into this happy, murderous killer, killing people who are defenseless.”
    (Charlie Angus, [03:47])
  • Quote (referencing Adam Serwer):
    “Once malice is embraced as virtue, it is impossible to contain.”
    (Charlie Angus quoting Serwer, [04:08])

3. Historical Echoes: Atrocities Old and New

• From Nazi Holocaust to Modern War Crimes:
  Charlie Angus draws direct lines from atrocities committed during WWII (referencing the Auschwitz guards’ disconnect from their crimes) to contemporary events—whether in Gaza, Ukraine, or Venezuela.

  • He disputes Daniel Goldhagen’s thesis about “innate character” as a driver for atrocity, arguing instead that dehumanization and mob mentality transcend national identity.
  • Quote:
    “I think Goldhagen's thesis is just wrong. And we see it's wrong because it's been proven wrong by subsequent atrocities… nowhere has it been proven more than in Israel.”
    (Charlie Angus, [05:25])

• Specific Case: Gaza and the Death of Hind Rab Joub
  A harrowing account is given of six-year-old Hind Rab Joub’s murder, emphasizing international investigation and the inhumanity of targeting rescuers.

  • Quote:
    “She was on the phone begging people to come and help her. And every time someone from the Red Crescent tried to come and help her, Israeli sharpshooters killed him… The Euro Mediterranean Peace Monitor investigated and ruled it a planned execution.”
    (Charlie Angus, [06:26])

4. Calls for Accountability – The Role of the International Criminal Court (ICC)

• Persistence of Justice:
  The hosts and guest underline that, regardless of how long it takes, international mechanisms to pursue war crimes must not be abandoned.

  • Quote:
    “Sometimes it takes years, sometimes it takes decades, many decades. But the work of the International Criminal Court must go on… and that brings us to Pete Hegseth and the killing of these civilians.”
    (Charlie Angus, [07:40])

• Chain of Command Under Investigation:
  Media outlets like The Intercept are zeroing in on Hegseth, possibly implicating the entire command structure in murder investigations.

  • Quote:
    “The Intercept says that Hegseth’s actions could result in the entire chain of command being investigated for war crimes or outright murder.”
    (Charlie Angus, [10:25])

5. The Canadian Perspective and Moral Standpoint

• Historical Context: The Sinking of Llandovery Castle:
  The atrocity of a Canadian hospital ship sunk by a German U-boat in 1918, and the massacre of survivors, is recounted as a foundational moment driving Canada’s commitment to international law.

  • Quote:
    “And I think the killings of the people on the Llandovery Castle set Canada on a path that it has never turned away from, which is that those with the guns don't get to shoot those without guns on the high seas, those who are helpless…”
    (Charlie Angus, [11:47])

• Rebuke of Canada’s Foreign Minister:
  Angus takes direct aim at Anita Anand for deferring judgment on US war crimes to the US itself, calling it an “outrageously dumb thing to say.”

  • Quote:
    “In what world would you say the perpetrator of the crimes gets to decide whether those crimes are crimes? That's not how it works.”
    (Charlie Angus, [11:16])

• Warning Against Numbness:
  The dangers of letting public conscience erode are vividly stated, urging continued vigilance and compassion.

  • Quote:
    “We cannot let our humanity break down like this. We cannot let these gangster criminals like Hegseth and Trump and Putin and Netanyahu… There has to be accountability otherwise we go into a very, very, very dark place.”
    (Charlie Angus, [13:43])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On public complicity and danger:
  "It's not just about the war crime, but it's about trying to desensitize us, to make us go along to think it's okay. And it's not okay."
  (Charlie Angus, [13:11])

• On the moral imperative:
  “We have to stay focused on these… we got to keep kicking at the darkness and we got to keep calling it out and we got to keep insisting that people have to do better in the age of these gangster monsters.”
  (Charlie Angus, [13:50])

Important Timestamps

• [02:25] – Introduction of Canada’s outrage over US war crimes
• [03:31] – Charlie Angus begins historical and ethical analysis
• [06:26] – The story of Hind Rab Joub in Gaza
• [07:40] – Role of the International Criminal Court
• [10:25] – The Intercept’s investigation into the chain of command
• [11:16] – Canada’s Foreign Minister’s controversial statement
• [11:47] – The legacy of the Llandovery Castle sinking
• [13:11] – The fight against numbness and normalization
• [13:43] – Final warnings and call to action

Tone & Style

The tone throughout the episode is urgent, morally charged, and direct, blending historical reflection with present-day outrage. Charlie Angus’s portion is especially vivid, blending personal anecdote, historical reference, and righteous anger with a steadfast call for justice and accountability. The brotherly banter is subdued in this serious edition, yielding the spotlight to relentless advocacy for international law and human rights.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in how Canada is re-examining its place in the world amidst American decline, and for those seeking a passionate, principled stand against atrocities—past and present.