The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: GOP Leader Caught on Hot Mic Spilling Dirt on Trump’s Past
Date: August 28, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, Jordy Meiselas

Brief Overview

This episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast delves into explosive new revelations after GOP Congressman Mike Collins was caught on a hot mic at a Republican event discussing Donald Trump's name appearing "all over" the Jeffrey Epstein files. The Meiselas brothers analyze what this means for Trump and the wider GOP, dissect the verifiable facts about Trump’s associations with Epstein, discuss insider accounts—including those from author Michael Wolff—and highlight the disturbing deflection and obfuscation by GOP figures. The episode also addresses recent cuts to sexual assault victim services under the Trump administration, reinforcing the urgency for transparency and justice.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Mike Collins’ Hot Mic Moment (00:30–04:26)

• Situation: Congressman Mike Collins (GA-10), known for avoiding constituent town halls, is caught on tape admitting Trump's repeated presence in the Epstein files.
  • Quote: “Yeah, I'm sure [Trump's] in there because he's the one that was telling the FBI about it. He's the one that kicked him, kicked the guy out of Mar A Lago and called the FBI. Yeah, he's in there.” — Mike Collins [03:21]
• Collins simultaneously suggests Trump is in the files as a “hero,” while admitting the legal complexity in releasing the files: “I'm not a lawyer and I'm not a judge, but it is more complicated. Just saying, boom, here's the files.” [04:09]

2. Contradictions and Trump’s Reluctance for File Release (04:26–11:24)

• Analysis: The hosts argue that if Trump was truly “the hero” in the Epstein saga, he’d rush to release the files, not obstruct them.
  • Quote: “Does that sound like somebody who is innocent or who is the hero?” — Host [05:09]
• Undisputed facts presented:
  • Trump and Epstein’s friendship spanned from the late ‘80s to early 2000s.
    • Trump publicly praised Epstein in 2002: “Epstein is a great guy. He likes beautiful women. Many, many are on the younger side, right?” [Referencing New York Magazine, 2002]
  • Trump gave Epstein a signed book in 1997: “Jeffrey Epstein, you are the greatest.”
  • Trump has been found liable for sexual assault by a federal jury.
  • Numerous Trump quotes and behaviors around young women at beauty pageants and modeling competitions are cited as on the record, undisputed facts.
  • The hosts detail how underage girls (such as Virginia Giuffre) were trafficked from Mar-a-Lago.
    • Trump admitted “Epstein stole girls from Mar-a-Lago.”
  • The presence of gatherings at Mar-a-Lago involving “girls of indeterminate age,” linked to modeling agency “look of the year” events.

3. Michael Wolff’s Inside Account on Trump-Epstein Fallout (13:00–17:19)

• Full recounting from Wolff: The rift began when Trump undercut Epstein in a Palm Beach real estate deal, outbidding him (potential Russian money involved) and selling the property for massive profit.
  • Quote: “Epstein began to threaten him…with lawsuits…Trump panics at this point. And Epstein believed…that it was Trump who went to the police…dropped the dime on him.” — Michael Wolff [13:57]
• Wolff reveals Epstein suspected Trump informed police in a move to protect his own financial and legal interests.
• Aftermath: Epstein is arrested soon after returning to the US, a sequence described in Wolff’s book “Siege.”

4. Broader Republican Smokescreen, Disinformation, and Victim Services Cuts (17:19–22:00)

• The hosts criticize Collins and other Republicans' distraction tactics (“Go woke, go broke”) as attempts to diffuse focus from disturbing allegations.
• Notable Moment: Ghislaine Maxwell, discussing with Trump’s former attorney, allegedly mentions Trump’s cabinet and social circle as those who would associate with Epstein not for “sexual favors” but for “the fun of it.”
  • Quote: “If a man wants sexual favors, he will find that, they didn't have to come to Epstein for that.” — (Summary of Maxwell’s conversation) [19:42]
• Victim Services: New York AG Letitia James details the Trump administration’s gutting of funding for sexual assault and trafficking victims:
  • Quote: “For the first time ever…we’re going to tell these incredibly vulnerable people that they’re out of luck. I think it’s unconscionable.” — Letitia James [20:43]
• The hosts emphasize: “We all just want the answers. We all want to know what the hell is going on. … We all deserve to see the files.” [22:00]

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Mike Collins (GOP Congressman):
  • “Yeah, I'm sure [Trump's] in there because he's the one that was telling the FBI about it. He's the one that kicked him, kicked the guy out of Mar A Lago and called the FBI. Yeah, he's in there.” [03:21]
  • On release of the Epstein files: “You've got to go through and fix all of them. And then of course now you got, you got judges are saying I'm not going to release anything...” [03:56]
• Michael Wolff (Author):
  • “[Epstein] was furious about losing this house…nothing rouses them so much as a real estate betrayal…Epstein believed to his dying day that it was Trump who went to the police.” [13:08–16:00]
• Host (Legal summary):
  • “Trump…undisputed, said that Epstein and Epstein stole girls from Mar A Lago…girls, plural.” [09:34]
• Letitia James (NY Attorney General):
  • “For the first time ever…we’re going to tell these incredibly vulnerable people that they’re out of luck. I think it’s unconscionable…” [20:43]
• Host (Closing):
  • “Trump’s not the hero in the story. Okay. Donald Trump was with Epstein during these horrific moments and we all deserve to see the files.” [22:00]

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:30–04:26 – Mike Collins’ hot mic revelations and first reactions
• 04:26–11:24 – Legal analysis and list of undisputed facts about Trump, Epstein, and Mar-a-Lago
• 13:00–17:19 – Michael Wolff’s detailed account of the real estate betrayal and origins of Trump/Epstein fallout
• 19:42–20:13 – Ghislaine Maxwell's comments on Trump’s social circle
• 20:43–22:00 – NY AG Letitia James on victim services cuts

Tone and Style

The brothers tackle these grave subjects with their characteristic blend of legal expertise, directness, and irreverent banter. Their unapologetically pro-democracy, anti-obfuscation stance is clear throughout, demanding transparency and accountability from GOP leadership and Trump himself.

For Listeners: Key Takeaways

• Verified connections between Trump and Epstein are numerous, well-documented, and deeply troubling.
• GOP figures, caught off-guard, privately acknowledge Trump’s presence “all over” the Epstein files while publicly erecting smokescreens.
• Firsthand accounts (Michael Wolff) and court findings contradict pro-Trump fantasies circulated by some Republicans.
• Ongoing policy decisions (victim services cuts) raise further question marks about the priorities and motivations of the Trump orbit.
• The podcast underscores the urgent need for transparency: the public deserves to see the Epstein files unredacted and hold abusers accountable.

For more, subscribe to MeidasTouch and join the ongoing push for factual reporting and democratic accountability.