The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: GOP Leaders Implode on Sunday Shows as Trump Tanks Party

Date: December 8, 2025 | Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

Main Theme:
This episode dissects the recent “Sunday show” appearances by prominent GOP and Trump administration figures, highlighting their struggles to justify the direction of Trump’s presidency, defend controversial policy decisions, and explain the party’s waning approval amid economic hardship, accusations of racism, and pardons for drug traffickers. Through sharp banter and biting commentary, the hosts emphasize the disconnect between MAGA leaders’ rhetoric and the reality Americans experience, especially regarding the economy and democratic values.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. GOP Leaders in Damage Control Over Economic Messaging

Timestamps: 02:19 – 11:34

• Scott Bessent (Trump’s Treasury Secretary) “I run a soybean farm”:
  Bessent claims direct farming experience to bolster agricultural policy credibility, but concedes it’s family and not himself who works the farm.

  • “I actually just divested it this week as part of my ethics agreement, so I'm out of that business.”—Scott Bessent [03:08]

• Economic Spin Falling Flat:
  MAGA Republican Senator McCormick insists the party “inherited a train wreck” from Biden and claims rapid improvements.

  • “We made a lot of progress in the last 12 months with the president's agenda. Inflation's about half of what it was on average during the Biden administration.”—Sen. McCormick [04:31]

• Host Pushback:
  Kyle Kulinski (guest host/voice of critique) deconstructs these claims, noting multiple sources labeled the pre-Trump economy as a “Goldilocks economy” with strong fundamentals.

  • “You didn't inherit a train wreck. You inherited an economy that... economists referred to as the envy of the world.”—Kyle [04:57]

• Bessent’s Inflation Defense:
  Attempts to explain away price hikes as not a genuine problem—“inflation is a composite number,” insisting imported goods are not seeing increases.

  • “If we were to look at all imported goods... imported goods, inflation is below the inflation number.”—Scott Bessent [07:20]

• Disconnect with Lived Experience:
  Kyle details personal anecdote of a $165 basic breakfast to highlight the gap between official talking points and daily life costs.

  • “Eggs, bacon, normal breakfast each. The bill was $165 right now...”—Kyle [06:40]

2. The Party’s Struggles with Honesty & Empathy

Timestamps: 07:48 – 11:34

• Approval Ratings & Gaslighting:
  Citing CBS polls: Trump’s economic approval at 36%, inflation approval at 32%.
  Bessent blames media for negative sentiment, claiming real incomes are up and refusing to “discount Americans’ feelings.”

  • “Affordability has two components. There's inflation and then there's real incomes. Real incomes are up about 1%.”—Scott Bessent [08:36]

• Thanksgiving Gaslighting:
  Bessent claims, “Thanksgiving Turkey was down 16%”—a talking point directly challenged by hosts as not matching people’s reality.

  • “Thanksgiving was not cheaper. And stop the freaking gaslighting.”—Kyle [09:54]

• Farm Bailouts Contradict Success Narratives:
  Asked about “bridge payments” to farmers if things are going so well, Bessent admits bailouts are needed because of “future planning,” contradicting rosy forecasts.

  • “You've got to start financing for planning next year when things will be very good.”—Scott Bessent [11:14]

3. Racism, Xenophobia & the Party’s Response

Timestamps: 13:05 – 14:47, 22:07 – 22:49

• Trump’s Racism Toward Somalians:
  Trump labeled the entire Somalian community as “garbage.” Utah Senator John Curtis, positioning himself as “moderate,” offers only tepid pushback, suggesting America “wanted disruption” and is living with the pain of that choice.

  • “We wanted a disruptor, and for good or bad, that's what disruption brings.”—Sen. John Curtis [14:21]

• Deflection Instead of Accountability:
  When pressed, Curtis pivots to generic calls for self-reflection rather than directly condemning the president’s words.

  • “The best thing I can do is set my example... and I think all of us need to... make our, all of our immigrants feel more welcome.”—Sen. John Curtis [13:53]

• Tom Homan & Scott Bessent Attempt Damage Control:
  When directly asked, both pivot away from Trump's language, with Homan agreeing with Trump despite professed ignorance of intent.

  • “I agree with President Trump.”—Tom Homan [22:49]

4. Pardoning Drug Kingpins & War Crimes Defenses

Timestamps: 14:47 – 21:53

• Pardoning Former Honduran President—a Drug Trafficker:
  Trump pardoned a president convicted of bringing 500 tons of cocaine into the US. Senators Tom Cotton (AR) and Eric Schmidt dodge questions; Cotton speculates about “strategic reasons” but falls back on tough-on-crime platitudes.

  • “My general approach to crime is that we should lock them... keep them locked up.”—Sen. Tom Cotton [15:53]

• Host Relentlessly Probes the Evasion:

  • “It’s front page news across the country. Aren’t you, aren’t you curious about that?”—Host (to Eric Schmidt) [18:37]

• War Crimes and Cruelty Justified:
  Amid news of a strike killing alleged drug smugglers who tried to surrender, Cotton repeatedly rationalizes lethal force, offering bizarre hypotheticals (“maybe he’s trying to get a suntan”) to minimize the image of helpless men.

  • “It doesn't really matter what they were trying to do. What matters [is] that they were not in a shipwreck state… those drug traffickers remained valid targets.”—Sen. Tom Cotton [19:53]

5. Lack of Accountability within GOP Leadership

Timestamps: 20:15 – 21:19

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Scandals:
  Senator Curtis, even confronted with new evidence of putting troops at risk and questionable strike orders, refuses to state whether he’d vote to confirm Hegseth again, calling for “more research” instead of decisive condemnation.
  • “That's a question I can't answer without as much thoughtful research as I did the first time.”—Sen. John Curtis [21:13]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On economic gaslighting:
  “Thanksgiving was not cheaper. And stop the freaking gaslighting.”—Kyle Kulinski [09:54]

• On justifying bailouts:
  “You've got to start financing for planning next year when things will be very good.”—Scott Bessent [11:14]

• On Trump’s racism:
  “We knew very well what we were electing at the time. The country wanted a disruptor... that's what disruption brings.”—Sen. John Curtis [14:21]

• On war crimes and drug traffickers:
  “Maybe he's trying to get a suntan. It doesn't really matter what they were trying to do...”—Sen. Tom Cotton [19:53]

• On a lack of GOP accountability:
  “Congress really wants to know exactly what's happening and the real facts, not what's reported in the newspaper.”—Sen. John Curtis [21:19]

Segment Timestamps Overview

| Segment Topic | Start | End | |-----------------------------------------------------|-------|-------| | GOP economic spin & Bessent’s credibility claims | 02:19 | 07:48 | | Bessent & McCormick's narrative vs reality | 03:29 | 07:48 | | Gaslighting, lived experiences, & price inflation | 06:40 | 09:54 | | Bailouts for farmers: contradictions emerge | 11:05 | 11:34 | | Trump’s racism & party response | 13:05 | 14:47 | | Pardoning kingpin traffickers (Cotton & Schmidt) | 14:47 | 19:00 | | Defending deadly force on alleged smugglers | 19:00 | 20:15 | | Hegseth, war crimes, and evasions on accountability | 20:15 | 21:53 | | Final deflections on Trump’s Somalian comments | 22:07 | 22:49 |

Takeaway

This episode spotlights the MAGA wing’s crumbling messaging architecture, their penchant for avoiding accountability on everything from the economy to overt racism and criminal justice, and a pervasive sense of disconnect between GOP leadership and average Americans’ lives. The hosts deliver their critique with signature humor, indignation, and a clarion call for facts over partisan spin.