GOP Panics over Trump Deal on Capitol Hill

Summary

Podcast Summary: MeidasTouch Podcast – "GOP Panics over Trump Deal on Capitol Hill"

Date: June 17, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Main Theme:
The episode dives into the Republican panic and confusion on Capitol Hill following news of Donald Trump’s contentious deal with Iran, which includes a $300 billion investment fund and apparently few enforceable terms. The MeidasTouch Network reporters question prominent GOP (and some Democratic) senators on their reactions, revealing striking contradictions, evasions, and outright spin as right-wing lawmakers attempt to reconcile Trump’s actions with their past rhetoric. The brothers combine their signature comedic banter with robust reporting from the Hill.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Republican Chaos & Evasion Over Trump’s Iran Deal

• Setting the Scene (02:57-05:01):
  The MeidasTouch hosts set up the day’s Capitol Hill chaos, with GOP leadership scrambling to manage Trump’s surprise deal with Iran. The deal is seen as a major reversal from their previous hardline stances.

  • Republican lawmakers appear confused and unsure of how to defend the deal, especially regarding its ambiguous Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the $300 billion investment fund.
  • The Trump team tells Republicans to "ignore the language" of the agreement and focus instead on the private “understanding” with Iran.

• Quote:

  “People shouldn’t read too much into the language of the Memorandum of Understanding. It’s just a political document.” — MidasTouch Host paraphrasing Trump admin sources (03:50)

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2. Lawmakers on the Spot: Direct Reactions

Senator Wicker (R)

• Timestamp: 05:03
  Response to being pressed on the deal:

  "[I'm] withholding comment."
  (Interviewer presses: "You always seem to know what's going on... now you don't want to tell us? That's suspicious.")
  — Senator Wicker and MidasTouch Interviewer (05:11)

---

Senator Lindsey Graham (R)

• Initial defense:

  • Claims success in reopening the Strait of Hormuz and labels it a step toward peace, even as other reporters press him on the deal’s substance and the nuclear component.
  • Advocates further for Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords.

• Quote:

  “If this thing goes through Friday, we've opened up the straits which will help the economy of the world. The world will be in a permanent ceasefire, hopefully. And we'll try to get a nuclear deal with Iran and hopefully that will work out.” — Lindsey Graham (05:58)

• On the $300 billion investment fund:

  “Rebuilding Iran with the people in charge today [is] a bit problematic for me... The Marshall Plan rebuilt Germany, but the Nazis are no longer in charge. So we'll see where this goes. … Count me in the skeptical column.” — Lindsey Graham (08:17-09:24)

---

Senator Moreno (R)

• Timestamp: 11:21

  • Dismisses concerns about the $300 billion, as long as no U.S. taxpayer funds are directly involved, signaling a dramatic shift from prior GOP talking points.

• Quote:

  “It doesn't matter what money we give them, as long as it's not being directly paid by the United States taxpayer. ... I just generally don't care as long as it's not coming from the U.S. taxpayer.” — Senator Moreno (11:35)

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Senator Alston Brooks (D)

• Timestamp: 12:29

  • Delivers a sharply critical take:
  • Emphasizes the lack of transparency, rising gas prices, and the idea that the U.S. is worse off after the war and this deal.
  • Decries the war as “illegal from the start” and argues the outcome has strengthened Iran.

• Quote:

  “Ask them at their kitchen tables whether their lives are easier today than when we went to war. And I think the answer will be, absolutely not. … He [Trump] a lie from the pit of hell if he says that we won anything in this war because we did not.” — Senator Alston Brooks (12:29-13:43)

---

Senator Tommy Tuberville (R)

• Timestamp: 14:13

  • Ignores specifics and repeats pro-Trump talking points.
  • Dismisses critics, saying:

    “I don't listen to that nonsense. I mean, it was a conflict. We won. They agreed to no nuclear weapons, and that's number one thing we needed.” — Senator Tuberville (14:22)

• When pressed about differing claims:

  “Well, sure they [Iranians] gonna say that. Yeah. But hey, we all know the truth.” — Tommy Tuberville (14:35)

---

J.D. Vance (R), on Fox’s The Five

• Timestamp: 15:11

  • Argues that Democrats would never give Trump credit, even if he became Iran’s supreme leader.

  • Quote:

    “If Donald Trump were elected the supreme leader of Iran, the Democrats would still say that the United States had lost this.” — J.D. Vance (15:11)

---

Senator Thune (R)

• Timestamp: 16:38
  • Defends taxpayer funding for White House security upgrades, but claims ignorance on details, promising more information later.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "You always seem to know what's going on... now you don't want to tell us? That's suspicious."
  — MidasTouch Interviewer to Senator Wicker (05:16)

• “The Marshall Plan rebuilt Germany, but the Nazis are no longer in charge. So we'll see where this goes.”
  — Lindsey Graham (08:17)

• “I just generally don't care as long as it's not coming from the US taxpayer.”
  — Senator Moreno (11:35)

• “He [Trump] a lie from the pit of hell if he says that we won anything in this war.”
  — Senator Alston Brooks (13:43)

• “I don’t listen to that nonsense... we won the war and they did a deal.”
  — Senator Tuberville (14:22)

• “If Donald Trump were elected the supreme leader of Iran, the Democrats would still say that the United States had lost this.”
  — J.D. Vance (15:11)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:57: Episode pivot to Iran deal and GOP confusion
• 05:03—05:11: Senator Wicker’s evasive response
• 05:58—06:54: Lindsey Graham’s spin and pitch for further Middle East diplomacy
• 08:10—09:24: Graham’s skepticism about the investment fund
• 11:21—12:15: Senator Moreno’s indifference to funding source
• 12:29—13:43: Senator Alston Brooks’ progressive critique
• 14:13—14:43: Senator Tuberville’s “victory” rhetoric
• 15:11—15:41: J.D. Vance on Fox News
• 16:38—17:34: Senator Thune on White House security funding

---

Analysis & Tone

• The Meiselas brothers maintain a critical, often mocking tone, especially toward Republican evasions and contradictions.
• Genuine reporting from D.C. gives listeners front row access to the confusion and discomfort of GOP lawmakers as they attempt to square their previous hardline stances with Trump’s sudden diplomatic turnaround.
• The episode is fast-moving, features real audio clips from the Hill, and concludes with the hosts encouraging audience engagement and support.

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A highly recommended listen for anyone following U.S. politics, diplomacy with Iran, and/or the evolving internal struggles within the Republican Party.

Transcript

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[Midas Touch Host]

GOP leaders were losing it and scrambling around Capitol Hill as they fear that Donald Trump has made the worst deal imaginable in their minds with Iran. Everything that they've been telling their constituents and that they've been saying, it seems like Trump did the exact opposite for these MAGA Republicans who bought in to Donald Trump saying, it's going to be a total surrender. It's going to be a total surrender. I want to show you just what went down on Capitol Hill. And the Midas Touch Network was there to capture it all. So here's what we were hearing out of Capitol Hill reporting. So when the Republican senators and Congress members and leadership was asking the Trump regime, what should we tell our constituents about these deal terms with Iran? $300 billion to Iran in investment funds. Iran' still controls the Strait of Hormuz. What do we tell him, Donald? Well, this is what the Trump regime said. People shouldn't read too much into the language of the Memorandum of Understanding. It's just a political document. What's more important than the actual document and the text is just the understanding that we have with Iran. We came up with this language that allows Iran to say what they need to say for their domestic politics. So just ignore the language. Ignore the language when we release it. Just don't worry. That's not what we're focused on. It's just our understanding with Iran. All right, so the Midas Touch Network, we were on Capitol Hill, hat tip to all of you for helping us build our Washington, D.C. bureau. So we went up to Senator Wicker, Maga, Republican senator, one of the top leaders for Republicans in the Senate. What do you make of this? He was, I'm withholding comment. Then Pablo Manriquez from the Midas Touch Network goes, you're always the guy who speaks on these. You've always been saying you know what's going on. Now you don't want to tell us what's happening. That's suspicious.

[Midas Touch Audio Cue]

Watch for yourself. Let's play it.

[Midas Touch Interviewer]

And what would you say to critics of the Trump's Iran deal that say that the Straits of Hormuz were already opened?

[Midas Touch Host]

Well, I am withholding Comments?

[Midas Touch Interviewer]

Okay. How come you seem to always know what's going on?

[Midas Touch Host]

Well, I'm withholding time. Okay, now this clip's gone mega viral. We caught up with Lindsey Graham. That's right, thanks to you. Our robust Midas Touch network DC Correspondence group. They got right there, they were asking Lindsey Graham questions and we're like, hey, Lindsey, what did you achieve? What's going on? There's a bunch of other reporters asking him questions as well. And Lindsey Graham goes, here's what we achieved. We opened up the Strait of Hormuz and yeah, maybe we'll, we'll see if we can do a nuclear deal, but we opened up the strait.

[Midas Touch Audio Cue]

Here, play this clip.

[Lindsey Graham]

Has to come to Congress for disagreement. That's what we did under Obama. And President Trump said today he will send it to Congress. He welcomes a vote. Here's what we achieved. If this thing goes through Friday, we've opened up the streets which will help the economy of the world. The world will be in a permanent ceasefire, hopefully. And we'll try to get a nuclear deal with Iran and hopefully that will work out. If it doesn't, then we still have achieved opening up the straits and, you know, stopping the fight.

[Midas Touch Host]

And then Lindsay kind of revealed his hands. Oh, Lindsay. And Lindsay goes, okay, okay, okay. Now, Saudi Arabia and Israel, I think they owe Donald Trump a lot at this point. Why don't you become allies? Saudi Arabia and Israel? You want to join the Abraham Accords, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia's like, we ain't joining the Abraham Accords.

[Midas Touch Audio Cue]

What are you talking about? Here, watch for yourself. Let's play it.

[Lindsey Graham]

You know, stopping the party. I would encourage President Trump to follow through with what he said today. Once we negotiate with Iran, even if you fall short on a nuclear deal, turn your attention to trying to get Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords. Now, Saudi Arabia and Israel, quite frankly, owe President Trump a lot. It would be good for the region and the world for these two countries to make peace and do business together. In the Arab Israeli conflict, Iran is in a box. No matter whether we see successful the nuclear deal or not, their ability to generate another October 7th is non existent. Their nuclear program has been set back just through military action. So now is the moment. This is the year to have a pathway to peace. And I will say this. If as a result of the Iranian conflict, the war with Iran, we're able to open up a pathway to expand the Aram Accord, so will be one of the most successful military operations in American history.

[Midas Touch Host]

And then a reporter goes and asks, so, Lindsey, the $300 billion investment fund that's being discussed. You like it? Lindsay, watch his response.

[Midas Touch Audio Cue]

Let's play it now.

[Reporter]

In terms of the $300 billion investment fund that's being discussed, you know, what are your thoughts on that? And then in a sort of separate

[Lindsey Graham]

My thoughts are that rebuilding Iran with the people in charge today, a bit problematic for me. You know, the Marshall Plan rebuilt Germany, but the Nazis are no longer in charge. So we'll see where this goes. I'm open minded to the deal. I haven't seen the details, but at the end of the day, pursuing an end to Iran's nuclear ambitions through diplomacy makes sense to me. Trying to end their desire to be the largest state sponsor of terrorism through diplomacy makes sense to me. But the deal assumes they'll change their behavior. Maybe they will. If they do, fine. If they don't, I don't think we've lost a lot as long as we don't overly reward them. So to get this investment fund, I think they have to fundamentally change who they are and how they behave. Hey, maybe they'll do that, maybe they won't. Count me in the skeptical column. The idea that Straits will be open will stop is a good thing. If nothing else happens, that's a good thing.

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[Midas Touch Host]

up with MAGA Republican Senator Moreno from Ohio. Senator Moreno, there's $300 billion that's being given to Iran. You like that?

[Lindsey Graham]

Yeah.

[Midas Touch Host]

It doesn't matter. He goes, he goes, 300 billion, 500 billion. It doesn't matter what money we give them, as long as it's not being directly paid by the United States taxpayer. He goes, I just don't care. That's where they went from regime change, total surrender, only capitulation to. Yeah, if we could route that U.S. taxpayer money through Qatar. We good with this? We good Here, watch for yourself.

[Midas Touch Audio Cue]

Let's play it.

[Reporter]

There's a $300 billion investment fund that's being reported. You know, what are your thoughts on that? Who, who is involved? Should that exist? And how is that not effectively giving Iran a lot of money or even on freezing assets?

[Senator Moreno]

Yeah, look at the other day. What's crystal clear is that the United States taxpayer that says government will participate in exactly zero money to Iran. There'll be not one cent of taxpayer dollar given to the Iranian government. So however else they get money, I just generally don't care as long as it's not coming from the US Taxpayer fair. Again, these are reports that are out there. We'll all be a lot smarter on Friday. In terms of what the memorandum is, exactly what's laid out. I've been talking to the White House. I have a pretty good idea. But ultimately, what matters more than the MOU is going to be the final deal. And I think probably the final deal will be easier because most of the stuff has already been kind of pre cleared this year.

[Midas Touch Host]

Oh, and Lindsey Graham continues more of his humiliation ritual. I think we've showed you enough of Lindsey Graham. Let me show you Democrat Democratic Senator Alston Brooks. Here's what she has to say.

[Midas Touch Audio Cue]

Let's play it.

[Senator Alston Brooks]

Have we seen the language in the MOU yet? I mean, the fact of the matter is we have not seen any of the details of this so that we can assess for ourselves how much of a. Was it worth the sacrifice? We have escalating costs that continue. Americans continue to really suffer with incredible increased gas prices, utility costs. They're opening the Strait of Hormuz, which was, by the way, open before this conflict started. So after billions of dollars that we have spent, I don't know that we are any safer. As a matter of fact, we're not. I think we have almost inadvertently strengthened Iran through all of these maneuvers in this war that was illegal from the start. So is this a win for Americans? I think they can tell. Ask them at their kitchen tables whether their lives are easier today than when we went to War. And I think the answer will be, absolutely not. We are worse off. So this whole effort harmed Americans here at home and harmed us and our reputation across the world. And nothing that the president does at this point can erase the damage that he has done with this poorly thought out. There was no strategy going in and apparently no strategy coming out. But the thing is, he a lie from the pit of hell if he says that we won anything in this war because we did not.

[Midas Touch Host]

Yeah, that's a normal response, how people feel. Now contrast that to MAGA Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville. We asked him, so what do you say to critics of the Iran deal? And Tommy Tuberville, this guy's as shameless as you get. And Tuberville's like, he's running for governor of Alabama. And he goes, I don't listen to that nonsense. We won the war and they did a deal. We won the war, and they did a deal. Okay, that's not really what happened Here.

[Midas Touch Audio Cue]

Play this clip.

[Midas Touch Interviewer]

What do you make of critics who are saying that the Strait of Hormuz was opened before we attacked Iran and now it's open again, so it's not really a victory. A lot of people are saying that.

[Senator Tommy Tuberville]

I don't. I don't listen to that nonsense. I mean, it was a conflict. We won. They agreed to no nuclear weapons, and that's number one thing we needed.

[Midas Touch Interviewer]

The Iranians are saying they won.

[Senator Tommy Tuberville]

Well, sure, they. Sure they gonna say that. Yeah. But hey, we all know the truth.

[Midas Touch Interviewer]

Coach watches the scoreboard.

[Senator Tommy Tuberville]

Yeah, that's right. Thank you, coach.

[Midas Touch Interviewer]

Thanks, Coach.

[Midas Touch Host]

And then they threw J.D. vance on state regime media Fox, the show the Five. And Jessica Tarlov was asking him a lot of good questions. And J.D. vance was like, just look, look, look, look, look. If Donald Trump were elected as the Ayatollah of Iran, the Democrats would still say the United States lost this.

[Shopify Narrator 2]

Here, play this clip from the Republican side of this as well. It is a bipartisan concern.

[J.D. Vance]

Well, I think, look, some of the criticism comes from the fact that if Donald Trump were elected the supreme leader of Iran, the Democrats would still say that the United States had lost this. There is a fundamental refusal to acknowledge how much has changed in the Middle east over the last few months. And again, this. That assumes that nothing else happens. But if this deal actually comes to fruition, meaning if the Iranians actually comply with it, we have transformed the Middle east in a way that is amazingly beneficial for both the American people, but also the people of the Gulf.

[Midas Touch Host]

So you want him to become the. AYATOLLAH of Iran. Yeah. If any American president became the ayatollah, we would probably say, you lost the plot. You lost the plot when you think that that is a win. But. But. Okay, then Senator Kennedy ran away from us. Maga, Republican senator from Louisiana.

[Midas Touch Audio Cue]

You can watch for yourself.

[Midas Touch Interviewer]

What'd you make of the fight night at the White House?

[Reporter]

Who?

[Senator Tommy Tuberville]

You.

[Midas Touch Interviewer]

Pablo Enriquez. You talked before. What did you make of the fight night at the.

[Reporter]

I don't know.

[Shopify Narrator]

I didn't go.

[Midas Touch Interviewer]

Oh, okay. I guess the big question everybody's asking is, what about this guy who got for you, Nate? Okay.

[Midas Touch Host]

And then we asked Senator Thune about the ballroom. $600 million, half being paid by the taxpayers. Watch what Senator Thune had to say.

[Midas Touch Audio Cue]

Let's play it.

[Senator Thune]

There are important security requirements that go with any building project in the White House. We want to make. Make sure that any additions made down there are completed in a way that ensures that the President and others in his administration are safe and secure. And I think that that is something that I feel like we have a responsibility to do. And so the Secret Service and other, you know, agencies that protect the President are obviously going to be paying a lot of attention to how this thing is structured, how it's built. And I do believe that there is certainly some expectation that there would be dollars allocated for that purpose that would go above and beyond the private money that's been raised. But I haven't seen any of the details on that reporting and haven't seen the White House response to it, so, you know, that's my general view overall about this. But we'll get you more when we have those specifics.

[Midas Touch Host]

There you have it, folks. Let me know what you think. Hit subscribe. Let's get to 7 million subscribers.

[Midas Touch Audio Cue]

And thanks, everybody for watching.

[Americans United Narrator]

Thanks for watching. Be sure to add the Midas Touch podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast for new updates every single day.