The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: Sickly Trump Put In His Place by Newsom after Protests

Date: October 19, 2025

Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

Episode Overview

This episode centers on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s pointed public rebuke of Donald Trump in the aftermath of the historic “No Kings” protests, the largest mass protest in U.S. history. The Meiselas brothers dissect the escalating confrontation between the Trump White House—marked by stigma, misinformation, and shock tactics—and Newsom’s outspoken, constitutionally-grounded resistance. The episode also scrutinizes Trump’s controversial, vulgar social media posts, the administration’s dangerous military displays in California, and the broader stakes for American democracy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Newsom’s Response to Trump and the “No Kings” Protests

Timestamp: 01:38 – 07:20

• Governor Newsom’s Statement: After the “No Kings” protest, Newsom issues a sweeping denunciation of Trump’s administration and authoritarian tactics.

  • Quote: “No to authoritarianism. No to assaulting our democracy. No to censorship and fear. No to hate and division. No to corruption and cruelty. No to kings. Yes to a government by and for the people.” (Ben reading Newsom, 01:38)

• Newsom contrasts the mass, peaceful demonstration with Trump’s online outrage, highlighting Trump’s bizarre posts featuring AI images and personal attacks on protesters.

• Trump’s Response: Trump posts AI videos “of himself as a fighter pilot defecating…on the protesters.”

  • Quote: “The President of the United States posting videos of himself like, shitting on human beings. That’s what he finds funny.” (Ben, 02:16)

• The brothers express deep concern about how Trump’s crude online conduct represents a fundamental breach of presidential decorum and American values.

2. Attacks on Democratic Processes & New Legislative Battles

Timestamp: 03:40 – 05:42

• Newsom addresses Trump’s attempts to pressure Indiana legislators into redrawing electoral maps, paralleling Texas’s extreme partisan gerrymanders.
  • Quote: “JD Vance couldn’t deliver Indiana for Trump. Trump is now personally begging state legislators to rig the elections…Pathetic.” (Ben reading Newsom, 03:56)
• The team references Proposition 50 (“Yes on 50”), a California initiative designed to counteract redistricting maneuvers by Republican states such as Texas.
  • Insight: The measure would allow temporary adjustment of California’s legislative maps to offset losses from gerrymandering.
  • Commentary: “Texas did this. So California has to respond appropriately, with force, with moral clarity, with moral authority.” (Ben, 05:20)

3. Newsom’s Direct Condemnation of Trump’s Conduct

Timestamp: 06:23 – 08:23

• Newsom unleashes one of his most caustic attacks on Trump, suggesting mental and physical decline and calling Trump’s behavior “grossly illegal, immoral, delusional.”

  • Quote: “Increasingly, this president appears unhinged, unmoored by reality and facts, seems listless. He seems, dare I say, in decline cognitively and…perhaps unfair, physically.” (Newsom audio clip, 07:52)

• MeidasTouch underscores the unprecedented crudeness of Trump’s online behavior, framing it as not just inappropriate, but dangerous to American democracy.

  • Quote: “Yes, Donald Trump is unhinged and he’s a…he’s a sick, vile human being, like a disgusting human.” (Ben, 07:08)

4. Media Accountability, Misinformation, and the Camp Pendleton Incident

Timestamp: 09:46 – 19:45

• The hosts clarify that MeidasTouch broke the story that the Trump White House planned to fire missiles over Interstate 5 as a show of force.

  • Critique: Fact checkers initially doubted their report, only for it to be proven true after the event.
  • Quote: “The Trump regime denied it…And then it turned out our reporting was absolutely true and the Trump regime was just lying. Shocker, shocker.” (Ben, 10:14)

• Newsom’s urgent statement on the public danger:

  • Quote: “Flying live rounds over a busy highway without coordination between state, federal and local partners isn’t just wrong, it’s dangerous.” (Ben reading Newsom, 11:08)
  • The hosts and Newsom note that using the military for political intimidation is reckless, a misuse of power, and “beneath the office of the presidency.” (11:34)

• On the decision to shut down the freeway:

  • Newsom faced criticism for closing I-5, accused by Trump’s team of overreacting. The hosts defend the move as necessary to prevent civilian casualties, emphasizing the legal and ethical rationale.

  • Quote: “If you’re shooting missiles over the highway, you probably need to shut the highway down, right?” (Ben, 12:45)

  • The podcast highlights how attempts to shift blame onto Newsom are part of a broader pattern of misinformation from Trump’s administration.

5. Civil Protests and the Ongoing Fight for Democracy

Timestamp: 16:30 – 19:10

• Newsom heralds the peacefulness and scale of the “No Kings” protest, commends San Diego participants, and spotlights the movement’s commitment to nonviolence.

  • Quote: “Civil rights and freedom, pluralism and nonviolent protests—the values Americans cherish—are under assault by Donald Trump.” (Ben reading Newsom, 17:24)

• Newsom’s wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, urges continued peace:

  • Quote: “There are those who want this day to turn violent. Please, California, don’t give them what they want. Stand shoulder to shoulder and lead with peace.” (Ben reading Jennifer Siebel Newsom, 17:45)

• Newsom’s closing statement encapsulates his strategy of peaceful, lawful resistance:

  • Quote: “Our strength is in our unity and our peace.” (Ben reading Newsom, 18:08)

• The brothers close the analysis by reaffirming the stakes: Newsom’s defense of democracy and public safety stands in contrast to Trump’s erratic and authoritarian posturing.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ben (about Trump’s online behavior):

  • “I just don’t find it funny…when the President of the United States is posting videos of himself taking shits on protesters. I don’t. I don’t find that funny.” (03:05)

• Governor Newsom (on Trump):

  • “These are just rantings of someone that needs an intervention, needs some help, needs to be stabilized.” (07:58)

• Ben (on the freeway closure):

  • “If you’re driving and a missile flies over your head, you may swerve…what if dozens of people get killed on the highway?” (18:30)

Additional Segments

• Newsom Mocks Joe Rogan: Newsom calls out Rogan for refusing to have him on, lampooning him with “bock, bock, Joe Rogan.” (08:23–08:41)

• Media Fact-Checking: Ben criticizes outlets and fact checkers for credulously repeating White House/military denials instead of trusting on-the-ground reporting. (10:12 on)

Conclusion

The episode captures a critical moment in the American democracy struggle, laying bare the contrasts between Trump’s increasingly authoritarian moves and Newsom’s assertive, law-based resistance. The Meiselas brothers weave in their signature banter, legal expertise, and calls for civic engagement, urging their listeners to stand united and peaceful in the fight for democratic values.

For key highlights:

• Newsom’s condemnation of Trump’s tactics: 01:38–03:56
• Deep-dive into the Camp Pendleton incident: 09:46–16:30
• Reflections on protest, peace, and leadership: 16:30–19:45

End of summary.