Top Trump Official Under Fire During War Testimony

Summary

The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: "Top Trump Official Under Fire During War Testimony"

Date: July 23, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, & Jordy Meiselas (MeidasTouch Network)

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Main Theme / Purpose

In this gripping episode, the Meiselas brothers break down a House hearing in which Mike Waltz, former Trump administration Ambassador to the United Nations, faces fierce cross-examination by House Democrats over the catastrophic and unlawful Trump war with Iran. The episode features intense, at times jaw-dropping testimony from Waltz—who struggles to answer basic factual questions on U.S. casualties and policies, defends controversial positions, and faces condemnation for his lack of preparedness and candor. With additional questioning by Congressmembers on issues ranging from stock trading ethics to U.S. policy on Cuba, the episode provides an unvarnished look at official accountability—or the lack thereof—in a tumultuous war era.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Collapse of Trump’s UN Ambassador Under Questioning

• [02:55 – 04:37] "You should resign."
  • Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu rips into Mike Waltz for not knowing how many U.S. troops were wounded in the Iran war. Lieu points to basic factual ignorance and shames Waltz:
    • Ted Lieu (03:22): “Shame on you for not even know basic facts. You are the U. S. Ambassador and you don't even know how many US Troops are wounded.”
  • Waltz underestimates troop injuries, claiming “over 100,” while Lieu corrects him:
    • Ted Lieu (04:37): “According to Defense casualty analysis system, 482 American troops have been wounded.”

2. Unpacking Administration Spin

• Waltz attempts to minimize U.S. casualties and the impact of Iranian attacks, leaning on Trump admin talking points that Iran’s military has been “obliterated.”
  • [05:27] Lieu pushes back:
    • “How is it possible that 482 American troops have been wounded and 18 service members killed by an Iranian military that’s been purportedly obliterated?”
• Waltz claims Iranian military is “trying to reconstitute” and still possesses missile/drone capabilities.

3. Defensive & Deflective Testimony

• [05:58 – 07:13] Waltz tries to explain away American military deaths and focuses on unrelated points, sparking visible frustration from Congressmembers.

4. Escalating Tensions and Direct Political Threats

• [07:52] Ted Lieu to Waltz:
  • “November is coming for you and this administration. Are U.S. troops stationed in Jordan? It’s not even a trick question. Are they?”

5. International Relations & Ethics Under Scrutiny

• [09:32 – 13:14]

  • Congresswoman McBride questions U.S. diplomatic conduct regarding Denmark, Greenland, and Putin, with Waltz offering evasive answers.
  • Congressman Ol Zulowski presses Waltz on Trump family stock trading conflicts. Waltz fails to directly address the contradiction between his stated ethics and Trump’s behavior:
    • Ol Zulowski (11:53): "Do you think it's wrong for elected officials and their families to profit from positions of power?"
    • Waltz (12:38): “Well, let's not talk about Congress and the stock trading that I support.”

• Zulowski points out President Trump’s 20,000 stock trades in companies affected by his own decisions.

6. Cuba Policy: Ignorance and Invasion?

• [13:54 – 16:51]
  • Rep. Mark Pocan exposes Waltz’s lack of knowledge on U.S. policy toward Cuba. Waltz admits he hasn't read the latest State Department report but claims expertise as a “native Floridian.”
    • Pocan (13:58): “Did you get a chance to read the report that came out this week from the State Department on Cuba? 95 pages.”
    • Waltz: “I have not read the entire report, but as a native Floridian...”
  • Pocan presses Waltz not to take military intervention off the table, which Waltz refuses to do:
    • Waltz (16:20): “I am not going to take options off the table for the President of the United States.”
    • Pocan: "That is decades ago. That's a ridiculous answer..."

7. Gas Prices, War Justification, and Public Impact

• [17:04 – 19:18]
  • Congresswoman Jacobs presses Waltz on whether Americans are better off since the Iran war:
    • Jacobs (17:04): “Are we better off now than we were before we launched the war in Iran?”
    • Waltz (17:21): “Yes. The world and the American people are safer.”
  • Jacobs rebuts: gas prices have risen from $3 to over $4 per gallon, directly contradicting Waltz’s claims of economic “self-sufficiency.”
    • Jacobs (18:12): “My constituents who are paying on average thousands of dollars more a month in costs because of this war, would beg to differ.”
    • Jacobs (18:28): “The national average of gas before the war started was $3 a gallon. It is now once again over $4 a gallon.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [03:22] Ted Lieu: “Shame on you for not even know basic facts... you should resign.”
• [04:37] Ted Lieu: “According to Defense casualty analysis system, 482 American troops have been wounded.”
• [05:27] Ted Lieu: “How is it possible that 482 American troops have been wounded and 18 service members killed by a Iranian military that’s been purportedly obliterated?”
• [07:52] Ted Lieu: “November is coming for you and this administration.”
• [11:53] Ol Zulowski: “Do you think it's wrong for elected officials and their families to profit from positions of power?”
• [13:58] Mark Pocan: “Did you get a chance to read the report that came out this week from the State Department on Cuba? 95 pages.”
• [16:20] Waltz: “I am not going to take options off the table for the President of the United States.”
• [17:04] Congresswoman Jacobs: “Are we better off now than we were before we launched the war in Iran?”
• [18:12] Jacobs: “My constituents... would beg to differ.”
• [18:28] Jacobs: “The national average of gas before the war started was $3 a gallon. It is now once again over $4 a gallon.”

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Important Timestamps

• 02:55—Start of UN Ambassador Mike Waltz testimony/exchange with Rep. Ted Lieu
• 03:22 – 04:37—Lieu eviscerates Waltz on wounded troop counts
• 05:01 – 05:58—Lieu questions on Trump admin’s “obliterated” Iran claims
• 07:13 – 08:50—Escalating tension: Lieu challenges Waltz on U.S. troop deployments and moral failures
• 09:32 – 10:15—Congresswoman McBride on Denmark, allies, and Greenland incident
• 11:42 – 13:14—Congressman Ol Zulowski on ethics and Trump profiteering
• 13:54 – 16:51—Rep. Mark Pocan confronts Waltz on Cuba policy and looming military threats
• 17:04 – 19:18—Congresswoman Jacobs presses on economic fallout from war, gas prices, and American hardship

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Tone & Commentary

The episode is charged, urgent, and unsparing, emblematic of MeidasTouch’s fusion of incisive commentary and moral outrage. The hosts zero in on failures of accountability, the dangers of misinformation, and the cost of hubris at the highest levels of power. The banter is at times biting, always unapologetic, and meant to embolden listeners passionate about democracy and justice.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode spotlights a critical moment of governmental accountability—through unfiltered congressional scrutiny, glaring knowledge gaps, and evasiveness by a top Trump official. It’s a must-listen for anyone seeking a real-time audit of war powers, ethical standards, and the high stakes of leadership in times of conflict.

Transcript

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[Congresswoman Jacobs]

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[Narrator/Host]

ambassador to the United nations just collapsed under cross examination by Democrats in the House of Representatives in a hearing over Donald Trump's catastrophic and unlawful war in Iran. Let me show you. As Democratic Congress member Ted Lieu is cross examining Mike Waltz, Donald Trump's ambassador to the United nations. And Lou calls for Waltz's resignation. Let's play this clip.

[Congressmember Ted Lieu]

Clearly being exposed. Iranian missiles, missile strikes and drones. You don't even know how many US Troops were wounded and did in this Iran war. Shame on you for not even know basic facts. You are the U. S. Ambassador and you don't even know how many US Troops are wounded. Iran, where you got that wrong. You should be shameful. You don't know basic facts because you should resign. You don't even care about the number of US Troops that were wounded.

[Narrator/Host]

More from this exchange between Congress, Congressmember Lou and the United States Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz. Let's play it.

[Congressmember Ted Lieu]

So I'm going to ask you again. Are US Troops buried? Are US Troops currently stationed. Are US Troops currently stationed in Jordan? US Troops currently.

[Narrator/Host]

Let me show you. As Democratic Congress member Ted Lieu exposes that Mike Waltz does not even know the amount of US Service members who were injured. Let's play this clip.

[Congressmember]

Service members are in the Middle east risking their lives in the war with Iran. How many US Troops have been wounded in the Iran war?

[Mike Waltz]

My understanding from the Defense Department's latest numbers is over 100, but about 70% or 90% of those have immediately returned to duty.

[Congressmember]

Okay, that number is wrong. According to Defense casualty analysis system, 482American troops have been wounded. Now it's not surprising to me that you did not know the answer to that. The reason you are here today and in your position is because you're fired by the president from your former position as National Security advisor.

[Congressmember Ted Lieu]

You disclosed, you disclose classified information that harmed American pilots and put them at risk.

[Mike Waltz]

About me. That's your spin, I guess for your next campaign commercial.

[Narrator/Host]

I don't know more from this powerful cross examination. Let's play it right here.

[Congressmember]

How many American troops have been killed

[Mike Waltz]

in the Iran war in these ongoing operations? 18.

[Congressmember]

Okay. Now, President Trump has repeatedly stated that Iran's military was obliterated. On March 16, President Trump stated that Iran's military was, quote, literally obliterated. End quote. How Is it possible that 482American troops have been wounded and 18 service members killed by a Iranian military that's been purportedly obliterated?

[Mike Waltz]

The Iranian navy, air force, air defense system and industrial capacity have been massively damaged, if not completely ineffective. But this is a state that is trying to reconstitute. This is a state, a regime that is obsessed with a nuclear weapon and it's a regime that still maintains some missile and drone capability that it's firing on all of its neighbors, including our bases. I think that's a pretty common sense evaluation. But if I need to explain it to you further, I can.

[Congressmember]

You need to explain to American people how an Iranian military that's been purportedly obliterated killed 18 year service members and wounded 480.

[Mike Waltz]

As you know, seven of those servicemen died in a plane flight.

[Congressmember]

Let me finish my question. And has struck multiple US Facilities in the Middle east repeatedly.

[Narrator/Host]

Wow, how utterly horrific that you have Mike Waltz try to downplay the deaths and say because seven of them died in a plane crash. How utterly horrific is that? Let me show you more of that first exchange that I played at the beginning of this video. I'll give you the full context right here. Let's play it.

[Mike Waltz]

I'm here as the UN Ambassador, but I'm happy to refer you to Pete Hegseth. Secretary Hegseth's testimony yesterday. Of course, in your opening statement you

[Congressmember Ted Lieu]

bragged about doing a Security Council resolution on Iran. So yes, Iran is in your job, responsibility. Focus on it and focus on the troops that have been wounded and killed. Do not be so callous with the safety and lives of American troops. I'm going to ask you again. Are US Troops Are US Troops currently stationed. Are US Troops currently stationed in Jordan? US Troops currently stationed in Jordan.

[Mike Waltz]

Try to get reelected.

[Congressmember]

I will.

[Mike Waltz]

You should.

[Congressmember Ted Lieu]

November is coming for you and this administration. Are U.S. troops stationed in Jordan? It's not even a trick question. Are they?

[Mike Waltz]

Of course they are.

[Congressmember Ted Lieu]

Okay, with a great. And if Donald Trump doesn't trust the Jordanians protect U S Troops. Do you trust them? Who are we going to have protect U S. Troops? They are exposed right now in the Middle east repeatedly being exposed to Iranian missiles when they died, missile strikes and drones. You don't even know how many U. S. Troops were wounded and did in this Iran war. Shame on you for not even know basic facts. You are the ubassador and you don't even know how many US Troops were wounded. Iran. Where you got that wrong. You should be shameful you don't know basic facts because you should resign. You don't even care about the number of US troops that were wounded. You did not know how many US troops were wounded. You gave false information to Congress. You should be ashamed of yourself for not even knowing how many US troops are wounded in the Iranian war.

[Mike Waltz]

The gentleman's words should be taken.

[Congressmember Ted Lieu]

You should not use such derogatory language for.

[Mike Waltz]

For the distinguished ambassador.

[Congressmember Ted Lieu]

Seriously.

[Mike Waltz]

I know you're upset, but nothing. In the last administration. Zero politics. And the worst of it, he lied

[Congressmember Ted Lieu]

to Congress, gave him a flat out false number, minimizing the number of US troops wounded in Iran.

[Congressmember]

Mr.

[Congressmember Ted Lieu]

Chair. That's what he did in his first answer to my question. It should be recognized that the Ambassador is a 20. Do you have a veteran board military.

[Congressmember]

Thank you.

[Mike Waltz]

Mr. Smith, do you have a point of order?

[Narrator/Host]

Then we had Democratic Congresswoman McBride cross examining Mike Walt. Let me show you what went down here. Let's play it.

[Mike Waltz]

There are votes. No votes. Only send a message to Vladimir Putin that we are not President Zelensky. But I want to say, while you're treating Vladimir Putin with gloves, you are insulting American allies, including our long standing ally Denmark, whose soldiers fought and died alongside US Soldiers. Have you gotten any positive feedback from your colleagues at the United nations about the President's desire to seize Greenland? As one of the soldiers who fought alongside Danish soldiers in southern Afghanistan, They're a fantastic ally. At the same time, they were paying very little to zero attention to the Arctic and they now are. And we are in meaningful negotiations to secure our northern border. I'll take that as a no. You haven't gotten any positive feedback.

[Congresswoman Jacobs]

Thank you.

[Narrator/Host]

I yelled back.

[Mike Waltz]

They have actually given a lot of positive feedback to the ongoing negotiations. To answer your question, sure.

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[Narrator/Host]

Then Congressman Ol Zulowski. Here's what he had to say. Let's play it.

[Congressmember]

You think it's wrong for elected officials and their families to profit from positions of power.

[Mike Waltz]

Do I think it's wrong just generally

[Congressmember]

speaking, Your personal values. Yes, sir. I'm pleased to hear that. So I guess the question then is how do you square that circle? Working for a president who just last year made 20,000 stock trades, including companies who benefit from markets that he is actively manipulating. Whether that's through announcing ceasefires, reversing course and allowing chip exports, or simply promoting these firms on his social media, how can you say it's wrong but be silent? As the President's sons benefit from mining deals paid for by US Taxpayers. As one of America's top diplomats, both as a former member of Congress, does that not conflict with your value, sir?

[Mike Waltz]

Well, let's not talk about Congress and the stock trading that I support.

[Congressmember]

A full ban. I think it's wrong for any member to trade. That wasn't the question though, sir.

[Mike Waltz]

I hope to see that bill.

[Congressmember]

I'm on the discharge petition, number one.

[Mike Waltz]

Number two, in a full ban, not.

[Congressmember]

Not the joke that my colleagues are

[Mike Waltz]

trying to President, Members of his cabinet have all complied with the Office of Government Ethics, as have my. As have myself. We have ethics rules in place. We have an agency that oversees.

[Congressmember]

So you think it's.

[Mike Waltz]

We all subject ourselves to the Senate and to this office and receive that clearance before we come for confirmation.

[Congresswoman Jacobs]

So.

[Congressmember Ted Lieu]

And you're.

[Congressmember]

You're okay with the President's stock trades?

[Mike Waltz]

In accordance with transparency and in accordance with the rul of the Congress. We. We publicly put our finances out there every year in our financial disclosures.

[Congressmember]

You're comfortable with the President buying stocks in companies like energy before he announces a ceasefire?

[Mike Waltz]

You're comfortable with the President is complying with the ethics rules, as they said

[Narrator/Host]

on the books under questioning from Democratic Congressmember Pocan UN Ambassador Mike Walz admitted that he hasn't even read the State Department's report about Cuba, but that he says he knows a lot about it because he lived in Florida. Let's play this clip.

[Congressmember Pocan]

Have you ever been to Cuba?

[Mike Waltz]

I have not.

[Congressmember Pocan]

You have not.

[Congressmember]

Okay.

[Congressmember Pocan]

Did you get a chance to read the report that came out this week from the State Department on Cuba? 95 pages.

[Mike Waltz]

I have not read the entire report, but as a native Floridian, I'm familiar with the antics and adversarial.

[Congressmember Pocan]

But you have. Gotcha. Can you explain to me. On July 7th, there is a vote in the UN to continue debate about the US blockade and we oppose that. And we kind of had an embarrassing defeat, 136 to 9 with 30 abstentions. But given what this report said, why are we afraid to have that debate? If there's so much information we want to share with the world about Cuba, why did we not extend.

[Mike Waltz]

That's a mischaracterization. What we opposed was Cubans or others for that matter, abusing the General assembly to have the same debate over and over again.

[Congressmember Pocan]

It just seems as if we had such damaged information that this report claims to have. That would be a great venue to have that. I guess my question is it's been over 65 years.

[Mike Waltz]

That's what we oppose.

[Congressmember Pocan]

Yeah. No, thank you. It's been over 65 years that we've had essentially this blockade, this embargo on Cuba. And have we moved closer to a democracy, steer them towards human rights? Has, as the other ambassador said, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. Have that 65 years brought us to where we want to be.

[Mike Waltz]

I would encourage you to read that, to read that report.

[Congressmember Pocan]

I did.

[Mike Waltz]

And you made a.

[Congressmember Pocan]

You didn't. Correct. Yes.

[Mike Waltz]

Oh, no. I have not read it word for word, but I am very familiar as a native. I do.

[Congressmember Pocan]

I read it. I've highlighted it. I felt like, you know what? I put on the Kinks and the who, because everything's about the 60s and 70s in here. And then there's a giant jump today.

[Mike Waltz]

A blockade is a ring of ships. A blockade is what we have right now.

[Congressmember Pocan]

It's a blockade of fuel, of medicine, of food, of supplies. Even in war, we allow medical supplies to go through. We don't allow medical supplies to go through to Cuba.

[Narrator/Host]

So more from Congressmember Pocan's cross examination where Waltz refused to take off the option that the United States will soon be invading Cuba. All of these Trump regime officials are war criminals and they deserve to be tried in the Hague. Let's play this clip.

[Congressmember Pocan]

Cuba. Are we going to have a military action against Cuba? It seems like that's what this report is setting up.

[Mike Waltz]

I am not going to take options off the table for the President of the United States. But I would hope that you would not allow your visits to be used for Cuban regime propaganda that has oppressed.

[Congressmember Pocan]

I'll tell you, I wish people. I understand, but I would strongly urge you. Marco Rubio has never been to Cuba. So many others who have strong opinions.

[Mike Waltz]

His entire family is from Cuba and they left before the revolution.

[Congressmember Pocan]

That is decades ago. That's a ridiculous answer.

[Mike Waltz]

Cuban Americans who have fled the regime.

[Congressmember Pocan]

To be fair, that is a ridiculous

[Mike Waltz]

answer for being oppressed.

[Congressmember Pocan]

It's worth going there if you're going to have such strong opinions. I think you'd maybe look at it a little differently. I yield back.

[Narrator/Host]

Congresswoman Jacobs had a powerful cross examination as well. Let's play it right here.

[Congresswoman Jacobs]

And while they willingly make the sacrifices for our country, it's our job on both sides of this dais to make sure that those sacrifices are worth it. So I wanted to ask you a simple question. Are we better off now than we were before we launched the war in Iran?

[Mike Waltz]

I will answer you very directly. Yes. The world and the American people are safer.

[Congresswoman Jacobs]

Okay, let me get. Let's get into some more specifics. Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz was open. Now the Strait of Hormuz is closed. Are Americans better off when the Strait of Hormuz is open or when the Strait of Hormuz is closed?

[Mike Waltz]

The American economy is largely unaffected by the Straits of Hormuz. We, fortunately, I find it a little bit rich to hear this kind of clamoring for oil and gas when frankly, your side of the aisle has been at war against the American fossil fuel industry for quite some time. In fact, we had an LNG export ban just under the last administration. But fortunately, because of drill, baby, drill, because of fracking, we are largely self sufficient in the energy space.

[Congresswoman Jacobs]

Well, my constituents who are paying on average thousands of dollars more a month in costs because of this war, would beg to differ. That our economy is not impacted by the Strait of Hormuz being closed.

[Mike Waltz]

But California imports much of its oil and gas, unfortunately because of its own regulations.

[Congresswoman Jacobs]

Yeah, I want to talk about the national average of gas. Actually, the national average of gas before the war started was $3 a gallon. It is now once again over $4 a gallon. You said actually in saying that the war was getting better on June 21st on Face the Nation that it is now below $4 and falling to show that we're making progress. But it's back up at $4 a gallon now. So are Americans better off when they're paying $3 a gallon nationally for gas or $4 a gallon nationally for gas?

[Mike Waltz]

Americans are better off than not paying the highs of over $5 under the last administration because that happened for two

[Congresswoman Jacobs]

weeks during the Ukraine war. It's been over $4 for more than three months just this year.

[Narrator/Host]

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