Trump Crashes Out as 4 More US Aircraft Hit in War

Summary

The MeidasTouch Podcast – "Trump Crashes Out as 4 More US Aircraft Hit in War"

Date: April 4, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Summary by: MeidasTouch Podcast Summarizer

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Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the rapidly escalating US–Iran conflict in the Middle East, analyzing breaking news that four US military aircraft have been hit by Iranian forces. The Meiselas brothers dive into the disconnect between the Trump administration's claims of air superiority and the on-the-ground (and in-the-air) realities, the stalled diplomatic efforts with Iran, and the erratic reaction from former President Donald Trump and his allies. The conversation is punctuated with pointed commentary, media clips, and a uniquely irreverent tone that mixes humor with passionate concern for democracy.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Escalation: Four US Aircraft Downed by Iran

• Timeline of Events ([00:00]):
  • The US Air Force has suffered significant setbacks, with two combat planes (an F15E and an A-10 "Warthog") and two HH60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters being hit during the Iran conflict.
  • These aircraft were involved in ongoing combat and search and rescue operations near the Strait of Hormuz.
• Reality vs. Official Narrative ([01:40]):
  • The MeidasTouch team exposes a discrepancy between CENTCOM’s earlier denial and subsequent confirmations. CENTCOM initially denied that any US fighter jets were downed, contradicting on-the-ground reports and later confirmed losses.
  • Ben Meiselas: “CENTCOM is lying and the other data seems to be accurate, which is what we've been saying for quite some time.” ([02:27])
• The Human Cost ([03:50]):
  • While most pilots were found or rescued, the dangerous search and rescue mission is ongoing with at least one pilot unaccounted for.

2. Trump Administration's Response & Spin

• Diplomacy at a Dead End ([04:22]):
  • Trump tells NBC the negotiation process with Iran will not be affected by the loss of US aircraft, despite Iran outright refusing to engage and listing their non-negotiable demands.
  • Ben: “You didn't have to read the Wall Street Journal to know that. You could have been watching the MeidasTouch Network where we've been saying the mediation and negotiations never started.” ([04:59])
• Trump's Escalatory Messaging ([05:56]):
  • Donald Trump, on social media: “Keep the oil anyone?” and “...with a little more time, we can easily open the Hormuz strait, take the oil and make a fortune. It would be a gusher for the world.” ([06:12])
  • The hosts are critical of how these statements provide Iranian state media with fodder for anti-US propaganda.
• White House Atmosphere ([06:45]):
  • Reports of Trump “blasting ‘God Bless America’ at full volume” in the White House—portrayed as out of touch while the military situation deteriorates.
  • Ben: “Now, Donald Trump is losing it in the White House. He is crashing out right now.”

3. Contrast Between Administration Rhetoric and Reality

• Media and MAGA Statements Mocked by Reality:
  • Clips from Fox News and Trump allies (e.g., Pete Hegseth) are played, promising “complete and total air superiority” and “uncontested airspace” over Iran.
    • Pete Hegseth: “The two most powerful air forces in the world will have complete control of Iranian skies, uncontested airspace... flying all day, all night, finding, fixing and finishing the missiles and defense industrial base of the Iranian military.” ([07:56])
    • Trump: “We can roam free over their skies and nothing will happen.” ([09:11])
    • Hegseth: “We negotiate with bombs... You have a choice. As we loiter over the top of Tehran... We’re keeping our hand on that throttle as long as as hard as is necessary…” ([09:40])
  • Events of the day undercut these grandiose statements, prompting ridicule from the Meiselas brothers.
• Budget Priorities and Public Welfare ([10:48]):
  • Trump’s recent statement: “We don’t have any money for Medicare, Medicaid or social services... We must put all our money into war.”
  • Marco Rubio is contrasted for criticizing Iran’s internal spending while Trump cuts domestic welfare for military escalation.
    • Trump: “We can’t take care of daycare... We’re fighting wars.” ([11:01])

4. International Critique and Backlash

• Global Perception ([11:45]):
  • French General on US plans: Suggests American officials should “stop snorting cocaine between meetings.”
  • The general previously likened joining Trump’s war to “buying cheap tickets for the Titanic after it hit the iceberg.”
  • Commentary highlights the global view of US mismanagement and hubris in the war.
• Iranian Counter-Propaganda ([12:32]):
  • Iran releases satirical “Lego videos” mocking Trump and Hegseth, featuring explicit and personal attacks.
  • Example: “Yo P. Hexif, this one’s specially for you, you punk ass rapist bitch… Nah, just a drunk infidel in the fake uniform…” ([13:00])
  • The hosts point out this media war, paralleling the failures on the battlefield.

5. Situation in Tehran ([13:31]):

• A new wave of strikes is hitting Tehran, targeting military and infrastructure, even as search and rescue for downed pilots continues.
• Ben: “...Trump blasting God bless America for aircraft shot down. And now US and Israel intensifying strikes in the Iranian capital of Tehran while there's still a search and rescue mission for the other pilot taking place from that F15E is a complete mess folks. A complete and utter mess.”

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On US leadership disconnect:
  “Now, Donald Trump is losing it in the White House. He is crashing out right now... He's blasting from the White House, God bless America, like, at full volume right now.” (Ben Meiselas, [06:45])
• On administration dishonesty:
  “In essence, CENTCOM is lying and the other data seems to be accurate, which is what we've been saying for quite some time.” (Ben Meiselas, [02:27])
• On Iran’s war aims:
  “Iran says, here are our non negotiables. We're always going to keep our ballistic missiles... Do not touch our drones. We want full reparations and get your military bases out of the Middle East...” (Ben Meiselas, [04:30])
• On right-wing rhetoric:
  “We negotiate with bombs. You have a choice. As we loiter over the top of Tehran...”—Pete Hegseth ([09:40])
• On dire state of diplomacy:
  “You didn't have to read the Wall Street Journal to know that. You could have been watching the Midas touch network where we've been saying the mediation and negotiations never started.” (Ben Meiselas, [04:59])
• International critique:
  “American officials should stop snorting cocaine between meetings.” (French General, as relayed by Ben, [11:45])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:00-04:22]: Details on four US aircraft hit by Iran; exposing CENTCOM/White House denials
• [04:22-06:45]: Trump's response, diplomatic dead end, and oil-focused rhetoric
• [06:45-07:56]: White House atmosphere—Trump’s bizarre reactions; military search and rescue efforts
• [07:56-10:24]: Clip reels: Hegseth and Trump’s claims of total victory and air superiority
• [10:24-11:24]: Domestic policy impacts—Trump’s defense budget vs. social services
• [11:45-13:00]: Foreign commentary; French General’s scathing criticism
• [13:00-13:31]: Iranian propaganda “Lego video” mocking US administration
• [13:31-End]: New attacks on Tehran, summary of the chaotic situation

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Tone & Takeaways

• Exposes the gap between Trump administration pronouncements and battlefield reality with sharp, sometimes mocking commentary.
• Uses a blend of fact-checking, quotes, and satirical media analysis to challenge official stories.
• Emphasizes grave implications for democracy, honest governance, and US standing in the world.

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For further updates and detailed content, visit MeidasTouch Network or join their newsletter/substack.

(This summary is free from ad reads, focusing solely on the episode's substantive content.)

Transcript

[A]

From unsolved mysteries to unexplained phenomena, from comedy gold to relationship fails, Amazon Music's got the most ad free top podcasts included with prime because the only thing that should interrupt your listening is, well, nothing. Download the Amazon Music app today. Now we're learning that actually multiple aircrafts have been hit by Iran. It's not just the F15E which we reported about earlier. Earlier there is a second combat plane that was hit and also two helicopters that were hit. This other plane that was struck down, it is a a 10 warthog that crashed near the Strait of Hormuz. This is in addition to the F15E that was shot down over Iran. So two aircraft shot down a 10 warthog as well as the F15E. Also, it's being reported that two helicopters were hit as well. The damage we're still assessing, but does indeed seem significant. It's the US Air Force's HH60G Pave Hawk combat search and rescue helicopters that were involved in the search and rescue efforts for that F15E Strike Eagle that was down today over southern Iran. And when you just think about about it, you had Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth saying that we've got air superiority, that no one can hit our jets. We loiter over Iran and we rained down death is what Donald Trump and Hegseth said. And we're seeing the exact opposite of that today. No, it's notable as well because earlier Central Command U.S. cENTCOM posted the following fact check, as they were calling it, claim Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it downed an enemy fighter jet over the Kashmir island in the Strait of Hormuz. Then they go fact. All US Fighter aircraft are accounted for. Iran's IRGC has made the same false claim at least half a dozen times. But now it's been confirmed that basically four different types of aircraft have indeed been hit in a very short period of time. In essence, CENTCOM is lying and the other data seems to be accurate, which is what we've been saying for quite some time. And it is horrifying that we continue to get lies from the Trump regime and then we have to continue to discover what's really happening again. F15 and A10 Warthog and two of the Combat Search and Rescue HH60G helicopters have indeed been hit. So Donald Trump was called by NBC and he was asked, well, does this change the circumstances of what's taking place? Downing of the US Jet won't affect negotiations with Iran, Trump tells NBC News. But I mean the status of the negotiations is. Iran told the mediators again, over and over and again. And today they said it one more time. Iran telling mediators, we do not want to meet US Officials in Islamabad in the coming days. We're not meeting in Pakistan. The current round of efforts by regional countries led by Pakistan to try to reach a cease fire between the US And Iran has reached a dead end. Mediators told the Wall Street Journal. You didn't have to read the Wall Street Journal to know that. You could have been watching the Midas touch network where we've been saying the mediation and negotiations never started. The Trump regime went to Pakistan, asked for help. Pakistan reached out to the old foreign minister of Iran and said, hey, can you maybe try to convince the current foreign minister and the current regime? As those discussions were, Trump and Netanyahu tried to assassinate the old foreign minister and killed the guy's wife, blew up the guy's home, killed the guy's wife and family. That guy's in severe condition. Setting aside that Iran said we're not negotiating, Iran says, here are our non negotiables. We're always going to keep our ballistic missiles. We're always going to now take control of these Strait of Hormuz. Do not touch our drones. We want full reparations and get your military bases out of the Middle East. And we want security guarantees for Iran, for, for the Houthis, for the Shiite groups in Iran and for in Iraq and for Hezbollah. I mean, they've made it very, very clear what, what, what, what they're saying. Okay, so going back to what's this NBC headline, I just wanted to make sure to give you the context when you see a headline, downing of these US Aircraft. They just said US Jet, but we know it's four aircrafts right now. Won't affect negotiations with Iran, Trump tells NBC News. In a brief interview, Trump refused to discuss the specifics of ongoing search and resc Iran after an American jet was down. But he expressed frustration about the media coverage of what is plainly an intense and sensitive military operation. So Donald Trump could just lie. Asked if today's events will affect any negotiations with Iran, Donald Trump said it would not. No, not at all. It's a war. We're in a war. Garrett Garrett was the NBC reporter. Garrett Hawk. We're in a war. Garrett. Oh, I thought y' all were saying it was a special military operation. I got it. It's a war. In other words, you need authorization because it was a war that you did not get. Donald Trump and rushed to social media to post the following. Keep the oil anyone? Keep the oil anyone is what Donald Trump's been posting. Just hand around more messages that they can show their people to rally them against the United States. Trump writes keep the oil anyone. And then earlier today, when we first Learned about that F15E that was hit and shot down, Donald Trump posted with a little more time, we can easily open the Hormuz straight, take the oil and make a fortune. It would be a gusher for the world. Donald J. Trump, a gusher for the world. Now, Donald Trump is losing it in the White House. He is crashing out right now. And one of the things that he's doing is kid you not. He's blasting from the White House, God bless America, like, at full volume right now. So just I want you to think about the scene. He's on loop. He's blasting God bless America while there are these four planes that have been or four aircraft, two planes, two helicopters that have been shot down. Look at the split screen. As you can see the search and rescue effort underway, which is not really going that well. I mean, there's, to be fair, there was one of the pilots who was found. The other is they're searching for, when it comes to that and other plane, the A10, that pilot safe. The helicopter pilots are safe as well. But all of those aircraft have been, have been hit. But let's just look at this, look, look at this side by side as Donald Trump is blasting God bless America. This is just so deranged, so demented. Here, play this clip. Now, I would be remiss if I didn't show you these clips right here first. I'll show you Pete Hegseth saying that we will have complete and total air superiority. Remember when Hegset said this? Play this clip.

[B]

The two most powerful air forces in the world will have complete control of Iranian skies, uncontested airspace. I hope all the folks watching understand what uncontested airspace and complete control means. It means we will fly all day, all night, day and night, finding, fixing and finishing the missiles and defense industrial base of the Iranian military. Finding and fixing their leaders and their military leaders flying over Tehran, flying over Iran, flying over their capital, flying over the irgc, Iranian leaders looking up and seeing only US And Israeli air power every minute of every day until we decide it's over.

[A]

Then remember when Donald Trump gave a press conference, what, a week or so ago where Donald Trump was asked, what do you mean when you say we won the war? And Trump's like We can roam free over their skies and nothing will happen. Here, play this clip.

[C]

We're making a lot of progress. The war was militarily.

[D]

What did you mean by that?

[A]

He said the war was militarily won in Iran.

[C]

What did you mean by that? Oh, I think we've won. We've knocked out their navy, their air force, we've knocked out their anti aircraft, we've knocked out everything we're roaming free. From a military standpoint, all they're doing is clogging up the straits. But from a military standpoint, they're finished.

[A]

Or remember when Pete Hegseth says we negotiate with bombs, we loiter over Iran and we can rain down death whenever we want to. Remember Hegset said that. Let's play this clip.

[C]

Power.

[B]

The air campaign that we've conducted, that Israel's conducted alongside us, was one for the history books, truly. That's because we have a president, United States, that when he sends his war fighters out to fight, he unties their hands to actually go out and close with and destroy the enemy as viciously as possible from moment one. And that's why we see ourselves as part of this negotiation as well. We negotiate with bombs. You have a choice. As we loiter over the top of Tehran, as the president talked about about your future, the president has made it clear that you will not have a nuclear weapon. The War Department agrees our job is to ensure that. And so we're keeping our hand on that throttle as long as as hard as is necessary to ensure the interest of the United States of America are achieved on that battlefield.

[A]

Now, I'm also reminded of what Donald Trump said in the past 48 hours, where Trump says, we don't have any money for Medicare, Medicaid or social services or anything like that. We must put all our money into war. Donald Trump just announced a $1.5 trillion budget for the Defense Department. Look at this side by side of what on the one hand, Marco Rubio was saying about Iran. On the other side, what Donald Trump just said. Let's play this clip. Imagine in Iran that instead of spending their wealth, billions of dollars supporting terrorists or weapons, had spent that money helping the people of Iran, you'd have a much different country.

[C]

We have to take care of one thing, military protection. The United States can't take care of daycare. That has to be up to a state. We can't take care of daycare. We're a big country. We have 50 states. We have all these other people. We're fighting wars. We can't take care of daycare. It's not possible for us to take care of daycare. Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things.

[A]

You also have a French general who recently went on TV in France and he said the following about the US Plans to potentially build a Runway inside Iran to fly out uranium under active bombing. He goes, american officials should stop, should stop snorting cocaine between meetings. This is the same general who called joining Trump's war, quote, buying cheap tickets for the Titanic after it hit the iceberg. And I guess he's watching the US White House blasting God bless America while disaster continues to strike. And he's like, they need to stop doing cocaine in the White House right now. Again, it's utterly absurd. Also in response to Pete Hegseth posting bomb Iran back to the stone Age. This is what Trump and Hegseth. This is the message coming out of the Trump regime as they bomb Iranian bridges. As Donald Trump says, we're going to hit electric grids and take all of Iranian oil. Right? I mean the language Donald Trump is using is that of the authoritarian dictator. I mean it's heinous and despicable. But that, that language is being used in the name of the United States right now. And you have Hegseth posting back to the stone Age. Iran continues to make these like Lego videos that are mocking Trump and mocking Hegseth. So they through all of this going on right now, they released their latest like Lego video mocking Hegseth. I'll show you what they're doing. As they go on their offensive with their messaging campaign. You can see what's going on right here. Let's play it.

[D]

Yo P. Hexif, this one's specially for you, you punk ass rapist bitch. Straight from ir. Newcomer clown with that cafe ink on your arm. Think you were crusader? Nah, just a drunk infidel in the fake uniform chanting kill all Muslims Wasted in the hotel lobby. Sexual assault settlement in Monterey. Blocked the door, took a phone, paid her off. Quiet. Cause me too was on now you secretary, what a joke bro. Cheated on wives, multiple affairs.

[A]

And then folks, we're learning as well that the right now in Tehran, a significant wave of strikes is currently underway against military and infrastructure strikes. Strikes across the Iranian capital of Tehran. So in response to all of this, Trump blasting God bless America for aircraft shot down. And now US and Israel intensifying strikes in the Iranian capital of Tehran while there's still a search and rescue mission for the other pilot taking place from that F15E is a complete mess folks. A complete and utter mess. We'll keep you posted every step of the way. Now hit subscribe. Let's get to 7 million subscribers. Want to stay plugged in? Become a subscriber to our [e-mail] you'll get daily recaps from Ron Filipowski, ad free episodes of our podcast, and more exclusive content Only [e-mail].

[E]

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