Trump Crashes Out in Presser as Iran Rejects Deal

Summary

The MeidasTouch Podcast: Trump Crashes Out in Presser as Iran Rejects Deal

Episode Date: April 7, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

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Episode Overview

This episode covers the fallout from Donald Trump’s chaotic White House press conference following Iran’s outright rejection of U.S. demands and negotiation overtures. The Meiselas brothers analyze Trump’s stream-of-consciousness statements, highlighting his inflammatory rhetoric, boasts about military action, and increasingly erratic behavior regarding Iran, NATO, and U.S. allies. The episode mixes detailed coverage with the brothers’ signature irreverent banter and concern for the state of American democracy.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Trump’s Venezuela Boast and Delusional Popularity Claims

• [01:51] Trump bizarrely claims he's so popular in Venezuela that he could win the presidency there, promising, “I will quickly learn Spanish. It won’t take too long. I’m good at language. I will go to Venezuela. I’m going to run for president.”
• The hosts mock Trump’s outlandishness and detachment from reality.

Questionable Military Boasts and Osama Bin Laden Claim

• [02:24] Trump takes full credit for killing Osama bin Laden (historically inaccurate), while also folding in boasts about ordering the killing of Qassem Soleimani.
  • Quote: “[on Bin Laden] …if you read my book, I said, you got to take them out one year before the World Trade Center came down. So I wish you’d read the book.”
• The hosts highlight the confusion, noting Bush was president during the Bin Laden raid.

Staggering Iran Rhetoric: “They Love Being Bombed”

• [03:29] Trump: “Please keep bombing. Bombs that are dropping near their homes. Please keep bombing. Do it.”
  • Claims the Iranian people beg the U.S. to bomb them, equating bombing with a path to freedom.
  • The hosts recoil at the sheer insensitivity and fantasy of these statements.

Fantasies of “Obliterating” Iran

• [04:47] Trump: “Every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o'clock tomorrow night… every power plant… burning, exploding, and never to be used again.”
  • [14:01] Trump: “The entire country could be taken out in one night. And that night might be tomorrow night.”
• Hosts note Trump’s disregard for civilian lives and international law.

Classified Info & Extraction Missions

• Trump answers a journalist’s question about military operations by revealing “hundreds” of special forces participated, after being advised not to disclose operational details ([06:51]).
• The hosts raise alarms over Trump’s casual approach to classified information.

Divine Justification for Violence

• [07:20] Trump: “I do [believe God supports these actions]. Because God is good and God wants to see people taken care of. God doesn’t like what’s happening.”
  • Cites purported Nobel Prize praise.
• The podcast critiques Trump’s religious rationalization.

Attacks on NATO and Allied Relationships

• [08:30]/[09:15] Trump repeatedly calls NATO a “paper tiger,” says “Putin’s not afraid of NATO. Putin’s afraid of us,” and complains that U.S. allies like South Korea, Japan, and Australia “didn’t help us.”
  • [08:53] Trump: “We want Greenland. They don’t want to give it to us. And I said bye bye.”
• The hosts respond with incredulity at Trump’s undermining of U.S. alliances.

Media Hostility & Mental Health Questions

• [10:30] Reporter: Brings up Trump calling Iranians “crazy bastards” and queries mental health.
  • Trump: “I haven’t heard that. But if that’s the case, you’re going to have to have more people like me because our country was being ripped off.”
• The Meiselas brothers point to the self-justifying and unhinged response.

Strait of Hormuz: War, Tolls, and More Confusion

• [11:29] Trump suggests the U.S. should be charging tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz because “we won.”
  • Shows clear misunderstanding of the situation: “We have a concept where we’ll charge Tulsa. Okay.”
• The hosts underscore the disconnect from geopolitical reality.

Profanity, Shifting Messaging, and Blame Game

• [12:14] Trump: “They’re very good bullshit artists. That’s why for 47 years they’ve been bullshitting other presidents and they haven’t done the job.”
• On whether the war is ending or escalating: [13:01] Trump: “I can’t tell you. I don’t know. I can’t. It depends what they do. This is a critical period.”
• The show highlights the dangerous inconsistency and lack of a real strategy.

War Crimes & Press Hostility

• [13:32] NYT Reporter: Questions Trump on Geneva Conventions.
  • Trump: Deflects by attacking the reporter: “Are you circulation way down at The New York Times?”
  • Dismisses concern about targeting civilian infrastructure.
• The brothers react with alarm at the lack of accountability or remorse.

“Childish” Communication Claims & Exaggerated Military Technology

• [14:30] Trump: Claims Iran is so weak U.S. negotiators must send notes like “children 2,000 years ago.”
• Boasts U.S. shot down 101 missiles at 2,700 mph against the Abraham Lincoln ([15:22]).
  • [15:54] Trump: “Our B2 bombers… obliterated. That said, and by the way, the word is obliteration.”
• Hosts critique Trump’s inflated numbers and cartoonish depiction of war.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I will quickly learn Spanish. It won’t take too long. I’m good at language and I will go to Venezuela. I’m going to run for president.”—Donald Trump ([01:51])
• “Please keep bombing. Bombs that are dropping near their homes. Please keep bombing. Do it.”—Trump ([03:29])
• “Every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o’clock tomorrow night... complete demolition by 12 o’clock, and it’ll happen over a period of four hours. If we wanted to, we don’t want that to happen.” ([04:47])
• “I do [believe God supports these actions]. Because God is good and God wants to see people taken care of.” ([07:20])
• “Putin’s not afraid of NATO. Putin’s afraid of us. Very afraid of us. And he’s explained it to me a lot of times.”—Trump ([09:15])
• “They’re very good bullshit artists. That’s why for 47 years, they’ve been bullshitting other presidents…”—Trump ([12:14])
• “I can’t tell you. I don’t know. I can’t. It depends what they do. This is a critical period.” ([13:01])

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Important Timestamps

| Segment Description | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------|------------| | Venezuela, Spanish claim | [01:51] | | Osama Bin Laden / Soleimani assertion | [02:24] | | “Iranians love being bombed” | [03:29] | | Threats to destroy all bridges/power | [04:47] | | Spec. Forces mission, info disclosure | [06:51] | | “God supports us,” Nobel Prize claim | [07:20] | | NATO as “paper tiger”/allies criticism | [09:15] | | Mental health question | [10:30] | | Strait of Hormuz, “toll” confusion | [11:29] | | Profanity, “bullshit artists” | [12:14] | | “Can’t tell you” (wars ending/escalate) | [13:01] | | War crimes question, reporter attack | [13:32] | | “Take out all Iran in one night” | [14:01] | | “Childish” negotiation/weak Iran claim | [14:30] | | 101 missiles, Abraham Lincoln | [15:22] | | B2 bombers, obliteration claim | [15:54] |

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Analysis & Tone

The Meiselas brothers approach this episode with concern, incredulity, and dark humor. They highlight the grave implications of Trump’s rhetoric, the normalization of advocating war crimes, and his attacks on allies and the press. By playing extended clips and breaking down each bizarre statement, the hosts make it clear the press conference marks a low point in presidential behavior and global U.S. credibility.

Memorable Moment:
The hosts repeatedly return to Trump’s statement about the Iranian people “begging” to be bombed, noting it’s one of the most disturbing claims heard from a President in American history ([03:29]).

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Conclusion

The episode is a rapid-fire, deeply critical examination of Trump’s solo press conference after Iran rejects U.S. demands—a press event described by the hosts as “catastrophic.” The Meiselas brothers use Trump’s own words and logic to underscore the dangerous volatility on display, blending outrage, satire, and factual correction to leave listeners with a sense of urgency about the risks posed by such leadership.

Transcript

[Commercial Narrator]

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[Podcast Host]

Donald Trump just held a catastrophic press conference in the White House as Iran has rejected Donald Trump's begging at this point for them to negotiate with him. As they said, your deadline is not something that we are going to bow down to now. During this catastrophic press conference, Donald Trump said that he should run and become the president of Venezuela. Donald Trump took credit for killing Osama bin Laden. And then Donald Trump said, the Iranian people are begging to be bombed. They love being bombed. When Donald Trump was asked about his conduct being war crimes, he just started attacking the reporter. And then Donald Trump said that if Iran does not immediately surrender, he's prepared to blow up everything in Iran Iran and totally obliterate and destroy the entire country of Iran, making no distinction between the Islamic Republic and the people of Iran. So let's just go through with the receipts of what happened during this catastrophic press conference. Donald Trump said that he wants to run and become the president of Venezuela. Play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

And we just so you understand, the people of Venezuela, they say if I ran for president of Venezuela, I'm polling higher than anybody has ever polled in Venezuela. So after I'm finished with this, I can go to Venezuela. I will quickly learn Spanish. It won't take too long. I'm good at language and I will go to Venezuela. I'm going to run for president. But we're very happy with the president elect that we have right now. The, the, the people that are running it.

[Podcast Host]

If you remember, Bush and Donald Trump said that he was the one who killed Osama bin Laden. Let's play this clip right here.

[Donald Trump]

Was so easy. I terminated that and then the B2 bombers. And I did one other thing. I had killed Kassam Soleimani, who was an evil genius. And the reason I did it, I heard he was going to knock out 5 of our military bases and had he lived, I believe we would be fighting perhaps a different Iran right now. Because, because he's never, he's never been replaced, you know, and I also, I did one other, but this one was not picked up. Osama bin Laden, if you read my book, I said, you got to take them out one year before the World Trade center came down. So I wish you'd read the book.

[Podcast Host]

Next. Donald Trump says that the Iranian people are upset when they are not bombed. They like being bombed, he says. Let's play this clip.

[Commercial Narrator]

You said Iranians would be mad if you stopped these attacks, but why would they want you to blow up their infrastructure to cut off their power? Wouldn't that be punishing Iranians for the actions of the regime?

[Donald Trump]

They would be willing to. They would be willing. And it's suffering. They would be willing to suffer that in order to have freedom. The Iranians have. We've had numerous intercepts. Please keep bombing. Bombs that are dropping near their homes. Please keep bombing. Do it. And these are people that are living where the bombs are exploding. And when we leave and we're not hitting those areas, they're saying, please come back, come back, come back. These are the people. I don't know what they do. All I can tell you is they want freedom. They have lived in a world that you know nothing about. It's a violent, horrible world where if you protest, you are shot.

[Podcast Host]

Then Donald Trump says Iran was great 25 years ago. When they were part of the axis of evil, they were actually great. He says, let's play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

They've lived so horribly. You know, Iran was a great country. If you go back 25 years ago or so, the Persian people, they're incredible smart.

[Podcast Host]

Then Donald Trump talks about the plan that he has. He says to basically destroy all of Iran and to completely obliterate the nation and just destroy all their bridges, power plants, civilian infrastructure. Here's what he says. Let's play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

We have a plan, because of the power of our military, where every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o' clock tomorrow night. Where every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding, and never to be used again. I mean, complete demolition by 12 o', clock, and it'll happen over a period of four hours. If we wanted to, we don't want that to happen. We may even get involved with helping them rebuild their nation. And you know what? If that's the case, the last thing we want to do is start with power plants, which are among the most expensive thing and bridges. You saw the bridge? The bridge. 1. We were very close to a deal. And then I got a call from Mr. Witkoff, Mr. Kushner, and J.D. saying, I think they're breaking the deal. I said, tell them that's okay. Don't worry about it, but tell them to look out their window and watch. And within 45 minutes, I gave the order to knock out the biggest bridge. I gave the order, knock out the biggest bridge in, I believe, the Middle east, but the biggest bridge in Iran. And within 10 minutes after I gave that order, that bridge was.

[Podcast Host]

Then he's asked how many Special Forces and other troops were sent into Iran to purportedly extract the F15E pilot and crew members after the F15E was shot down over Iran. And Donald Trump is told, don't say it, because it is confidential information, classified information. Then Trump claims, it was hundreds of people. And it also should be noticed that multiple C130 aircraft and helicopters and other important military equipment was destroyed, including the Reaper drones. Like, half a billion dollars of military equipment was destroyed. I did a report on what I suspect actually went down near the Isfahan facility where this extraction took place. But listen to what Trump says. Play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

And don't forget, how many men did you send altogether, approximately, for the operation? I'd love to keep that a secret. Okay, well, we are. But I will tell you number. I'll keep it a secret. But it was hundreds.

[Podcast Host]

And then Donald Trump says that God is telling him to obliterate Iran. Play this clip.

[Commercial Narrator]

Thank you very much. You said, glory be to God in this conflict. Do you believe that God supports the United States actions in this?

[Donald Trump]

I do. Because God is good. Because God is good and God wants to see people taken care of. God doesn't like what's happening. I don't like what's happening. Everyone says, I enjoy. I don't enjoy this. I don't enjoy. These two guys don't enjoy it. You know, people say, oh, boy, they're so tough. They don't want. They don't like. I don't like seeing people killed. I've ended eight wars. Nobody's ever done it. The person who won the Nobel Prize came to me and said, you deserve the Nobel Prize. She announced that. When they announced, they said, goes to Maria. She's a great person, really a good person. She said, no, no, no, this is ridiculous. They gave me the Nobel Prize. President Trump aimed at eight wars. I could go over every one of them, including India and Pakistan, where the Prime Minister of Pakistan said, president Trump saved from 30 to 50 million lives. That makes me much happier than what we're doing right now. That makes me much happier. We have one more to end, by the way.

[Podcast Host]

Then Donald Trump attacks NATO, refers to NATO as a paper T. And he says that's what Putin tells me all the time. Play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

You know, NATO is a paper tiger. Now he's coming to see me on Wednesday. As you know, he's a wonderful guy. Secretary General is great. And Mark Ruta, he's a great person. But he's got, and you know, it all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland, we want Greenland. They don't want to give it to us. And I said bye bye.

[Podcast Host]

He then attacks American allies like South Korea, Japan and Australia. Show you this clip right here.

[Commercial Narrator]

You voiced your displeasure with NATO in the past. Is there a danger to the US not being the de facto of the leader of the alliance and then other powers within the alliance then getting the decision making when it comes to wars and nuclear weapons?

[Donald Trump]

It's not a danger. NATO's, look, we went to NATO. I didn't ask very strongly. I just said, hey, if you want to help, great. No, no, no, we will not help. I said, that's all right. You don't want to help. Because I've always said NATO's a paper tiger. See, NATO is a paper tiger. Putin's not afraid of NATO. Putin's afraid of us. Very afraid of us. And he's explained it to me a lot of times. I got to know him very well. I know him very well. NATO is a paper tiger. NATO is us. And when we needed them, we didn't need them, by the way. We didn't need them, obviously, because they haven't helped at all. Just the opposite. They've actually gone out of their way not to help. They didn't even want to give us landing strips. Think of it. And it's not just NATO. You know who else didn't help us? South Korea didn't help us. You know who else didn't help us? Australia didn't help us. You know who else didn't help us? Japan.

[Podcast Host]

Donald Trump is asked by a reporter why he calls Iranians crazy bastards and if his mental health should be examined. It's a good question. We covered a lot here on this network entrusts. I never heard anybody asking that my mental health be examined. Yeah, everybody in the world is asking that pretty much right now. Donald, let's play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

You called the yesterday in your truth social, you called the Iranians, crazy bastards. True. What is your response to critics who say that? I don't care about. What is your response to critics who say that is your mental health that should perhaps be examined as this war? I haven't heard that. But if that's the case, you're going to have to have more people like me because our country was being ripped off on trade or everything for many years until I came along. So if that's the case, you're going to have to have more people. Dasha, go ahead.

[Podcast Host]

Then Donald Trump is asked about, would he end the war if Iran continues to charge tolls and control the Strait of Hormuz? And Trump's like, you mean the US Charging tolls? We should be the ones who charge the tolls in these Strait of Hormuz because we won the war. No, Donald, that's not what's happening at all, actually. But you're the one begging for Iran to negotiate, and they're not negotiating. They control the Strait of Hormuz. I mean, this is real deranged stuff. But in any event, let's play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

Mr. President, are you allowed to or are you willing to end this conflict

[Podcast Host]

with Iran charging tolls for passage through the street?

[Donald Trump]

US Charging tolls? Iran, what about US Charging tolls? Is that something you're considering? I'd rather do that than let them have them run. Why shouldn't we? We're the winner. We won. Okay? They are militarily defeated. The only thing they have is the psychology of, oh, we're going to drop a couple of mines in the water. All right. No, we. I mean, we have a concept where we'll charge Tulsa. Okay. I thought you meant your question. Your question would. Your question would have been more accurate

[Podcast Host]

if you said, then Donald Trump just starts cursing and said, the Iranians are good bullshit artists. Let's play it.

[Donald Trump]

They say there might be eight. I don't know. I don't know. I think there might be none because they're very good bullshit artists. That's why for 47 years, they've been bullshitting other presidents and they haven't done the job. And people are living in hell. You live in that country, they're living in hell. No, I think that 47 years.

[Podcast Host]

Trump is then asked about his messaging on the war has moved from the war is coming to an end to we're going to bomb Iran to the Stone Age. So which is it? And Trump goes, I can't tell you. I don't know. Let's play this clip.

[Commercial Narrator]

Your messaging on the war has moved from the war is coming to an end to war going to be bombing Iran to the Stone Ages. And we've heard a range of those kind of messages. So are you. So which is it? Are you winding this down? Are you?

[Donald Trump]

I can't tell you. I don't know. I can't. It depends what they do. This is a critical period.

[Podcast Host]

Watch what happens when a New York Times reporter asks Donald Trump about war crimes, that deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure constitute war crimes. Watch what Trump says. Play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

Go ahead.

[Podcast Host]

Thank you, Mr. President, for the question. Deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure violate the Geneva Conventions and international law.

[Donald Trump]

Who are you with?

[Podcast Host]

I'm with the New York Times. Zolin from the New York Times.

[Donald Trump]

Are you feeling the feeling? Are you circulation way down at the New York Times.

[Podcast Host]

Are you concerned that your threat to bomb power plants and bridges amount.

[Donald Trump]

No, not at all. No. No, I'm not. I hope I don't have to do it. But again, I just said 47 years they've been negotiating with these people, with their great negotiators.

[Podcast Host]

Then Trump says he'll take out the entire country of Iran in one night. Tomorrow night he plans to obliterate all of Iran. Let's play the clip.

[Donald Trump]

Well, at a level that nobody's ever seen before, the entire country could be taken out in one night. And that night might be tomorrow night. Both members of the crew ejected from the aircraft and landed alive.

[Podcast Host]

He then says that Iran is at its weakest point they've ever been. So now we have to communicate with them like children, like 2,000 years ago, passing notes like children. Does that even mean. Let's play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

Years of this stuff is long enough. They're at the weakest point they've ever been. They have no navy, they have no air force, they have no anti aircraft weaponry, they have no radar. They have no communication. In fact, the biggest problem we have in our negotiation is that they can't communicate. Communicate. I said to Steve, what are they saying, sir? They can't communicate. They have no method of communication. So we're doing, we're communicating like they used to communicate 2,000 years ago with children bringing a note back and forth.

[Podcast Host]

Now, obviously they're not at their weakest point. They control the Australian Hormuz right now. And lots of countries are now doing bilateral negotiations. The US Is at its weakest point right now. Then Donald Trump goes on to say that there were 101 missiles going 2700 miles an hour aimed at the Abraham Lincoln. Play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

Do you know, we have in terms of technology, we had one day, 101 missiles going at 2,700 miles an hour aimed at the Abraham Lincoln. 101 missiles. Out of 101 missiles, 101 missiles were shot down. Unbelievable technology.

[Podcast Host]

Then Trump says that our B2 bombers back last June totally obliterated the the nuclear facilities. Okay, so then why are, why are we here? What are we doing? Let's play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

Had those beautiful B2 bombers not gone in eight months ago and obliterated. That said, and by the way, the word is obliteration. CNN said, well, maybe it wasn't complete. It was so complete that they still haven't been able to get it. It was obliteration.

[Podcast Host]

But there you have it folks. Let me know. I could show you more, but I think you get the point. Hit subscribe. Let's get to 7 million subscribers and thanks everybody for watching. You may think you're subscribed, but you may not actually be subscribed. Double check and help us get to 7 million. Want to stay plugged in? Become a subscriber to our [e-mail] you'll get daily recaps from Ron Filipkowski, ad free episodes of our podcast and more exclusive content only [e-mail].

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