Trump First Presser on Leak Scandal Ends in Disaster

Summary

Podcast Summary: The MeidasTouch Podcast – "Trump First Presser on Leak Scandal Ends in Disaster"

Episode Information:

• Title: Trump First Presser on Leak Scandal Ends in Disaster
• Release Date: March 25, 2025
• Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas (MeidasTouch Network)

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Introduction

In this intense episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast, the Meiselas brothers delve deep into the fallout from former President Donald Trump's recent public meeting addressing a significant leak scandal. The episode intertwines sharp analysis, brotherly banter, and a staunch defense of democratic values, providing listeners with a comprehensive breakdown of the unfolding political drama.

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Key Discussions and Insights

1. Overview of Trump's Public Meeting and the Leak Scandal

The episode centers around Donald Trump's disastrous public meeting held on March 24, 2025, where he confronted the leak of confidential war plans from an unsecured group text thread. The presence of National Security Advisor Mike Walls, a key figure in the scandal, added to the gravity of the situation.

Commentator Highlights:

• [00:58] The commentator sets the stage by detailing Trump's handling of the leak, emphasizing the involvement of Mike Walls and the breach's implications.

2. Trump's Responses to Media Inquiries

Throughout the meeting, Trump faced probing questions from reporters regarding the leak. His responses were notably evasive and combative, aiming to deflect blame and attack the integrity of the media.

Notable Quotes:

• [02:31] Donald Trump: "And we will certainly. Look, if it was up to me, everybody would be sitting in a room together. The room would have solid lead walls and a lead ceiling and a lead floor."

• [04:58] Donald Trump: "We've had two perfect months. We're bringing in business. We have another one announced tomorrow, a big one, very big, like in the history of our country."

3. Attacks on The Atlantic and Its Editorial Integrity

Trump didn't restrain his criticism towards The Atlantic magazine and its editor-in-chief, labeling the publication as a "failing venture" and accusing its leadership of fabricating stories.

Notable Quotes:

• [02:52] Donald Trump: "The Atlantic. The Atlantic is a failed magazine, does very, very poorly. Nobody gives a damn about it."

• [03:42] Donald Trump: "The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief... the guy’s a total sleazebag."

4. Criticism of the Trump Administration's Handling of Federal Affairs

The podcast hosts vigorously counter Trump's claims, outlining the administration's alleged failures over the past two months, including mishandling of federal operations, economic downturns, and strained international relations.

Commentator Highlights:

• The commentator vehemently disputes Trump's assertion of having "perfect, beautiful months," citing mishandling of federal agencies, economic instability, and compromised international alliances.

• [05:44] The commentator accuses Trump of endangering national security and mishandling classified information, referencing Trump's own actions with classified documents.

5. National Security Adviser Mike Walls's Defense

Mike Walls, present during the meeting, attempted to defend the administration's actions, attributing the leak to journalistic overreach and technological shortcomings.

Notable Quotes:

• [07:26] Mike Walls: "We have our technical experts looking at it, we have our legal teams looking at it."

• [15:14] Mike Walls: "Mr. President, you asked about lessons. I think there's a lot of journalists in this city who have made big names for themselves making up lies about this president."

6. Discussion on the Use of the Signal App

A significant portion of the scandal revolves around the use of the Signal app by senior officials for communicating classified information, raising concerns about breaches of the Espionage Act.

Notable Quotes:

• [02:59] Donald Trump: "I don't know anything about Signal... Sometimes somebody can get onto those things."

• [08:44] Donald Trump: "I don't think it's something we're looking forward to using again. We may be forced to use it."

7. Trump's Outlook on International Affairs and Economic Claims

Trump attempted to pivot the conversation towards his administration's successes, highlighting business growth and international deals, while simultaneously criticizing European and NATO policies.

Notable Quotes:

• [11:38] Mike Walls: "The Secretary Defense Pete Scott and JD Bonds, the Vice President, said that the Europeans were freeloaders. Do you agree with that assessment?"

• [12:58] Donald Trump: "The main thing was nothing happened. The attack was totally successful."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Donald Trump [02:31]: "If it was up to me, everybody would be sitting in a room together. The room would have solid lead walls and a lead ceiling and a lead floor."

• Donald Trump [04:58]: "We've had two perfect months. We're bringing in business. We have another one announced tomorrow, a big one, very big."

• Donald Trump [02:52]: "The Atlantic is a failed magazine, does very, very poorly. Nobody gives a damn about it."

• Mike Walls [07:26]: "We have our technical experts looking at it, we have our legal teams looking at it."

• Donald Trump [08:44]: "I don't think it's something we're looking forward to using again. We may be forced to use it."

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Conclusions and Takeaways

The episode paints a grim picture of the current state of the Trump administration, highlighting internal conflicts, mishandling of sensitive information, and aggressive deflection tactics employed by Trump. The Meiselas brothers underscore the severity of the leak scandal, questioning the administration's competence and commitment to national security. Through incisive commentary and strategic questioning, the podcast advocates for transparency and accountability, reinforcing the importance of supporting democratic institutions in the face of political turmoil.

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Additional Resources

• Subscribe to The MeidasTouch Podcast: Stay updated with the latest episodes every Tuesday and Friday morning, along with live video sessions on Mondays and Thursdays at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on the MeidasTouch YouTube channel.

• Join the MeidasMighty: Engage with a community dedicated to upholding democratic values through informed discussions and supportive activism.

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Note: This summary excludes all advertisements, intros, outros, and non-content segments to focus solely on the substantive discussions and analyses presented in the episode.

Transcript

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[Commentator]

Donald Trump just held a disastrous public meeting with some of his ambassadors. The national security advisor, Mike Walls was there. He was one of the individuals on the group text thread where war plans were leaked to a reporter who was invited into this unsecured group text thread. So Donald Trump was asked about this massive scandal. Donald Trump was asked, so why are you in your regime now? Saying that the information in this text thread was not classified. Trump just shuts the question down and says, another question please.

[Host]

Here, play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

Decades.

[Reporter]

Nation was not classified. Just following up on your comments on the economy.

[Commentator]

Then Donald Trump says he knows nothing about Signal. That, that he just even heard about this, that he has nothing to do with it.

[Host]

Here, play this clip.

[Reporter]

National security was put at risk, Mr. President, of senior officials using Signal.

[Donald Trump]

Do I plan to ban who the.

[Reporter]

Use of signal to communicate from senior officials?

[Donald Trump]

Well, I don't know. What, I don't know anything about Signal. I wasn't involved in this, but I just heard about it and I hear it's used by a lot of groups, it's used by the media a lot. It's used by a lot of the military and I think successfully. But sometimes somebody can get onto those things. That's one of the prices you pay when you're not sitting in the situation room with no phones on, which is always the best, frankly. But you know, you.

[Commentator]

Then Donald Trump attacks the editor in chief of Atlantic who was brought into this chat, didn't ask to be on this chat, and starts attacking the Atlantic and attacking the editor in chief and saying, I think that he's bad for the country. He makes up a lot of stories, folks he just quoted directly what was on the chat.

[Host]

Here, play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

This, that, from what I heard, the man that we're talking about, who's not somebody that I don't think most people have ever heard of, he left. He found it very boring, and he left early. He got off the line very early. So I can't speak to it other than that. So he's made up a lot of stories, and, you know, I think he's basically bad for the country. But it's a failing venture, very failing venture. They're very upset, and a thing like this is publicity for them.

[Commentator]

But then Donald Trump continues to attack the Atlantic. He calls the guy a sleaze bag. He calls the editor in chief, who Trump's own national security adviser and defense secretary brought onto this chat, a sleaze bag.

[Host]

Here, play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

That's an app that a lot of people use, and somebody got on, I mean, happened to know the guy's a total sleazebag. The Atlantic. The Atlantic is a failed magazine, does very, very poorly. Nobody gives a damn about it. It gives this. Gives it a little bit of a shot. And I will tell you this, that they've made up more stories and. And they're just a failing magazine. The public understands it.

[Commentator]

And this is the Trump regime way. It's not just deflect and deny it is to affirmatively attack for the Trump regime's own misconduct. Then Donald Trump says, if it was up to me, I would just put everybody in a lead room. And that's how I would avoid what national secrets getting out via text chats with emojis about freaking war plans.

[Host]

Here, play this clip, you want to call it?

[Donald Trump]

And we will certainly. Look, if it was up to me, everybody would be sitting in a room together. The room would have solid lead walls and a lead ceiling and a lead floor. But, you know, life doesn't always let you do that.

[Commentator]

And then Donald Trump says, this is all to do about nothing. What are we even talking about? Everyone's just trying to criticize me because I had the most perfect, beautiful months ever.

[Host]

Here, play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

Because I know people do get on those lines, whether it's signal or anything else. Yeah. Are you going to change any procedures as a result of this? Well, I mean, look, we look at everything and, you know, they've made a big deal out of this because we've had two perfect months. We're bringing. We are bringing in business. We have another one announced tomorrow, a big one, very big, like in the history of our country. Nobody's ever seen anything like it. And I think probably a lot of people are saying it's. They started by saying it was the greatest first month that a president has ever had. And I think that's true. And now they say it's the best second month. And they had a five something. And this certainly will, look at this. But the main thing was nothing happened. The attack was totally successful.

[Commentator]

No, Donald, you had the worst two months, the worst 60 days in the history of the United States presidency where you destroyed, dismantled and did a hostile takeover of the federal government, where you destroyed the lives of federal workers and veterans, where you destroyed people's pensions, life savings, 401ks, where you made the United States isolated, you pushed our allies away. You talk about invading and annexing Canada and Greenland and Panama. You made a mockery of the United States. You did not lower prices on day one, as you promised. You did not create peace in Ukraine on day one, as you promised. You did not make housing more affordable on day one, as you promised. There was nothing about no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security, no tax on overtime. You've made everything worse with your chaos and authoritarian regime. Oh, then Donald Trump praises his national security adviser, Mike Walsh for these security breaches. Great man here.

[Donald Trump]

Play this clip stories, and they're just a failing magazine. The public understands that he's a very good man. That man is a very good man right there that you criticize so strongly. He's a very good man and he will continue to do a good job. In addition to him, we had very good people in that meeting and those people have done a very, very effective job. And you're going to see it. And it goes on, by the way.

[Commentator]

Then Donald Trump says, of course we're going to keep everything as secure as possible. He goes, they're just coming after me because they don't want to talk about all the success that I've had here.

[Host]

Play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

Very exciting, but I think it's something you should look into.

[Mike Waltz]

We are, we have our technical experts looking at it, we have our legal teams looking at it. And of course we're going to keep everything as secure as possible. No one in your national security team would ever put anyone in danger. And as you've said, we've repeatedly said the attack was phenomenal and it's ongoing. But the media wants to talk about everything else except for the hostages. You're getting out of the Middle East, Iran on its back foot, sea lanes getting reopened, peace in Europe, as we just saw today, with a Black Sea ceasefire. We were just on with Steve Witkoff myself, our team in Saudi Arabia, they want to talk about all this other stuff, except for your amazing successes and the successes of your team.

[Commentator]

Again, what success? You now have all of our former allies saying they don't even want to buy weapons from the United States because you're saying you're going to provide them essentially with defective weaponry. Oh, and then, by the way, Donald Trump has said, you know, maybe we'll use Signal again, maybe we'll communicate via this social media app even more. Because sometimes you just need to be quick. So you need to use Signal. No, you don't. It is inherently a violation of the Espionage act and talking about sources, methods and war plans is clearly classified information.

[Host]

Here, play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

Exactly, things like that. But I don't think it's something we're looking forward to using again. We may be forced to use it. You may be in a situation where you need speed as opposed to gross safety and you may be forced to use it. But generally speaking, I think we probably won't be using it very much.

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[Commentator]

Also be noted that Donald Trump's envoy to Russia was in Russia while on this text thread. So undoubtedly Russia now has this information. The individual was in Moscow when this was taking place. Also Tulsi Gabbard, who at a hearing before the Senate earlier today refused to even confirm that she was TG with the initials in the chat. She was overseas as well. Who the hell even knows where Tulsi Gabbard was? But she also says none of the information was classified. But also she refuses to say if she is tg oh, then Donald Trump attacks Europe.

[Host]

Play this clip on that train.

[Mike Waltz]

The Secretary Defense Pete except and JD Bonds, the Vice President, said that the Europeans were freeloaded. Do you agree with that assessment?

[Donald Trump]

You really want me to answer? Yeah, I think they've been freeloading. The European Union has been absolutely terrible to us on trade. Terrible. And as you know, Naito, I got them to pay hundreds of billions of dollars. They were way behind. And if you look, even if you look at Ukraine, so We're in for $350 billion because of Biden. Should have never happened. This war should. All these dead people should not be dead. All these broken cities that are demolished down to the ground. Those gorgeous towers are most beautiful in the world. The most beautiful spires in the world. The spires in Ukraine were said to be the most beautiful of all. Just about every one of them is lying on its side in a million pieces. It's so sad to see what's happened to a heritage. No, I think that, I think when they say the European Union and the, and you could say NATO also. Look, NATO. And I don't blame NATO for this. I don't blame Europe for this. I blame Biden for the fact that he didn't make them equalize. And to this day I said to him, you've got to catch up, you got to equalize. But why are they in for 100 billion and we're in for possibly $350 billion.

[Commentator]

Then Donald Trump says, look, the main thing here, nothing happened. This wasn't bad. So because nothing happened and nothing bad happened, nothing was classified here.

[Host]

Play this clip.

[Donald Trump]

This certainly will. Look at this. But the main thing was nothing happened. The attack was totally successful. It was, I guess from what I understand took place during. And it wasn't classified information. So this was not classified now, but classified information. It's probably a little bit different. But I always say you get. You have to learn from every experience. I think it was very unfair the way they attacked Michael. He's a good person. The person that was on just happens to be a sleazebag. So maybe that's just coincidence. I don't know.

[Commentator]

Who's telling you that nothing is classic. What does that even mean? Nothing. I know that you just stole classified documents like nuclear secrets and brought it to Mar A Lago and then just threw them on the bathroom and threw. And I know you don't care about classified information, but we don't know whether or not the Russians now have access to this. Clearly this wasn't the only group signal chat that was taking place. So who else has access to this stuff right now? Have are all of our war plans on freaking signal chats. And by the way, Project 2025 outlined put stuff on signal chats in order to avoid Presidential Records act and public records requests and having to turn over things to the archives. This is all part of nefarious plan as part of their undermining of our federal government as well. Then Donald Trump says Mike Waltz, the national security adviser should not apologize.

[Host]

Play this clip.

[Reporter]

Do you think that Mike Waltz made a mistake and does he need to apologize?

[Donald Trump]

No, I don't think he should apologize. I think he's doing his best. It's equipment and technology that's not perfect and probably he won't be using it again, at least not in the very near future.

[Mike Waltz]

What do you think? That's. I agree with you. Let's get everybody in the room. Whenever, whenever possible.

[Donald Trump]

A lot of times you find out defects by exactly things like that.

[Commentator]

But cue in Mike Waltz who's at this meeting and he says that this is really just about the journalists who are trying to make a big name for themselves, trying to scam everybody here.

[Host]

Play this clip.

[Mike Waltz]

Mr. President, you asked about lessons. I think there's a lot of the lessons. There's a lot of journalists in this city who have made big names for themselves making up lies about this president, whether it's the Russia hoax or making up lies about gold star families. And this one in particular I've never met, don't know, never communicated with. And we are, and we are looking into him reviewing how the heck he got into this room. But I'll tell you what, the world owes President Trump a favor under.

[Commentator]

What are you even talking about? Y'all invited this guy into your. He didn't ask to be included on your chat, and then he just published verbatim what you said and then even kept out certain sources and methods so that people would not get killed. Um, then Donald Trump is asked, so are you okay with the continued use of this.

[Host]

Here, play this clip.

[Reporter]

Are you. So are you saying you're okay with the continued use of signal by administration officials?

[Donald Trump]

That's not what I said. I said, well, look it into it. But everybody else seems to be using it. It seems to be the number one used device or app, whatever you want to call it.

[Commentator]

Literally zero consistency here. And then more attacking of the journalists by Mike Waltz. Let's play it otherwise.

[Mike Waltz]

So look, this journalist, Mr. President, wants the world talking about more hoaxes and this kind of nonsense rather than the freedom that you're enabling in. A key part of our sovereignty is open sea lanes and knocking the crap out of terrorists, which is exactly what your team and Pete Hegset, a good friend and fellow veteran is leading the charge on. And it's an honor.

[Donald Trump]

Very, very success.

[Commentator]

What a horrific public meeting before the press. Utter humiliation for our country. Another horrific day, A sad day that will live in infamy while our enemies are laughing at us. What do you think happens when you put people like a former Fox News host with zero experience in any military capacity running the Department of Defense? Or Tulsi Gabbard, who many suspected is an actual asset of foreign countries? What? What, what do you think happens? We hit subscribe. Let's get to 5 million subscribers. Thanks for watching. The truth is more important than ever. Check out our new Truth over lies [e-mail] touch.com all 100% USA union made it.