The MeidasTouch Podcast: "Trump Gets Scared as Shutdown Is Not Going as He Planned"

Date: October 4, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

Brief Overview

In this episode, the Meiselas brothers dissect the ongoing government shutdown, emphasizing how former President Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans have lost control of the narrative as Americans increasingly blame them. The episode blends sharp political analysis, current events, viral social media moments, and signature brotherly banter, making sense of the chaos enveloping Washington, DC. The hosts draw attention to the human toll of the shutdown—particularly its impact on healthcare and the economy—while highlighting Trump’s increasingly outlandish, self-serving antics and the broader consequences for democracy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump in Hiding and MAGA Republicans Leave Town

[01:46] - [06:00]

• Trump allegedly ordered Speaker “MAGA Mike” Johnson to send all House Republicans home for a paid vacation during the government shutdown.
  • "No House Republicans are showing up to work next week because Donald Trump and MAGA Mike Johnson told them to go on vacation."
• Trump is focused on narcissistic projects—like creating a (potentially illegal) $1 coin with his own face and converting White House spaces into exclusive clubs.
  • "He's talking about UFC fights in the White House. He's building 90,000 square feet golden ballrooms, ripping apart the Rose Garden..."
• Trump and allies post bizarre, often violent or threatening social media content (e.g., AI videos depicting Russ Vought as the Grim Reaper).

2. Distorted Shutdown Priorities and Lack of Transparency

[06:01] - [09:30]

• Trump shares unverified videos of military strikes against supposed drug boats, lacking transparency and legal justification.
  • Hosts express skepticism: "Every week he kills another innocent group of people… Trump’s playing judge, jury, and executioner."
• Critique of the double standard and dangers of unilateral punitive action:
  • "We don't have the death penalty in the United States for people who deal drugs... I want people to be held accountable... I just don't think Donald Trump should be judge, jury, and executioner."

3. Public Opinion Turns Against Trump & GOP

[09:31] - [12:00]

• Multiple polls show the public overwhelmingly blames Trump and Republicans for the shutdown.
  • "Americans blame Republicans more than Democrats by margins of 25, 17, and 12 points."
• The financial impact: Without Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, premiums could skyrocket—cited examples:
  • $84,000/year income sees premiums go from $947 to $2,023 per month.
  • $65,000/year in Georgia goes from $307 to $964 per month.
  • "So what American making $85,000... can afford $20,000 a year in healthcare? You go bankrupt."
• Only a small fraction of even Republican respondents buy the narrative that Democrats are at fault.

4. Trump Outmaneuvered Internationally

[09:32] - [11:35]

• China’s Xi Jinping exploits the US shutdown and Trump's lack of economic acumen.
  • “China stopped buying soybeans... Pharmageddon... farmers are now experiencing what they're calling Pharmageddon. They're all going bankrupt."
• The US faces mounting bailout obligations: Argentina ($20B), US farmers ($50B likely needed).
• China leverages Trump’s fixation on TikTok to extract further concessions, increasing their influence in the US.

5. Symbolic Resistance and the Return of “Best Friends Forever”

[11:36] - [12:34]

• The Trump-Jeffrey Epstein “Best Friends Forever” statue returns mysteriously to the National Mall.
  • Statement from anonymous artists:
    "Like a toppled Confederate general forced back onto a public square, the Donald Trump Jeffrey Epstein statue has risen from the rubble…"

6. Democratic Response: Focus on Accountability

[12:34] - [13:40]

• Senator Sheldon Whitehouse calls out the shutdown’s instigators and their perverse satisfaction:
  • [12:34] Sen. Whitehouse: "If you want to know whose shutdown it is, look who are the ones who are enjoying it."
  • Describes Republicans fleeing DC for fundraisers while Americans suffer rising costs in premiums, groceries, and utilities.
  • OMB Chief Russell Vogt depicted as a gleeful saboteur:
    "Sharpening his knives to do something that one senator said has been his dream since puberty—to hurt people and break government programs."

7. Political Posturing and The Epstein Files

[13:41] - [15:24]

• Republicans resort to petty trolling—images of Democratic animals wearing sombreros; DNC replies by rebranding the GOP elephant as “pedophile protectors.”
• Shutdown’s real intent exposed: Block the swearing-in of Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) to prevent the discharge petition forcing a vote on the Epstein files.
  • "Trump is deathly scared about the release of the Epstein files."
• Trump officials openly admit the shutdown benefits executive overreach.
  • [14:58] Lee Zeldin (Trump’s EPA Director):
    "It is a door that is open by Democrats continuing this shutdown... the powers of these agency heads... only gets easier."

8. Governors Push for Pragmatism and Accountability

[15:25] - [17:28]

• Democratic Governors J.B. Pritzker and Gavin Newsom speak about the lack of seriousness in DC:
  • [16:34] Pritzker:
    "I don't think a shutdown advantages anybody... difficult to find compromise with a guy who was more interested in playing golf over the weekend."
  • [16:43] Newsom:
    "He canceled a meeting with Senate Democrats, then played golf hours before a shutdown, and trolled leaders with a Trump 2028 hat on the Resolute desk and AI videos doctored with racist images."
  • "These are not serious people."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s actions during the shutdown:
  "He's focused on making a $1 coin of himself... goes against 31 USC 5114B. Only the portrait of a deceased individual may appear on United States currency." — [01:46]

• On public blame for the shutdown:
  "Americans blame Republicans more than Democrats by margins of 25, 17, and 12 points." — [09:31]

• Senator Sheldon Whitehouse's clarity:
  "If you want to know whose shutdown it is, look who are the ones who are enjoying it." — [12:34]

• Lee Zeldin embracing authoritarian perks:
  "The powers of these agency heads... only gets easier. You're doing a bang off job." — [14:58]

• Governor Newsom on Trump's priorities:
  "He canceled a meeting with Senate Democrats... and then trolled those leaders with a Trump 2028 hat..." — [16:43]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:46] — Breakdown of Trump's conduct and shutdown strategy
• [06:00] — Trump’s disturbing use of military/police power, lack of transparency
• [09:31] — Public opinion and poll breakdowns on blame for the shutdown
• [11:36] — “Best Friends Forever” statue and symbolic protests
• [12:34] — Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s viral shutdown call-out
• [13:41] — The Epstein files, political trolling, and the real stakes of the shutdown
• [14:58] — Trump officials advocate for greater executive power
• [15:25] — Democratic governors advocate compromise; critique Trump’s unseriousness

Tone & Style

The episode maintains the “MeidasTouch” blend of biting satire, outrage at anti-democratic actions, and energetic, intelligent analysis. The tone is urgent yet often humorous, unafraid to call out hypocrisy or absurd behavior while keeping the focus on real impacts for Americans.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode:

This episode offers a comprehensive, irreverent yet clear-eyed guide to the chaos surrounding the government shutdown. It pulls no punches in naming names, spotlights the impact on ordinary Americans, and brings forward voices fighting for transparency and accountability. For advocates of democracy, the Meiselas brothers urge vigilance and hope, all while reminding listeners to laugh in the face of absurdity.