The MeidasTouch Podcast – Episode Summary
Title: Trump Gets Scared Bad as Newsom Confronts Him in NY
Date: September 24, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Episode Overview
This episode centers on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s trip to New York during Climate Week while Donald Trump was in town for the United Nations General Assembly. The brothers focus on Newsom’s confrontational stance against Trump, especially highlighting Newsom’s sharp public critiques and climate-focused leadership. The episode sharply contrasts Trump's chaotic week—marked by a widely mocked UN speech and personal mishaps—with Newsom’s assertive, policy-driven actions, particularly regarding climate change and democracy. The banter is laced with both pointed criticism and comedic jabs, staying true to MeidasTouch’s pro-democracy, pro-accountability tone.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Setting the Scene: Newsom in New York, Trump Under Fire (01:34)
- Newsom travels to New York for Climate Week, meeting with international leaders, presenting himself as a U.S. statesman—effectively pitching him as a leader in contrast to Trump.
- Trump suffers a disastrous UN General Assembly week, including technical failures and embarrassing moments attributed to his own team.
Quote:
“Governor Newsom was there to mock him, humiliate him, but most importantly, show moral clarity and powerfully stand up to Donald Trump.”
— Host (01:34)
2. Newsom’s Social Media Power Plays and Mockery (02:00–04:01)
- Newsom posts photos with world delegations, emphasizing climate cooperation with Brazil—juxtaposing his diplomacy against Trump’s antagonism toward Brazil.
- Most notably, Newsom roasts Trump’s mishaps, referencing the infamous escalator incident and comparing Trump’s performance—both physically (with the escalator) and politically (at the UN)—to a retiree at "Memory Meadows retirement resort."
- Newsom’s viral posts feature lines like:
Quote:
“Dozy Don was defeated by the escalator. Poor guy. The entire world is laughing at the low IQ President… Next stop, the best room at Memory Meadows retirement resort, Tylenol included. Enjoy your stay, Don.”
— Gavin Newsom (03:15)
- The hosts praise Newsom’s willingness to confront Trump directly, contrasting this with more subdued Democratic leaders.
3. UN Speech Disaster and Right-Wing Backlash (04:01–06:30)
- Trump’s team’s mishandling of logistics at the UN—broken teleprompter, escalator failure—becomes right-wing fodder for conspiracy theories.
- Hosts play and comment on Fox News personalities like Jesse Watters, who float absurd claims: “What we need to do is either leave the UN or we need to bomb…”
- Newsom trolls these attempts with tongue-in-cheek bravado:
“I only walk up escalators because that’s what real manly men do.” (05:00)
4. Contrasting Climate Leadership: Newsom v. Trump (06:30–11:18)
- Trump’s UN remarks on climate: he calls climate change “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world” and touts the MAGA “right about everything” hat.
- Newsom claps back with policy wins:
- 2/3 of California’s energy is clean
- 25% new cars are EVs
- Clean truck sales more than doubled the 2024 mandate
- Newsom also releases (and sells) a parody “Newsom Was Right About Everything” hat.
Quote:
“Good for the environment, good for business, good for manufacturing. And Donald Trump wants to rip it all away.”
— Host (08:15)
“Trump’s teleprompter broke. He told every other nation they are going to hell. He bragged about violating international law. He blamed climate change on immigrants. He complained about the wind not blowing enough and made a plug for his campaign hats. What a disgrace.”
— Gavin Newsom, quoting Trump’s speech (08:40)
5. International Alliances and Real Leadership (11:18–12:33)
- Newsom meets with EU Climate Commissioner WB Hoekstra, reaffirming cross-continental climate cooperation.
- Calls Trump “an arsonist, lighting your future on fire,” intensifying the indictment of the federal government’s environmental backsliding.
6. Protecting Democracy Against Trump’s Authoritarian Moves (12:33–13:21)
- Newsom and AOC team up in a campaign (via video) promoting California’s Prop 50, which aims to counter Trump-attempted gerrymandering.
- The Prop 50 video spotlights the threat to American democracy posed by Trump’s attempts to redraw congressional maps.
Quote:
“Donald Trump is redrawing election maps to force through a Congress that only answers to him, not the people. If he gets away with it, all bets are off for our health care, our paychecks and our freedoms. With Prop 50, we can stop him.”
— AOC (12:35)
7. Trump’s Immigration Tactics and State Resistance (13:21–14:29)
- Newsom recounts a disturbing incident: Trump’s administration, via Stephen Miller, sent masked men to intimidate voters at California’s Democracy Center—likened to historical moments of injustice.
- California, Newsom says, stands up to such anti-democratic tactics.
Quote:
“That’s Trump’s America, but it is not the America we’ve grown up in.”
— Gavin Newsom (14:15)
8. Environmental Policy and the Fight with the EPA (14:29–16:29)
- Newsom denounces the Trump EPA’s plan to revoke the Endangerment Finding, pitting science against fossil fuel interests.
- Shares stark climate facts from 2023: 28 natural disasters, 400+ fatalities, $92B in damages—all exacerbated by climate change.
- Newsom finishes with a vow for California to press forward on climate action regardless of federal support.
Quote:
“California will not wait. We will continue to lead because we have no choice. The lives and livelihoods of our people depend on it.”
— Gavin Newsom (16:10)
9. Newsom Action on Housing Crisis (16:29)
- Newsom announces $414 million for nearly 3,000 affordable homes, highlighting California’s proactive approach to homelessness and housing—another area in which he draws a contrast to the Trump agenda.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Newsom’s “Memory Meadows” roast of Trump: (03:15)
- AOC’s democracy defense rallying cry: (12:35)
- Newsom’s critique of “masked men” voter intimidation: (14:15)
- Newsom’s climate and leadership commitment: (16:10)
Important Timestamps
| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|----------------------------------------------| | 01:34 | Newsom’s arrival and intent in New York | | 03:15 | Newsom’s “Memory Meadows” social jab | | 04:01 | Trump’s disastrous UN speech, Newsom mocks | | 05:00 | Fox News’s wild UN escalator conspiracies | | 08:15 | Newsom’s clean energy economic case | | 12:35 | AOC & Newsom on Prop 50/democracy | | 14:15 | Newsom recounts federal voter intimidation | | 16:10 | Newsom’s passionate climate vow | | 16:29 | Newsom on affordable housing progress |
Tone & Language
- Direct, irreverent, and sharply critical of Trump and right-wing media.
- Newsom’s voice: confident, mocking, at times biting – “I’ve been right about everything”; “arsonist, lighting your future on fire.”
- The hosts amp up the sibling banter and humor but stay laser-focused on laying out a contrast between Newsom’s vision and Trump’s chaos.
Conclusion
This episode is a showcase of Governor Newsom’s willingness to confront and publicly mock Trump, positioning himself as both a national and international leader grounded in climate action, policy results, and defense of democracy. The MeidasTouch brothers, with their characteristic wit and clarity, sharply draw the contrast between strong, proactive governance and the chaos of Trump-era politics. The episode is both a rallying cry for progressives and an accessible, entertaining breakdown of a consequential week at the intersection of state, national, and global politics.