The MeidasTouch Podcast
Episode: Trump Gets Torched by No Kings Speeches He Feared Most
Date: October 18, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Special Coverage: "No Kings" Mass Mobilization Protests Across America
Episode Overview
In this charged and energetic episode, the Meiselas brothers break down the historic “No Kings” protests—touted as the largest day of mass mobilization in U.S. history—targeting Donald Trump’s presidency and authoritarian policies. The brothers feature riveting speeches from major figures (Bernie Sanders, Mehdi Hasan, Leah Greenberg, Bill Nye, and more) that electrified crowds in Washington D.C. and across the nation. Their analysis focuses on the urgent call for defending democracy, the anti-authoritarian energy, and the personal stories and humor that cut through the gravity of the moment. The unique blend of passionate advocacy and sharp brotherly commentary makes this episode a must-listen for anyone tracking the resistance to Trump’s agenda.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Scale and Impact of the "No Kings" Protests
- Mass Mobilization: Ben immediately frames these as the biggest peaceful protests in U.S. history, with "tens of millions of people" (00:44).
- Main Fear for Trump: “This is what Donald Trump feared the most—the no Kings protest, even bigger than expected.” (00:44)
- Coverage Dynamics: The brothers highlight a media ecosystem split over the rallies, with left-leaning and centrist sources providing most coverage, as right-wing outlets focus on pro-Trump narratives (11:36).
Notable Quotes:
“October 18, 2025. There are more people out on the streets in more communities all over our country than we have ever seen in American history.”
— Bernie Sanders (01:54)
2. Powerful Speeches from Multiple Cities
Boston, Chicago, New York, D.C.
- Bernie Sanders: Fires up the crowd about historic mobilization, calls out Congress for inaction, and lays out the dire stakes for healthcare and democracy itself (01:54, 04:29, 17:29, 18:17).
- Mehdi Hasan: Delivers searing indictments of Trump’s authoritarian plans, attacks on democracy, and hypocrisy about “big government,” while mixing humor and urgency (05:08, 06:42, 07:23, 09:41).
- Leah Greenberg: Emphasizes the importance of standing up to bullying and not self-censoring in the face of authoritarian tactics (16:03).
- Bill Nye: Links the present movement to the Vietnam protests, underlining that today’s stakes—democracy itself—are greater (14:05).
- Brandon Johnson (Chicago Mayor), Randy Weingarten: Stir crowd with stories about resilience and massive turnout (03:01, 15:12).
Notable Quotes:
“Can you handle the truth? ... The truth is that Donald Trump is the most corrupt president in the history of the United States of America.”
— Mehdi Hasan (05:08)
“No thrones, no crowns, no kings.”
— Bill Nye (14:33)
“Did they scare us off? No. Are we gonna back down now? No. … We are standing up for our rights. We are standing up for our neighbors.”
— Leah Greenberg (16:52)
3. Exposing Authoritarianism and Hypocrisy
- Immigration/Irony: Hasan’s joke about Trump’s wives being immigrants:
“...proving yet again that immigrants will do the jobs that even Americans are not willing to do.”
— Mehdi Hasan (09:11) - Trump’s “Peace” Claims:
“There is no peace in the Middle East because, as Dr. King said, peace is not just the absence of violence, it's the presence of justice.”
— Mehdi Hasan (07:23) - Call-Out to Republicans: Urges genuine conservatives to reject authoritarianism and defend American freedoms (09:41, 10:41).
Notable Quotes:
“Come over to our side, the side of no crowns, no thrones, no kings, the side of freedom ... the 22nd Amendment, which says two terms means two terms.”
— Mehdi Hasan (10:41)
4. Dangers to the U.S. Healthcare System
- Senator Sanders: Warns that millions will lose healthcare due to Trump’s policies, with catastrophic human costs (18:17).
“Studies suggest that when you throw those 15 million people off of the health care they presently have, 50,000 of them will die unnecessarily every single year.”
— Bernie Sanders (18:17)
5. Media Coverage and the Information Environment
- Bias and Blindspots: Ben demonstrates how news is covered differently across ideological spectrums, promoting transparency tools like Ground News to avoid echo chambers (11:36).
“The anti-Trump no Kings rallies begin in thousands of U.S. cities ... Only 20% of coverage of no Kings protest is coming from right wing sources.”
— Ben (11:36)
6. Stakes of the Moment, Hope and Responsibility
- No Saviors Coming: All speakers reiterate it’s up to “us” to save democracy; there are no establishment heroes riding in (25:00).
“We are not on the verge of an authoritarian takeover. We are in the middle of an authoritarian takeover. But Trump has not won ... It is up to us to save us.”
— Mehdi Hasan (25:00)
- Call to Action: The refrain throughout is to organize, vote, and refuse to be bystanders, inspired by a historic show of solidarity and democracy in action.
Memorable & Notable Moments with Timestamps
- 01:54 — Bernie Sanders marks historic turnout: “October 18, 2025...”
- 04:29 — Sanders urges GOP to come back to work and save healthcare.
- 05:08 — Mehdi Hasan’s fiery indictment of Trump as “the most corrupt president.”
- 06:42 & 07:23 — Hasan's passionate defense of diversity and democracy; exposes Trump’s hypocrisy on Middle East “peace.”
- 09:11 — Hasan's biting joke about Trump’s marriages and immigrants.
- 10:41 — Hasan’s invitation to Republicans: “Come over to our side...”
- 14:33 — Bill Nye links today’s stakes with Vietnam-era protest, “No thrones, no crowns, no kings.”
- 16:52 — Leah Greenberg rallies the crowd: “Did they scare us off? No. Are we gonna back down now? No.”
- 18:17 — Sanders details the catastrophic impact on healthcare.
- 25:00 — Hasan sums up: “We are in the middle of an authoritarian takeover... but it can be saved. It is up to us to save us.”
Tone and Style
The tone is urgent yet defiant, mixing deep concern for democracy with humor, hopeful unity, and open calls to action. The interplay between historic gravity and the Meiselas brothers’ signature banter keeps the episode both galvanizing and accessible.
Conclusion
The episode captures an epochal day of resistance, channeling outrage, hope, and humor as Trump and authoritarianism are confronted by the largest protest movement in the nation’s history. Through stirring speeches and the brothers’ steadfast commentary, listeners are urged to remain vigilant, active, and united in defending democracy—echoing the episode’s mantra: “No Kings.”