Podcast Summary: Trump Has Catastrophic Saturday as Term Explodes

Podcast: The MeidasTouch Podcast
Episode Date: December 27, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

Episode Overview

This episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast is an urgent political breakdown, led by Ben Meiselas, focusing on Donald Trump’s fraught Saturday: isolation and rants at Mar-a-Lago, a spike in global and American crises, Russia's brutal escalation in Ukraine, controversial U.S. strikes in Nigeria, troubling economic trends, the unraveling of support within Trump’s base, and the ongoing fallout of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The brothers’ signature mix of humor, piercing legal insights, and fervent advocacy for democracy shapes the coverage, with a strong emphasis on critical thinking and independent media.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Isolation, Ukraine Strikes, and “Peace” Negotiations

• [01:21 – 03:30]
  • Ben paints an image of Trump “rotting away at Mar-a-Lago, ranting and raving like a lunatic, all alone, all by himself.”
  • Simultaneously, Russia launches a massive ballistic missile and drone attack on Kyiv (500 drones, 400 missiles), killing civilians including children.
  • President Zelensky highlights the attacks as Russia’s response to upcoming peace negotiations and his scheduled meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
  • Ben: “Putin views Donald Trump as weak, and Putin views Donald Trump as a Putin bootlicker… as Donald Trump rants and raves like a lunatic in Palm Beach right now, where, again, he's golfing on the taxpayer dime.”
  • Trump continues to spread misinformation on social media, including false claims about the economy and U.S. international standing.

2. Trump’s Dubious Claims—Economy and Foreign Policy

• [03:30 – 06:20]
  • Trump brags about the “greatest economy ever,” citing market performance and his own role in supposedly cutting trade deficits and fostering “no inflation.”
  • Ben: “When Donald Trump says there’s no inflation, isn’t that one of the most insulting things imaginable? Like, he really thinks that you’re stupid.”
  • Debunks Trump’s narratives about protecting Christians in Nigeria, revealing that U.S. strikes (ostensibly on ISIS targets) hit peaceful villages instead. Oil and lithium interests are suspected as the real motive.
  • Quotes a CNN report and plans to invite Nigerian journalists for further coverage.
  • Calls out economic misrepresentations: U.S. unemployment is up (4.6%, with 1M jobs lost in a year), and the stock market underperforms compared to global markets.

3. Fact-Checking Economic Spin

• [07:37 – 08:19, Justin Wolfers Quote]
  • Ben brings in Justin Wolfers (Univ. of Michigan):
    • “Global markets… excluding the US, have risen by 30% over the past year… We've underperformed the global market by 12%. If you look at what's happening around the world, American stocks have risen by less than almost any other leading country. It's been a miserable year for the American investor, if you know enough to compare them to other investors.”
  • Emphasizes the need for accurate, comparative data to counter the regime’s “spin.”

4. Importance of Independent Media & Ground News Tool

• [08:20 – 10:40]
  • Ben underscores getting a broad and critical media diet, recommending “Ground News,” which compares left, center, and right coverage on each story.
  • Highlights “Blind Spot” feature: e.g., left-leaning coverage of the “Kuzma” (USMCA) review vs. near-total silence on the right.
  • Ben: “In Trump's America, being informed about facts and media bias, I think it's the most important thing that you can do.”

5. Canada-Mexico-U.S. Trade Agreement (Kuzma/USMCA) and Trump’s Leverage

• [10:40 – 11:30]
  • Discussion of Trump’s threats to pull out of USMCA as leverage over Canada, painting it as an attempt to coerce Canada into closer U.S. alignment.
  • Challenges right-wing narratives denying pre-existing free trade relationships.

6. Fracturing of Trump’s MAGA Base

• [11:30 – 14:36, Christian Cooper Quote]
  • Ben introduces a viral clip from ex-Trump voter Christian Cooper:
    • [11:55] Christian Cooper: “The mental gymnastics required to stand by your man under these conditions… is Olympic level… referring to the Epstein list as the Epstein hoax, after running your entire campaign on that, is a slap in the face…You cannot gaslight me enough into forgetting that this admin said they were going to release the Epstein list…We are still sending billions of dollars overseas to fund foreign wars, denying America’s interest... approving PFA pesticides...debt normalization, 50-year mortgages…surveillance expansion through Palantir…All this infighting is caused by Candace [Owens] and Tucker [Carlson]? Y’all, please be so serious. Don’t insult our intelligence like that.”
  • Ben notes this as evidence of a growing rift within the MAGA community due to broken promises and policy disillusionment.

7. Epstein Files and Official Investigations

• [15:13 – 16:25, Senator Ron Wyden Quote]
  • Ben plays a Senate clip of Sen. Ron Wyden:
    • [15:13] Sen. Wyden: “Treasury’s EPSTEIN File details... 4,725 wire transfers adding up to nearly $1.1 billion flowing in and out of just one...bank account…Mr. Epstein used multiple Russian banks, which are now under sanctions, to process payments related to sex trafficking.”
  • Reinforces the seriousness and breadth of the Epstein scandal, criticizing both right- and left-leaning participants in cover-ups.

8. Looming U.S. Crises: ACA Credits, Government Shutdown

• [16:26 – 17:56]
  • Affordable Care Act tax credits are set to expire in five days.
  • “Trump’s government runs out of money in a month,” raising the possibility of another government shutdown.
  • Ben laments Congressional Republicans’ obstruction and lack of solutions.
  • Ben: “There you have it. Let me know what you think. Hit subscribe. Let’s get to 6 million subscribers.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [01:21, Ben]: “As Donald Trump rots away at Mar A Lago, ranting and raving like a lunatic, all alone, all by himself. That’s what’s going on in Kiev right now…”
• [03:30, Ben]: “When Donald Trump says there’s no inflation, isn’t that one of the most insulting things imaginable? Like, he really thinks that you’re stupid.”
• [07:37, Justin Wolfers]: “We've underperformed the global market by 12%. If you look at what's happening around the world, American stocks have risen by less than almost any other leading country. It’s been a miserable year for the American investor…”
• [11:55, Christian Cooper]: “The mental gymnastics required to stand by your man under these conditions, truly, in my opinion, is Olympic level…referring to the Epstein list as the Epstein hoax, after running your entire campaign on that, is a slap in the face…Don’t insult our intelligence like that.”
• [15:13, Sen. Ron Wyden]: “4,725 wire transfers adding up to nearly $1.1 billion flowing in and out of just one of Mr. Epstein’s bank accounts…Mr. Epstein used multiple Russian banks, which are now under sanctions, to process payments related to sex trafficking.”

Segment Timestamps

• [01:21] – Trump’s isolation, Ukraine attacks, and Trump-Zelensky meeting
• [03:30] – Trump’s economic falsehoods & Nigeria strike analysis
• [07:37] – Justin Wolfers on U.S. stock market underperformance
• [08:20] – Independent media, media bias & Ground News
• [10:40] – USMCA/Kuzma and Trump’s threats to Canada
• [11:55] – Ex-Trump voter Christian Cooper’s MAGA critique
• [15:13] – Sen. Wyden reveals Epstein file details
• [16:26] – Looming U.S. domestic crises: ACA, shutdown

Tone & Style

• Language: Direct, passionate, and unapologetically anti-Trump, with moments of humor and sharp indictment.
• Atmosphere: Urgency, skepticism, and a call for vigilance and critical thinking.
• Banter: While less comedic in this urgent update, the brothers maintain an accessible, conversational style.

Summary Takeaways

• The Trump era is marked by escalating crises, misinformation, fractured support, and deepening scandals at home and abroad.
• There is a critical need for fact-driven, independent journalism and media literacy.
• Even within former Trump loyalists, disillusionment is growing due to policy failures and unkept promises.
• Major threats loom: both in foreign policy (Ukraine, Nigeria) and domestic policy (healthcare, economic uncertainty, potential government shutdown, unresolved scandals).

This episode offers a passionate, evidence-driven critique for listeners concerned about the direction of democracy under the Trump regime, with clear calls to skepticism, factual scrutiny, and citizen activism.