Trump Has Disaster Friday as He Gets Awful News

Summary

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The MeidasTouch Podcast: "Trump Has Disaster Friday as He Gets Awful News"

Date: August 29, 2025
Hosts: Ben Meiselas, Brett Meiselas, Jordy Meiselas
Podcast Network: MeidasTouch Network

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Episode Overview

This episode tackles what the Meiselas brothers describe as a “disastrous Friday” for Donald Trump, delving into the latest political setbacks, unfolding scandals, and shifting winds in the American political landscape. The hosts provide news analysis through their familiar combination of sharp legal insight, political critique, and brotherly banter, highlighting the ongoing decline in Trump’s popularity, expanding issues within the Republican party, and emerging international challenges for the U.S. They underscore how these developments signal potential fractures in the MAGA movement and a pivotal moment for Democrats ahead of the midterms.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Tumultuous Friday and Flailing Messaging

• Trump’s Fundraising Pleas: Trump’s frequent fundraising emails are highlighted, with the hosts mocking his urgent, melodramatic pleas for small donations and linking them to the “ongoing grift” of his political activities.
• Secret Service Revocation: News broke that Trump revoked Secret Service protection for former Vice President Kamala Harris, which the hosts describe as “petty” and emblematic of Trump’s vindictiveness.
• Republican Defections & Warning Signs:
  • Iowa Senator Joni Ernst announces she won’t seek re-election in 2026, signaling instability for Republicans in traditional strongholds.
  • The Democratic win in a deeply red Iowa State Senate seat further illustrates a shifting landscape.
• Polls & Economic Forecasts:
  • Trump’s Quinnipiac poll approval drops to the mid-30% range, particularly among the youth demographic (Democrats up nearly 30 points among voters 18-29).
  • Economic downturns expected through 2026, with slower GDP growth, rising debt, “more waste, fraud, and abuse than ever before,” and Trump’s policies called out for worsening both the economy and international standing.

Quote:
“The grift just keeps on grifting. Donald Trump has revoked the Secret Service protection for former Vice President Kamala Harris. He is a small and petty man.”
— Political Commentator (Ben), [01:50]

2. International Developments & U.S. Standing

• U.S.-Asia Tensions:
  • Japanese trade delegation cancels talks after Trump’s “lies about the trade deal” (04:55).
  • India’s PM Modi pivots toward Asia, attending summits in Japan and China as U.S.-India relations sour, and Brazil analyzes retaliation against the U.S.
• China’s Ascendance in Solar Energy:
  • The hosts criticize U.S. backsliding on green energy while China rapidly expands solar power, soon to outproduce all U.S. consumption (03:55).

3. Domestic Political Feuds — Newsom vs. ‘MAGA Mike’ Johnson

• Newsom Trolls Trump:
  • California Governor Gavin Newsom continues to get under Trump’s skin with pointed social-media humor, including a satirical magazine cover of himself as “The American King” (05:40).
• Crime Rates & State Comparisons:
  • Louisiana’s Speaker Mike Johnson (dubbed “MAGA Mike”) struggles in interviews to defend his state’s higher crime rate versus California (Fox News at 06:51; CNN at 09:09).
  • Johnson evades whether he’d call in the National Guard for Shreveport, admits, “I don’t know. That’s not my call. It may be necessary.” (10:18).
• Disastrous GOP Messaging:
  • Johnson tries to explain the unpopularity of the “disastrous budget bill,” blaming misinformation and touting tax cuts and energy policies as benefits for the “lower and middle class” (11:31).

Quote:
“Again, Gavin Newsom will do anything for attention. He needs to go and govern his state and not be engaging in all of that… We’re the party that’s going to bring [crime-fighting] forward.”
— MAGA Mike Johnson, [07:20]

Quote:
“Are we going to be seeing the National Guard in your congressional district? Because there's more crime there than Los Angeles.”
— CNN Host to Mike Johnson, [09:33]

4. Trump’s Cabinet Oddities & Further Policy Fallout

• RFK Jr. Mocked for Pseudoscientific Claims:
  • The hosts ridicule RFK Jr.’s bizarre claim about “diagnosing” children with mitochondrial issues just by looking at them, calling him “a freaking weirdo who takes away their SNAP benefits” (12:44).
• Cuts to Social Programs & Government Waste:
  • SNAP cuts threaten free meals for all Wake County schools in NC.
  • “Alligator Alcatraz,” a wasteful government project, is slated for closure at a taxpayer cost of $400 million; examples of runaway deficit and poor oversight.
  • Trump’s firing of government watchdogs is cited as reason for increased waste, fraud, and abuse.

Quote:
“There's way more waste, fraud and abuse. So government spending's up. Our debt is spiking through the roof, which is increasing our deficit by massive amount.”
— Political Commentator (Ben), [13:45]

5. Media Lapses and Host Banter

• Fox News Gaffe:
  • Host Dana Perino mistakenly refers to Trump as “President Truth,” corrects herself, but the brothers suggest the nickname ironically fits Trump’s brand of misinformation (12:10).
• Recurring Jokes:
  • Ben, Brett, and Jordy maintain their banter throughout, skewering the absurdity of current events (“The grift just keeps on grifting,” and “Trump about to go play golf again and just abandon the White House”).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s Pleas for Money:

  “I hate to bug you, but I need $10 right now. This can’t wait any longer. I have an end of the month deadline…I’m being sued. Give right now. Show your support. My entire cabinet, that radical Democrats are trying to destroy.”
  — Quoting Trump fundraising message, [00:50]

• On International Fallout:

  “Japan says we ain’t showing up. You’re lying about what we discussed in a proposed non-binding trade deal. So we’re not showing up.”
  — Political Commentator (Ben), [05:30]

• On “President Truth”:

  “She goes, Oopsie, I misspoke. But he may like that nickname. Let’s call him President Truth. Now, really the biggest liar, fraud, criminal felon, sexual abuser. I mean, this is the strangest thing in the world, man.”
  — Political Commentator (Ben), [12:24]

• On Republican Policy Failures:

  “It looks like Alligator Alcatraz is going to be shut down. $400 million waste of our taxpayer money. There’s a reason why the deficit is increasing right now.”
  — Political Commentator (Ben), [13:14]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:30 — Trump’s disastrous Friday, fundraising pleas, Secret Service revocation, Iowa Senate shift
• 03:55 — U.S. economic outlook, China’s solar energy dominance
• 04:55 — U.S.-Asia relations: Japan, India, Brazil retaliation
• 05:40 — Gavin Newsom’s social media trolling, MAGA Mike interviews begin
• 06:51 — MAGA Mike Johnson’s Fox News response on crime rates
• 09:09 — CNN presses Mike Johnson on National Guard, Shreveport crime
• 10:59 — Budget bill unpopularity and GOP spin
• 12:10 — Fox gaffe: “President Truth” nickname
• 12:44 — RFK Jr. mocked for bizarre “mitochondrial” comments
• 13:14 — SNAP cuts, Alligator Alcatraz government waste
• 13:45 — Rising deficit, government oversight

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Episode Tone & Style

The MeidasTouch brothers keep their tone sharp, irreverent, and unapologetically pro-democracy, mixing factual news breakdown with plenty of sarcasm, snark, and inside jokes aimed at MAGA Republicans and the daily chaos surrounding Trump’s political world. Frequent zingers and direct call-outs add levity and immediacy to their coverage—all designed to rally their audience and push for civic engagement.

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Summary prepared for readers seeking a comprehensive, timestamped breakdown of the episode’s key themes and moments. Perfect for catching up on the chaos if you missed the show!

Transcript

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[Political Commentator]

Is having a disastrous Friday morning. He's panicking. I think he's about to go play golf again and just abandon the White House. More on that in a minute. He's posting photos like this of Maryland Governor Wes Moore. Very strange photos of him being covered with police tape. Very odd stuff. Trump is sending messages like this to his supporters. I hate to bug you, but I need $10 right now. This can't wait any longer. I have an end of the month deadline. My administration is being sued. Give right now. Show you support my entire cabinet that radical Democrats are trying to destroy. We're unleashing the next golden age of America. The Democrats are threatening to impeach me. Friend. Can I count on you? Please donate $10 right now. Don't donate for what? What are you talking about? The grift continues as Donald Trump destroys the lives, frankly, of a lot of Americans the way he's destroying the economy and his supporters. The grift just keeps on grifting. Donald Trump has revoked the Secret Service protection for former Vice President Kamala Harris. He is a small and petty man and as we just reported earlier this week about that Iowa state Senate seat, Senate District 1 that flipped blue, the Democratic candidate one in a Trump 11.5 congressional district in 11.5 Trump district. We're now learning that the Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, who recently told her constituents were all going to die anyway. When asked why she supported Medicaid cuts and the disastrous budget bill, she says that she will not be seeking reelection in 2026. So folks, the MAGA Republican senator in Iowa is out. I guess they're going to try to find someone else MAGA to run in Iowa. But this is what we're seeing across the country right now as these MAGA Republicans are seeing likely that they will lose in the midterms. And they are saying that they're now they're no longer going to run this from Bloomberg this morning as well. And this is also why we saw in Donald Trump's Quinnipiac numbers a record low approval at this point. I mean, it was in the mid-30s. And when you look at the generic congressional ballot of young people, I showed this yesterday, 18 to 29 Democrats are almost up by like 30 on a generic ballot amongst young people who see the Trump regime and these magas destroying the economy and destroying their futures to be able to buy a home and afford things. This is the headline from Bloomberg this morning. Economists see slow US growth, stubborn inflation well into 2026. So the US GDP growth the second half of last year, 2.8%. The first half of this year so far, 1.4%. The rest of the year is projected to be about 1.1% GDP growth. But yes, Donald, the golden age, the golden age of America losing its standing in the world. A shrinking GDP that will continue to shrink 2025 and 2026 as Donald Trump also destroys new forms of energy that also help our economy like wind and solar. You take a look at this right here. Chinese solar energy is now expanding so fast that by the early2030s, the country will generate more power from the sun than the amount of electricity the US Will consume altogether, according to the International Energy Agency. Great work, America. And I'm being sarcastic, of course. And great work, America. Being sarcastic, of course. As Prime Minister Modi. Here's the other headline from Bloomberg this morning. Prime Minister Modi pivots to Asia as US India relations sour. India's prime minister is visiting Japan before heading to a summit of regional leaders in China. Not a coincidence that he's going to Japan because the Japanese trade delegation just canceled their meetings in the United States. Japan's lead trade negotiator, Akazawa says that he's not coming to the United States after Trump has continued to lie about the trade deal with Japan. There was a meeting that was supposed to take place this week with the United States. Japan says we ain't showing up. You're lying about what we discussed in a proposed non binding trade deal. So we're not showing up. India will be meeting with Japan and then India. Prime Minister Modi will then be going to Xi Jinping in China at a Shanghai economic conference where Xi Jinping will be assembling world leaders, including I think people leaders from Brazil and other countries who the United States has really screwed over. And China has been able to kind of capture all of this. The bad will against the United States is Now turning towards China. Speaking of Brazil, Brazil is starting a formal process to assess additional retaliation against the United States. Right now. That's all happening, you know, in the. These are the headlines of the past 24 to 48 hours. And you know who's always been in Donald Trump's head rent free. Not just over the past 24 to 48 hours, but over really Donald Trump's term so far. California Governor Gavin Newsom continues to troll Donald Trump. We saw this post that he just made. There was a fake Vanity Fair article, I think, of Melania cover circulating. And then Gavin Newsom posted this one of himself with a crown. The American King. Gavin Newsom's vocal revolution inside the private world of America's most enigmatic governor. Hair gel and the art of being handsome. Then Governor Newsom goes an honor. Thank you. Take a look at this post right here of Donald Trump holding a photo of Newsom and Trump next to each other. I don't think Newsom posted that one, but that one was sent to me and I found it funny. Um, now, MAGA Mike Johnson has given a few interviews this morning on the morning shows. He's had some disastrous appearances. Um, right over here. Fox asks him to respond to California Governor Gavin Newsom's claim that Louisiana has a higher crime rate than California. Watch this.

[MAGA Mike Johnson]

But he name dropped you personally yesterday. Essentially trying to say that crime is worse in Louisiana than it is in California. Take a listen. We'll get your thoughts. If he is to invest in crime suppression, I hope the president states would look at the facts. Just consider Speaker Johnson's state and district. Just look at the murder rate that's nearly four times higher than Californians in Louisiana. How about it? Again, Gavin Newsom will do anything for attention. He can name drop me all that he wants. He needs to go and govern his state and not be engaging in all of that. This. Look, we have crime in cities all across America and we're against that everywhere. And we need to bring policies to bear. My hometown of Shreveport has done a great job of reducing crime gradually, but we've, we've got to address it everywhere that it rears its ugly head. And I think every major city in the country, the residents of those cities are open to that and anxious to have it. And we're the, the policy. We're the party that's going to bring that forward. I look forward to that in the day.

[Interviewer]

Principally, though, how do you feel?

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[Political Commentator]

That's true classic.commidas Then on CNN, the host Berman asks Maga Mike Johnson. So are we going to be seeing the National Guard in your congressional district? Because there's more crime there than in Los Angeles. Here, play this clip.

[MAGA Mike Johnson]

Sometimes local governance does not do the job and the oversight in D.C. is long overdue.

[CNN Host]

I was going to ask when you might be calling for the National Guard in Shreveport, which is you have part of your district in Shreveport. The FBI statistics actually violent crime per 100,000 residents higher in Shreveport last year than Washington, D.C. there's a lot of.

[MAGA Mike Johnson]

Good work that's been done. There's a lot of reasons for that. But we have a Democrat DA there who has not been prosecuting crime as some other more aggressive DAs have around the country. Soros funded that individual to be elected. But I'll say that, you know, it's a, it's an urban area that has a lot of problems that are happening around the country and we have to address it.

[CNN Host]

So with the Guard help, if the Guard can help in D.C. the president has said he wants to send the Guard to Chicago and other places. Why not Shreveport?

[MAGA Mike Johnson]

I don't know. That's not my call. It may be necessary. Well, I don't know. Let's take one city at a time and see we have to address the crime problem in any city where it's it is, it's a problem like that. And in large cities like in Chicago, as you mentioned, that would be a big help there. I was there just two days ago and it's a serious, serious problem. They don't even report murders on the evening news in Chicago anymore because it's so common. And Democrat run cities typically have that problem because they have not been tough on crime. President Trump is one who believes in that and we do as well. And we've got to take every measure to make sure we're keeping American cities safe. It's common sense.

[Political Commentator]

Want to ask you then MAGA Mike Johnson dismisses the unpopularity of the disastrous budget bill. It's politician Play this clip instrumental maybe.

[CNN Host]

Crucial, maybe the singular most crucial person in passing, which is what the President was calling the big beautiful bill. But he said this week I'm not going to use that term, great big beautiful bill. That was good for getting it approved. It's not good for explaining it to people. I guess my question is why is it hard to explain to people? Our Harry Yetton who's a numbers guy, great numbers guy, I'm sure you've seen him, he put together some numbers and said it's among the most unpopular laws passed since 1990, less so than the Affordable Care act, the bank bailout and the Republican Tax Bill 2017. Why so hard?

[MAGA Mike Johnson]

I'm not surprised by these numbers at all because there's been an all out assault and effort by Democrats and the mainstream media to frankly misinform people about what's in the bill. When they take the same polls of the individual provisions of that giant piece of legislation, they're wildly popular. So what happened over the August district work period is Republicans fanned out Senate and and House Republicans across the country to all their districts to go and explain exactly the extraordinary things that are in this bill. It's geared and written for lower and middle class earners. They're going to feel the effects of that. We restored American energy dominance, peace through strength, largest tax cuts in U.S. history. People are going to feel that before they vote in that midterm election. And I am very bullish on the state regime media.

[Political Commentator]

Fox is going to do what state regime media known as Fox does. You have the Fox host Dana Perino refers to Donald Trump as President Truth and she goes, oopsie, I misspoke. But he may like that name. Let's call him President Truth. Now really the biggest liar, fraud, criminal felon, sexual abuser. I mean, this is the strangest thing in the world, man. Here, play this clip he's doing is.

[Interviewer]

Trying to figure out a way to get on the fighting crime train. And President Truth posted this yesterday. President Trump, President Truth. I think he might like that nickname. Okay.

[Political Commentator]

And meanwhile, you have people like this on Donald Trump's cabinet. RFK Jr. This is what we posted this morning on our Midas Touch account. Why are these little kids looking at me funny? They must have mitochondrial challenges. RFK Jr saying he's diagnosed children with mitochondrial dysmorphia and issues based on his observations of them. They probably are just looking at him like he's a freaking weirdo who takes away their SNAP benefits. This is the front cover of the News and Observer in North Carolina. SNAP cuts could end free meals for all Wake schools. And as well, we're now also learning that Alligator Alcatraz. I reported on this yesterday too. It looks like Alligator Alcatraz is going to be shut down. $400 million waste of our taxpayer money. There's a reason why the deficit is increasing right now. There's more government spending right now. There's more waste, fraud and abuse now than ever before. You know, that's what happens when you fire all of the watchdogs in the government who actually dealt with waste, fraud and abuse and you make Donald Trump the arbiter of that. There's way more waste, fraud and abuse. So government spending's up. Our debt is spiking through the roof, which is increasing our deficit by massive amount. So we'll keep you posted every step of the way. That's what's happening in Friday. And it seems like Donald Trump's about to say, all right, my work's been, my work is done. I'm going to golf again anyway. Let me know what you think. Hit subscribe. Let's get to 6 million. 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.

[Interviewer]

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[Interviewer]

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