Podcast Summary: Trump in Panic Mode as Massive Protests Spread
Podcast: The MeidasTouch Podcast
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Date: December 14, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode dives into Donald Trump's latest wave of misinformation and erratic behavior against the backdrop of global mass protests supporting democracy, with a special focus on events in Budapest. The Meiselas brothers analyze how Trump’s actions intersect with ongoing international turmoil, U.S. domestic crises (specifically a recent mass shooting at Brown University), and a culture of right-wing disinformation. The episode is marked by passionate, irreverent banter, dramatized outrage, and pointed fact-checking.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Global Pro-Democracy Protests and Authoritarian Playbooks
[07:51]
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Mass protests erupt in Budapest against Hungarian PM Viktor Orban, Trump’s “buddy.” Pro-democracy and pro-European forces expected to triumph in coming elections.
- “What’s happening in Hungary is their authoritarian, their Putin bootlicker, Viktor Orban… is expected to lose that election… There’s their own Epstein scandal.” (Ben, 09:10)
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Orban mirrors MAGA-style rhetoric: rails against sex trafficking yet presides over systemic abuse in juvenile prisons.
- “Authoritarians in the United States and Hungary using the same playbook to weaponize the abuse of real victims while they themselves are the abusers…” (Ben, 10:25)
2. Trump’s Disinformation During a U.S. Mass Shooting
[02:00 – 06:00]
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Trump spreads false claims during active shooter situation at Brown University, prematurely stating the shooter was in custody.
- “While there was still an active shooting, Donald Trump was posting… He lied and said that he was briefed on the matter and said the shooter is in custody — which was entirely false.” (Ben, 02:46)
- “Supposed to be the president, not some Internet troll making up things about school shootings.” (Ben, 04:13)
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Critique of America’s gun culture and feckless Republican leadership:
- “There’s something that makes America different… it is the proliferation of guns and this culture that fetishes guns here in the United States…” (Ben, 05:42)
- “MAGA Republican Congress members wearing AR pins instead of American flag pins… I think it’s despicable.” (Ben, 06:08)
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Official Providence response emphasizes trusting reliable sources over Trump’s misinformation:
- “Please follow the City of Providence official social media channels… If that did not come from an official channel, then it is not official.” (Providence Mayor clip, 31:11)
3. Trump’s Faux Peace Deals & International Lies
[11:00 – 20:30]
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Trump repeatedly claims to broker peace in Gaza, Thailand, Cambodia, and Ukraine — all untrue, sometimes contradicted by foreign governments.
- “All of Donald Trump’s claims of ceasefires have been utterly fake… There’s no ceasefire in Gaza.” (Ben, 11:50)
- “Two days ago, Donald Trump said he spoke with the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia and they agreed to the ceasefire again. Then Thailand had to put out a statement and say, there’s no ceasefire right now.” (Ben, 14:50)
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U.S. at the UN: Voting patterns reflect Trump’s pro-authoritarian stance.
- “The United Nations just voted 153 to 1 on a resolution ensuring the safety and security of humanitarian workers… The only country voting against it? The United States.” (Ben, 17:21)
- “U.S. joined with Cuba, China, Russia, and Belarus to vote against strengthening international cooperation… Trump is pro-Russia and he is a Putin bootlicker.” (Ben, 18:07)
4. Trump’s Bizarre Behavior with Foreign Leaders
[21:00]
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Trump’s relationship with Syrian leaders previously tied to al-Qaeda — including odd, embarrassing moments like spraying perfume on them in the Oval Office.
- “Remember what Donald Trump did when it came to Ahmed Al Shara, who went by Jolani… literally sprayed the guy with cologne…” (Ben, 21:36)
- Audio Clip:
- “The president went—the Syrian president came in and President Trump sprayed perfume all over him. And I just wondered, like, did he smell?” (Caroline Levitt on Miranda Devine’s podcast, 23:02)
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Ben’s take on the episode:
- “This stuff isn’t funny, folks. This is life or death. This is war and peace. These clowns, these amateurs, these evil, malicious, dumb… the way they conduct themselves is so unprofessional and gross and weird.” (Ben, 24:00)
5. Misinformation, Measles Outbreaks, and Neglect of Real Problems
[26:00]
- Rise in vaccine-preventable diseases under MAGA administration, linked to anti-vax rhetoric.
- “As of Tuesday, 1912 cases of measles that have been reported in 2025… we now have a 14,608% increase in measles cases.” (Ben, 27:50)
- Trump’s obsession with personal enrichment—announces plot to seize DC public golf courses for personal use, while Americans struggle with job losses and affordability crises.
- “Trump wants to make ‘em Trump golf courses… while the American people are living paycheck to paycheck…” (Ben, 29:50)
- “He’s out there talking about taking over golf courses… How utterly horrific, disgusting and evil is this, folks?” (Ben, 31:37)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Trump’s Mass Shooting Misinformation (Ben, 02:46):
“While there was still an active shooting, Donald Trump was posting. I guess he was getting his information from incorrect sources on the Internet. And Trump lied and said that he was briefed on the matter and said that the shooter is in custody, which was entirely false.”
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On Authoritarians’ Rhetoric (Ben, 10:25):
“These authoritarians in the United States and in Hungary using the same playbook to weaponize the abuse of real victims while they themselves are the abusers and they're both being exposed at the same time.”
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On “Peace” Claims (Ben, 13:52):
“Trump just wanted to be told that he did peace there. He actually made things worse.”
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Perfume Incident Recap (Caroline Levitt, 23:02):
“The president went—the Syrian president came in and President Trump sprayed perfume all over him. And I just wondered, like, did he smell?”
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On the State of U.S. Politics (Ben, 24:00):
“This stuff isn’t funny, folks. This is life or death. This is war and peace. These clowns, these amateurs, these evil, malicious, dumb… the way they conduct themselves, to me, it’s just so unprofessional and gross and weird.”
Timestamps of Key Segments
- Mass protests in Budapest and Orban's downfall: 07:51–11:00
- Trump’s Brown University shooter misinformation: 02:00–06:30
- Call-out of American gun fetishism & GOP symbolism: 05:42–06:30
- Budapest's Epstein-style scandal & authoritarian hypocrisy: 09:10–10:45
- Trump’s fake peace deals across the globe: 11:00–20:30
- UN votes and Trump’s pro-authoritarian stance: 17:21–18:20
- Perfume incident and Trump foreign “diplomacy”: 21:00–24:30
- Providence Mayor facts vs. Trump disinfo: 31:11
- Measles outbreak stats & MAGA anti-vax harms: 27:50–28:40
- Trump seizing DC golf courses and economic neglect: 29:50–31:37
Tone & Style
The episode is straightforward, outraged, often comedic but deadly serious about the stakes of 2025 politics. Ben particularly punctuates his analysis with passionate critiques, citing “receipts” (facts and evidence) to counter Trump’s disinformation, while Brett and Jordy offer supportive commentary and brotherly banter. Notable is their focus on both domestic and global authoritarianism and the interconnectedness of right-wing misinformation.
Final Thoughts
The MeidasTouch brothers conclude with a rallying cry to stay vigilant, support democracy, and not be numbed to the abnormality of Trumpism. They urge listeners to subscribe and push back against what they describe as a “regime” preoccupied with self-enrichment, spectacle, and manipulation rather than the real, urgent needs of the American public.