The MeidasTouch Podcast: "Trump in World of Hell as All Plans Backfire"
Date: February 5, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Episode Overview
In this episode, the Meiselas brothers dissect a “terrible day” for Donald Trump, as multiple plans unravel on both political and personal fronts. They discuss devastating economic news, Trump’s contradictory public appearances (notably at the National Prayer Breakfast), deepening scandals involving the Epstein files, and escalating legal and political complications for the former president. True to form, the episode combines sharp political analysis with the brothers’ signature banter, as they underscore their support for democracy amidst the chaos.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Economic Meltdown & Trump’s Contradictions
[03:12 - 09:26]
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US economic crisis:
- January layoffs hit a 17-year high, with 108,435 jobs cut. This surge is the worst since the 2009 Great Recession.
- “January layoffs surged to a 17-year high. Job reports never have been this bad since the Great Recession.” (Ben, 03:18)
- Job openings are at their lowest since September 2020; hiring is nearly halted.
- 72% of Americans rate the economy as in "poor" or "fair" condition, per a Fox poll.
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Trump’s denial at the National Prayer Breakfast:
- While the economic situation worsened, Trump boasted at the Prayer Breakfast, claiming the 2020 election was rigged and that everything is “amazing.”
- Quote: “I needed it for my own ego. I would have had a bad ego for the rest of my life. Now I really have a big ego. Beating these lunatics was…” (Donald Trump, 04:41)
- Mocked his own Davos speech, acknowledging post-facto that his invite was “the stupidest invitation [they] ever gave to somebody.” (05:15)
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Crypto collapse and Trump family mismanagement:
- The crypto market’s value has been cut nearly in half since October 2025—over $2 trillion lost.
- Trump’s World Liberty Financial company bought crypto at the peak, now dumping Bitcoin at a loss.
- “They buy high and then they sell low and they’ve lost a lot of money on that transaction as well. But that’s typical Trumpian logic right there.” (Ben, 06:44)
2. Religion, MAGA Mike, and Weaponized Faith
[08:14 - 09:14]
- Trump describes Speaker Mike Johnson’s religiosity, turning the idea of prayer at lunch into a punchline while reinforcing Johnson’s political capital.
- Quote: “He’ll say to me sometimes at lunch, ‘Sir, may we pray?’ Say excuse me, we’re having lunch…it’s okay with me. But he’s a very religious person and he is popular and he’s doing an unbelievable job. So I think God is watching over you.” (Donald Trump, 08:14)
- Trump polarizes the Prayer Breakfast, attacking Democrats and questioning faith-based support for them, despite the setting’s intention for bipartisanship.
- Quote: “I don’t know how a person of faith can vote for a Democrat…we’re not going to be convincing them to vote…” (Donald Trump, 08:57)
3. Epstein Scandal: File Revelations and Clinton Challenge
[10:13 - 13:35]
- Trump claims “I stopped the mutilation of children,” while the hosts roast his ignorance and self-inflation, referencing the massive amount of times his name appears in the Epstein files.
- Quote: “Donald, you have 38,000 references to yourself in the Epstein files. They may as well be called the Trump Epstein files…” (Ben, 10:31)
- New emails reveal nicknames exchanged between Melania Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell: “Sweet Pea” (Melania) and “G.” (Ghislaine).
- Hillary Clinton publicly challenges House Republicans to hold an open, transparent Epstein hearing, signaling readiness while implicitly calling Trump and Elon Musk to account.
- Quote: “So let’s stop the games. If you want this fight, James Comer, let’s have it in public…cameras on. We will be there.” (Hillary Clinton, quoted by Ben, 12:08)
4. Legal Maneuvers & Taxpayer Money at Risk
[13:35 - 15:49]
- Coverage of a Senate hearing: Trump is suing the Treasury Department for $10 billion over a tax-return data leak affecting hundreds of thousands.
- Democratic Senator Gallego interrogates Treasury Secretary Scott Besant about the lack of discretion over the payout.
- Quote (paraphrased): “If Trump’s DOJ says write Trump a check for $10 billion, you’re stealing our taxpayer dollars…If everyone else sued for $10 billion, our entire government would go bankrupt!” (Ben, 15:49)
5. Political Maps and a Gerrymander Backfire
[16:49 - 18:42]
- Good news for democracy: Virginia’s Senate leader, Senator Lucas, and House Speaker Scott announce a “10-to-1” electoral map in favor of Democrats, reversing Trump’s gerrymandering strategies in other states.
- Quote: “These are not ordinary times. And Virginia will not sit on the sidelines while it happens. We made a promise to level the playing field, and today we’re keeping our promise. Our maps are ready. Virginia is ready. We said 10:1 and we meant it.” (Speaker Scott, 17:24)
- The brothers highlight this as a concrete example of Trump’s attempts backfiring on a systemic level.
6. A Prayer for Presidential Compassion and Unity
[18:46 - 20:10]
- Representative Jonathan Jackson delivers an impassioned Prayer Breakfast opening, calling for compassion, unity, and protection of freedoms.
- Quote: “We pray that you would protect him from the iniquities of evil and that you would give him greater clarity, greater courage and greater capacity to do what is right…Remind him that we are all Americans, all made in the image of God and that none of us are free unless all of us have our freedoms protected.” (Rep. Jonathan Jackson, 18:58)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Economic Collapse:
- “January layoffs surged to a 17-year high. Job reports never have been this bad since the Great Recession.” (Ben, 03:18)
-
Trump at the Prayer Breakfast:
- “I needed it for my own ego. I would have had a bad ego for the rest of my life. Now I really have a big ego. Beating these lunatics was…” (Donald Trump, 04:41)
- “They invited me [to Davos]…they said that may have been the stupidest invitation we ever gave to somebody.” (Donald Trump, 05:15)
- “He’ll say to me sometimes at lunch, ‘Sir, may we pray?’…it’s okay with me.” (Donald Trump, 08:14)
- “I stopped the mutilation of children. The mutilation. The word is mutilation. They mutilize, you know, mutilation of children. I stopped it.” (Donald Trump, 10:56)
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On the Epstein Files:
- “There are more references to Trump in the Epstein files than there is to Jesus in the New Testament, than there is to Harry Potter in all seven Harry Potter books.” (Ben, 10:31)
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On Legal Absurdities:
- “If everybody else sued for $10 billion…do the math. Do a million people suing for $10 billion. Do it as a class action. If Trump’s suing for $10 billion, maybe I sue. Maybe you sue…” (Ben, 15:49)
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Virginia’s Gerrymander Reversal:
- “We said 10:1 and we meant it. And we are proud to deliver a map that stands up for democracy…” (Speaker Scott, 17:24)
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Representative Jackson’s Prayer:
- “Remind him that we are all Americans, all made in the image of God and that none of us are free unless all of us have our freedoms protected.” (Rep. Jackson, 19:55)
Key Segment Timestamps
- 03:12 — Economic crisis breakdown and Trump’s tone-deaf response
- 04:41 — Trump’s National Prayer Breakfast remarks (ego & rigged election)
- 05:15 — Trump recounts Davos speech gone wrong
- 06:44 — Crypto market crash and Trump company’s losses
- 08:14 — Trump on prayer with Speaker Mike Johnson
- 08:57 — Trump attacks Democrats’ faith at Prayer Breakfast
- 10:31 — Epstein files and Trump’s outlandish claims on child protection
- 12:08 — Hillary Clinton challenges for public Epstein hearings
- 13:35 — Senate hearing: Trump’s $10 billion claim against Treasury
- 17:24 — Virginia’s “10:1” redistricting success
- 18:58 — Rep. Jonathan Jackson’s unifying Prayer Breakfast speech
Conclusion
Throughout the episode, the Meiselas brothers deliver a fast-paced, sharp-witted examination of Trump’s perilous present moment, juxtaposing his bluster with rapidly mounting crises and policy backfires. This detailed split-screen analysis, replete with memorable quotes and biting commentary, offers listeners both a comprehensive news update and the sense that, as ever, the push for democracy continues—even when “all Trump’s plans backfire.”