The MeidasTouch Podcast: "Trump Looks Awful as He Falls Apart in AM"

Date: December 3, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

Episode Overview

This episode centers on Donald Trump’s apparent physical and mental decline, as well as worsening economic news during his current administration. The Meiselas brothers critique recent ADP private sector job reports, dissect Trump Cabinet officials’ spin, analyze media coverage discrepancies, and spotlight MAGA-aligned misinformation and scapegoating. They also discuss the looming release of the "Epstein files" and controversial Trump pardons. Throughout, the brotherly banter is sharp, critical, and often laced with biting humor, reflecting both deep concern and righteous outrage over the state of democracy.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Visible Deterioration and Global Perception

• [02:11] Ben highlights international coverage from German magazine Der Spiegel, which describes Trump as "falling asleep during that disastrous cabinet meeting," portraying him as "decrepit, weak, sickly... physically and mentally deteriorating before our eyes."
  • Quote: "This ranting and raving lunatic who falls asleep and then wakes up and posts, 'I’m angry at this country. I’m going to impose tariffs.' That’s not the way businesses are able to function." (Ben, 04:27)

2. Disastrous November ADP Private Sector Jobs Data

• [03:30] The ADP report shows a loss of 32,000 private sector jobs in November, much worse than the 40,000-job gain Wall Street expected.
• The drop was led by small businesses—down 120,000—while medium and large businesses had minor gains.
• Ben connects this to Trump’s tariff policies and business uncertainty. Tariffs are called “absolutely disastrous.”
• Sectors seeing layoffs: professional/business services, manufacturing, information services. The only sectors with some hiring: hospitality and healthcare.
• Quote: "Small businesses getting absolutely gutted. And that's consistent with the consumer sentiment and job outlook reports we've been sharing with you." (Ben, 03:48)

3. Trump Admin Doublespeak on Job Losses

• [05:50] Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on CNBC simultaneously blames “the Democratic shutdown” and admits deportation policies—"as you deport people, that's going to suppress private job numbers"—are hurting small businesses.
  • Quote: "[Deportations] are going to suppress private job numbers of small businesses. But they'll rebalance and regrow." (Howard Lutnick, 05:53)
• Then quickly pivots back to blaming Democrats, denying tariffs as a factor ([06:48]).

4. Media Coverage Contrasts: CNBC vs. Fox News (State Regime Media)

• [07:44] CNBC reports the job numbers as a "big miss," highlighting the pain for small businesses.
• [09:32] Fox News spins the job losses as a positive, suggesting Wall Street is happy as it could allow the Fed to cut interest rates—completely ignoring the human cost.
• Ben’s commentary emphasizes how elite interests differ from everyday Americans:
  • Quote: "They'd rather have their interest rate cuts for themselves...while the American people are losing jobs. They were literally like celebrating it right there." (Ben, 10:23)

5. Treasury Secretary Fact-Checked on Red/Blue State Inflation

• [11:16] On CNBC, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant argues "affordability is worse in blue states," only to be immediately fact-checked by Sorkin:
  • Highest inflation over the past four years has been in red states, especially Florida.
  • Besant insists "the American people are on my side," but cannot substantiate the claims.
  • Notable Exchange:
    • Sorkin: "Since 2021, the highest inflation has been in red states, especially Florida."
    • Besant: "I'm talking about current...not over the past four years."
    • Sorkin: "I would think four years would be a reasonable trend line..." ([11:16 – 12:42])

6. Epstein Files Release and Lawmakers’ Bipartisan Pressure

• [14:26] House Democrats secure "never before seen" photos and videos from Jeffrey Epstein’s private island—described as "harrowing."
• Bipartisan group demands Attorney General Pam Bondi provide assurances the full Epstein files will be released on Dec. 19.
• Ben stresses the importance: “We’ve been focused on this every single day for the past… four or five years at this point.”

7. Trump’s Pardon of Honduras’ Narco-Terrorist President

• [17:36] MAGA Senator Roger Marshall struggles to defend Trump’s pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, convicted of massive drug trafficking with cartel ties.
  • Quote: "I don’t know the details of that particular pardon. Happy to look into it, but I just can’t really speak to it." (Roger Marshall, 17:55)

8. MAGA Defense of Insider Stock Trading

• [19:24] MAGA Rep. Roger Williams argues members of Congress shouldn’t be barred from insider trading: "We can't limit the ability for people to do business...But I want to be careful we don’t squeeze it too hard."
• Ben’s outrage is clear: “The MAGA Republicans—let’s do inside stock trading in Congress.”

9. Scapegoating and Racist Attacks on Somali Americans

• [19:40] Facing flagging Latino support, Trump and MAGA allies pivot to demonizing Somali Americans, especially in Minnesota.
• Department of Homeland Security spokesperson offers non-denial to a grotesque question about Somalis, focusing on “widespread fraud” rather than refuting Trump’s racist slurs ([20:52 – 21:40]).
• Rep. Tom Emmer falsely claims "80% of the crimes being committed in the Twin Cities...are being committed by Somalis" ([21:54]).
  • Quote: "They’re the ones eating your cats and dogs. It’s the Somalians." (Ben mocking MAGA rhetoric, 19:40)

10. Trump Pardons Texas Democrat Facing Corruption Charges

• [22:06] Trump pardons Democratic Rep. Cuellar (TX), whose bribery case was prosecuted during Biden's DOJ. Ben theorizes the move is to either flip Cuellar or normalize government bribery.
  • Quote: “He wants to allow his MAGA Republicans to know…that the American government is open to bribery.” (Ben, 22:39)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Trump…falls asleep and then wakes up and posts, 'I’m angry at this country. I’m going to impose tariffs.' That’s not the way businesses are able to function." (Ben, 04:27)
• "Small businesses getting absolutely gutted." (Ben, 03:48)
• Howard Lutnick: "As you deport people, that's going to suppress private job numbers of small businesses. But they'll rebalance and regrow." (05:53)
• "They’d rather have their interest rate cuts for themselves…while the American people are losing jobs. They were literally like celebrating it right there." (Ben, 10:23)
• Roger Marshall: "I don’t know the details of that particular pardon. Happy to look into it, but I just can’t really speak to it." (17:55)
• Mocking MAGA rhetoric: "They’re the ones eating your cats and dogs. It’s the Somalians." (Ben, 19:40)
• "He wants to allow his MAGA Republicans to know…that the American government is open to bribery." (Ben on Trump’s pardon policy, 22:39)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:11] – Trump’s condition derided in international press
• [03:30] – Breakdown of ADP jobs report and economic outlook
• [05:50] – Commerce Secretary’s contradictory explanations for job losses
• [07:44] – CNBC reports job losses; shift to Fox’s opposite framing ([09:32])
• [11:16] – Treasury Secretary fact-checked on inflation stats
• [14:26] – Epstein files update and bipartisan pressure
• [17:36] – MAGA senator grilled on Trump’s narco-terrorist pardon
• [19:24] – MAGA Congress member advocates for stock trading in Congress
• [19:40] – Trump/MAGA pivot racist rhetoric toward Somali Americans
• [21:54] – Rep. Tom Emmer’s false crime statistics
• [22:06] – Trump pardons Democratic Congressman; discussion of motives

Tone and Style

The episode combines sharp political critique with sardonic humor and righteous indignation. The Meiselas brothers blend rapid-fire news analysis with layperson-friendly explanations—often cutting through political spin and media manipulation. They are unapologetically pro-democracy and unflinching in their takedown of corruption, racism, and hypocrisy, frequently lampooning MAGA talking points.

Summary Useful For:
Listeners who want a detailed breakdown of Trump’s current struggles—physically, mentally, and politically—how economic data is spun by both officials and the media, and the latest scandals shaking both sides of the political aisle, all delivered with the trademark MeidasTouch banter and urgency.