The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode Title: Trump Loses Control as Calls for 25th Amendment Surface
Date: November 16, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Meiselas brothers—Ben, Brett, and Jordy—dissect the mounting public and political concerns over Donald Trump’s cognitive and physical health, fueling renewed discussion about invoking the 25th Amendment to remove him from office. Utilizing newly released Epstein estate emails, historic media reports, and recent public comments, the brothers break down the case for Trump’s mental fitness and reflect on the current state of the MAGA base, shifting GOP attitudes, and underlying international and economic factors. The episode features their trademark blend of biting humor, legal context, and deep-dive research.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Mounting 25th Amendment Pressure

• Trump’s Deteriorating Condition:

  • Ben launches into reports of Trump’s rapid cognitive and physical decline, noting recent incidents where Trump made confusing or bizarre public statements about his health and routine medical exams.

    "On a cognitive level, we know that Donald Trump, when he was on Air Force One, ... was asked about whether he had an MRI of the brain. And Donald Trump said it was the most perfect MRI results you'd ever seen... The doctor said it was the greatest MRI ever. And, and the reporter said, where did you get the MRI done? ... Was it your brain? What body part? And Donald Trump said, I don't know the body part. Who knows the body part? They just did it." (02:12)

• Historical Precedents:

  • The brothers recall the 2018 New York Times report that Rod Rosenstein, then Deputy Attorney General, discussed secretly recording Trump and invoking the 25th Amendment after the Comey firing. The episode revisits how Trump’s mental fitness was a worry even among high-level cabinet members during his first term.

    "Rosenstein ... discussed invoking the 25th Amendment to oust Trump in the days after Comey was fired... Rosenstein also discussed wearing a wire... because then Trump's Cabinet members thought he was mentally unfit and cognitively unable..." (03:35)

• Epstein Email Revelations:

  • Drawing on newly released Epstein emails, Ben reads sections revealing how Trump was perceived as mentally unstable even among his wider social and political network, including by Steve Bannon and journalists.

    "He feels alone and is nuts. I told everyone from day one, evil beyond belief, mad. And most thought I was speaking metaphorically. It's obvious he could crack..." (07:54)

Media and Political Responses

• Public Democratic Calls for 25th Amendment:

  • The podcast recalls Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s recent public statement urging invocation of the 25th Amendment, highlighting the seriousness of the moment:

    "The United States used to be a country where the President followed the Constitution, where the President believed in the rule of law... But the idea that you're going to go suggest that you're going to arrest people or that people don't deserve to be US citizens when they are just because they oppose the President... there is something genuinely wrong with this man and the 25th Amendment ought to be invoked." (11:28)

  • Congressman Dan Goldman’s comments are also highlighted to show the rising bipartisanship concern:

    "I don't think he's competent, Will. I don't know what to tell you, whether his cognitive abilities are sufficient to get past the 25th Amendment. You know, we don't know that right now. But I think what is clear is that he has driven our country into a disastrous economy." (14:49)

• Polls and Political Shifts:

  • Ben and Brett point out that the conversation about Trump’s mental state is shifting even within Republican circles, emphasizing that this is no longer a strictly partisan issue.

Trump’s Public Statements and Bizarre Moments

• Trump on His Own Health:

  • The hosts play and dissect clips of Trump’s own words about his MRI, his cognitive tests, and his proud proclamations—but also his admissions of not knowing what his MRI examined, giggling over the disconnect between his statements and presidential expectations.

    Trump: "Did you know? I have no idea what they analyze, but whenever they analyze, they analyzed it well and they said that I had as good a result as they've ever seen." (16:01)

• Clips Highlighting Cognitive Decline:

  • The episode weaves in a montage of Trump's recent gaffes—from rambling stories about windmills to non-sequiturs about magnets, hurricanes, and basements.

    Trump: "The kidney has a very special place in the heart, right? And then I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that? By injection, inside, or almost a cleaning?" (17:57) Trump: "The Potomac river, the beautiful Potomac river, that means lots of water. And the water is right under the building. And they decided to build a basement under the building in the Potomac River. So in order to do that, you need the biggest pumps that God ever created..." (20:33)

• Media’s Downplaying:

  • The brothers call out Fox News’ Jesse Watters for dismissing Trump’s apparent cognitive issues as, essentially, “strategic uncertainty.”

    "So they're trying to frame Trump's cognitive issues and 25th amendment like issues as strategic uncertainty. You see, like... he's so crazy that no one knows what to do and then we take advantage of that. No, it's just he's cognitively addled and he's physically addled also." (22:14)

The Epstein Files and International Maneuvering

• Epstein’s Influence and Information Flow:

  • Newly released correspondence from the Epstein estate is used to show the depth of high-level concern over Trump’s capabilities and international wheelings—references to Russian oligarchs, the Helsinki summit, and the propping up of far-right leaders in Brazil and Argentina.

    "Epstein said that he was working with Russian oligarchs to get them information about Donald Trump... and then Epstein was pitching his services... to Sergei Lavrov, leading up to the Helsinki meeting between Donald Trump and Putin." (06:00)

• Links to Foreign Policy and Authoritarianism:

  • The brothers discuss how the themes of instability and opportunism in Trump’s leadership connect to broader trends: American involvement in South America (e.g., Venezuela), and Epstein’s role as a kind of broker for information and power.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s Self-Assessment:

  • Trump: "I took an advanced, very advanced test on mental acuity... I aced it. I got a perfect score. I got the highest score." (16:01)

• On Cognitive Dissonance:

  • Ben: "As Mehdi Hassan says, this is 25th Amendment territory. I mean, you don't know the body part of the MRI..." (15:29)

• Comedic Highlight:

  • Brett (commenting on Trump’s tales): "You ran out of really healthy. They had great arms, but they ran out. It's called sports. It's called baseball in particular. Can't understand a word he's saying." (18:34)

• On Political Gaslighting:

  • Jesse Watters (Fox News): "You can't be a dictator with dementia. You can't suspend an election and then forget you suspended an election. … The man is a lot of things. He does not have dementia." (19:51)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:12 – Launch of central theme: Trump’s declining health and 25th Amendment discussion
• 03:35 – 2018 New York Times report on Rosenstein, cabinet debate over Trump’s capacity
• 07:54 – Reading from Epstein emails: Trump’s mental state, behind-the-scenes conversations
• 11:28 – Gov. JB Pritzker’s 25th Amendment public comments (audio clip)
• 14:49 – Rep. Dan Goldman on Trump’s incompetence and 25th Amendment
• 16:01 – Trump on MRI: “Don’t know what body part,” “perfect score” audio
• 17:42-19:04 – Compilation of Trump’s baffling public statements
• 19:51 – Fox News segment on “can’t be a dictator with dementia”
• 22:14 – “Strategic uncertainty” as White House messaging for Trump’s odd behavior
• 23:42 – Final thoughts on the seriousness of Epstein files and physicals

Conclusion

The MeidasTouch brothers emphasize that the case for invoking the 25th Amendment is stronger than ever, tying together Trump’s alarming behavior, public perception, and backroom political talk—bolstered by historic records and new revelations. They challenge the rationalizations from MAGA loyalists and the broader Republican Party while urging listeners to confront uncomfortable realities about Trump’s current role and what it means for democracy.

For listeners wanting in-depth breakdowns, historic context, and genuine (if sometimes dark) laughs, this episode delivers. It’s essential listening for anyone following the intersections of politics, media, and legal debate as 2025 unfolds.