The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode Summary: "Trump Loses it as Air Force One Malfunctions on Flight"

Date: January 21, 2026
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Meiselas brothers dig deep into a chaotic 24-hour news cycle featuring Donald Trump's aborted flight to Davos due to Air Force One malfunctions, his bizarre press conference, and escalating international tensions. The brothers, with their signature blend of humor and sharp analysis, dissect Trump's recent erratic behavior, his declining public appearances, the White House's strange communications, and the unsettling geopolitical fallout.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Air Force One Malfunctions as Trump Heads to Davos

• Incident Recap: Air Force One suffered “minor electrical issues” en route to Davos, forcing Trump’s entourage to switch planes at Joint Base Andrews.
  • “Air Force One had to turn around... they had to get on a different plane. Trump and his regime and others in the press heard Trump and his regime joke about, ‘Ah, you see, we need the Qatari jet.’” — Ben (00:31)
• Media Coverage: UK tabloids roast Trump with headlines like "a prize idiot."
• Conspiracy Theories & Banter: Trump's team jokes about preferring the Qatari jet; press pool highlights Trump's absence during the plane switch.
• Global Reception: Trump is openly unwanted at Davos, with world leaders speaking against his behavior.

2. Trump’s Declining Health and Erratic Press Conference

• Physical and Cognitive Decline: The brothers point out Trump’s visibly "sickly and bizarre" appearance during his one-year-in-office press conference, referencing visible concern from Republican allies like Caroline Levitt.

• Stephanie Grisham's Critique: Former Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham publicly questions Trump’s mental state and calls for Congress to act.

  • “It’s all the usual rambling, off-topic tales, half-truth, lies... but it’s low energy and feels like he’s mentally slipping. Congress please wake up, please. #EmperorHasNoClothes.” — Grisham via Ben (03:49)

• Unhinged Rhetoric: Trump fixates on superficial militarization of American towns.

  • "To me a town, it looks better when you have military people. These are big, strong guys, our bad guys look at them..." — Trump clip (04:29)

• Obsessive Nobel Prize Grievance: Trump bizarrely insists Norway holds power over the Nobel Peace Prize and fantasizes about "invading Greenland."

  • “Don’t let anyone tell you that Norway doesn’t control the shots, okay?... They’ve lost such prestige.” — Trump clip (04:52)

3. Absurd Press Conference Moments

• Physical Comedy: Trump exhibits odd behavior by brandishing a large paperclip and discussing hypothetical injuries.

  • “Oh, I’m glad my finger wasn’t in that sucker. That could have done some damage... I would have acted like nothing happened as my finger fell off.” — Trump clip (05:33)

• Escalation to Foreign Policy: While Americans struggle economically, Trump threatens to "buy Greenland for $700 billion" and ramps up military saber-rattling.

4. Global Fallout and Unprecedented Instability

• International Response:

  • Allies strategize defensive war plans against a possible Trump-led U.S. aggression (e.g., Canada’s “Mujahideen style” insurgency plans).
  • “All of Europe denouncing and speaking out [against] Donald Trump.” — Ben (06:06)

• Market Reaction: U.S. markets experience a significant downturn amid Trump’s erratic statements and threats.

  • “Yesterday, the stock market wiped away $1.2 trillion in value as Donald Trump threatened and attacked all of our allies.” — Ben (06:06)

5. Ongoing Warmongering and Authoritarian Fantasies

• Militarization of Public Life: Trump reiterates his preference for the visible presence of soldiers in American cities.

  • “You have good looking, solid military people walking around... it’s almost like an enhancement. Everybody feels safe.” — Trump clip (07:47)

• Hunter Mentality: Trump frames himself as “the hunter” against political adversaries.

  • “And in a way, I was the hunted and now I’m more of the hunter, I must tell you. And these are bad people. These are sick people.” — Trump clip (08:28)

• Threats Against Iran: Trump threatens massive retaliation.

  • “If anything ever happens, we’re going to blow... the whole country is going to get blown up.” — Trump clip (10:19)

6. Legal Developments and Scandals

• Mar-a-Lago Investigation: Trump files in federal court to block Special Counsel Jack Smith from discussing part of the secret documents case.

  • “Why is Donald Trump and the Republicans, if they’re so confident that Donald Trump did nothing wrong, why do they want to block Jack Smith from testifying about volume two...” — Ben (10:51)

• Data Misuse: DOJ admits that Trump-era officials may have sold Social Security data for election interference.

  • “Doge teams may have taken your Social Security and basically sold it to companies that were involved in election interference and trying to overthrow the results of elections.” — Ben (10:51)

7. Trump’s Financial Shenanigans and New “Peace Board”

• Qatari Bank Account Allegations: Trump accused of funneling oil wealth to private Qatari accounts rather than U.S. Congress.
  • “He takes the money and moves it to a Qatari bank account that he controls... You join the Board of Peace, you give Trump $1 billion to Qatari bank accounts. What are we doing here?” — Ben (13:03)
• Replacement for NATO/UN: Trump pitches a “Board Board of Peace” to take the place of NATO and the United Nations, aligning with Putin, Belarus, and other autocrats.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ben on the UK Media’s Mockery:
  “A prize idiot. That is the front page of many a UK paper, specifically the Metro... Look at Donald Trump on this UK news newspaper right here.” (00:31)

• Stephanie Grisham’s Public Plea:
  “Congress please wake up, please. #EmperorHasNoClothes.” (03:49)

• Trump’s Militaristic Aesthetic:
  "To me a town, it looks better when you have military people.” (04:29)
  “You have good looking, solid military people walking around... it’s almost like an enhancement. Everybody feels safe.” (07:47)

• Trump’s Nobel Prize Obsession:
  “Don’t let anyone tell you that Norway doesn’t control the shots, okay?... They’ve lost such prestige.” (04:52)

• Absurdist Humor:
  “Oh, I’m glad my finger wasn’t in that sucker. That could have done some damage... I would have acted like nothing happened as my finger fell off.” (05:33)

• The Hunter vs. Hunted Rhetoric:
  “And in a way, I was the hunted and now I’m more of the hunter, I must tell you. And these are bad people. These are sick people.” (08:28)

• Geopolitical Warnings:
  “If anything ever happens, we’re going to blow... the whole country is going to get blown up.” (10:19)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:31 – Air Force One Malfunction and Global Mockery
• 03:49 – Stephanie Grisham’s Public Call for 25th Amendment
• 04:29 – Trump’s Military Obsession Clip
• 04:52 – Trump’s Nobel Prize & Norway Comments
• 05:33 – Absurd Paperclip Finger Clip
• 06:06 – Global Fallout, Davos, and Market Crash
• 07:47 – Trump’s Militarized Cities Rant
• 08:28 – Hunter vs. Hunted Rhetoric
• 10:19 – Threats Against Iran
• 10:51 – Legal Updates: Mar-a-Lago & Data Scandal
• 13:03 – Qatari Bank Account & "Board of Peace" Allegation

Conclusion

The episode is a whirlwind, painting a picture of instability at the highest level: mechanical failures, public gaffes, economic chaos, global pushback, and legal scandal—all juxtaposed with Trump’s increasingly unhinged rhetoric. The Meiselas brothers provide not just political analysis but also biting humor and genuine alarm at the state of democracy. This is an episode for anyone looking to understand the week’s most pressing headlines with clarity, context, and a dose of righteous outrage.