The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: Trump Loses It on Christmas Eve as His Past Haunts Him
Date: December 24, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Podcast Theme: Political analysis with a blend of humor and brotherly banter, defending democracy and exposing authoritarian abuses.

Episode Overview

This episode revolves around a tumultuous Christmas Eve for Donald Trump, examining his plummeting approval, troubling revelations around the Epstein files, and the administration's contentious public messaging, particularly in response to mounting criticism. The brothers unpack significant recent events, the Trump regime’s responses, and how these reflect broader issues facing American democracy and society.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Catastrophic Christmas Eve for Trump & His Administration

• Opening Analysis:
  • The hosts establish that Trump is facing growing scandals and negative polling, particularly linked to mishandling and potential covering-up of Jeffrey Epstein files.
  • Trump’s approval sits at a notably low 38%, with a net negative of 18 (00:59).
  • The White House and DOJ are accused of pushing cruel messaging on Christmas Eve, such as an official meme: “self deport before Christmas and avoid the nightmare before Christmas" (01:10).

2. Epstein Files Controversy & DOJ Credibility Crisis

• Shift in DOJ Tone:
  • Discussion on the DOJ’s new confrontational posture, particularly on social media, dismissing journalists’ questions, and allegedly releasing fabricated documents instead of prioritizing survivor testimony or draft indictments.
  • Example: DOJ Twitter account calls a journalist a “dope” for questioning the release of suspect Epstein-related docs (02:00).
  • Notable exchange:
    • Jamie Dupree asks why fake Epstein evidence was released.
    • DOJ responds: “Because the law requires us to release all documents from relating to Jeffrey Epstein in our possession. So that's what we are doing, you dope. Are you suggesting we break the law?” (03:15)
• Criticism from Both Sides:
  • Even Republicans like Thomas Massie criticize the administration for their tone and apparent violation of the “Epstein Transparency Act” (03:50).
  • Marjorie Taylor Greene also weighs in, drawing attention to failures in both transparency and healthcare policy.

3. Failures on Domestic Policy & Healthcare

• The hosts highlight a contradiction in the narrative of economic growth:
  • Despite statistics suggesting higher GDP, the spike is attributed almost entirely to surging health insurance costs (04:15).
  • Marjorie Taylor Greene criticizes Republicans, warning: “Republican failure to fix this is going to cost them big in the midterms.” (04:41)
• Trump’s Broken Promises:
  • Hosts ridicule Trump’s oft-made promise that he’d fix issues like healthcare and Ukraine “in 24 hours,” contrasting with ongoing crises (05:10).

4. Foreign Policy Blunders and Eroding Global Alliances

• The U.S. Labeled an Adversary:
  • Top French military officials now consider the U.S. a strategic adversary, with sanctions on European allies and meetings with Russian officials (05:38).
  • Trump regime undermines alliances, instead favoring Russian and anti-EU interests.

5. AI, Employment, and False Economic Narratives

• Peter Navarro Interview Clip (08:12):
  • Navarro claims “in an age of AI where all the white collar jobs are going away pretty damn quick, I think maybe it’s a good time for people to think about having good blue collar jobs… it can come again in a new package with all this good technology and productivity.”
    • Hosts rebut: manufacturing jobs had boomed under Biden, but under Trump, over a million jobs lost and unemployment up by 54%.
• Howard Lutnick’s “ShamWow Pitch” (10:13):
  • LUTNICK (Imitation): “Donald Trump is going to bring lower energy prices everywhere… build a big data center, they're going to lower the price of energy in the entire area around it.”
  • Hosts debunk this, pointing to actual data showing electricity prices up 15%.

6. Immigration Policy & Inhumane Practices

• ICE & Border Patrol Revelations (10:53):
  • Reports surface that ICE plans to treat human beings ‘like Amazon Prime packages,’ aiming to hold 80,000 immigrants in warehouses.
  • Quoting acting director Todd Lyon: “We need to get better at treating this like a business like Amazon prime. But with human beings.” (10:53)
• Moral Clarity & the Christmas Message:
  • The Meiselas brothers frame the regime’s actions as fundamentally “evil,” especially in contrast to values of uplifting and protection on Christmas Eve (12:00).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ben Meiselas on media manipulation:
  “You have the official White House account posting memes like this... 'self deport before Christmas and avoid the nightmare before Christmas.'” (01:10)

• DOJ’s public retort:
  “Because the law requires us to release all documents from relating to Jeffrey Epstein in our possession. So that's what we are doing, you dope.” (03:15)

• Thomas Massie (R) clapping back:
  “You’re calling people a dope on Christmas Eve and you violated the Epstein Transparency Act. So what the heck are you even doing here?” (03:50)

• Marjorie Taylor Greene via Twitter:
  “Republican failure to fix this is going to cost them big in the midterms… Republicans can't blame Democrats when they do nothing to fix it. And the American people suffer from the failure of both sides of the aisle.” (04:41)

• Peter Navarro:
  “In an age of AI where all the white collar jobs are going away pretty damn quick… maybe it's a good time for people to think about having good blue collar jobs... It can come again in a new package with all this good technology and productivity.” (08:12)

• Ben Meiselas’ moral close:
  “There’s evil in the world, and these Trump people are evil. They cover up child sex trafficking in front of our eyes. They cover it up, and then they say that the perpetrators are the real victims.” (12:00) “...We all need to direct a moral compass and speak with moral clarity and do our best. I think this is an important Christmas Eve message. To uplift others, not beat down on marginalized communities.” (12:43)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:59: Trump’s polling and the Christmas Eve crisis theme begins
• 01:10–03:50: DOJ’s social media meltdown and Epstein files controversy
• 04:15–04:41: Healthcare cost crisis and GOP inaction
• 05:10–05:38: Broken Trump promises and foreign policy failures
• 08:12: Peter Navarro on white collar job loss and AI (with clip)
• 10:13: Howard Lutnick and the “data centers save everything” myth (with clip)
• 10:53: ICE Amazon warehouse analogy and moral critique
• 12:00–12:43: Ben’s Christmas Eve message on morality, democracy, and hope

Tone & Language

• Direct, impassioned, and sarcastic: The brothers use sharp, critical humor and analogies (“the sham wow guy,” “evil people”) to underscore their points.
• Unapologetically pro-democracy: The language is urgent, sometimes hyperbolic, but always aimed at rousing their audience to vigilance and action.
• Broader Appeal: Despite the partisanship, there’s a call for all listeners to engage in moral clarity and support democracy.

Conclusion

The episode serves as a blistering critique of the Trump administration's actions during a crucial holiday, exposing contrasts between claimed achievements and reality, shining a light on administrative antagonism and transparency failures, and ending with a rousing call for morality and empathy in the fight for democracy. The MeidasTouch brothers urge listeners to stay informed, active, and hopeful—even (and especially) on Christmas Eve.