Podcast Summary

Podcast: The MeidasTouch Podcast
Episode: Trump Spins Out of Control on Monday after Disaster Landing
Date: November 17, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas (The MeidasTouch Network)

Overview

This episode focuses on former President Donald Trump's increasingly erratic online and public behavior following his return to Washington, D.C., after a disastrous landing event. The Meiselas brothers dissect Trump's latest social media posts, his continued efforts to undermine democracy, GOP messaging on the economy, and his surrogates' attempts to spin economic realities. The episode blends comedic brotherly banter with sharp political analysis, highlighting Trump's ongoing legal jeopardy and the Republican Party's reliance on misinformation.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Trump’s Unhinged Social Media Activity

• Content & Tone: Trump spent Monday posting bizarre memes and accusatory messages, targeting former allies and political enemies.
• Examples:
  • A Chris Farley meme directed at Attorney General Pam Bondi, captioned “for the love of God, just arrest somebody,” advocating for the arrest of ex-FBI Director Christopher Wray ([01:03]).
  • A bingo card meme with faces of “political enemies,” calling for the DOJ to indict them.
  • Claims that the 2020 census (conducted while Trump was in office) was “rigged” ([01:44]).
• Analysis: The hosts emphasize the authoritarian undertones of Trump’s posts, noting his desire to manipulate elections through gerrymandering and threatening redistricting ([02:00 – 03:30]).

2. Promotion of False Narratives and Conspiracies

• Trump continues to label January 6th as a “hoax” and blames the FBI for instigating the insurrection, despite evidence and his own role ([04:20]).
• He revives conspiracy theories involving Jeffrey Epstein and spreads misinformation about pardoning insurrectionists for non-related crimes ([04:45]).

3. Legal Jeopardy for Trump’s Inner Circle

• A federal magistrate judge in Virginia found “profound investigative missteps” in the grand jury process that led to the indictment of James Comey.
• Trump attorney Lindsey Halligan is in potential trouble for providing false instructions and incomplete transcripts, jeopardizing her legal career ([06:00]).
• Quote: “This is terrible news from the Trump regime. Lindsey Halligan’s bar license is deeply, deeply in jeopardy right now.” – Political Commentator ([06:25])

4. Economic Spin and Mixed Messaging

GOP Surrogates Promote Flawed Economic Narratives

• Trump’s economic adviser Kevin Hassett appears on multiple outlets suggesting the labor market is entering a “quiet time” due to AI, but insists output and productivity are strong ([07:05]).
  • Quote: “There could be a little bit of almost quiet time in the labor market because firms are finding the AI is making their workers so productive that they don’t necessarily have to hire the new kids out of college.” – Kevin Hassett ([07:23])
• GOP Congress member Keith Self claims, against evidence, that inflation and prices are down, echoing cable news talking points ([08:18]).

Media Rebuttals

• CNBC’s Joe Kernan challenges Hassett on tariffs, pointing out the logical contradiction in claiming tariffs didn’t fuel higher prices ([09:21]).
  • Quote: “If we’re reversing some tariffs to try to help affordability, isn’t that acknowledging that tariffs were responsible… for some of the higher prices…?” – Joe Kernan ([09:22])
• Kernan further confronts Hassett on inflation claims, highlighting that prices have climbed an additional 3% since Biden’s term, making Trump’s narrative inaccurate.
  • Quote: “When you keep saying prices are falling, that's not true ... it’s the 3% on top of all the inflation we had during the Biden years.” – Joe Kernan ([10:40])
  • Hassett doubles down, shifting the line to “real wages” as a metric.
  • Quote: “A more precise way to say it… is that purchasing power has gone up… so real wages have gone up by about $1,200 this year.” – Kevin Hassett ([10:56])

Beef Prices & Blame Game

• Brooke Rollins, Trump’s Agriculture Secretary, blames Biden for potential high beef prices and the reduction of cattle herds, citing supposed climate change policies ([13:06]).
  • Quote: “We are suffering from the last administration’s literal, literal war on cattle… they wanted to reduce the herd sizes because they believe that cattle caused climate change.” – Brooke Rollins ([13:20])

5. Trade, China & More Exposed Lies

• CNBC reports China is reducing soybean imports, contradicting Trump’s previous claims about the impact and value of his trade deals.
  • Under Biden, China imported 27 million metric tons; now, Trump secured only 12 million, with China unlikely to meet even that ([14:00]).
• The brothers joke about Trump’s economic framing: “Don’t call it a recession, call it quiet time”—points to MAGA spin on negative economic data ([15:07]).

6. Visual Symbolism: "Broken Flagpoles"

• On Trump’s arrival at the White House, the custom flagpole he built had the flag on the ground, described as a symbol of his tenure ([15:45]).
  • Analysis: The moment is used as a metaphor for Trump’s failing leadership and optics.

7. Epstein Files and Political Posturing

• Trump claims—suddenly—that he supports releasing the Epstein files, anticipating a Congressional vote he’s likely to lose ([16:20]).
• The hosts forecast Trump will later change his stance, using ongoing investigations as an excuse to block transparency.

8. Trump Insists He Lowered Prices

• As he returns to Mar-a-Lago, Trump tells reporters that he’s responsible for lower prices and that “Democrats like to use the word affordability, but their affordability was terrible.”
  • Quote: “I’m the one that’s getting the prices down… They had the highest inflation in the history of our country. I have it down now to a normal level, and it’s going down further.” – Donald Trump ([17:14])

9. Wealth Accumulation Amidst Public Suffering

• Latest disclosure: Trump purchased at least $82 million in bonds for himself since August, as most Americans are “living paycheck to paycheck” ([17:42]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump's social media blitz:
  “Trump is spinning out of control on Monday morning as he has returned to Washington, D.C., hiding from the American people… weird memes… Christopher Wray lied!” – Political Commentator ([01:03])

• On government manipulation:
  “Donald Trump… doesn’t want there to be elections anymore. He wants to send his Gestapo… to block elections in the future.” – Political Commentator ([02:36])

• On Trump-appointed prosecutor’s legal jeopardy:
  “Lindsey Halligan’s bar license is deeply, deeply in jeopardy right now.” – Political Commentator ([06:25])

• On economic messaging:
  “There could be a little bit of almost quiet time in the labor market…” – Kevin Hassett ([07:23])

• On tariff policy contradiction:
  “Isn’t that acknowledging that tariffs were responsible… for some of the higher prices…?” – Joe Kernan ([09:22])

• On price claims:
  “I’m the one that’s getting the prices down… I have it down now to a normal level, and it’s going down further.” – Donald Trump ([17:14])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Trump’s Social Media Frenzy: [01:03] – [04:45]
• Gerrymandering and Democratic Pushback: [02:00] – [03:30]
• False Flag Claims about January 6th: [04:20]
• Legal Troubles for Trump’s Team: [06:00] – [06:40]
• Kevin Hassett on Labor Market/Economy: [07:05] – [11:43]
• Fox News and Price Misinformation: [08:18] – [08:53]
• Tariff Contradictions on CNBC: [09:21] – [10:56]
• Beef Prices Blamed on Democrats: [13:06]
• China, Trade, and Economic Fraud: [14:00]
• Flagpole Incident: [15:45]
• Epstein Files and Trump Posturing: [16:20]
• Trump’s Comments on Pricing: [17:14]
• Trump’s Bond Purchases/Wealth Accumulation: [17:42]

Overall Tone & Takeaways

• Language & Tone: Humorous, occasionally incredulous, direct, and outspoken in defense of democracy and the truth. The brothers regularly use sarcasm and banter to underline the absurdity of the current MAGA narrative.
• Message: Trump and his surrogates continue to distort facts, grasp at conspiracy theories, and threaten democratic norms, while Trump personally profits and the general public continues to suffer. The Meiselas brothers urge listeners to be vigilant, fact-check, and resist authoritarianism.

For MeidasMighty and new listeners alike, this episode delivers a mix of laughter, biting criticism, sharp economic rebuttal, and a warning about the consequences of unchecked MAGA disinformation and Trump’s ongoing impact on American democracy.