The MeidasTouch Podcast: "Trump Surfaces and Quickly Has Psychotic Meltdown"

Date: December 31, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Meiselas brothers dissect a series of unhinged social media posts from Donald Trump, which they characterize as a “psychotic meltdown.” They explore how Trump’s misleading statements, bizarre social media outbursts, and attacks on political opponents are reflective of his crumbling popularity and increasing desperation. The brothers also highlight the recent Democratic overperformance in Iowa, dissect the right’s hypocrisy on fraud, and discuss the growing disconnect between Trump and the American public.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Meltdown on Social Media

[04:02 - 08:40]

• Trump reemerges after a 48-hour silence online, unleashing a series of posts described as “unhinged and deranged” by Ben.
• Topics included unfounded claims about windmills killing bald eagles (posting a photo of a falcon from Israel instead), attacking the Kennedy family immediately following the tragic death of Tatiana Schlossberg, and inflating his approval ratings.
• Trump claimed ratings like “65%—the polls are rigged, I’m the most popular ever,” while actual approval hovers around 38%.
  • Ben [05:12]: “Donald Trump just lies. Why not? We like to be objective and tethered to the reality and not your MAGA, Putin-esque, authoritarian propaganda.”

2. Reality vs. Trump’s Claims

[07:00 - 11:00]

• The brothers debunk Trump’s statements about the strength of the U.S. military, the economy, and “no inflation”—pointing to real struggles like unaffordable housing, higher prices, and growing international threats.
• They reference credible polling:
  • PBS/NPR/Marist: 38% approval, 54% disapproval, 8% unsure for Trump.
  • Ben [08:35]: “Trump’s year in approval rating is lower than that of any president in the last five decades. It’s lower than Biden’s when he left office. This is bad, bad, bad.”

3. Windmills and Misinformation

[10:40 - 12:15]

• Trump repeats the “windmills kill eagles” trope, using a misattributed falcon photo from Israel as “proof.”

• The hosts quickly fact-check and implicate Trump’s broader reliance on disinformation.

  • Ben [11:15]: “It took Midas Touch network about 60 seconds of research. It didn’t look like a bald eagle, it looked like a falcon. So I googled this photo...in reality, the image is a dead falcon in Israel from 2017.”

4. Attacks on the Kennedy Family

[12:15 - 16:30]

• Trump’s posts attacking the Kennedys are called out as cruelly timed, given Tatiana Schlossberg’s recent passing.

• Trump’s attempts to “rebrand” the Kennedy Center as “the Trump Kennedy Center” are criticized as both egotistical and illegal, with Ben giving a legal perspective on why performing there could be considered as abetting criminal behavior.

  • Ben [15:40]: “There's a law that called it the Kennedy Center. You can’t just put your name on it. Anybody who performs and promotes it, I believe one day can be held criminally liable because you’re aiding and abetting the vandalism on public property.”

5. Public Backlash & Democratic Momentum

[05:00, 17:10 - 18:45]

• The brothers highlight increasing backlash to Trump among Republicans and independents:
  • Citing Karl Rove’s commentary that people are “sick and tired of Donald Trump bragging about this and that while the American people are suffering.”
  • A Democrat won a special election in Iowa by 43 points, dramatically overperforming past Democratic totals in that district.

6. Hypocrisy and Racism in Fraud Prosecutions

[19:00 - 24:10]

• Right-wing efforts to deflect from their own scandals by blaming Somali Americans and other minorities for fraud are dissected and debunked.

• The hosts remind listeners that under Biden, the vast majority of “Feeding Our Future” indictments happened, and the ringleader was not Somali.

• The Trump regime’s history of pardoning “the biggest drug dealers, the biggest fraudsters” is called out, while simultaneously engaging in racist scapegoating.

  • Ben [22:40]: “You don’t oversimplify and generalize. That’s just being racist. We can call out fraud, prosecute criminals, without racism.”

7. Political Retribution and Policy Damage

[24:30 - 28:15]

• The hosts discuss how Trump has wielded his power for personal vendettas, notably vetoing a bill for clean water in Colorado, punishing political opponents and their states’ residents.

• Trump’s motivations include retribution for criticism and the release of Epstein files.

  • Ben [27:30]: “Donald Trump vetoed the bill to provide clean frickin water to Colorado...because the sponsor supported releasing the Epstein files, and he's mad at the governor for not pardoning a felon convicted of January 6th crimes.”

8. Framing Trump’s Actions as Evil

[28:30 - End]

• Ben reflects on a comment from his neighbor, emphasizing that Trump’s behavior should simply be called “evil,” and highlights the importance of naming and rejecting such conduct.

  • Ben [29:20]: “They’re evil, evil people who do evil things. Why do they do it? Because they’re evil. And we have to recognize that there’s evil out there—and we have to stop it.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Donald Trump was having a psychotic meltdown…He started posting about windmills and saying, look, these windmills are killing these bald eagles. And it turns out that he was posting photographs from Israel in 2017 of falcons.” – Ben [04:02]
• “People are sick and tired of Donald Trump bragging about this and that while the American people are suffering and plastering his name everywhere and building himself golden ballrooms…” – Ben, citing Karl Rove [05:33]
• “As bad as it gets…Trump’s year in approval rating is lower than that of any president in the last five decades.” – Ben [08:35]
• “Anybody who performs and promotes it, I believe one day can be held criminally liable because you’re aiding and abetting the vandalism on public property.” – Ben [15:40]
• “You don’t oversimplify and generalize…and say, Oh, all the Somali people are bad people. That’s just being racist.” – Ben [22:40]
• “They exist to cause harm. And we have to recognize that…we have to stop it. That’s my New Year’s resolution for 2026.” – Ben [29:40]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trump’s meltdown unraveled – [04:02 - 08:40]
• Fact-checking Trump’s approval & ‘hot’ economy – [07:00 - 11:00]
• Windmills and the ‘bald eagle’ photo hoax – [10:40 - 12:15]
• Kennedy family attacks & the legal angle – [12:15 - 16:30]
• Republican consultant backlash & Iowa special election – [05:00, 17:10 - 18:45]
• Hypocrisy in fraud prosecution, racism call-out – [19:00 - 24:10]
• Trump’s policy retribution in Colorado – [24:30 - 28:15]
• The “Evil” conversation & final thoughts – [28:30 - End]

Overall Tone & Style

The episode features the Meiselas brothers’ signature blend of sharp humor, righteous outrage, legal expertise, and a call to civic action. The language is direct, impassioned, and unfiltered, reflecting their unapologetic stance in defending democracy and exposing political malfeasance.

For listeners who missed the episode:
This rundown offers a comprehensive yet lively account—spotlighting Trump’s erratic holiday week, the political fallout, and why the brothers (and much of the country) are calling for a hard, honest reckoning with the former president’s continued presence in the national discourse.