Trump’s FBI in Full Collapse After Killer Turned Himself In

Summary

The MeidasTouch Podcast

Episode: Trump’s FBI in Full Collapse After Killer Turned Himself In
Date: September 13, 2025
Hosts: Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas

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Overview: Main Theme and Purpose

This episode dives into the chaos and perceived incompetence at the FBI under Director Kash Patel—a Trump loyalist with a controversial background—highlighted by the mishandled investigation into the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. The Meiselas brothers unpack the FBI’s missteps, the fallout from top-level purges, and the broader implications for law enforcement and democracy. The discussion blends biting humor, deep political critique, and pointed anecdotes about the MAGA transformation of federal institutions.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. FBI’s Blunders in the Charlie Kirk Murder Investigation

[01:51 – 08:05]

• The FBI, under director Kash Patel, repeatedly misidentified Kirk’s killer, wrongly publicized the arrest of an innocent (Arab and Kirk supporter, racially profiled), then had to retract the statement.
• Media reports circulated nonsense about “transgender ideology” being inscribed on the shooter’s cartridges — a claim discredited and ridiculed by the hosts.
• The actual breakthrough came when the alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, confessed to his father after being recognized in footage. The father, with the help of pastor friends, turned his son in. The FBI played no substantive part and only got involved after the confession.
• Host sharply critiques the press conference where Patel awkwardly praised law enforcement despite the FBI’s failure, saying:
  “You just humiliated proud law enforcement by your behavior. You also showed what happens when you fire the experienced people at the FBI who filed a lawsuit against you, Cash Patel and the FBI this week.” — Ben Meiselas [03:31]

2. The Purge of Experienced FBI Officials

[03:32 – 04:35]

• The brothers detail how Patel, following Trump’s explicit desire for “retribution,” fired experienced FBI leaders, replacing them with unqualified loyalists.
• Fired individuals include former acting director Brian Driscoll, counterterrorism expert Steven Jensen, and Pakistani-American Metab Saeed, the latter pushed out due to reported bias and “retribution.”
• Critique extends to Cash Patel’s background:
  “Quite literally, if you put a list of people, you say, who would you not want to run the FBI? Cash Patel would just be right up there for me.” — Ben [08:06]

3. Cash Patel’s Bizarre and Unqualified Background

[04:36 – 09:01]

• Patel is described as a failed right-wing podcaster, MAGA meme-peddler, seller of “detox pills,” and peddler of conspiracy merchandise before his FBI appointment.
• The current FBI counterterrorism lead is a “22-year-old former intern named Thomas Fugate the Third… I think he was like a gardener. He has zero law enforcement experience.” — Ben [08:16]
• Clip played featuring a visibly nervous Patel at the press conference.
  “Look how visibly nervous he is… This is the guy who’s supposed to be in charge.” — Ben [08:59]

4. The Rao’s Restaurant Scandal & Timeline of Patel’s Statements

[10:25 – 13:00]

• During crucial investigation hours, Patel dined at elite Manhattan restaurant Rao’s, posting erroneous updates about an arrest.
• Timeline outlined by Ben: Patel posted about the “subject in custody” at 6:21pm; restaurant opens at 7; at 7:59pm, he posted the person was released. Outcry follows about his inattention to the case.

5. Patel’s Self-Congratulatory and Outlandish Press Conference

[13:00 – 14:37]

• Patel awkwardly touts the arrest as law enforcement excellence, despite overwhelming evidence the FBI did nothing to solve the case.
  • “This is what happens when you let good cops be cops.” — Kash Patel [13:00]
  • “The arrest is a testament to the dedication of good law enforcement.” — Patel [13:11]
  • “In less than 36 hours, 33 to be precise, thanks to the full weight of the federal government… the suspect was apprehended in historic time period.” — Patel [13:37]
• Sergio Leone moment: Patel ends with,
  “To my friend Charlie Kirk. Rest now, brother. We have the watch and I’ll see you in Valhalla.” — Patel [14:26]
• Hosts mock the inappropriateness and performative nature of this closing, noting the mix of faiths and settings (“You’re Hindu, he’s Protestant, you’re in Utah among Mormons… What are you talking about?”)

6. Lawsuits & Fallout Within the Bureau

[14:38 – 16:40]

• Lawsuits filed by former FBI leadership claim overt, Trump-demanded purges by Patel against experienced agents, amounting to politicization and retribution.
• The Wall Street Journal issues a retraction regarding the false claims about “trans ideology” on evidence.

7. Patel’s Further Embarrassments: Epstein Files, Senate Hearings, and MAGA Ideology

[16:05 – 17:41]

• Patel claims transparency around the Epstein files but equivocates in confusing double-talk:
  “I’m not going to withhold information… But I’m also not going to rush to get it out there in a format in which they can’t rely on it.” — Kash Patel [16:10 – 16:20]
• At a Senate hearing, Patel argues with Sen. Patty Murray, refusing to admit politicization as he suspends investigators tied to the Jan 6 probe and Russia inquiry, essentially defending a pro-Trump loyalty test.

8. Extreme Partisanship as Doctrine

[17:59 – 18:42]

• Old interview audio cited: Patel proposes that all top government personnel should strictly follow the will of the President (Trump), and that dissenters “should be thrown out of government and maybe even put in jail.”
• Ben closes:
  “Maybe putting a podcaster and a Mar A Lago groupie in charge of the FBI was not the best plan.” — Ben [18:42]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On FBI Incompetence:
  “The FBI had nothing to do with it. Tyler Robinson confessed. The alleged suspect confessed to his dad and his dad told someone and they, they turned him in.” — Ben Meiselas [03:08]
• On Cash Patel’s Qualifications:
  “I mean, quite literally, if you put a list of people, you say, who would you not want to run the FBI? Cash Patel would just be right up there for me.” — Ben [08:06]
• On Replacing Experts With Loyalists:
  “A 22 year old former intern named Thomas Fugate the Third…I think he was like a gardener. He has zero law enforcement experience.” — Ben [08:16]
• Patel’s Valhalla Gaffe:
  “To my friend Charlie Kirk. Rest now, brother. We have the watch and I’ll see you in Valhalla.” — Kash Patel [14:26]
  • Follow-up: "What are you talking about? Like what? That's your line? I mean, it's a bit ridiculous." — Ben [14:37]
• On Purges:
  “They said that Cash Patel basically admitted that he was firing the top people like them as retribution for Donald Trump.” — Ben [14:38]
• On MAGA Loyalty Doctrine:
  “Anyone violating that should be thrown out of government and maybe even put in jail. But we need a strong Department of Justice to do that.” — Kash Patel [18:29]
• Ben’s Final Irony:
  “Maybe putting a podcaster and a Mar A Lago groupie in charge of the FBI was not the best plan.” — Ben [18:42]

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Important Timestamps

• [01:51] – Breakdown of FBI failures in the Kirk investigation, false arrests
• [03:32] – Purges of seasoned FBI officials, rise of unqualified replacements
• [08:05] – Cash Patel’s odd pre-FBI history, meme-making, and snake oil promotions
• [09:01] – Press conference clip showing Patel’s nervousness and lack of leadership
• [10:25] – Timeline showing Patel’s questionable priorities the night of the murder
• [13:00] – Patel’s self-congratulatory press statements
• [14:26] – Patel’s “See you in Valhalla” and host mockery
• [14:38] – Fallout: veteran agents’ lawsuits and WSJ retraction
• [16:05] – Epstein files exchange revealing more obfuscation
• [16:47] – Senate hearing: Patel stonewalling Sen. Patty Murray
• [17:59] – “Everyone should agree or be jailed” MAGA doctrine
• [18:42] – Final assessment of Patel’s appointment

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Tone & Language

The brothers’ tone is deeply irreverent, mixing outrage and sarcasm with their signature brotherly banter. They combine legal precision and sharp fact-checking (“we bring receipts”) with biting humor, calling out dangerous incompetence and political extremism in stark, everyday language. Their critique is unapologetically pro-democracy and anti-authoritarian, wielding pop culture references and inside jokes to emphasize their points.

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In sum:
This episode paints a scathing picture of institutional breakdown, unqualified leadership, and the dangers of politicizing law enforcement, all through a lens that’s equal parts outrage and comedy. The MeidasTouch crew puts on display the high stakes of 2025's political climate, warning about the MAGA transformation of democratic institutions and its real-world consequences.

Transcript

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[Political Commentator]

Instacart we're here so the FBI was an unmitigated disaster in its investigation into the killer of Charlie Kirk, showing how unqualified and inexperienced Cash Patel has always been, which we have always been warning about, which anybody with a brain has been warning about as well. Cash Patel's FBI misidentified the killer multiple times. The Cash Patel's FBI posted that they found the suspect and he was in custody when they actually had the wrong guy, an Arab Charlie Kirk supporter who they just basically racially profiled. Then they had to issue a retraction. Then the FBI and ATF put out statements Basically suggesting that on the cartridges associated with the weapon that it had been transgender ideology inscribed on the cartridges. What the hell does that even mean, transgender ideology? You then had Kash Patel at that press conference where they had not identified the killer. And Kash Patel looked so nervous, his head was jerking left to right. He didn't even say a word. I mean, he was too scared to speak. And then finally, Tyler Robinson, who is the alleged killer, confessed to his father after his father said, hey, that looks like you on the video. Did you do it, son? The son said, yes, I did it. The dad then told his friends who were pastors, the pastors called the marshals and the police, and then they arrested Tyler Robinson. That's how it was uncovered. The FBI had nothing to do with it. Tyler Robinson confessed. The alleged suspect confessed to his dad and his dad told someone and they, they turned him in. It's basically what went down. But Cash Patel then gave this bizarre press conference where he was like, and this is how you are a cop. Cops. This is what happens when you put policing first. Dude, what are you talking about? You just humiliated proud law enforcement by your behavior. You also showed what happens when you fire the experienced people at the FBI who filed a lawsuit against you, Cash Patel and the FBI this week. People like the former acting director of the FBI, Driscoll, Brian Driscoll. People like Steven Jensen, one of the top people who dealt with counterterrorism there, Spencer Evans, a 20 year veteran. And you fired him because Donald Trump said he wanted retribution against the FBI. And this is also what happens when you fire the head of the Utah field office, a Pakistani American woman by the name of Metab Saeed, who ran counterterrorism for a long time in Washington D.C. she was a Pakistani attache, the American office there. After 9 11, she devoted her life to the FBI and. And then you forced her out a few weeks back. That's what happens when you lose your field office chief as well, because he didn't want women in Pakistani woman to be running the FBI office. Even though you, Cash Patel, are Hindu, you're racially profiling the Pakistani head of the field office. Okay, well, if you look back at Cash Patel's back, by the way, units, Midas touch. So we're going to come with all of the receipts here. But Cash Patel was a fricking podcaster. A bad one too. A right wing extremist, bad, cringy Trump cultist podcaster. And this is the guy who leads the FBI. I mean, I'm gonna be, I think I'm a pretty decent podcaster. I think that I bring receipts. I think I bring the skills that I had as a trial lawyer. I think I'm a good podcaster. Now, if future Democratic president said, ben, I want you to serve your country and I want you to be the FBI director, I would look at them and say, have you heard about the 25th Amendment? Because you must not be of sound mind if you want me to be an FBI director, I'm going to stay doing my podcast, go grab a coffee now and then walk with my daughter up and down the block. I'm going to stay here, not become an FBI director. Okay. But Kash Patel would sell the shirts like this. Based. He would sell based shirts. Or Cash Patel boasted about a dog urinating on political opponents in children's books. And he would sell those caps. K money. K money H. That's. That was his logo. K money H. That's what he called himself because his last name is Cash. Very creative. Trump's FBI director nominee, class of at that time, classified the dog peeing on political opponents as fun. Cash Patel would share videos launching United States senators heads out of catapults and posing with the severed heads in his hands. Keshe Patel would post AI generated videos of himself chainsawing the heads off of members of congress, political opponents and media outlets. Uh, Cash Patel was selling magic pills which would supposedly cleanse your body of the COVID vaccine to reverse the vax if you ever had one. A complete scam. He called it an MRNA detox that he sold for lots of money. He sold the K$sign H Ts for a limited time. He said, let's go making some noise. Wizards and warlock style meme lord. And he post meme lord photos of himself and he would sell flags. Trump mania. Flags are here, brother. At the k, at the k dollar sign H star, y'.

[Interviewer]

All.

[Political Commentator]

That's what Cash Patel was doing before he was the FBI director. I mean, quite literally, if you put a list of people, you say, who would you not want to run the FBI? Cash Patel would just be right up there for me. But you know who's running counterterrorism right at the FBI right now? A 22 year old former intern named Thomas Fugate the Third. I think he was like a gardener. He has zero law enforcement experience. And that's the guy who's in charge with the. One of the biggest positions in the FBI. A 22 year old intern. It's like Donald Trump wants people to get hurt. Wouldn't you think that's the outcome here? So let's just go through some receipts, shall we? I mean, I showed you some of those receipts of Cash. Patel's background as a weirdo right wing podcaster. Well, here he was the other night at the press conference. This is the guy who's supposed to be in charge. Look how visibly nervous he is. Here, play this clip.

[Kash Patel]

Sorry about that.

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[Political Commentator]

Now more information emerges about FBI Director Patel. Turns out he was at. Am I saying this right? If I'm saying it wrong, my brother who loves this restaurant, is it Rao's or is it Rouse? I think I'm going to go with Rao's. And if I'm wrong, just you could put it in the comments and everybody to get mad at me. Rao's aroused. Crap. Forget the pronunciation. Anyway, it's one of the hardest meal tickets to get. You can tell. You could tell that I eat most of my meals as microwave Stouffers because I don't know how to say a basic name. The night that Kash Patel was posting that, they found the guy who wasn't the guy. He was dining at one of the top restaurants, one of the hardest to eat at restaurants in Manhattan. FBI Director Cash Patel was dining at Rao's in New York on Wednesday night after the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk. Two sources familiar with his whereabouts told NBC News Patel had posted on X at 6:21pm Eastern Time that the subject in Kirk's killing was in custody. Rao's is a well known restaurant that is notoriously tough to get into, opens at 7pm Then at 7.59pm Patel posted a follow up post that the subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. The details come amid criticism from multiple former FBI officials of Patel's handling of the Kirk investigation. One law enforcement official said that the horrific event of Kirk's killing showcased Patel's public inability to meet the moment as a leader. In response to a question about whether Patel was at the restaurant when he posted about the investigation as well as a request for comment about the criticism of the director, the FBI said in a statement that it worked with our law enforcement partners in Utah to bring justice to the individual allegedly responsible for the horrific murder of Charlie Kirk. We will continue to be transparent with the American people with real time updates as we are available. Rao's aroused did not immediately provide a comment to NBC News. Now Cash Patel during that press conference after Tyler Robinson effectively turned himself in and Patel and his FBI and local law enforcement really did nothing here again, I think local law enforcement was trying to do things but Patel wasn't helping him out. Patel says this is what happens when you let good cops be cops. Huh? Huh? Why don't you go back to Rao, see her play this clip.

[Kash Patel]

Thank you Governor. This is what happens when you let good cops be cops.

[Political Commentator]

Then you have Patel saying this arrest is a testament to the dedication of good law enforcement. Here, play this clip.

[Kash Patel]

The arrest is a testament to dedication of good law enforcement being great and partnerships in law enforcement, which I've tried to highlight as my tenure at the director of the FBI. There is no better relationship for law enforcement than the FBI to partner with state and local authorities and you've seen it here in these last few days.

[Political Commentator]

Patel then goes, thanks to the full weight of the federal government, we got him. We got them. Here, play this clip.

[Kash Patel]

In less than 36 hours, 33 to be precise, thanks to the full weight of the federal government and leading out with the partners here in the state of Utah and Governor Cox, the suspect was apprehended in historic time period. And I want to highlight what Governor Cox said. This would not have been possible without you, the media and you, the public. That's why we Went so public so fast. And we're so transparent and we're committed to that transparency.

[Political Commentator]

Dude, you did nothing. The kid just confessed. His photo was out there. He confessed. That's what happened. And then he has this really weird moment, this really strange moment where Patel looks into the camera and he goes to my brother, Charlie Kirk. I see you and I'll see you in Valha. Valhalla.

[Kash Patel]

Play this clip lastly to my friend Charlie Kirk. Rest now, brother. We have the watch and I'll see you in Valhalla.

[Political Commentator]

See you in Valhalla. I mean, also, it's like you're in Utah where there are Mormons. Charlie Kirk is a Protestant, you're Hindu. Doesn't mean you can't say Valhalla, Valhalla, Valhalla, Valhalla. Doesn't mean you can't say it. I can't even say it. But it does mean you. What are you talking about? Like what? That's your line? I mean, it's a bit ridiculous. Again, as I mentioned, there was the lawsuit filed by the FBI agents against Patel this week. Brian Driscoll, Steven Jensen, Spencer Evans. They said that Cash Patel basically admitted that he was firing the top people like them as retribution for Donald Trump. Patel said he would lose his job if he didn't fire all the top people because Trump wanted all the top people who were working there to be fired. By the way, the Wall Street Journal had to issue a retraction about its story that the cartridges had the anti or it had the trans ideology, the pro trans ideology on them, whatever the hell that means. But folks, I mean this follows all of the, all of the Cash Patel kind of missteps along the way, right? Like Kash Patel saying regarding the Epstein files, I'm not going to withhold information as you're literally withholding the Epstein files. Here, play this clip.

[Kash Patel]

The other thing on the Internet is the Epstein files.

[Interviewer]

What's the answer to that?

[Kash Patel]

The answer to that is the same as everything else. I'm not going to withhold information from the American public ever.

[Interviewer]

But I'm also not going to rush.

[Kash Patel]

To get it out there in a format in which they can't rely on it. So on the Epstein matter or any other matters, we are diligently working on that. And it takes time to go through.

[Interviewer]

Years of investigations, years of political maneuvering.

[Kash Patel]

And years of COVID up to get.

[Interviewer]

The American people what they deserve.

[Kash Patel]

And that's what I'm going to give them on everything.

[Political Commentator]

And then remember, Cash Patel, during a hearing, just started yelling At Democratic Senator Patty Murray. Here, play this clip.

[Interviewer]

Placed on leave FBI employees responsible for the investigation of January 6th. That sounds political to me.

[Kash Patel]

I have not placed anyone on leave who has not violated their ethical obligation or their oath to the Constitution.

[Interviewer]

So if they were investigating January 6th, you believe they were violating an ethic?

[Kash Patel]

Nope. I think the common theme here is you putting words in my mouth, and I'm not going to tolerate it. Nor will the men and of the FBI.

[Interviewer]

Well, you did place on leave an analyst responsible for investigating Russia's meddling in the 2016 election. Is that politicization? Is that retribution?

[Kash Patel]

No, not if she broke the law or the ethical guidelines. I don't know which case you're talking about, but that's the standard. And we will hold ourselves inwardly accountable, and we will not be strayed from our mission because people think we are politicizing the Bureau. If you want to talk about someone who was attacked by a weaponized Bureau, you're looking at them. And now he's the director of the FBI and he's cleaning it up.

[Political Commentator]

Again. The guy doesn't have the temperament. He's not fit for this position. This is a serious role. And he's a very deeply unserious person. Right. I mean, he's the guy who once suggested that people in government all have to agree with Donald Trump or they should be thrown in jail. Here, play this clip.

[Interviewer]

It's pretty simple, Steve. One, we got to win again in 22 and 24. And then personnel, you know, is policy, and not just at the principal level. You got to go down 2, 3, 4 levels, down the undersecretaries, the assistant secretaries, the deputies, the chiefs of staff. They all have to be people who agree with the Commander in chief and don't believe that they can overcome a commander in chief just because they think they are saving America. That's not how the chain of command works. It didn't. It didn't work like that when you were in the Navy. And it hasn't changed. And so we need to implement personnel across the board that follows the Commander in Chief's process and policies, and that's the democratic process. And anyone violating that should be thrown out of government and maybe even put in jail. But we need a strong Department of Justice to do that.

[Political Commentator]

So, yes, as our Editor in Chief, Ron Philip Koski says, maybe putting a podcaster and a Mar A Lago groupie in charge of the FBI was not the best plan. Anyway. Thank you for watching. Hit. Subscribe. Let's get to 6 million subscribers want to stay plugged in, become a subscriber to our [e-mail] you'll get daily recaps from Ron Filipowski ad free episodes of our podcast, and more exclusive content only [e-mail].