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

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.

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]

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]

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

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.

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.