The MeidasTouch Podcast
Title: Tuesday Afternoon Breaking News Updates with Ben — 2/10/26
Date: February 10, 2026
Host: Ben Meiselas
Episode Overview
In this breaking news update, Ben Meiselas delivers a searing, rapid-fire solo monologue centered on the latest revelations from the Jeffrey Epstein files and their massive implications for U.S. politics. He investigates the overwhelming number of unredacted references to Donald Trump, scrutinizes prominent figures implicated in the ongoing scandal (including Howard Lutnick and Ghislaine Maxwell), and dissects the moral and political rot he sees infecting the current U.S. government, particularly under the Trump regime. Ben ties these themes to broader international patterns of right-wing authoritarianism and explores the weaponization of child sexual abuse scandals for political gain, exhorting listeners to recognize the global scale of this challenge and respond with big, united ideas rooted in empathy and democracy.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Epstein Files Bombshells: Unprecedented Trump Connections
- Main Point: Newly reviewed, still-secret portions of the Epstein files reportedly include over one million references to Donald Trump's name.
- Jamie Raskin’s Role: Rep. Jamie Raskin (Ranking Member, House Judiciary) reviewed unproduced document batches and confirmed these staggering references.
- Perspective: Ben provides analogies to underscore the scale:
- “There’s more references to Donald Trump in the Epstein files… than the word ‘Harry’ in all seven Harry Potter books, more than ‘Jesus’ in the Bible.” [02:00]
2. Howard Lutnick Admits Visiting Epstein’s Island with His Children
- Evolving Testimony: Once adamant he ceased all contact with Epstein in 2005, Lutnick now admits under Senate questioning he brought his children (and friends' children) to Epstein’s island in 2012.
- Moral Outrage: Ben is sharply critical:
- “You brought your kids, your little children, to the island where children get raped. That’s… what you did.” [19:53]
- “The moral compass has not even been moved 360 degrees. The moral compass has been shattered…” [06:10]
- Senate Response: Ben notes the comparative lack of senator outrage and frustration that accountability is being sidestepped.
- MAGA Mike Johnson’s Defense: House Speaker Johnson shrugs off Lutnick’s lies and ongoing relationship with Epstein, defending his performance as Commerce Secretary [22:20].
3. Ghislaine Maxwell Pleads the Fifth Before Congress
- Fifth Amendment Assertions: Maxwell, convicted and imprisoned for child sex trafficking, refused to answer virtually all questions from the House Oversight Committee, repeatedly invoking her Fifth Amendment rights.
- “Are you aware of Donald Trump with underage girls?” — “I have to invoke my Fifth Amendment…” [10:35]
- “Did Donald Trump promise you a pardon for your silence?” — “I must invoke…” [11:25]
- Conditional Testimony: Maxwell offers to publicly exonerate Trump only if granted clemency [12:40].
- Ben’s Commentary: “You want to be granted clemency? If anything, what's been released in the files shows that you got off lightly.”
4. Projection & Political Weaponization of “Pedo” Claims
- Authoritarian Playbook: Ben connects MAGA and global right-wing regimes’ tendency to accuse political opponents of being the “real pedophiles” — all while their own ranks are implicated.
- “It’s the tactic of fascism, the projection: Accuse the other of that which you are covering up...” [46:55]
- Notable Congressional Clips:
- Rep. Tom Emmer and others accuse Democrats and immigrants of being the true threat: "Pedophiles, Rapists, Murderers … ICE has taken them off the streets." [47:10]
- Reinforcing the Hypocrisy: Ben ties this rhetoric back to the ongoing cover-ups and legal obstructions by Trump-aligned officials and Epstein network insiders.
5. ICE, Family Detention, and Human Rights Scandals
- ProPublica Report: Ben highlights young children’s harrowing letters from U.S. detention centers — “It looks like the types of letters you would see in the Holocaust Museum…” [16:50]
- Trump Regime’s Detention Spending: Millions funneled into new, warehouse-like facilities for immigrant families.
- Ben’s Anger: “We’re torturing the kids. The Epstein class, they’re torturing the kids. That’s where our taxpayer dollars are going. It’s horrific.” [18:00]
- Congressional Cross-Examinations: Democratic members grill ICE leaders on civil rights abuses and the lack of accountability for agents.
6. International Perspective & Authoritarian Networks
- Comparing Accountability: Ben notes other nations (UK, Poland, Norway) treat even secondhand Epstein association as “disqualifying,” unlike in the U.S. [25:40]
- Rise of Right-Wing Authoritarianism: The podcast links Trump, Orban (Hungary), Le Pen (France), Farage (UK), Bolsonaro (Brazil), Bukele (El Salvador) as part of a global “Epstein class,” often using similar tactics.
- Epstein as Middleman: Ben argues Epstein facilitated corruption and blackmail within this international network, blending sexual abuse with oligarch power plays.
7. Hypocrisy and Legal Self-Incrimination
- Trump & the Fifth Amendment:
- Ben replays Trump’s past remarks mocking those who plead the Fifth:
“If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?” — Donald Trump [34:45] - Contrasted with Trump himself, Maxwell, and Epstein all repeatedly invoking the Fifth when questioned under oath.
- Ben replays Trump’s past remarks mocking those who plead the Fifth:
- Clip Montage: Ben shares revealing clips juxtaposing deposition footage of Maxwell, Epstein, and Trump all refusing to answer under self-incrimination grounds.
8. Ben’s Call to Action: Macro and Micro Resistance
- Global Response Needed:
- “Big ideas are going to beat these big bad ideas... If you’re fractured on the big macro picture... you’re going to be bulldozed over…” [57:50]
- Solidarity Through Truth & Empathy: United, international action is key to resisting the “international tsunami of fascism and Epstein.”
- Daily Resistance: Ben emphasizes the importance of relentless media, reporting, and community organizing at both grassroots and institutional levels.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On the Scale of Trump’s Epstein Mentions:
“A million references. Not hyperbolic. A million references… more than ‘Harry’ in all the Harry Potter books; more than ‘Jesus’ in the Bible.”
— Ben Meiselas [02:00] - On Howard Lutnick’s Admissions:
“You brought your kids, your little children to the island where children get raped. That’s… what you did.”
— Ben Meiselas [19:53] - On Maxwell’s Fifth Amendment Defense:
“So are you aware of Donald Trump with underage girls? — I have to invoke my Fifth Amendment…”
— Ghislaine Maxwell, recounted by Ben [10:35] - On the Core Problem:
“The Epstein class, everybody. The Epstein class. But you lost your appeal… You should be in jail for 20 life sentences. You’re lucky you were only sentenced to 20 years.”
— Ben Meiselas [13:00] - On MAGA Rhetoric:
“It’s the tactic of fascism, the projection: Accuse the other of that which you are covering up…”
— Ben Meiselas [46:55] - Ben’s Summative Reflection:
“You are never going to be able to defeat the international Epstein class and the broader movement of authoritarian and fascism… unless you recognize the broader game that's being played, internationally.”
— Ben Meiselas [58:56]
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Timestamp | Segment | |----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 – 02:00 | Epstein files overview; Trump’s name appears >1 million times | | 05:00 – 07:30 | Howard Lutnick’s changing Epstein testimony | | 10:25 – 12:40 | Ghislaine Maxwell’s full Fifth Amendment plea before Congress | | 16:20 – 18:15 | ICE detention centers, child abuse reports, infrastructure deals | | 19:53 – 22:50 | Howard Lutnick faces Senate questioning; MAGA Mike’s defense | | 25:40 – 27:20 | Contrast to international treatment of Epstein associates | | 34:33 – 36:10 | Trump/Epstein/Maxwell: Pleading the Fifth Montage | | 44:40 – 48:10 | GOP “pedo hunter” rhetoric, ICE leaders grilled in Congress | | 56:40 – 58:56 | Ben’s final reflections: resist with empathy, international view |
Tone and Style
- Direct, Outraged, Sardonic: Ben’s delivery is emotionally charged, characterized by incredulity, dark humor, direct calling out of hypocrisy, and grave concern for American democracy.
- Unreserved: Language is unapologetically frank, with repeated references to “the Epstein class,” “predators,” and “MAGAzombified brains.”
- Contextual: Ben ties together congressional hearings, breaking news, and global politics to craft a narrative of deep moral rot contrasted with a hopeful push for accountability and collective action.
Conclusion
Ben Meiselas’s breaking news update is a relentless examination of the deep entanglement between the Epstein scandal and today’s authoritarian threats at home and abroad. He reveals new depths of official complicity, legal obstruction, and moral surrender among top U.S. officials—while urging listeners to resist the normalization of such conduct through truth, solidarity, and unyielding internationalism. This episode serves both as an exposé and a rallying cry for pro-democracy activism, underscoring the existential stakes at play.