In short
The episode argues that Donald Trump is “cornered” by the Epstein scandal, that the “Epstein list/files” are being covered up by Trump allies, and that MAGA supporters are turning on him. It also claims the Trump administration mishandled disaster response (FEMA call center staffing, FEMA call unanswered rate, weather service vacancies) and criticizes economic/tourism impacts and foreign policy weakness.
Guests
No guests are identified in the transcript. It references interviews with public figures (e.g., Michael Wolff, Axios 2020 clip, and mentions Melanie Jolie), but no podcast guests are named.
Key claims
Trump repeatedly denied the Epstein list existed while allegedly refusing to release files; Trump is tied to Epstein/Maxwell via Mar-a-Lago recruitment; FBI emptied a safe containing photos; MAGA influencers who promised file release are now furious.
Notable examples
Virginia Giuffre recruited at Mar-a-Lago at age 17; alleged photos of topless girls on Trump’s lap; Ro Khanna pushing a vote to release Epstein files; FEMA calls allegedly 85% unanswered; Trump’s “surf” comment about floodwaters; tourism boycott harming Las Vegas; Melanie Jolie saying Canada is turning toward Europe.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOTrump's Scandal Unfolds
0:28 to 0:48
Discussion on Trump's explosive statements regarding Epstein and the outrage from his supporters.
“With the same clinically proven ingredient.”
Trump's Scandal Unfolds
2:59 to 4:05
Discussion on Trump's explosive statements regarding Epstein and the outrage from his supporters.
“It is rotten at the White House with the biggest cover-up yet.”
MAGA Supporter Reactions
4:09 to 5:59
Exploring the reactions of Trump's loyalists to the Epstein scandal and their frustration.
“They said anybody important in the MAGA movement right now is absolutely livid and pissed.”
Interview with Lara Trump
6:05 to 8:01
Analyzing an interview with Lara Trump and her attempts to defend her father amidst the chaos.
“Well, he's got to run to state regime media, Fox, but the only host on state regime media who even wanted to be near him, do you know who it was?”
California Politics and Trump's Response
8:11 to 12:01
Contrast between J.D. Vance's vacation and Gavin Newsom's serious political responses.
“I really believed our country was going down for the fall.”
Canada's Shift Towards Europe
12:01 to 13:38
Discussion on Canada's new economic strategies in response to U.S. weakness.
“basically a massive recession in Nevada right now.”
Insights from Michael Wolff
13:38 to 14:00
Michael Wolff shares insights about his interactions with Trump regarding Epstein.
“While we're here together, I'll give you some more data points.”
Trump and Epstein: A Controversial Connection
14:00 to 18:04
Learn about the troubling connections between Trump and Epstein, including past interviews and public statements.
“And his aides just asked me, you know, a rough outline of what I wanted to talk about.”
Trump and Epstein: A Controversial Connection
18:26 to 19:12
Learn about the troubling connections between Trump and Epstein, including past interviews and public statements.
“Tecovis Western Boots are handcrafted in over 200 steps with premium cowhide and exotic leathers.”
Trump and Epstein: A Controversial Connection
19:55 to 21:22
Learn about the troubling connections between Trump and Epstein, including past interviews and public statements.
“FedTax pass-through may apply in Illinois.”
Transcript
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1:22Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER, 1-800-MY-RESET. Connecticut, call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org. On behalf of Boothill Casino in Kansas, FedTax pass-through may apply in Illinois. 21 and over, void in Canada. Bet with DraftKings Sportsbook to get bonus bets that expire in seven days. Or trade with DraftKings Predictions to get predictions dollars that expire in one year. Event contract trading involves risk of loss. Predictions offer void in New York. Non-withdrawable rewards issued as$50. Click to claim every seven days for 21 days. Terms at dkng.co slash offer. Limited time offer. Nationwide based on sportsbook predictions and free-to-play sports contest availability.
1:57Varies by state. Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. Now, I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited premium wireless for$15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made$15 bills. But it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial. Give it a try at mintmobile.com slash switch. Up-front payment of$45 for three months,$90 for six months, or$180 for 12-month plan required. $15 per month equivalent. Taxes and fees extra. Initial plan term only. Greater than 50 gigabytes can be slow when network is busy. See terms. What if you can see what's happening inside your body?
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2:58Ben Meiselas:This is what he looks like now. He's rotting on the inside. He's rotting on the outside. It is rotten at the White House with the biggest cover-up yet. You all saw Donald Trump's deranged post yesterday regarding the Epstein list, which he says didn't exist. But then he said, actually, Obama, Clinton, James Comey and Democrats created the Epstein list and created the files. And it's a hoax and it's fake. So therefore, he's not releasing it. Move on. There's nothing to see. And he's very happy with the way Attorney General Pam Bondi and his FBI director, Kash Patel, have completely covered up the Epstein list and the Epstein files.
3:41Ben Meiselas:Oh, his people are pissed. By the way, Epstein files, Epstein list are the most searched item on Google right now. You have the Trump supporters, his most loyal supporters. They're all burning their MAGA hats. Some are torching their MAGA hats. Some are burning their MAGA hats and giving the burnt MAGA hats the middle finger. This is happening en masse right now. Rasmussen, one of Donald Trump's top pollsters, have said they've never seen anything like this before. They said anybody important in the MAGA movement right now is absolutely livid and pissed. And you have Elon Musk, who previously said Trump was on the Epstein list, and that's why Donald Trump was covering this all up.
4:28Ben Meiselas:Well, he's sticking in the dagger and he is turning it. He goes seriously. Trump said Epstein half a dozen times while telling everyone to stop talking about Epstein. Just release the files as promised. MAGA is up in flames tonight. And just think about how stupid he made his influencers. Look, all those right wing MAGA influencers who back in February went to the White House. They held up those binders that said the Epstein files, phase one and Pam Bondi, Donald Trump's attorney general, did a media tour. And she's like, the Epstein files are on my desk. We are getting ready to release them. And, you know, I've been like, there's no way they're releasing the Epstein files.
5:14Ben Meiselas:Trump's going to be all over him. He's all over the files that have been released already. I mean, about 10 percent of all of the Epstein files are already out there based on the civil and criminal cases. where judges have allowed some of the documents to get out there. Trump's in the deposition. Trump's on the call log. Trump's on the flight log, right? Trump is all over the stuff. Epstein used Mar-a-Lago to recruit the girls that he sex trafficked. Virginia Giuffre, who recently died by suicide, she was 17 years old, homeless, got a job at Mar-a-Lago. Ghislaine Maxwell, who trafficked for Epstein, would go to Mar-a-Lago, find the girls, find Giuffre, brought her to Epstein.
5:55Ben Meiselas:Epstein trafficker. That's what's going on. All right. So how is Donald Trump responding to the fact that his entire term right now is going down in flames? Well, he's got to run to state regime media, Fox, but the only host on state regime media who even wanted to be near him, do you know who it was? Lara Trump. No one else wanted anything to do with him last night. So Lara Trump does the interview with him and she asks hardball questions. I'm just joking. She asks, some say you're the bodyguard of Western civilization. How would you respond? Here, play this clip. Especially this last couple of weeks has been pretty amazing.
6:35Some people have called you the bodyguard of Western civilization. Yeah. How do you feel about that title? Well, I understand what they mean. It was going bad. We were going bad.
6:46Ben Meiselas:This is their plan. This is their way of trying to deal with the biggest scandal Trump's been hit with yet. Laura Trump then asks her father-in-law, how do you have the ability to make such a good cabinet? Here, watch this. Your cabinet is comprised of so many incredible people and people that even a year ago, so many would never have imagined. Like RFK Jr., who a year ago was running for president as a Democrat. Why do you think you have this ability? And I feel like it has really been to your benefit. Look at this incredible cabinet you've put together. They're all people who are working to make America great.
7:25They've been incredible, actually.
7:26Ben Meiselas:The cabinet's been incredible. And by the way, one of the funny things in this interview is Lara Trump looks like she's like a giant compared to Donald Trump where he's sitting. Let's take a look at that photo. Anyway, then Lara Trump says, how do you want to be remembered? This is their way of trying to get their viewers to be distracted. but even the Fox cult, they're not being brainwashed by this anymore. They're going, release the Epstein files. Here's what she says. Here, play this clip. Just to wrap up here, you're talking about people not remembering. I don't think anyone will ever forget President Donald J.
8:01Trump. But when history looks back on this time in our country, when history looks back on you, how would you like to be remembered? a good person, but a person that saved our country. I really believed our country was going down for the fall. By the way, yesterday, J.D.
8:18Ben Meiselas:Vance vacationing in California. J.D. Vance has basically spent the entire summer vacationing in California. He was previously in San Diego. Now he is in Anaheim at Disneyland for a vacation. So while the Trump regime attacks California, sends ICE to try to destroy Los Angeles and Santa Barbara County and Riverside County, and Tulare County and Ventura County and Fresno County. J.D. Vance just, you know, I'm in Disneyland with my family. To which Governor Newsom writes, J.D. Vance on Tom Sawyer Island and looking for the next alligator Alcatraz. Too many happy families for him in one place. Governor Newsom says, hope you enjoy your family time, J.D.
9:02Ben Meiselas:Vance. The families you're tearing apart certainly won't. And then Governor Newsom was thanked by Governor Greg Abbott of Texas because California provided canine teams to Texas to help locate bodies. And Greg Abbott goes, thanks to California governor for sending canine teams to Texas. The quick response for many states was crucial in our rescue and recovery. Governor Newsom goes, California is proud to help Texas in this moment of crisis. Tragedy tests us. How we come together to help communities recover defines us, right? So while Newsom is sounding presidential and talking like that, remember what Donald Trump said at the press conference he held on Friday?
9:44Ben Meiselas:I'm not even going to show you the clip where he goes, it's evil for you to ask why the response was so slow. It's evil for you to ask why the federal government shut down its call center and fired all of the people on July 5th who would answer the emergency calls. Remember what Trump said? It would be evil for you to ask why it was that it took 72 hours for Kristi Noem to activate the urban search and rescue teams. It would be evil for you to ask. The losers are the only persons who try to blame people. That's that's actually what Governor Abbott and MAGA Republican Congress member Chip Roy said.
10:26Ben Meiselas:And, yep, we're learning that on July 7th, 85 percent of calls to FEMA went unanswered because they fired all of the workers, basically. Oh, yeah. And by the way, from the National Weather Service, six critical vacancies there as well, including the lead meteorologist coordinator got pushed out by Doge. But what else would you expect from this regime? But here's what Donald Trump said about the water was so high you could like surf it. What the hell is he talking about? Here, play this clip. There's one story that one person said it had to be 60 feet at one moment. This is like a giant, giant wave in the Pacific Ocean that the best surfers in the world would be afraid to surf.
11:10Ben Meiselas:You could surf it. That's the way you're dealing with families right here. What in the world are you talking about? OK, show you some other data points here as well. As I've said before, the tourism boycott taking place right now against the United States, I told you, is going to have a crippling effect on the American economy. It's already devastating. Many states like Nevada, as Jake Bro goes, it only took Trump seven months, but he has destroyed the Las Vegas economy. International tourism is dead because everyone in the world now hates America. Because of Trump's tariffs and tax increases, middle class Americans can no longer afford a Vegas vacation anymore.
11:50Ben Meiselas:Also, Canadians and people from across the world would go to Vegas. Everything here is rapidly getting worse with layoffs. The city is about to crater hard over the next year. Nevada unemployment is the highest in the country right now at 5.5 % of labor force out of work. basically a massive recession in Nevada right now. We predicted it. I mean, tourism from Canada alone is down around 40%. And a lot of Canadians right now would be going to Vegas and other places. By the way, that's going to affect a lot of other places as well. Speaking of Canada, Melanie Jolie, the former foreign minister, she's now their economic minister, an industrial economic minister.
12:32Ben Meiselas:Here's Melanie Jolie at an important meeting yesterday or two days ago with her counterpart in the European Union. And she goes, we're turning to Europe as America is getting weaker. Here, play this clip. What I wanted to emphasize today is as minister in charge of industries and of the economy is we are not alone in this world. We need to be closer to our allies. And that is why today is so important. It's been only 15 days that the Prime Minister signed an agreement with the EU to make sure that not only, of course, that we have free trade agreement, but that we are very closely aligned on the fence and on all our industrial policies.
13:20And that's why Stefan and I today are together because we're in solution mode and we're trying to make sure that ultimately, while the U.S. is becoming weaker, we will become stronger and we will diversify and turn ourselves towards Europe.
13:38Ben Meiselas:All right. While we're here together, I'll give you some more data points. We had Michael Wolff, Donald Trump's biographer and someone who was going to be doing Jeff, potentially doing Jeffrey Epstein's biographer. We had him on the Midas Touch Network yesterday. Here's what Michael Wolff had to say here. Let's play this clip. Once when I was, this was in Mar-a-Lago, I went to have a sit down with him. And his aides just asked me, you know, a rough outline of what I wanted to talk about. And I had a lot of subjects, but I said, I also said Epstein. And they said, you know, if you ask about that, he'll just stop the interview and you won't get anything.
14:22So this person said, I recommend you can ask about anything. But I really recommend you not ask that if you if you hope to for this interview to go on.
14:31Ben Meiselas:Now, here's Michael Wolff in another interview talking about the photos that he saw of Trump and Epstein with naked girls on their laps here. Play this clip. And I've said before that that that Epstein used to bring out this set of pictures. There was about a dozen snapshots. And among them, there are at least three that I remember, two of topless girls sitting in Trump's lap around Epstein's swimming pool, and then one with a stain on the front of Trump's pants with three or four girls laughing and pointing at it. So I have seen those pictures. So what's your best guess as to where they are? Well, I'm my best guess is that they that that Epstein kept them in the safe.
15:38A safe was emptied out by the FBI. Where are those pictures?
15:43Ben Meiselas:And finally, I want you all to remember this clip right here. This is from 2020 when Donald Trump was interviewed by Axios on HBO. And he was asked, why did you wish Ghislaine Maxwell? They were very close friends together. I mean, Ghislaine and Jeffrey lived, Epstein lived like two blocks away from Trump's Mar-a-Lago. And that's why Trump said Epstein's a great guy on the younger side. They hung out together. Trump, they were involved in all of this together. It's pretty clear from all of the stuff that was released. They did this stuff together. So Trump was asked, why did you wish Ghislaine Maxwell well?
16:21Ben Meiselas:Why did you say you hope she's doing well in her sex trafficking trial? She's a sex trafficker. So why would you say nice things about her? Here's how Trump responded to that in 2020. Let's play. Mr. President, the other day a reporter asked you about Ghislaine Maxwell. You said, quote, I just wish her well, frankly. I've met her numerous times over the years, especially since I lived in Palm Beach. But I wish her well, whatever it is. Mr. President, Ghislaine Maxwell has been arrested on allegations of child sex trafficking. Why would you wish such a person well? I don't know that, but I do know that.
16:52She has. She's been arrested for that. Her friend or boyfriend. Epstein. was either killed or committed suicide in jail. She's now in jail. Yeah, I wish her well. I'd wish you well. I'd wish a lot of people well. Good luck. Let them prove somebody was guilty. I mean, do you know that she's guilty? Oh, so you're saying you hope she doesn't die in jail. Is that what you mean by wish her well? Her boyfriend died in jail, and people are still trying to figure out how did it happen. Was it suicide? Was he killed? And I do wish her well. I'm not looking for anything bad for her. I'm not looking bad for anybody.
17:22And they took that and made it such a big deal. But all it is is her boyfriend died. He died in jail. Was he killed? Was it suicide? I do. I wish her well.
17:34Ben Meiselas:I should also note as well right now that Congress member Ro Khanna posted the following. Why are the Epstein files still hidden? Who are the rich and powerful being protected? On Tuesday, I'm introducing an amendment to force a vote demanding the full Epstein files be released to the public. The Speaker must call a vote and put every Congress member on record. Senator Brian Schatz says this is very likely exactly what it looks like. It is. Hit subscribe. Let's get to 6 million subscribers, folks. A sickly, rotting Trump, rotting on the inside, rotting on the outside. Rotten, rotten, rotten to the core.
18:14Ben Meiselas:New Midas merch drop. Check out the latest pro-democracy sticker packs, T-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, and more. all at store.midastouch.com. Summer's full of reasons to look your best. Tecovis Western Boots are handcrafted in over 200 steps with premium cowhide and exotic leathers. And they're comfortable right out of the box. No break-in period, just boots you can wear all summer long. Their performance shirting and premium denim keep you cool and put together wherever the season takes you. And of course, you can always stop by tecovis.com. Tecovis, forever west. The GLP-1 pill you've been waiting for is now on Rho.
18:56Yep, it's finally here. With the same clinically proven ingredient. Now in a pill. And now on Rho. It's the first FDA-approved GLP-1 pill for weight loss. At the lowest price available, that's one daily GLP-1 pill for big results. Now on Rho. Go to Rho.co slash listen to see if you qualify. Rx only. Go to road.co slash safety for serious side effects and boxed warning associated with GLP-1s.
19:46Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER, 1-800-MY-RESET. Connecticut, call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org. On behalf of Boothill Casino in Kansas, FedTax pass-through may apply in Illinois. 21 and over, void in Canada. Bet with DraftKings Sportsbook to get bonus bets that expire in seven days or trade with DraftKings Predictions to get predictions dollars that expire in one year. Event contract trading involves risk of loss. Predictions offer void in New York. Non-withdrawable rewards issued as$50. Click to claim every seven days for 21 days. Terms at dkng.co slash offer. Limited time offer. Nationwide based on sportsbook predictions and free-to-play sports contest availability.
20:21Varies by state. Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. Now, I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited premium wireless for$15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made$15 bills. But it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial. Give it a try at mintmobile.com slash switch. Up front payment of$45 for three months,$90 for six months, or$180 for 12-month plan required. $15 per month equivalent. Taxes and fees extra. Initial plan term only. Greater than 50 gigabytes. May slow when network is busy. See terms. What if you can see what's happening inside your body?
20:56PreNuvo's whole body scan screens for hundreds of conditions, including many solid tumors, as early as stage one, all in under an hour. And now, you can go beyond imaging with 80-plus blood biomarkers that help complete the picture. This Labor Day, save$300 off your scan when you book at prenuvo.com. That's P-R-E-N-U-V-O dot com. Save$300 now through September 8th at prenuvo.com. Terms and conditions apply.
From the publisher
MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Donald Trump getting the karma he deserves as his rotten behavior is exposed and he physically deteriorates in public—while MAGA turns on him and burns their hats.
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