Trump Gets Stunned as Massive Protests Get Even Bigger

24 Jan 2026 · 21 min · 9 chapters

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The MeidasTouch Podcast: Episode Summary

Episode Title

Trump Gets Stunned as Massive Protests Get Even Bigger Release Date: [Insert Date]

Episode Overview In this episode of the MeidasTouch Podcast, hosts Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas discuss the escalating protests in Minnesota and across the United States in response to Donald Trump's policies, particularly focusing on a general strike that has gained significant traction. Ben Meiselas highlights the solidarity of the protesters and the implications of these mass movements against the Trump administration.

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Key Themes and Discussions

  1. Overview of Protests in Minnesota
  2. Scale of Protests:
  3. Tens of thousands of people have shown up in Minnesota, marking one of the largest general strikes in recent history.
  4. The protests are in response to the treatment of communities by ICE and the Trump administration.
  • Solidarity and Resistance:
  • The Meiselas brothers emphasize the importance of standing together against oppressive regimes.
  • The general strike is depicted as a necessary reaction to defending democracy and community rights.
  1. Conditions of the Protests
  2. Weather Challenges:
  3. Protesters braved extreme cold temperatures, showcasing their determination and commitment to the cause.
  4. Reports of icicles forming on protesters’ eyelashes highlight the harsh conditions faced during the demonstrations.
  • Independent Journalism:
  • The episode features contributions from Status Coup News, capturing scenes and interviews from the protests that mainstream media has overlooked.
  1. Voices from the Ground
  2. Personal Stories:
  3. Protesters shared their motivations for participating, emphasizing the importance of community, solidarity, and the shared stories of those affected by ICE actions.
  4. Individual narratives reflect a collective outrage towards the Trump administration's policies and actions deemed oppressive.
  • Reactions to ICE and Trump Administration:
  • Protesters condemn the portrayal of ICE agents as heroes, calling them "barely restrained criminal thugs" and highlighting the misconceptions surrounding their activities.
  1. Political Context
  2. Critique of Trump Policies:
  3. The episode critiques Trump’s prioritization of entertainment and personal gain over the welfare of communities, contrasting this with the urgent needs of protesters.
  4. The brothers encourage listeners to recognize the parallels between current events and historical authoritarian regimes.
  1. Call to Action
  2. Support for Protesters:
  3. The episode encourages listeners to support the protests through sharing information, contributing to independent journalism, and engaging in activism.
  4. There is a strong emphasis on community organizing as a powerful tool against oppression.

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Key Takeaways

  • Unity is Strength: The spirit of solidarity among protesters highlights the power of community action in challenging unjust policies.
  • Importance of Independent Media: Independent reporting plays a crucial role in amplifying voices and narratives that mainstream media often neglects.
  • Historical Parallels: Understanding the current political landscape through a historical lens can provide insights into the gravity of ongoing issues.

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Conclusion This episode of the MeidasTouch Podcast serves as both an informative and motivational platform, encouraging listeners to actively engage in the fight for democracy and human rights. The Meiselas brothers effectively blend humor, sincerity, and critical analysis, making political discourse accessible and engaging for their audience.

For more episodes and updates, visit [MeidasTouch](https://www.meidastouch.com/) and subscribe to the podcast for continued discussions on vital political issues.

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

Tap a time to open that second in VO

Fox News Streaming Live

1:46 to 2:15

Learn about Fox News' live coverage and in-depth analysis.

“When news breaks, we don't just report it.”

Mass Protests in Minnesota

2:15 to 4:32

Discover the massive protests and general strike happening in Minnesota.

“These protests are getting bigger and bigger.”

Community Solidarity Amidst Protests

4:32 to 8:00

Hear firsthand accounts of solidarity and community response during protests.

“So here it is in negative 10 to negative 20 degree weather in Minnesota.”

Power of Collective Action

8:00 to 9:50

Learn how community organization and collective action can create change.

“against their face I don't know if I have any on mine I'm seeing some ice hanging off of John's beard right now behind the camera.”

Response to ICE and the Trump Administration

9:50 to 13:20

Explore protesters' reactions to ICE and the Trump administration's actions.

“When you say that you don't think they're prepared for it.”

Personal Stories Behind Protests

13:20 to 14:03

Listen to personal stories shared by protesters and their motivations.

“Just almost, it's not, it would be funny if this wasn't so detrimental to our nation.”

Protests Against ICE and the Trump Administration

14:03 to 16:14

Discussion on the motivations behind the protests against ICE and the Trump administration's actions.

“My lips are starting to freeze, but yeah, I mean, it's just, it's complete BS.”

Voices from the Protesters

16:14 to 19:23

Highlighting the stories and sentiments expressed by various protesters at the event.

“Another protester said we're stronger than them.”

The Midas Touch Network's Support for Protesters

19:23 to 19:44

A message of solidarity from The Midas Touch Network with the protesters.

“And shout out to all of the protesters out there.”
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Transcript

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2:14Ben Meiselas:Take a look at this photo of the protests taking place right now in Minnesota. These protests are getting bigger and bigger. tens of thousands of people showing up there in Minnesota. And we're seeing protests across the country as well that I'll get to in just a moment. But as I reported earlier today in Minnesota, there has been a general strike, one of the biggest general strikes we've seen in generations, if not ever. And it's something that we think we need to see in states across this country. If Donald Trump is going to invade our peaceful cities, we need to shut it down and stand in solidarity with each other.

2:54Ben Meiselas:As right-wing oligarchs bend the knee and expect workers to just do their bidding, we need to stand in solidarity with each other and let these CEOs who are getting paid tens of millions of dollars at the expense of workers who are screwing over their workers as healthcare is being ripped away, as people who are working jobs can't afford homes, We need to show them who really runs this country. So a general strike took place in Minnesota today, but then the protests in connection with this general strike have exceeded all expectations. I want to give a shout out to our friends over at Status Coup News.

3:33Ben Meiselas:They are on the ground in negative 20 degree weather where no other corporate news is covering this at all. Our independent reporting here at the Midas Touch Network through our partnership with Status Coup have captured these protests, scenes of these protests. We've spoken with the peaceful protesters, those on this general strike, to bring you exclusive images that you're not seeing anywhere else. Just first and foremost, again, take a look at how huge this crowd is right here. Here are some other pictures. And here's Status Coup on the ground. Reminder, subscribe to the Status Coup YouTube page.

4:10Ben Meiselas:Subscribe to their sub stack. Obviously, I want you to subscribe to the Midas Touch YouTube page and help us get to 6 million subscribers if you're not subscribed. But more importantly than us, status coup have been such incredible partners on the ground in Minnesota, capturing the destruction and terrorizing of communities caused by ICE and Border Patrol Gestapo. And now they're out there documenting these protests. So here it is in negative 10 to negative 20 degree weather in Minnesota. You'll see thousands of Minnesotans marching together in solidarity as part of this general strike demanding ICE leave the state.

4:46Ben Meiselas:Here play this clip. What we are doing here right now, showing what the will of the masses is here in Minnesota. I have gone this whole time without noting what the temperature is outside. As of right now, it should be about negative 10. It feels colder with the wind chill. Earlier today, it reached a low of negative 22 degrees. And yet we are seeing tens of thousands of people taking to the streets here in Minnesota in a popular demonstration of mass rage against the Trump administration and rage. That is the emotion that I have heard. Minnesotans express more than anything else. All surrounding me are Americans, are Minnesotans who paid their taxes and have seen their taxes come back to them in the form of tear gas, in the form of retribution from immigration agents and in the form of bullets that entered Renee Good.

5:46I want to say that the biggest thing you can do to support us is also the smallest ask I can make, which is to just like or share this stream.

5:54Ben Meiselas:Now, this next image is not brought to you by Status Quo. Other reporters got us this one or got you this one. Over 100 priests arrested in Minneapolis for protesting ICE in Minnesota, where today it's, again, negative 21 degrees outside of the airport. You'll see clergy gathering in prayerful solidarity to demand that airlines, especially Delta, and Signature Aviation cease contracting to deport individuals with DHS. Take a look right here at what was taking place outside of the airport.

6:47Ben Meiselas:Now, I'm going to go back to Minnesota in a moment, but take a look at these huge anti-ice protests taking place right here in Georgia at Meadow Creek High School, where there was a student walkout that just took place moments ago. Let's play it.

7:23Ben Meiselas:Next, going back on the ground with status coup news. Here you'll see some protesters in this minus 20 degree weather. You'll see icicles forming on people's eyelashes. Here, play this clip. You know, last I said, I said, last I checked, it was negative 24 with the windchill and these Minnesotans are out here to to make their voices heard all the same protesting seemingly undeterred I mean I'm seeing I'm seeing icy icicles form on people's uh people's eyelashes out here on mustaches on eyebrows from just the condensation from their own breath freezing against against their face I don't know if I have any on mine I'm seeing some ice hanging off of John's beard right now behind the camera.

8:10Poor John has to hold the camera, the cold metal camera in his hand as we talk here. Luckily, I've seen him set it down on occasion. But I just want to say that if this reporting is important to be able to show that as this administration has been want to do to frame that the vast majority of Minnesotans are behind the administration's efforts, that ICE agents are the unsung heroes, that there isn't much in the way of anti-ICE demonstration and protest. I mean, I think this is pretty irrefutable out here this morning that this many people are willing to come out in these temperatures. There is not the mainstream press out here.

8:52It's us. It's us and just a few other independent journalists.

8:58Ben Meiselas:And then we were able to get some comments from people on the ground. You had JT Sosowski there, incredible reporter at Status Quo. One of the protesters talked about how this is a show of solidarity. Let's play it. So this is a show of solidarity. It's a show of community. It's a show of strength in numbers to show that we are organized. We are together. We're all one in this. This has given us a motivation, kind of sparked organization within communities that we've never had before. You know, neighbors meeting neighbors, neighborhoods all banding together, forming groups, having community meetings, talking about what we can do to keep our community safe.

9:39And people have banded together. We're building something, a network of neighbors in this city that I don't think they're prepared for. When you say that you don't think they're prepared for it. I think they really underestimated what we can do to keep each other together, to keep us safe and to show solidarity. They want to divide us. They want to make us feel powerless. And what we're seeing here today is that together we do have power. We have power to resist their regime. We have power to come together, to organize, to look out for each other. And they're not going to stop that. They can. They've.

10:21They scared of us. They're scared of us. They're scared of us. Yeah. That is cool. Everyone donate right now. I'm saying, you know, they all they have is force. They don't have love. They don't have the strength of community. They don't have the togetherness that we do. And, you know, they're doing this in January. We're used to this. Like they think this is going to scare us. We deal with this every year, the winter. This is another Friday in Minnesota. Exactly, yeah. If your morning coffee isn't cutting it lately, what if instead you reach for a steaming cup of something nourishing? Bone broth.

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12:29Ben Meiselas:Another ICE protester told JT Satowski, stop kidnapping and murdering our people get the f out here play this clip stop kidnapping and murdering our people yeah absolutely and get out please get the f out of our state yeah where does it say about the current state of our country that you have to tell the federal government not to murder its own its own citizens it's tyrannical and and we're falling under a fascist regime regime very quickly exactly correct couldn't have said it better fascism i mean is that is that where you think i mean are we there is this 1930s germany is that is that what you see how it started it started in 1930s germany sean would be able to yeah get into the historical part but yeah it's we're following the exact pattern of what happened then history repeats and we're just letting it happen i mean we're not trying to let it happen but the administration is obviously so that's why we're out here uh i want to get your reaction to jd vance's visit yesterday came out here uh tried to make ice sound like the uh the unsung heroes in what is happening out here in minnesota when you saw the vice president come out here and speak use minneapolis the twin cities as the backdrop for the propaganda that the administration is putting out, what was your reaction to what he had to say?

13:53Everything they say is lies constantly. I mean, what else can be the reaction? Just almost, it's not, it would be funny if this wasn't so detrimental to our nation. My lips are starting to freeze, but yeah, I mean, it's just, it's complete BS. Pure propaganda, that's all. That's all I thought. This is propaganda. That is, nah, this is not the right place for that.

14:15Ben Meiselas:Another protester called out ICE and the Trump regime and said all these people that ICE and the Trump administration are effing over, every single one of these people have their own story and we're marching right now for them. Here, play this clip. I'm here and I don't give a shit about cold. Clearly not. You don't even have your face covered. You're a different kind of metal. Oh, believe it or not, I'm wearing cargo shorts underneath the Carhartts. I'm a 365 shorts guy. So, I'm going to be outside for a while. Well, you're earning that moniker as a 365 shorts guy today. Oh, hell yeah. Yeah, you're living it.

14:56I want to talk to you a little bit about your sign that says every person is a story. I said I'm in a sort of, can you explain that message? Every person is a story. So, every person, every life is a story that begins at birth and ends at death. And your life is your story. Your story is your life. All of these people that ICE and the Trump administration are fucking over, every single one of those, every single one of those people is a story. And they've had their story interrupted. They've had their story. What's the word I'm looking for? Co-opted by this fucking fascist regime who wants people to do what they want them to do.

15:38and these people need to remember that these people that they're hauling off these five-year-olds that they're shipping to detention facilities in texas that child's story is the story isn't fucked the story isn't over but that child's story is dark and every person is a story every every story deserves to be told every story deserves its chance to come to its rightful conclusion. To be honest, I was kind of between this message and hey, Bovino, go fuck yourself. But I figured I'd do something more constructive.

16:14Ben Meiselas:Absolutely. Another protester said we're stronger than them. We're stronger and we're here to show that today. Play this clip. Why did you want to be out here this morning? I mean, it's negative 20. There are other days to protest. You wanted to be out here this morning. Why was that important to you? We're stronger than them. And I think being out here on a cold morning like this really shows that. I hope they get frostbite. We are strong and we are together. You cannot divide us. We love our neighbors. We love our community. And go home. Go home. The Trump administration has said that its actions in this city and in others are nominally about keeping people safe, about arresting criminals.

16:57Can you describe to people who are not here in the Twin Cities area who are the kinds of people that the Trump administration is targeting? Honestly, anyone. They are not arresting criminals. They are arresting our neighbors, our, like, fellow people. They're not making the community safer. They're making it much more dangerous, actually, just even with just their driving. So yeah, I don't know what they're talking about. They're just spreading lies, propaganda, whatever they want to say. It's not true. If you're not here, you don't get it.

17:31Ben Meiselas:Back to another protester you saw before saying, how dare J.D. Vance call these ICE and Border Patrol terrorist heroes? They're not. They're criminal thugs is who they really are. Play this clip right here. Are ICE agents the heroes the way J.D. Vance framed them? And if not, you know, what, how are they comporting themselves here in the Twin Cities area? They are not the heroes. They are barely restrained criminal thugs, barely trained. It's a crowd of Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Three Percenters that they're still wearing the same shit and they just threw on an ice patch over it. So no, they are not the heroes.

18:16They're not making anybody safer. They're not making anybody feel better.

18:19Ben Meiselas:Now, all of that was taking place. You had Donald Trump posting images of golden arches that he wants to build. You also had Donald Trump sharing AI-generated videos showing an IndyCar race surrounding the Capitol building. That's what Donald Trump finds interesting right now. He wants to do UFC fights, IndyCar races, golden ballrooms, Club Mar-a-Lago, take oil money from Venezuela that he sells to right-wing oligarchs and ship them off to bank accounts in Qatar for himself, create a board that he calls a peace board, which is filled with authoritarian leaders and have them pay him a billion dollars and then ship that off to Qatari bank accounts.

19:03Ben Meiselas:That is for himself. That is what the Trump regime is doing. Horrific, horrific stuff. We'll keep you posted on these protests. Tens of thousands, maybe even more here in Minnesota protesting this terroristic regime. We'll keep you posted every step of the way. And shout out to all of the protesters out there. The Midas Touch Network stands in solidarity with you. And we hope that we are doing it even a little bit of justice in uplifting your stories. Thanks for watching.

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MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on the protests in Minnesota and across the country against Trump getting even bigger as a general strike was called for Minnesota.

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