In short
The episode claims Trump’s “Project Freedom” (a U.S.-backed plan to keep Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes open) was abruptly canceled after Iran attacked tankers and ports, and it links this to broader political fallout, including midterm election oversight and alleged GOP efforts to rig voting.
Guests
No guests are identified in the provided transcript.
Key claims
Iran disabled multiple tankers after Trump encouraged passage; the French-owned CMA CGM San Antonio allegedly turned off transponders and was hit; Fujairah port (UAE) emptied of tankers; Trump shifted to talks with Pakistan as mediator; Iran and China publicly back ceasefire efforts.
Notable examples
South Korean and UAE tankers hit by Iranian fastboats; Tasneem reporting reduced UAE crude exports; Washington Post alleging GOP donor Ken Griffin expects GOP to lose the House.
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 Project Freedom Fiasco
1:37 to 4:13
Discussing the implications of Donald Trump's Project Freedom announcement and its swift failure.
“Welcome to Reality TV with Hulu on Disney Plus, featuring the hottest reality TV every day.”
Political Fallout and Oversight
4:13 to 10:49
Analyzing the political implications of Trump's actions and the potential for increased oversight with the midterms approaching.
“Donald Trump admits that Project Freedom is over before it really even began.”
Trump's Mental State and Campaign Performance
10:49 to 14:01
Examining comments on Trump's mental fitness and the performance of candidates in the upcoming elections.
“This is a good oversight would be a very good development.”
Michigan's Senate District 35 Performance
14:01 to 16:18
Learn about Chedric Green's significant electoral performance in Michigan.
“Consistent double-digit overperformance over Kamala Harris in Michigan.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Drama, romance, competition, chaos. Welcome to Reality TV with Hulu on Disney +, featuring the hottest reality TV every day. Turn on larger-than-life docu-soaps, like Season 4 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and the hit new series Love Thy Nader, featuring superstar model Brooks Nader and her sisters. Obsess over the seasons of iconic dating shows like Love Island UK and Farmer Wants a Wife. Get hooked on irresistible food competitions like MasterChef, dive into hit game shows like Celebrity Family Feud, and revel in show-stopping fashion competitions, including the one and only Project Runway.
0:40It's the very best of reality TV. Every single day, all in one place. Every tear, every triumph, every jaw-dropping twist. This is where reality lives. This is where Hulu gets real. Stream now on Hulu and Hulu on Disney Plus for bundle subscribers. Terms apply. There aren't many guarantees in life. Your energy won't always show up. Your genes won't always fit. But I promise you this. If Just Thrive Probiotic doesn't work for you, I'll refund every penny. Hi, I'm Tina, Just Thrive co-founder. And while most probiotics die in your stomach acid, Just Thrive is clinically proven to arrive 100 % alive for gut health results you could feel.
1:22better digestion, less bloat, healthy immunity, improved sleep, and clear skin. Take the Just Thrive probiotic challenge today. Visit justthrivehealth.com slash podcast. Take control today with Just Thrive. Drama, romance, competition, chaos. Welcome to Reality TV with Hulu on Disney Plus, featuring the hottest reality TV every day. Turn on larger-than-life docu-soaps, like season 4 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, and the hit new series Love Thy Nader, featuring superstar model Brooks Nader and her sisters. Obsess over the seasons of iconic dating shows like Love Island UK and Farmer Wants a Wife.
2:04Get hooked on irresistible food competitions like MasterChef, dive into hit game shows like Celebrity Family Feud, and revel in show-stopping fashion competitions, including the one and only Project Runway. It's the very best of reality TV, every single day, all in one place. Every tear, every triumph, every jaw-dropping twist. This is where reality lives. This is where Hulu gets real. Stream now on Hulu and Hulu on Disney Plus for bundle subscribers. Terms apply. There aren't many guarantees in life. Your energy won't always show up. Your genes won't always fit. But I promise you this. If Just Thrive Probiotic doesn't work for you, I'll refund every penny.
2:48Hi, I'm Tina. Just Thrive co-founder. And while most probiotics die in your stomach acid, Just Thrive is clinically proven to arrive 100 % alive for gut health results you could feel. Better digestion, less bloat, healthy immunity, improved sleep, and clear skin. Take the Just Thrive probiotic challenge today. Visit justthrivehealth.com slash podcast. Take control today with Just Thrive. Drama, romance, competition, chaos. Welcome to Reality TV with Hulu on Disney +, featuring the hottest reality TV every day. Turn on larger-than-life docu-soaps, like Season 4 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and the hit new series Love Thy Nader, featuring superstar model Brooks Nader and her sisters.
3:35Obsess over the seasons of iconic dating shows like Love Island UK and Farmer Wants a Wife, get hooked on irresistible food competitions like MasterChef, dive into hit game shows like Celebrity Family Feud, and revel in show-stopping fashion competitions, including the one and only Project Runway. It's the very best of reality TV, every single day, all in one place. Every tear, every triumph, every jaw-dropping twist. This is where reality lives. This is where Hulu gets real. Stream now on Hulu and Hulu on Disney Plus for bundle subscribers. Terms apply.
4:14Ben Meiselas:Donald Trump has gone silent after admitting defeat to Iran within just 24 hours of announcing Project Freedom, where Donald Trump said the United States Navy was going to escort all of the tankers and cargo ships out of the Strait of Hormuz that the United States opened up a shipping lane that was safe for all of these tankers and cargo ships to travel. Not so much. Donald Trump admits that Project Freedom is over before it really even began. And Trump said, well, now we're having productive discussions with Pakistan as the mediator. So because Project Freedom is going so well, we're going to stop Project Freedom within 24 hours.
5:06Ben Meiselas:Not a single ship left the Strait of Hormuz. And now we're actually learning one of the other reasons why Donald Trump announced that Project Freedom was over. Well, remember how we reported yesterday that there was a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz that seemed to be attacked by an Iranian fastboat? This was in addition to the day before that where the South Korean tanker and the UAE tanker were hit and disabled by the Iranian fastboats. Well, here's what we're learning right now. Yesterday, the cargo ship attacked by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz was identified as a French-owned CMA, CGM, San Antonio, attempting the U.S.-backed crossing and designated route by Donald Trump.
6:00Ben Meiselas:It turned its transponders off. It went through this route that Donald Trump said, this is the safe passage. And as soon as this friendship was following what Donald Trump was saying, boom, an Iranian fast ship hit it, disabled it, and it caused a lot of issues because Donald Trump promised that this shipping lane was open. It was not open. Within a few hours after that, Donald Trump canceled Project Freedom. He announced it publicly. And what are they doing in Iran? Well, they're mocking Donald Trump for a completely haphazard and destructive and immediate surrender there for Project Freedom.
6:48Ben Meiselas:This is what they're posting on Iranian social media accounts. They're saying, look who has the cards now. I have all the cards. Here is what they're posting. Let's play it. All right. Uno. And again, plus four.
7:10Okay, so you have only one card. Yes, uno. Game over. I have all the cards right now. Yes, but you lost.
7:22Ben Meiselas:Now, Iranian state media Tasneem is also saying the following about the Fujairah port in UAE. Fugera emptied of tankers after impact of unidentified projectiles. Currently, only two tankers are present near the Fugera port and just one VLCC vessel. Those are those very large container vessels berth at the port terminal. It is predicted with this situation, the UAE's crude oil exports will decrease again next month. So do you see what happened? Donald Trump announces Project Freedom. He starts encouraging ships to leave. Iran sees the UAE working with Trump. Boom, they hit the port of Fujara. Their fast boats hit a South Korean tanker and hit a UAE tanker.
8:12Ben Meiselas:And then yesterday hit a French tanker that was trying to go through the lanes that Trump said were open. And then Trump shut down Project Freedom right away. And Donald Trump said, ah, we're going to be negotiating with the Pakistanis. It should also be noted that Foreign Minister Aragqi, Iran's foreign minister, is in Beijing right now meeting with his counterpart, the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi. And let's just talk about what they're saying publicly. Here's what Aragqi said about China. We appreciate China's firm stance, especially this country's condemnation of the United States and Israel.
8:55Ben Meiselas:And Wang Yi, the foreign minister of China, responds, the war of the United States and Israel against Iran is illegitimate. Establishing a complete ceasefire is an essential matter. To which Aragji responds, China is Iran's close friend. Under current conditions, cooperation between the two countries will be stronger than in the past. So Donald Trump's about to head to Beijing. Donald Trump's about to meet with Xi Jinping. China helped Iran. China has worked with Russia. And Donald Trump's out there saying, oh, me and Xi Jinping are really good friends. We're really good friends. No wonder Donald Trump knows impeachment is coming.
9:42Ben Meiselas:The White House knows that Democrats are about to have a huge blue tsunami in the midterms. Here's what we're learning. Washington Post reports exclusively in private briefings. The White House Counsel's Office is reminding staff members how congressional oversight works as staff braces for the likelihood of Democratic victories in the November midterms. According to people briefed on the topic, one of the top GOP donors, Citadel CEO Ken Griffin, says the GOP is likely going to lose the House. And yes, oversight is coming. So for now, James Comer, Donald Trump, and Maga Mike can try to prevent Pam Bondi from having an under oath deposition on May 29th.
10:31Ben Meiselas:So she's just going to do a transcribed interview that's not under oath and no video. Well, we'll see what happens next year if and when Democrats take control of the House, where subpoenas will fly, real oversight will happen. And I don't really care what political party you're from. This should not be a political thing. Oversight should be nonpartisan. And the amount of corruption out of this regime, the amount of quid pro quos, the amount of self-dealing, the amount of conflicts of interest, the amount of market manipulation is so grotesque that, again, I don't care what side of the political aisle you're from.
11:15Ben Meiselas:This is a good oversight would be a very good development. So Donald Trump sent out his two stooges, J.D. Vance, Marco Rubio, were out there holding dueling press conferences as well. J.D. Vance said the following about American farmers yesterday. Play this clip. We also know, we also know that a lot of our farmers are struggling with high fertilizer prices. I'm aware of that. As the President of the United States has said, we got a little blip in the Middle East. We've got to take care of some business on the foreign policy side. But you know what we're doing simultaneously? We're working with a congressman and we're finding ways every single day to make sure that you guys and the farmers of this great state get access to the products that they need.
12:02We're working on it. We're working on it every single day.
12:06Ben Meiselas:Really, J.D.? Separately, Marco Rubio said the following about the war, that the goal is now to just reopen the Strait of Hormuz is the real goal. the thing that was open before the catastrophic war started? Here, play this clip. As President Trump has said, and the facts clearly bear out, the United States of America holds all the cards. There is no scenario here in which if they decide to join a ladder of escalation, they wind up getting the last say. But our preference is for these straits to be opened to the way they're supposed to be open, back to the way it was. Anyone can use it, no mines in the water, nobody paying tolls.
12:46That's what we have to get back to. And that's the goal here.
12:49Ben Meiselas:We're hearing from governors like Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker saying that he just he's like, look, Donald Trump's cooked. Dude's got dementia. Here's what Pritzker says. Let's play this clip. I think the man has dementia. I don't really understand how it works up there for him. But I can tell you that he doesn't seem to like me. He mentions me very often and sometimes completely out of the blue. He's not talking about Illinois. He's not talking about Chicago. He just somehow I pop up in his head and he wants to take after me. Do you think he had dementia in the first term or was that recent to this term?
13:22I don't know. It's a good question. Do you notice it more pronounced now? Oh my goodness. This time it's much more pronounced. And I mean, from day one. In fact, during the campaign, I think I felt that. And again, look, I think it's kind of a sad state of affairs because someone who's suffering from dementia, I mean, they genuinely need help. And there's no one around him who wants to help him. All those people are just sycophants. They just love their jobs. They don't want to get fired from their jobs. They know that he could at any moment just flick them away.
13:50Ben Meiselas:Donald Trump starts making weird noises when he's in front of little children yesterday. I'll play this clip. Almost like, oh, I'm just a little. Yeah, they're very smart. And Donald Trump before or right around the time he surrendered to Iran or right around that time he posts images like this nice we're going to rename ice to nice national immigrations and customs enforcement really just really strange human being uh he is uh big news out of michigan yesterday as zachary danini explained from vote hub we're seeing consistent double digit over performance by a guy named Chedric Green over in Michigan's Senate District 35.
14:37Ben Meiselas:Consistent double-digit overperformance over Kamala Harris in Michigan. Big deal right there when you look at these Bay City wards and how Green overperformed Harris double digits. It's a swing state like Michigan. That's a big deal. Here was Donald Trump getting off Marine One. Really can't walk in a straight line. And with all of this going on, what are MAGA Republicans trying to do? They're trying to rig the midterms, of course. Here's MAGA Republican Congress member Buddy Carter yesterday. And what's he saying? He's saying, well, we need to shut down voting in Georgia right now, and we need to just shut it down, and we need to do redistricting now while voting is taking place.
15:22Ben Meiselas:these people are so damn crooked. These people are so what in the third world Kim Jong-un country is this? These people are so damn crooked. Here, play this clip. And I'm glad that Tennessee and Alabama are redrawing their districts. And I think that Georgia should do the same thing. Yes, we have started early voting and yes, it would be inconvenient, but at the same time, it's never too late to do the right thing. And the right thing is for the governor and for the legislature to call a special session to redistrict so that Georgians will be represented by people who represent their values. We shouldn't have to suffer through the next two years just because it's inconvenient to do it now.
16:05We need to suspend the house races and we need to go ahead and redistrict so that the Georgians would be represented in the next two years by people who represent their values.
16:16Ben Meiselas:Well, there you have it, folks. Let me know what you think. Hit subscribe. Let's get to 7 million subscribers. Thanks so much for watching.
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From the publisher
MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Donald Trump going silent after admitting defeat to Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.
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