Tuesday Afternoon Breaking News Updates with Ben — 2/10/26

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27:55Ben Meiselas:support our sponsors appreciate them our pro-democracy sponsors are great they make this show possible the discount codes are of course uh in the description below i'll show you more of lutnik in uh in a moment but i also want to share with you you know donald trump's post attacking canada again um over and over again and it's just like trump's view on Ukraine. It's just like Trump's view on the 2020 election. I think Canada realizes, as Ukraine realizes, Trump and Greenland has to realize and Europe has to realize and the rest of the world. He's a demented, sociopathic, malignant, narcissistic animal.

28:41Ben Meiselas:And he's never going to stop. he's never going to stop. So with Ukraine, all he's trying to figure out is how he gets Ukraine to fully surrender. And so there aren't really peace talks happening. That's bullshit. What's really happening is Trump trying to work with Putin to simply figure out how you apply the pressure on Zelensky in order for Trump to do the economic deal he wants to do with Russia, which we've now learned more details about because Zelensky smoked it out in the United Arab Emirates. It's a fake$12 trillion deal when the entire Russian GDP is$2 trillion. And so Donald Trump is now telling Ukraine there's never going to be a ceasefire between Russia doesn't want a ceasefire.

29:40Ben Meiselas:But you need to do a referendum where Zelensky has to run for election again. And let's do this election in May. And there's got to be a referendum to Ukrainians about giving up most of eastern Ukraine to Russia. And you need to do this in May. Zelensky's point actually is, even though we think that's not prudent, we'll do it if we can have like a 30 to 45-day ceasefire so we can at least create the circumstances to make people feel comfortable to show up on an election to do a referendum. But we need a ceasefire first. Russia says no ceasefire. How are you supposed to negotiate with that? You can't.

30:27Ben Meiselas:So what Donald Trump is doing behind the scenes is the PAC-3 missiles that go into the Patriot missile system that Ukraine has. All of a sudden, the U.S. says, there's a shortage. There's a PAC-3 shortage. Sorry. So we're not able to get those anti-air, anti-drone missiles, the anti-ballistic missile systems to you in time. What we've seen is a 33 to 40 percent increase in Ukrainian civilian deaths since Donald Trump has been in office. Think about that. for all of the I'm strong and Putin wouldn't do this, a 33 to 40 % increase in civilian deaths in Ukraine since Trump's been in office. And in terms of the Shahid drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missile strikes, those have increased dramatically as well.

31:34Ben Meiselas:I mean, at that same or more percentage, significantly more. And then when it comes to Canada, it's every, you know, Trump cycles through it. And then every 30 days or 20 days, he comes up with a new one. And now a billionaire American family that owns the other private, the only, it's a private bridge that exists right now called the Ambassador Bridge from Detroit to Ontario. And the Moron family or the Morone family owns a private bridge. They make a ton of money. Just think it's a weird thing to think about that the main bridge between the United States and Canada from Detroit to Ontario is owned privately by this oligarch family called the Morones.

32:25Ben Meiselas:And the kid, I think his name is Michael or something, he owns it now. And he's been always working behind the scenes with Trump in order to kill a bridge project that began many, many years ago to build another bridge that could actually be owned by both Canada and Michigan for the well-being of Canada and Michigan, not a billionaire family. okay so this new bridge the gordie howe bridge which is set to be open soon which has actually employed lots of people from michigan it's constructed was fully funded by canada i just want you to know what the facts are about this because sometimes we move past these stories quickly it was fully funded by canada can't because america wouldn't fund it but wanted it then it was going to be recouped.

33:22Ben Meiselas:The costs were going to be recouped by Canada through the fares. And also it would be jointly owned by Michigan and by Canada through Ontario. That was for the benefit of both. And then Trump makes a post saying, ah, well, China's going to take it over and China's going to steal your ice hockey and China this and China that. It's ridiculous. It's ridiculous. So Prime Minister Carney is asked about this today. And let me show you Prime Minister Carney's response when he was asked about, well, what do you make of Donald Trump's latest threats? And watch how, just watch the difference between Carney and the difference between Trump.

34:10Ben Meiselas:Let me show you Prime Minister Carney.

34:17So the first thing to say is there's a big game today. And the president and I discussed the Canada-U.S. game. And, of course, we're all behind our team. Secondly, we discussed a number of issues, international issues. Thirdly, we discussed the bridge. I explained that Canada, of course, paid for the construction of the bridge. over$4 billion, that the ownership is shared between the state of Michigan and the government of Canada, and that in the construction of the bridge, obviously there's Canadian steel, Canadian workers, but also U.S. steel, U.S. workers that are involved. This is a great example of cooperation between our countries.

35:00Look forward to it opening. And what is particularly important, of course, is the commerce and the tourism and the voyages of Canadians and Americans that will go across that bridge. So the conversation turned to a series of issues that we will raise and we're going to follow up on. I'm not going to go into detail on those issues. These would be specific issues in parallel to the Kuzma negotiations. Final point is the president asked appropriately that his ambassador, who's from Michigan, of course, play a role in smoothing the conversation in and around the bridge. So it was a positive conversation.

35:41It's a big game today.

35:48Ben Meiselas:Yeah, I mean, that's just coming with facts, a fact-based approach. I'm going to read this, and Jeremy, I'm going to send this to you right now. There's some breaking news out of Hungary. the lead candidate to win Hungary's upcoming election against Viktor Orban. Remember, Orban, Trump, Putin, all connected. Peter Magyar says that tomorrow a sex tape of him with his then-girlfriend is going to be released, hinting at a Russian-style active measure by Viktor Orban's embattled government. Yes, I'm a 45-year-old man. I have a sex life with an adult partner, Maggie writes, I have three minor children whom this vile family-friendly regime obviously does not give a damn about.

36:34Ben Meiselas:Dear frightened Fidesz supporters, go ahead, release everything you have, fabricate whatever you like. I will not yield to blackmail or threats. And so you see what's going on there. And it should be noted as well that in Hungary, one of Orban's big platforms, similar to one of the Trump platforms, which is we're going to get rid of the pedos and that there's a deep state of pedos out there and you need Orban to get rid of them. Then it turns out that Orban's government through their juvenile prison system in Budapest was involved in a massive sex trafficking operation of underage children through their juvenile prison system.

37:28Ben Meiselas:I just want you to think about that. And they were covering that up. It's an interesting parallel to think about the script, the playbook of right-wing authoritarians and how they're able to win elections, infect the minds of populations. And I think what's important to note is that Trump is not unique in this. He is a vessel of a broader right-wing authoritarian playbook that uses hate and hyper-nationalistic language anti-immigrant language, deep state, woke, all of that is actually an international playbook that's been adopted by Trump. I'm going to show you how that's connected to the Epstein files in a moment as well.

38:26Part of that is they weaponize the reality that there are all these pedos among

38:32Ben Meiselas:us. And they say, we know who they are and we're going to stop them. And that's how Trump and MAGA weaponized the Epstein files. That's how Orban weaponized it in his ascent to power. And we see that play out over and over again. And within the files, Epstein is actually a central player in the spread of right-wing authoritarianism because part of the playbook is that when you cause mass disruption, that creates financial opportunity for the oligarchs. Now, the oligarchs were using child sex trafficking as their currency to blackmail each other, to interact with each other as the entry fee. It's sick and disgusting to think about it like that, but that was part of it.

39:33But then they also were using a playbook and exchanging tips.

39:40Ben Meiselas:And Epstein in the messages is a middleman in exchanging the tips. I mean, when you see the messages between him and Bannon, you have Epstein saying to Bannon, man, I don't like that Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil. So like I think in 2018 or 2017, he was saying all these negative things about you. Make Bannon great again. He should be wearing a make Bannon great again hat. And Bannon's like, my power stems from the fact that nobody knows what I'm doing behind the scenes. And so I get my power by people thinking I don't have the power. The deep state. right? And then they project that concept onto everybody else, that which they are doing.

40:28So when you read the files, and when I talk about an Epstein class,

40:35Ben Meiselas:this is what I'm referring to play out. And all of this stuff is connected, not in a conspiratorial lens, but in the reality. So let's go back to the hearing from earlier today with Lutnick. Van Hollen asks another question. So why do the Epstein files show you coordinating meetings with Epstein in 2012? Let's watch what Howard Lutnick says in response to this. Let's play it. Secretary Lutnick, as I said in my opening statement, you led people to believe that you had cut off all contact with Jeffrey Epstein after the 2005 encounter you and your wife had in his apartment. But as I'm sure you know, the Epstein files show a very different record of interaction.

41:31Why did the Epstein files show you coordinating a meeting and planning a visit with Jeffrey Epstein on his private island in December 2012?

41:44Thank you for the question. I'm glad to be here to make it clear that I met Jeffrey Epstein when I moved to a house next door to him in New York. And I met him then. Over the next 14 years, I met him two other times that I can recall. Two times. And that is none for six years. So six years later, I met him. And then a year and a half after that, I met him and never again. Probably the total, and you've seen all of these documents, of these millions and millions of documents, there may be 10 emails connecting me with him, probably about 10 emails connecting me with him over a 14-year period. I did not have any relationship with him.

42:37I barely had anything to do with that person. Okay. Secretary Lutnick.

42:47Ben Meiselas:I want to next share with you another hearing taking place. And this other hearing is with Todd Lyons, the acting head of ICE. So if you want to see what this predator class, this Epstein class looks like in theory as well, you had Lutnick in the Senate, And then you had Todd Lyons testifying before the House. So Todd Lyons was cross-examined by Democratic Congress member Dan Goldman. Do you realize that when you're requiring proof of citizenship, what other types of countries did that? Here, play this clip. Now, you are aware, of course, and there's well-documented, numerous well-documented instances of people, American citizens, being asked to show and prove their citizenship.

43:38Do you know what other regimes in the 20th century required similar proof of citizenship? Yes, sir. What? Sir, there was various nefarious regimes that did that. Is Nazi Germany one? Yes, but I... Is the Soviet Union one? I honestly... Sir, I'm asking the questions. Is the Soviet Union one? Yes, sir, but I totally... I totally... This is the wrong type of question. No, I'll tell you what the wrong type of thing is. But actually, sir, it's my time. The Holocaust Museum is not a 14th of independence. If you want to go see Nazi independence, that's what it is. It's not the men and women of vice that are out there doing it every day.

44:17So to say it's the men and women of vice against... Mr. Chairman, I'm reclaiming my time. I would like my time back, please. please give me another 15 seconds because he was unnecessarily speaking you said in your

44:30Ben Meiselas:i'll show you another clip right here where lions claims that uh they don't request citizenship anyway so what are we even talking about here let's play this other clip of lines five minutes of questions thank you mr chairman mr lions what guidance have you given to your agents about asking people walking on the streets of America to show proof of citizenship? Sir, as I stated earlier, the men and women of ICE, Deportations Office of Special Agents, we conduct target intelligence-driven operation. We don't walk around the streets asking people about their American citizenship. Really? So all of those individual American citizens who have been randomly asked are lying.

45:12Is that what you're saying? Sir, if the men and women of ICE are conducting an investigation, whether it be for Title 8 Immigration Enforcement or Title 18 Cruel Enforcement, they'll ask someone their nationality. Right. But that's not targeted because they're asking all sorts of American citizens, including off-duty law enforcement. Now, have you directed it?

45:31Ben Meiselas:Next, you have Congress Member Swalwell cross-examining Lyons about how many ICE agents have been fired. How many ICE agents have been fired for their conduct under your leadership? Sir, I can get you that data. I'll get that back to you. Is it more than one? I'm not going to speak about personnel actions, but I'll get you that data. Can you tell us if at least, God, I hope at least one person has been fired for their conduct since these operations have begun. Are you telling us you can't even say one person's been fired? Sir, I'm not going to talk about personnel actions, but we will get back to you.

46:04But two people have been killed so far. Is that right? A nurse named Pretty and a mom named Good. Two people have been killed so far. Yes, sir.

46:15Ben Meiselas:next he's asked by congress member kennedy if he would commit to unmasking the agents let's play this clip will you commit yes or no to immediately unmasking every agent conducting immigration enforcement and requiring them to wear standard uniforms with identifiable badges no well that's a sad response your answer is completely unacceptable people who are proud of what they do aren't hiding their identity. We're a nation of laws and you, your boss, Secretary Noem, and Donald Trump are not above the law. And now let me show you finally the tactic of fascism, the projection. Accused the other of that which you are covering up and or involved in.

47:07Ben Meiselas:So today's big theme with the MAGA Republicans is to say, we're out here to get the pedophiles, the rapists, and the murderers. So here's MAGA Republican Congress member Tom Emmer saying that. Let's play it pedophiles rapists

47:45murderers

47:51and drug traffickers these are just a few of the criminal illegal aliens that the brave men and women of immigration and customs enforcement have taken off the streets of Minneapolis in the recent months and weeks

48:11Ben Meiselas:Okay, let's take a look at what Congresswoman McClain said. Let's play our clip. We got Congresswoman McClain. And then let's also show you what Caroline Levitt had to say. Let's play the Caroline Levitt clip. Why aren't more people outraged? I don't get it. I got to share with you. I don't get it. These folks are monsters. They're criminals. They murder. They sexually assault young women, minors. And you know what the Democrats want to do? Let's release them into your communities. And let's celebrate the criminals. Let's villainize the ICE agents and celebrate the people who are raping your children.

48:56That is crazy. It is not. And let me correct the record. Number one, the Trump administration has been clear from day one that any illegal alien present in this country is subject to deportation. However, the priority, of course, is going after the convicted criminals, the worst of the worst, the murderers, the pedophiles, the rapists in this country. Interestingly, in the seat.

49:18Ben Meiselas:Now, I just show you that so you understand the tactics. So you understand that they do that, right? Then they have their state regime media, Fox, CBS, corporate news, boom, flood the zone with that. Local news, Sinclair, all of those local networks which are owned by right-wing oligarchs. And so when people get their local news, they get all of that pushed to them. And they don't necessarily hear all of this stuff. Now they do because of the scale and scope of the Midas Touch Network and our growth. But that's their game plan. That's how they coordinate this. And that's how they push it out. And then they go, ah, what this is really about is we're going after the pedos.

50:13Ben Meiselas:It's right and connected to what I said before. It's right out of a broader international, it's international, international Epstein class playbook that pushes this. And so the question is, is that how do you fight against an international Epstein class of Trumps and Orbans and Le Pens and Farage's and Jair Bolsonaro's and Bukele's and people like that? How do you push back against it? Well, first, you're very, people would be very naive to not recognize it's on the scale and scope of that I'm describing. The moment you buy in to the gamified politics of who's up this day, who's up that day, and the kind of day-to-day drama, which is okay, but unless you recognize the broader game that's being played internationally, then you are not going to be able to rebut it or to fight it.

51:25Ben Meiselas:But you see, you're never going to be able to defeat the international Epstein class and the broader movement of authoritarian and fascism with the Putins, the Trumps, the Orbans, all of those people that I'm mentioning. And by the way, the MAGA Maple movement that was trying to form and still exists in Canada, the MAGA movement that was trying to form in Australia and these other areas that were pushed back last year during elections there. But the way you have to stop it, though, is also at a macro level than at a surgical level. The macro level is big ideas are going to beat these big bad ideas.

52:14And that's why I talk about love and empathy and community and inclusiveness and that diversity is a good thing. Because if you're fractured on the big macro picture of the direction of the world, you're going to be bulldozed over by these broader bad forces that are pushing down people. So the only way to fight it is to recognize that love and empathy and democracy and broader values need to unite internationally. If it's not an internationally arm-locked movement, you're not going to stop. It's impossible. It's impossible to stop it. It's one of the things that the Epstein files revealed is what's actually at play.

53:06The real deep state internationally working behind the scenes. Epstein was a middleman in that with lots of other individuals brokering right-wing authoritarianism, disruption equals money to them, Trump as a vessel for that. Do you see what's happening here?

53:23Ben Meiselas:Sex trafficking the currency for these despicable evil predators. So we have to push back on it with love and empathy and truth and honesty and integrity and all of these things and push back in that direction. Now, on the surgical level, we still have to go through our reps every day. I got to wake up at 4 a.m. in the morning. I got to do my videos. I got to do my 5.30, my 7, my 8.30. I got to write my sub stack post at MidasPlus.com. I got to build out other YouTube channels. I got to continue the growth, right? I got to help other independent media creators, right? You have to still do the blocking and tackling every day that we're going to do here.

54:01Ben Meiselas:That's never going to stop. But if you don't recognize those broader forces, then you don't really know what's going on. That's what's happening. And we need to stop it. It's existential. And we have to reflect on what it is. Part of not being able to stop it was not being able to diagnose what this thing even was. That's why, to me, one of the biggest commitments here is international expansion right now. right and that's that's vital because this is an international tsunami of fascism and epstein we have to tsunami him back just the day-to-day you know the day-to-day you know media shit is not gonna is not gonna do it right so anyway that's my final reflection right now that i'll that i'll leave you with right here we're on our way to 6 million subscribers so double check that you're actually subscribed and help us get to 6 million you may think you're subscribed but you may not actually be subscribed so double check also go join our sub stack midasplus.com the intersection with michael popock is on tonight at 5 p.m uh 5 p.m pacific 8 Eastern.

55:26Ben Meiselas:Watch it. I love that. I love Popak's show, The Intersection. Check that out. Subscribe to the Legal AF YouTube channel. Subscribe to Katie Fang's YouTube channel, Aaron Parnas' YouTube channel, Tennessee Brando's YouTube channel. Subscribe to the Midas Universe of YouTube channels. And that's all I got for you. It's been on Breaking News. I'm Ben. This has been your breaking news. Shout out breaking newsers coming with something better. Shout out Midas Mighty. Want to stay plugged in? Become a subscriber to our sub stack at midasplus.com. You'll get daily recaps from Ron Filipkowski, add free episodes of our podcast, and more exclusive content only available at midasplus.com.

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