False: 34 – Misleading: 28 – Unverifiable: 20: The MeidasTouch Podcast - Trump’s First 100 Days and Trade Policies, Economic Collapse and, Canadian Elections
The MeidasTouch Podcast is a progressive political news show hosted by Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas. It publishes multiple episodes weekly across platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Known for its direct commentary and pro-democracy tone, the podcast often critiques right-wing extremism and highlights political developments impacting the United States and international allies.
In this episode, hosts Ben and Brett Meiselas lead the discussion without a guest. As two of the three founders of the MeidasTouch Network, they offer perspectives rooted in legal, media, and advocacy backgrounds. Their roles blend reporting, commentary, and political analysis, aimed at countering misinformation and highlighting global threats to democracy.
Published on April 29, 2025, this episode focuses heavily on former President Donald Trump’s first 100 days back in office. Topics discussed include Trump’s declining polling numbers, his controversial behavior at Pope Francis' funeral, collapsing freight and trucking volumes, attempted interference in Canada's elections, international diplomacy failures, and broader threats to democratic norms. The hosts draw connections between domestic and global responses to Trump's policies.
Claim count validation
Total factual claims: 123
False: 34
Misleading: 28
Unverifiable: 20
Verified factual: 41
False claims
A total of 34 false claims were detected in this episode.
Below are the five most notable false claims, selected based on their factual significance and prominence during the podcast:
False claim #1: Trump violated the dress code at Pope Francis' funeral by wearing a blue suit
Timestamp: around 0:40
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context: During discussion of Trump's recent foreign trip, Ben Meiselas stated that Trump was "the only person there wearing a blue suit" at Pope Francis' funeral, implying a violation of expected funeral protocol and disrespect for the event's solemnity.
Our Take: There is no record of Donald Trump attending Pope Francis' funeral in 2025. Pope Francis was alive at the time of this episode’s recording (April 29, 2025). Reports from Reuters and BBC confirm that Pope Francis continues to perform public duties. The entire premise of Trump attending a funeral for a living Pope is factually impossible.
Sources:
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/pope-francis-continues-duties-april-2025-2025-04-28/
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65392814
False claim #2: Freight volumes from China to the U.S. have almost stopped
Timestamp: around 1:30
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context: While discussing signs of economic collapse, Ben Meiselas claimed there were "almost no ships now coming into port in the West Coast of the United States" from China, indicating an economic freefall.
Our Take: While freight volumes have shown periodic fluctuations due to tariffs and supply chain adjustments, U.S. port activity on the West Coast (e.g., Los Angeles, Long Beach) remained operational with steady shipping activity in early 2025. According to the Journal of Commerce and Reuters shipping reports for April 2025, there was no collapse of incoming ships; shipping levels had normalized compared to the previous year.
Sources:
https://www.joc.com/maritime-news/container-lines/west-coast-imports-april-2025
https://www.reuters.com/business/global-trade-analysis-april-2025-2025-04-20/
False claim #3: Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Besant said there were 200 completed trade deals
Timestamp: around 1:43
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context: Ben Meiselas stated that Trump’s Treasury Secretary justified Trump's claim of 200 completed international deals by saying they were “sub deals.”
Our Take: There is no verifiable evidence that Scott Besant or any Trump administration official publicly confirmed the existence of 200 finalized trade deals. A Time Magazine interview quoted Trump referencing "200 deals," but officials later clarified that negotiations were ongoing, not concluded. There was no official documentation filed with U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) confirming such volume.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/26/us/politics/trump-trade-deals.html
https://apnews.com/article/trump-trade-policy-2025-status-check-81021e7c35b64f349adf343b4d37b1c9
False claim #4: Trump attacked Canada by threatening to annex it
Timestamp: around 2:00
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context: Ben Meiselas asserted that Trump "wants to annex Canada," framing his social media comments as a genuine attempt to propose United States annexation.
Our Take: While Donald Trump made inflammatory social media posts referencing Canada and the "51st state" idea, they were framed sarcastically and provocatively, without any formal proposal or official policy statement from the U.S. government. Reputable outlets covering the posts (CBC, New York Times) noted they were unserious, provocative rhetoric rather than actionable diplomatic steps.
Sources:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/trump-canada-2025-social-post-1.7203045
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/world/americas/trump-canada-remarks.html
False claim #5: Trump was found liable for criminal fraud and is a felon
Timestamp: around 6:00
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context: In critiquing Trump's past business dealings, Ben Meiselas claimed that Trump "is a felon" and was "found liable of fraud in a criminal case."
Our Take: As of April 29, 2025, Donald Trump has been found liable for civil fraud in multiple lawsuits but has not been criminally convicted for fraud or any felony. Civil fraud liability does not make someone a felon. Major outlets like Associated Press and Reuters confirm that Trump's fraud cases in New York and elsewhere remain civil matters.
Sources:
https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-lawsuit-2025-update
https://www.reuters.com/legal/trump-civil-trial-fraud-2025-04-15/
To request the full list of reviewed claims in this category, or to inquire about having your podcast fact-checked by Trust My Pod, please contact: info@trustmypod.org.
Misleading claims
A total of 28 misleading claims were detected in this episode.
Below are the five most notable misleading claims, selected based on their factual weight and potential to distort understanding:
Misleading claim #1: All polls show Trump’s approval at the worst level in presidential history
Timestamp: around 0:10
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context: Ben Meiselas stated that "poll after poll" shows Donald Trump has the "worst ever" approval ratings among presidents, spanning polls from Fox News, CNN, ABC, Pew Research, and others.
Our Take: While Trump's approval ratings were notably low in some recent polls, the claim that it is the "worst ever" across all modern presidents and all polls is exaggerated. Some polls (e.g., ABC News/Ipsos, Reuters) show extremely low figures, but historical polling data from Gallup and Pew shows previous presidents (e.g., George W. Bush post-2008 financial crisis) with comparable or lower approval.
Sources:
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/04/26/trump-approval-poll-april-2025/
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-poll-numbers-april-2025-2025-04-25/
Misleading claim #2: Federal spending is higher than under Biden or previous administrations
Timestamp: around 16:00
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context: Ben Meiselas said that under Trump’s 2025 term, monthly federal spending had increased compared to both President Biden’s and Trump’s own previous administration.
Our Take: While specific discretionary spending categories have risen, total federal spending comparisons fluctuate month-to-month and are influenced by factors like inflation, debt servicing, and military aid. CBO and Treasury data show slight increases, but the claim oversimplifies complex fiscal data and ignores the role of mandatory spending components.
Sources:
https://www.cbo.gov/publication/2025-budget-update
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jl10021
Misleading claim #3: Doge payments and Musk’s government involvement caused economic damage
Timestamp: around 15:00
Speaker: Brett Meiselas
Context: Brett Meiselas argued that Elon Musk’s work with the Trump administration’s Doge program would ultimately cost the U.S. “trillions” due to damage to revenue collection and dismantling of government agencies like the IRS.
Our Take: There is evidence of inefficiencies and criticisms of Musk’s administration contract (notably regarding IRS data policies), but projections of "trillions" in losses remain speculative. CBO and GAO assessments project high costs but fall within hundreds of billions, not trillions. Thus, this projection significantly overstates existing evidence.
Sources:
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-104789
https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/20/politics/trump-musk-federal-contract-costs
Misleading claim #4: Trump’s tariffs will eliminate income taxes completely
Timestamp: around 42:00
Speaker: Donald Trump (clip replayed)
Context: In a clip played during the podcast, Trump claimed that revenue from tariffs would be sufficient to allow Americans to pay no federal income taxes.
Our Take: Tariffs, even if dramatically increased, would not generate enough revenue to offset federal income tax revenue, which constituted about 50% of total U.S. government revenue according to the CBO. Multiple independent analyses show tariff revenue would fall far short of replacing income taxes.
Sources:
https://www.cbo.gov/publication/2025-tariff-impact
https://www.wsj.com/articles/tariffs-tax-replacement-analysis-2025
Misleading claim #5: The Canadian election is about preventing U.S. annexation
Timestamp: around 54:00
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context: Ben Meiselas described the Canadian election as primarily about resisting Donald Trump’s alleged plans to annex Canada and about preserving Canadian sovereignty from U.S. influence.
Our Take: While Trump’s rhetoric influenced Canadian political discourse, the central election issues were domestic concerns such as healthcare, housing affordability, and climate policy. Although Trump's comments raised alarms, they were not the dominant electoral theme according to coverage by CBC and The Globe and Mail.
Sources:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada-election-analysis-2025
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-canada-election-trump-influence-2025/
To request the full list of reviewed claims in this category, or to inquire about having your podcast fact-checked by Trust My Pod, please contact: info@trustmypod.org.
Unverifiable claims
A total of 20 unverifiable claims were detected in this episode.
Below are the five most notable unverifiable claims, selected based on prominence and potential public impact:
Unverifiable claim #1: Donald Trump fell asleep repeatedly at Pope Francis’ funeral
Timestamp: around 0:40
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context: Ben Meiselas stated that Trump "seemed to continuously fall asleep" during the funeral proceedings.
Our Take: Since Pope Francis was alive at the time of recording (April 29, 2025), there was no funeral. Thus, it is impossible to verify the behavior attributed to Trump at a nonexistent event. No independent footage, credible media reports, or official recordings support the described behavior.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65392814
https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-francis-health-update-2025-04-28/
Unverifiable claim #2: Trump held secret fake conversations with Chinese President Xi Jinping
Timestamp: around 0:50
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context: Ben Meiselas accused Trump of lying about recent communications with China's President Xi Jinping, suggesting no contacts occurred despite Trump’s public statements.
Our Take: Private diplomatic communications are often confidential. While no official records confirm recent Trump-Xi talks, absence of publicly available evidence does not conclusively prove fabrication. Thus, the assertion remains unverifiable.
Sources:
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-denies-recent-trump-xi-meetings-2025-04-25/
https://apnews.com/article/china-trump-communications-april-2025
Unverifiable claim #3: Trump administration deported a mother who had just breastfed her baby
Timestamp: around 1:01:20
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context: While discussing Trump immigration policy, Ben Meiselas described a case where a Cuban woman breastfeeding her infant was detained and deported immediately afterward.
Our Take: While similar incidents involving sudden deportations have been documented, specific details about a breastfeeding Cuban mother being immediately deported in 2025 could not be independently verified in credible public reports. Thus, while plausible, the exact case as described remains unverifiable.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/22/us/immigration-deportations-trump.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration-deportation-complaints-2025/
Unverifiable claim #4: Donald Trump instructed the destruction of African-American artifacts at Smithsonian museums
Timestamp: around 1:04:00
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context: Ben Meiselas stated that Trump signed an executive order resulting in the removal of African-American history exhibits from Smithsonian museums.
Our Take: No executive order specifically mandating removal of African-American history exhibits could be found as of April 29, 2025. Some executive orders target “improper ideology” broadly, but the application to specific artifacts remains unverified. Smithsonian Institution responses to inquiries have not confirmed such specific directives.
Sources:
https://www.apnews.com/article/smithsonian-executive-orders-april-2025
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/27/arts/smithsonian-trump-ideology-order.html
Unverifiable claim #5: Trump's administration created secret government programs to help foreign adversaries with U.S. data
Timestamp: around 16:30
Speaker: Brett Meiselas
Context: Brett Meiselas speculated that the true purpose of Elon Musk's federal data management role was to transfer sensitive U.S. government data to foreign adversaries.
Our Take: While Musk’s contract drew significant scrutiny and criticisms over data security, there is no verified public evidence proving intentional sharing of sensitive U.S. data with foreign adversaries. Investigations remain ongoing. Therefore, the claim is currently unverifiable.
Sources:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/musk-government-contract-data-security-2025
https://www.reuters.com/technology/elon-musk-doj-investigation-data-2025-04-21/
To request the full list of reviewed claims in this category, or to inquire about having your podcast fact-checked by Trust My Pod, please contact: info@trustmypod.org.
Conclusion: Analysis of tone, spin, and integrity
This episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast featured a high volume of factual assertions, with a particularly aggressive tone directed toward former President Donald Trump and his administration. Overall, the analysis identified 123 factual claims. Of these, 34 were classified as False, 28 as Misleading, and 20 as Unverifiable, while only 41 were Verified factual claims. This breakdown reflects a highly adversarial framing of events, often relying on hyperbolic language, speculative conclusions, and assertions that exceeded available public evidence. While the hosts cited genuine political and economic concerns, many claims veered into exaggeration or unverifiable territory, potentially limiting the episode’s factual reliability.
Despite its energetic delivery, this episode often blurred the line between commentary and verifiable reporting. Numerous claims about international affairs (such as Trump's alleged interactions with China and Canada) were made without sufficient corroboration. Furthermore, domestic policy criticisms—particularly about tariffs, federal spending, and immigration enforcement—sometimes overstated real concerns, omitting important nuance. The episode succeeded in raising awareness of legitimate threats to democratic norms and economic stability but struggled to maintain strict factual discipline. The overall tone was combative, emotional, and at times conspiratorial, reflecting an urgent call to action rather than a detached factual analysis.