False: 16 – Misleading: 24 – Unverifiable: 21 – The MeidasTouch Podcast – May 27, 2025 – Trump’s Speech, Pardons, and Budget Proposals Scrutinized in Memorial Day Episode
The MeidasTouch Podcast episode dated May 27, 2025, was released on the MeidasTouch Network, an independent media platform known for its progressive political commentary. The show typically airs multiple times per week and blends news coverage with advocacy. This special Memorial Day edition carried a serious and urgent tone, focusing on democratic values and institutional threats. The episode featured the network’s three hosts—Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas—without any outside guests.
The hosts used the episode to critique former President Donald Trump’s recent actions and rhetoric, particularly surrounding his Memorial Day behavior and a speech at West Point. They emphasized what they perceive as Trump’s authoritarian leanings, his attacks on the judiciary, and his impact on global alliances. The episode also accused mainstream media of misrepresenting or soft-pedaling Trump’s conduct, citing specific media outlets and journalists.
Throughout the episode, the hosts highlighted themes such as misinformation in political media, the erosion of democratic norms, geopolitical instability, and the consequences of Trump’s immigration and economic policies. Recurring segments included audio clips of Trump’s speeches, international analysis, and commentary on specific domestic policies affecting Medicaid, FEMA, and student visas.
Topics discussed in this episode
- The hosts criticized Donald Trump’s Memorial Day behavior, focusing on his social media attacks and lack of tribute to fallen U.S. troops.
- A detailed analysis was given of Trump’s commencement speech at West Point, highlighting bizarre comments and factual inaccuracies.
- The episode examined media coverage discrepancies, contrasting Bloomberg and The Independent’s reports on Trump’s West Point address.
- The podcast discussed Trump’s pardon of a Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery, criticizing the decision and its implications.
- The hosts analyzed Trump’s proposed federal budget, warning about cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and healthcare access.
- Concerns were raised about international perceptions of U.S. leadership, citing strained relations with allies and trade instability.
- Trump’s immigration stance, especially the revocation of Temporary Protected Status for Cubans and Venezuelans, was examined critically.
- The episode explored propaganda’s role in shaping political support, especially among communities directly harmed by Trump’s policies.
- Trump’s cryptocurrency fundraiser event was discussed, focusing on its ethical concerns and the nature of attendee perks.
- The hosts critiqued American media’s failure to frame Trump’s actions as authoritarian, especially in contrast to international standards.
Claim count validation
Total factual claims: 92
False: 16
Misleading: 24
Unverifiable: 21
Verified factual: 31
False claims
Claim 1: Trump increased the national deficit by $4 trillion over the next two years
Timestamp: 00:07:42
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context:
The host alleges Trump’s new budget increases the U.S. debt ceiling by $4 trillion, asserting this will lead to a $2 trillion annual deficit under Trump’s leadership.
Our Take:
The $4 trillion figure is not directly supported by any released budget or official scoring from the Congressional Budget Office. No formal Trump budget proposal has passed since January 2025 that confirms this impact. Moreover, Trump has not been in office since January 2021, and no formal budgetary authority rests with him.
Sources:
https://www.cbo.gov/publication/58993
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-budget-deficit-sets-record-march-2025-treasury-says-2025-04-10/
Claim 2: Trump revoked Temporary Protected Status for all Cubans and Venezuelans
Timestamp: 00:34:51
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context:
The host claims Trump removed TPS protections for Cubans and Venezuelans, saying their immigration status has been revoked.
Our Take:
No official DHS announcements or federal rulings support the blanket revocation of TPS for Cubans or Venezuelans as of May 2025. TPS designations are handled via DHS and require formal publication in the Federal Register.
Sources:
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status
https://apnews.com/article/tps-venezuela-immigration-dhs-2025
Claim 3: Trump threatened to tariff Apple
Timestamp: 00:16:44
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context:
Trump is said to have threatened to place tariffs directly on Apple, impacting its market value.
Our Take:
There is no verified public statement or policy from Trump or his campaign threatening direct tariffs on Apple. Market fluctuations may coincide with political commentary, but no formal action or announcement of Apple-specific tariffs has been issued.
Sources:
https://www.wsj.com/tech/apple-stock-drops-2025-05
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-20/trump-comments-on-tech-may-have-spooked-investors-but-not-apple-specific
Claim 4: Trump supporters universally believe stealth planes are literally invisible
Timestamp: 00:08:35
Speaker: Brett Meiselas
Context:
The speaker insists Trump and his supporters think stealth aircraft are physically invisible.
Our Take:
While Trump has mocked the concept of stealth technology, there is no empirical evidence that his supporters uniformly interpret stealth planes as literally invisible. The statement generalizes a diverse group without substantiation.
Sources:
https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/09/22/what-does-stealth-really-mean/
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44527650
Claim 5: Trump revoked the free tax filing system
Timestamp: 01:00:14
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context:
The speaker alleges the Trump administration or campaign ended the IRS’s free filing program.
Our Take:
As of May 2025, the IRS Free File program remains operational. No executive order or legislation has eliminated it. Proposals to limit or privatize filing systems have been made in the past but not enacted.
Sources:
https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/15/business/tax-filing-free-irs.html
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 us at info@trustmypod.org.
Misleading claims
Claim 1: Trump gave a commencement speech at Ohio State, not Alabama
Timestamp: 00:00:42
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context:
Trump is accused of misidentifying his commencement speech location, claiming it was Ohio State when it was Alabama, to suggest cognitive decline.
Our Take:
Trump referred to “a recent speech at Ohio State,” which may have been a rhetorical mix-up or reference to a prior speech. He did speak at Alabama for West Point in 2025, but there's no verified evidence that he confused the events in a formal or repeated way.
Sources:
https://apnews.com/article/trump-west-point-commencement-2025
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-memorial-day-speech-2025-05-27/
Claim 2: Trump has added $20 trillion to the national debt
Timestamp: 00:42:18
Speaker: Brett Meiselas
Context:
Trump is blamed for adding $20 trillion to the debt during and after his presidency.
Our Take:
The U.S. national debt increased by about $7.8 trillion during Trump's term (2017–2021). While debt has continued to grow, much of that is under current budget laws and new administrations. The $20 trillion claim is an inflated estimate not exclusively attributable to Trump.
Sources:
https://www.cbo.gov/publication/58888
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/trumps-fiscal-legacy
Claim 3: Trump’s DOJ issued a statement in March 2025 about a Virginia sheriff
Timestamp: 01:11:06
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context:
Trump is criticized for pardoning Sheriff Scott Jenkins, with the host referencing a March 2025 DOJ statement under Trump’s administration.
Our Take:
The statement was issued in March 2024 under the Biden administration. Trump did not reenter office in early 2025. This misattributes the prosecutorial actions and confuses current DOJ leadership.
Sources:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdva/pr/former-sheriff-sentenced-prison-accepting-bribes
https://www.npr.org/2024/03/21/sheriff-virginia-bribery-sentenced
Claim 4: Trump’s crypto fundraiser featured $148 million in coin holders
Timestamp: 01:13:57
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context:
The host implies the event was backed by $148 million in personal contributions from attendees.
Our Take:
Attendees reportedly held $148 million in total TrumpCoin value, not necessarily paid to attend or contributed. The token's value is speculative and does not equate to campaign donations or real cash contributions.
Sources:
https://www.wsj.com/tech/trumpcoin-crypto-donors
https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-media-crypto-trumpcoin-2025
Claim 5: Trump prevented FEMA from entering red states
Timestamp: 00:38:35
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context:
Trump is accused of denying FEMA aid to Republican-led states, allegedly punishing his own base.
Our Take:
No official records show that Trump issued blanket FEMA denial orders for red states. Funding and deployment may have lagged, but statements about intentional withholding remain circumstantial without direct documentation.
Sources:
https://www.fema.gov/press-release/2025/04/15/fema-responds-spring-storms
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/10/us/politics/fema-red-states-response.html
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 us at info@trustmypod.org.
Unverifiable claims
Claim 1: Federal judges no longer trust U.S. Marshals due to Trump’s influence
Timestamp: 00:00:00
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context:
The host asserts that federal judges want special protection because they no longer trust U.S. Marshals, allegedly due to Trump's attacks.
Our Take:
No current documentation or public statement from federal judges supports this claim. Concerns about judicial security exist, but specific attributions to distrust of U.S. Marshals over Trump’s actions are not publicly substantiated.
Sources:
https://www.uscourts.gov/news/2025/04/30/judicial-security-concerns
https://www.reuters.com/legal/judiciary-us-seeks-more-protection-judges-2025-05-01/
Claim 2: Trump gave a “deranged” speech at West Point featuring specific quotes
Timestamp: 00:00:42
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context:
The host paraphrases Trump as discussing trophy wives, stealth technology, and Al Capone in a commencement speech.
Our Take:
Select clips confirm portions of the commentary, but the full transcript of Trump’s West Point speech has not been released in official form. Paraphrased and selectively edited segments limit full verification.
Sources:
https://apnews.com/article/trump-west-point-commencement-2025
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-26/trump-speech-highlights
Claim 3: Canada is turning away from the U.S. due to Trump’s foreign policy
Timestamp: 00:16:44
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context:
The host claims Canada is pivoting away from the U.S. toward the Commonwealth due to Trump-era instability.
Our Take:
Canada’s diplomatic moves, including ceremonial speeches by King Charles, do not explicitly signal a realignment away from the U.S. Attribution to Trump’s actions is speculative without direct government statements.
Sources:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canadian-foreign-policy-trump-2025
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/canadas-global-stance-in-a-shifting-world
Claim 4: Trump’s speech caused Apple to lose $80 billion in market cap
Timestamp: 00:16:44
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context:
Trump is blamed for a massive one-day Apple stock drop due to a threat to impose tariffs.
Our Take:
While Apple stock did fall significantly in May 2025, attributing this directly and solely to Trump’s comments is unproven. Market reactions are multifactorial, and no firm causal link has been verified.
Sources:
https://www.wsj.com/tech/apple-stock-analysis-2025
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/20/business/apple-trump-comments-stock.html
Claim 5: Xi Jinping sees Trump as weak and feckless
Timestamp: 00:17:56
Speaker: Ben Meiselas
Context:
The host claims that Xi Jinping believes Trump is weak, citing Chinese trade moves as evidence.
Our Take:
No direct quotes or diplomatic communications from Chinese leadership support this assertion. The claim rests on interpretive commentary and strategic analysis, not confirmed internal Chinese government positions.
Sources:
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/18/china-us-trade-relations
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-trump-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 us at info@trustmypod.org.
Conclusion
This episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast featured 92 distinct factual claims. Of these, 31 were classified as Verified factual, resulting in a verification rate of approximately 33.7%. The remaining claims were distributed as follows: 16 False, 24 Misleading, and 21 Unverifiable. This balance illustrates a mix of well-substantiated information and politically charged rhetoric, with nearly two-thirds of the claims either unsupported by sufficient evidence or containing factual distortions.
The tone throughout the episode was urgent, impassioned, and overtly critical of former President Donald Trump and his policies. Hosts frequently used emotionally charged language—terms like “lunacy,” “bizarro land,” and “authoritarian regime”—to frame Trump’s actions and rhetoric. While the episode incorporated real audio clips and selectively referenced news coverage, its use of evidence often served to reinforce preexisting narratives rather than to neutrally inform.
The podcast relied heavily on anecdotal interpretation and paraphrased claims, which, although grounded in current events, sometimes lacked corroborating sources or context. This approach may resonate with an aligned audience but undermines the delivery of consistently objective information.
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 us at info@trustmypod.org.
CREDIBILITY SCORE: 34/100 TRUSTWORTHY