In this full-length episode of the Meidas Defense Podcast, host Joe Plenzler sits down with Southern California trial attorney Mitch Jackson to explore the critical intersections between military operations, due process, law enforcement oversight, and civic responsibility. From analyzing military strike directives on alleged drug boats off the coast of California to addressing domestic ICE tactics, public service, and election integrity, Mitch breaks down why active civic participation remains the essential check on executive power and constitutional overreach. In a democratic republic, We the People are the final check on power.

Subscribe now

Key Highlights

• Operation Southern Spear & Military Ethics: Jackson and Plenzler discuss military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in international waters without formal congressional authorization.

  • Law of War Standards: Jackson points to Section 18.3.2.1 of the Department of Defense Law of War Manual, noting that firing on shipwrecked or surrendering individuals constitutes an illegal order.

  • Due Process vs. Strikes: They contrast kinetic military strikes with traditional law enforcement methods, emphasizing that destroying evidence and taking lives deprives the legal system of the ability to dismantle criminal networks through due process.

• Navigating Unlawful Orders & JAG Requests: Plenzler and Jackson address the delicate balance between military discipline and unlawful orders, examining how commanders and service members can engage their ethical judgment and formally seek written clarification from their unit’s Judge Advocate General (JAG).

• Separation of Powers & Congressional Oversight: Jackson highlights the constitutional mechanics of checks and balances, arguing that congressional oversight and the power of the purse are essential to reining in executive overreach.

• Courts, Legal Victories & Media Narratives: Jackson debunks the myth that the legal system is failing to hold power accountable. He highlights that the Department of Justice went 0-for-23 in state voter-data collection lawsuits and emphasizes how federal and state courts continue to enforce constitutional boundaries.

• Election Security & Community Poll Working: Plenzler shares his experience working the polls in Virginia, while Jackson shares stories of his grandfather volunteering in local elections. They emphasize that empirical data across over a billion reviewed ballots shows illegal voting is virtually non-existent, framing voting as a safe, unifying community event.

• The Power of Jury Duty & Domestic Due Process: Jackson makes a passionate defense of jury service as one of the few direct mechanisms citizens have to check government power, contrasting constitutional due process with aggressive domestic enforcement actions.

• Street-Level Law Enforcement & Masked Operations: The discussion moves to domestic ICE operations, marked vehicles, and face-covering tactics in major urban centers.

  • Identification & Accountability: Plenzler and Jackson argue that public servants exercising force must remain identifiable via badge numbers and clear tags to maintain public trust and legal accountability.

  • Addressing Systemic Causes: Jackson outlines how fixing the administrative immigration bottleneck—by funding more judges and streamlined processing—eliminates the perceived need for tactical shows of force.

• Media Accountability, Civil Discovery & Free Press: A critical examination of traditional press coverage versus independent media. Jackson explains how civil discovery in court forces administrative overreach to back down when forced to produce actual evidence.

• The Civic Path Forward: Jackson offers a final rallying call for all citizens to focus on voter registration and turnout in the upcoming midterms to restore oversight, protect democratic norms, and ensure government functions for all Americans. Both Plenzler and Jackson urge their fellow Americans to vote, get all their friends and family to vote, and consider volunteering in their counties to run local elections.

• Citizens - especially veterans and their family members - can volunteer to run local elections through the Vet the Vote campaign run by We the Veterans and Military Families. See www.vetthe.vote to register to vote, to check your current voter registration, and to learn how to become a poll worker in your county.

• Follow Mitch Jackson on Substack at @Mitchthelawyer and Joe Plenzler @JoePlenzler

  Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

  Leave a comment

Share

It’s Friday, August 21. Here’s your midday update.

Before I get into the news, a quick reminder that today’s episode of the MeidasTouch Podcast with me and my brothers is out now! Some folks have said they’ve had issues playing the show – so please, even if you think you’re subscribed, check now and make sure you can play the latest episode.

Today’s stories we’re tracking:

• Trump’s secretive deal to flood the market with cheaper foreign beef, drawing immediate backlash from American ranchers

• Gas, diesel, oil, and commodity prices continue to rise as Treasury yields remain elevated

• China rejected the Trump regime’s demand to join its economic campaign against Iran

• WSJ reports that Trump’s Iran war continues to drain key U.S. missile interceptor stockpiles

• Syria is considering joining a regional defense alliance amid escalating tensions with Israel and Türkiye

• Trump remains silent about the deaths and power outages after storms ravaged parts of Indiana and amid an ongoing drought and water crisis affecting roughly a half a million people in Puerto Rico

• A federal judge ordered the DOJ to respond to Katie Phang’s latest Epstein Files demand

• The Supreme Court has a midnight deadline in Trump’s ballroom case appeal

• Newly published Natalie Harp letters to Trump are raising eyebrows…

A quick reminder: if you find these recaps and the work we do here helpful, consider joining now as a paid subscriber if you haven’t yet. It’s what fuels our growth and allows us to hold the Trump regime accountable: whether it’s Katie Phang in the courts fighting for the release of the Epstein Files, our reporters exposing the conditions aboard the USS Lincoln, Scott MacFarlane revealing the massive fraud taking place with taxpayer money, and more.

Subscribe now

Let’s dive in.

Read more

Subscribe now

You can also listen to the episode free on podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and anywhere else podcasts are found.

Pre-order the new book from MeidasTouch, WTF America?!: The Way Out of This Hell and Back to Democracy, by clicking here.

Read more

… CNN: “The long-awaited ‘Great American Road Trip’ reality show from the Dept of Transportation starring Secretary Sean Duffy and his family has finally premiered after months of delays. The series follows Duffy and his wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy, a co-host of Fox and Friends, and their 9 children through 7 states.”

… “The 6-episode series was published on YouTube. It was originally planned to premiere in June, ahead of the July 4 celebration, but was delayed. All 6 episodes are now available on the Dept of Transportation YouTube page. Each episode is about 30 minutes long.”

… “The first follows the Duffy family to Philadelphia, in an episode titled, ‘Where America Began.’ The Duffy’s see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. They end the trip sprinting up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, also known as the ‘Rocky Steps,’ from the 1976 film with Sylvester Stallone.”

… NOTUS: “After 4 female press secretaries during his two terms, Trump has told close advisers he would prefer a man to fill Karoline Leavitt’s position. Trump has signaled interest in Scott Jennings, a conservative media pundit who has been widely reported to be among those being considered for the position. Trump, however, is not quite sold on the idea.”

… “Other men have also been floated for the role, including Ari Fleischer, who served as press secretary under George W. Bush. There’s also another option the president may consider. A person close to the WH predicted that all of the attention on the president’s close aide Natalie Harp could catapult her into the position.”

… Source: “She was on OANN. The media is going to make her press secretary.”

… MS NOW: “Trump’s closest aide, Natalie Harp, declined multiple times over more than a year to seek a routine security clearance normally obtained by West Wing staffers to work at the WH. Sources said Harp’s reasoning for declining to complete the process was unknown. After concerns mounted among the WH counsel’s office and security officials, the president himself intervened, and Harp in recent months filled out the forms.”

… “The lack of a security clearance is one of several red flags raised about Harp internally by Trump’s top aides since he returned to the WH. Harp operates unusually close to the president and filters much of the information Trump sees on a daily basis, and that proximity has spurred frustration inside the West Wing. One national security official voiced concern that Harp’s proximity to the president gives her access to the most sensitive info around Trump, more than nearly all other senior WH officials.”

… “Since joining the president’s orbit ahead of his 2024 presidential campaign, Harp has emerged as a key gatekeeper to the commander in chief. She is known to deliver to the president troves of printouts, including favorable coverage, positive poll numbers from questionable sources and messages from Trump confidants — and those who want to be — trying to get his attention.”

… Source: “Harp plays into the less productive and more troublesome parts of his nature, putting things in front of him that aren’t vetted.”

… Daily Mail: “Natalie Harp spent the summer of 2023 sleeping in the women’s locker room at Trump’s Bedminster golf club so she could remain close to him. She had initially secured a maid’s room but moved into the locker room because it was closer to the main house and allowed her to respond more quickly whenever Trump called.”

… “During the campaign, Melania Trump once stumbled upon Harp late at night inside Trump’s private quarters at Mar-a-Lago, an area typically off-limits to anyone outside the family. Harp was reportedly delivering documents to Trump that she did not want to wait until morning to hand over.”

… Just a late night “document delivery” to the private quarters.

… Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) on MS NOW:

• “It’s been amazing to watch this WH melt down over this all week. And about Natalie Harp, these WH staffers are adults, public officials paid by the taxpayer, with immense power in positions of public trust. And whether it’s Harp printing out Trump’s daily dose of delusion and flattery, or Peter Navarro steering taxpayer-funded loans to Trump family investments, or Pete Hegseth deluding the president daily into deepening this quagmire in the Middle East, no one cares about their feelings.”

• “The sailors on the Lincoln are fighting his war, a war based on lies, while he plays with his new ballroom, flies around on a jet given to him by a foreign prince, and retreats into this circle of sycophantic aides who tell him every day what he wants to hear, not what he needs to hear.”

• Q - “There are people out there who believe that you are deliberately trying to carve out these little bites that will specifically provoke Trump. Is that what you’re doing? Ossoff: I’m trying to make sure that folks in GA know the truth about this admin. And apparently in the WH, the truth hurts.”

… Tomorrow is the deadline for the Supreme Court to intervene on the ballroom or construction must be halted based on a prior court order if they choose not to take the case.

… Trump’s Freedom Grand Prix car race is in DC this weekend. Newsmax brought on INDYCAR President Doug Boles to preview the event taking place on the streets of DC:

• “We had to weld down 200 manhole covers to get ready for this and obviously take out some of the street lights.”

• Q - “How have you had to adjust the race to be held on a city street? Boles: There’s 7 corners, 6 of them are 90 degrees. It’s gonna be very fast. It’s gonna be hard to pass here, there’s gonna be a bit of carnage on this because everyone wants to win this race.”

… WH Director of Protocol Monica Crowley: “We’re gonna have 25 indy cars flying around the nation’s iconic streets, going upward of 180 to 190 miles per hour!”

… NYT: “There has never been a Pentagon spouse quite like Jennifer Hegseth. In May she was in camouflage shorts and a sweat-drenched T-shirt that said ‘This Is War’ working out with sailors, Marines and her husband, Pete Hegseth, on the deck of the USSS Boxer in Singapore.”

… “In June she and 6 of the couple’s 7 children accompanied Hegseth to the D-Day commemoration in Normandy, where a DOD promo video with a swelling, cinematic soundtrack captured husband and wife walking arm in arm on Omaha Beach. The imagery seemed to cast her as the first lady of the Pentagon.”

… “Last year Washington got a different view when she was included in a group Signal chat in which Hegseth shared attack plans for US warplanes targeting the Houthis in Yemen. Mrs. Hegseth was for years Mr. Hegseth’s producer at Fox as he built a broadcast career.

… Now, 7 years into their marriage, she is his most influential adviser and his de facto producer at the Pentagon. She has prepped him for appearances, sat in on his meetings with journalists, interviewed potential members of his staff and brainstormed ideas for DOD videos he - and sometimes she - appears in.”

… John Ullyot, who left the Pentagon as chief spokesman after 3 months working under Hegseth: “It’s bonkers that a defense secretary would involve his wife in his sensitive official duties, including sharing details of an impending military operation, and face zero consequences. Any president deserves better judgment from his national security leaders.”

… Sen. Chris Coons, a senior Dem on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: “This is not normal. Secretary Hegseth has one of the highest levels of classification access. He can’t just hand that to his wife and say, ‘Here, honey, hold my beer, and hold my classified information.’”

… WSJ: “The elimination of a futuristic drone battalion is part of a broader ‘back-to-basics’ approach ordered up by Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the acting chief of staff of the Army who is closely aligned with Pete Hegseth. The battalion was a signature initiative of LaNeve’s predecessor, Gen. Randy George, whom Hegseth ousted in April.”

… Cool, cool. We are going back to a military prepared to fight 20th century wars. What could go wrong?

… WaPo: “A FL school board that was at the epicenter of national debates over covid mask mandates and book bans lost its conservative majority this week, a change that some say signals a priority shift among voters. Two Democrat-backed candidates beat out conservatives in the school board election in Sarasota, FL, flipping the board’s majority.”

… “Helmed for the past year by Bridget Zeigler, a co-founder of Moms for Liberty, the board is moving in a new direction, the winners said. A third Democrat-backed candidate will head to a runoff election against a contender endorsed by Republicans in November.”

… Megan Tennimon, a former teacher who won election to the board: “I really think at the end of the day, regardless of political affiliation, our community was just tired of the culture wars, the political theater and being the center of national attention for all the wrong reasons.”

… I lived in Sarasota for 28 years. My kids were born there and still live there. I was involved in many of these fights against Moms for Liberty in 2020-2022 before moving to Maine. Sarasota was once a nearly 50/50 county for many years until a huge influx of Republicans from other states during covid transformed it for the worse. I am very happy for the people there who have risen up to fight back.

… Former Republican Rep. David Jolly, who is now the Democratic nominee for governor in FL, was on CNN and then MS NOW:

• “Byron Donalds says the race is not about Trump because he is running from the president that endorsed him. He didn’t break 50% in his own primary. Donalds is in trouble because Trump is in trouble.”

• “I want to end the culture war not out of a progressive platform, but old school Republican ‘stay out of your life’ platform. Stay out of your bedroom, your doctor’s office, your personal life.”

• “This is a 1974 post-Watergate moment. What is emerging in FL right now is that you don’t have to be a Democrat to vote for a Democrat. My job is to amplify Democratic values and bring in independents and Republicans. I didn’t join the Democratic Party to change it. I joined to the party to grow it. And that is exactly what’s happening on the ground.”

• “Nationally, it completely restructures American politics when a Democrat gets elected in FL. The road to the WH changes dramatically in 2028. We can claw back congressional seats that were just gerrymandered. But more importantly, we let voters reimagine what our politics can look like.”

Yesterday on Uncovered, we led off the show with a deep dive on all angles of the Natalie Harp saga, plus Trump’s lies about the USS Lincoln, his carrier redesign plans, rambling comments about the ballroom, South Korea, Darlene Graham’s debate disaster and lots more! Link to the show is here.

If you missed the last Bulletin, you can find it here.

… Former Clinton aide Keith Boykin talked about Trump-endorsed Darline Graham’s disastrous performance in the SC senate debate: “To me, this is a reflection of the hypocrisy of the lie about meritocracy, the idea that they actually cared about merit. We saw this going back to Sarah Palin, to the president.

… They continue to promote unqualified, incompetent Republican candidates and they stuff them down our throats. Then they complain about black people and other women who happen to be progressive and say that we’re not qualified. It’s a lie. And

Read more

Here are the top stories we’re tracking:

• The Trump-Bessent Treasury intervention has already been wiped out

• Trump threatened Iran and anyone of their trading partners with “Economic D-Day.” If there’s anyone who knows how to destroy an economy, it’s Trump.

• Iran mocked Trump’s announcement and demanded the U.S. leave the region

• Oil and diesel prices continue to surge as Treasury yields climb

• The national debt crossed $40 trillion

• Walmart reported its weakest U.S. sales growth in 6 years

• Trump officials blamed Biden for all the country’s problems, because of course…

• ABC is seeking emergency court protection from the FCC

• The Army eliminated an experimental drone battalion while another unit offered time off to play the new Grand Theft Auto video game

• The FBI seized former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s electronic devices

• A major frozen berry recall

Today’s midday recap is paywall free. If these recaps or our reporting have become an essential part of your day, please consider joining now as a paid subscriber if you haven’t yet. You can also gift memberships. It’s the number one way to support the growth of MeidasTouch and allow us to continue to grow.

Trump’s Treasury Intervention Didn’t Help for Long…

The Treasury Department announced Wednesday it would at least double certain long-term bond buybacks, raising the maximum size of some operations from $2B to at least $4B. I did a special report on the unusual scheme with MeidasTouch Chief Economist Justin Wolfers yesterday explaining this in detail. You can watch it here.

The 10-year Treasury yield initially fell from roughly 4.68% to 4.63%. But within 24 hours, it climbed to about 4.71%, higher than before the announcement. At the same time, the national debt officially crossed a whopping $40 TRILLION, increasing about $2.9T over the past year alone… So naturally, Bessent blamed Biden, declared there was no “magic” about reaching $40T, and insisted America could simply grow its way out of it. In reality, growth remains weak, borrowing costs are elevated, and consumer spending is under stress. Bitcoin’s been surging on the economic turmoil, however. The crypto insiders around Trump continue finding opportunities in the volatility while average Americans absorb higher prices and borrowing costs.

About Trump’s “Economic D-Day”

Yesterday, Trump announced he was launching what he called the most crushing economic operation ever imposed on another country and threatened “tremendous economic consequences” against anyone who provides Iran with a financial or logistical lifeline. So… China? Russia? Yeah, OK. When CNBC asked Bessent whether Trump’s threats apply to China, Iran’s largest economic partner and a major buyer of its oil, he refused to answer. Trump gave few details about what would actually be added to the existing sanctions and blockade campaign. The announcement followed the expiration of the 60-day negotiating window laid out in the MOU as talks remain stalled.

Iran’s been mocking Trump ever since. Foreign Minister Araghchi called out the America’s $40T debt and surging interest costs, called Trump’s announcement a diversion from his economic crisis at home. Deputy Foreign Minister Gharibabadi mocked Trump for claiming Iran is “hanging by a thread” while begging American allies for help. Iranian parliamentary national security chair Azizi warned the U.S. to leave the region. Meanwhile, U.S. crude climbed above $87 a barrel, its highest level since July 24. And wholesale diesel approached $190 a barrel, to near historic territory.

I will give Trump this: if anyone knows how to destroy an economy, it’s him…

Walmart’s Warning

Walmart shares plunged more than 8% after the company reported its weakest U.S. sales growth in 6 years. U.S. sales rose 2.6%, below the ~3.8% analysts expected and down from 4.1% in the previous quarter. Customer traffic growth slowed as consumers cut out discretionary purchases. Walmart also said they expect rising fuel prices to add about $2B in costs above its original expectations.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins responded to questions about beef prices, food affordability, and the effects of Trump’s Iran War on farmers… Her response? Can you guess it? Yes, she blamed… Biden!! Seeing a pattern?

Bessent gave one of the most insane responses to the weak employment data, arguing that the U.S. no longer needs to create as many jobs because of Trump’s deportations. What insane spin! And so if I am following his logic correctly, those immigrants were never taking any American jobs to begin with.

Side note: I’m often asked where I go to do research for my reporting. One of the main research tools I use is called Ground News.

Ground News shows me how stories are being covered from different political perspectives, and it highlights “blindspots” where only left-wing or right-wing media is covering a story.

Ground News has been a great sponsor of our YouTube channel and podcast, and they’re now sponsoring this post as well. I worked out a deal with them: if you go to ground.news/meidastouch, you can get 40% off Ground News’ top-tier Vantage plan, which gives you unlimited access to all the research tools I use.

Ground News is subscriber-funded, so they don’t rely on ads that could introduce bias. By subscribing, you support both our channel and their independent team working to keep the media transparent.

Investigations, Retaliation, Security Concerns + More

ABC and Disney aren’t wasting time. They’ve now asked a federal court for an emergency hearing as they seek a temporary restraining order against FCC Chair Brendan Carr and the commission, accusing Carr of retaliating against ABC over its editorial decisions and political coverage. The filing says the threat of “draconian sanctions” is also causing irreparable harm.

Federal agents have seized the electronic devices belonging to former Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell at San Francisco International Airport and from his DC home as part of a reported sexual misconduct investigation. Swalwell was not detained and has denied the allegations.

Separately, Trump’s “human printer” Natalie Harp reportedly worked in the White House for over a year without completing standard security clearance processes, per MS NOW. The White House says she now holds the proper clearance.

Hegseth’s Doing What?

The Army is phasing out a 600-soldier experimental drone-assault battalion in Europe and returning its troops to conventional infantry roles, per the WSJ. The unit was created to incorporate lessons from Ukraine’s expertise in drone warfare. Defense experts are warning that reversing the initiative could be dangerous, and leave the U.S. unprepared for the ways that war is being fought in the modern era.

But, at least the troops get to play video games! At Fort Stewart, Georgia, an Army battalion is offering eligible soldiers a 4-day pass timed to the release of Grand Theft Auto VI if they reenlist for 2-6 years. More via Meidas News.

A Few More Things

Darlene Graham, Trump’s pick for her late brother’s Senate seat, is still trying to recover from a huge gaffe during a debate when she admitted that national security is not at all her expertise when asked about Taiwan and the South China Sea. On Fox News, she said that South Carolinians were far more concerned about transgender athletes than national security. Huh?

Israel Defense Minister Katz warned Turkish President Erdogan against testing Israel’s military resolve in Syria as tensions continue to escalate and the Netanyahu government expands its military operations across the region.

The FDA upgraded a recall of GreenWise organic frozen blueberries and mixed berries to its most serious risk category, noting they may contain E. coli. Twelve illnesses and 4 hospitalizations have been reported. Here’s a list of the government recalls and alerts in Trump’s second term:

All this chaos is why my brothers and I wrote WTF America. The book is available for preorder now. I hope you consider snagging your copy today, and if you do, let me know in the comments. It tells the story of how we got to this moment, and more importantly, how we fight our way back.

That’s it for now. Much more to come. Remember to join as a paid subscriber if you haven’t yet. Thanks as always, and shoutout to the Meidas Mighty!

Leave a comment

Give a gift subscription

Subscribe now

Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, told MeidasTouch co-founder Ben Meiselas that the first lady is among the people Democrats want to question as they prepare for potentially sweeping investigations should they take control of the committee after the midterms.

Garcia specifically pointed to Melania Trump’s past connections to figures in Epstein’s orbit and her own public comments surrounding the controversy.

“Melania clearly has information,” Garcia said. “There’s a lot of speculation about who knew who when, who was introduced to who and how, when and how. And so I think those are valid questions.”

Garcia argued that Republicans themselves established precedent for congressional investigators questioning presidential relatives, pointing to their treatment of Hunter Biden as well as congressional scrutiny involving Bill and Hillary Clinton.

And Melania is only be the beginning.

“We have to speak to the Trump family,” Garcia told Meiselas later in the interview. He said Democrats intend to investigate potential conflicts and financial dealings involving crypto, foreign investments, real estate transactions and other activity connected to Trump and members of his family.

Garcia also said Democrats are already preparing public hearings on the Epstein files if they win the majority, noting that the Republican-controlled committee has held no public hearings on the matter.

“There have been zero public hearings. Zero,” Garcia said. “We’re planning all that out right now.”

Those investigations could trigger major legal confrontations with the Trump administration. Garcia said Democrats are preparing to use subpoenas, contempt proceedings and the courts if witnesses refuse to cooperate.

“We’re going to do whatever it takes,” Garcia said. “Use every single power that we have, the courts, the Congress, contempt, to ensure that they answer questions on behalf of the American public.”

Watch Ben’s full interview with Rep. Robert Garcia above as he discusses Melania Trump, the Epstein investigation, potential Trump family subpoenas and the oversight battles Democrats are already preparing for if they retake the House.

Quick note: if you haven’t yet, join now as a paid subscriber to support our work. You can also make a one-time contribution here.

Leave a comment

Give a gift subscription

Subscribe now

With his threatened 50 percent tariffs on certain Canadian goods set to take effect, Trump announced that he was postponing them for three days, claiming that the United States and Canada, “subject to finalization of documents, have a deal.”

But Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s statement was notably more cautious. Carney said “substantial progress has been made,” while stressing that “important work” remains and describing the negotiations as ongoing. Canada’s chief trade negotiator, Dominic LeBlanc, similarly said the two countries were still working toward a “finalized agreement.”

So what actually happened?

Ben Meiselas sat down with former Canadian Member of Parliament and Meidas Canada host Charlie Angus to break down Trump’s claims, the reaction inside Canada, and what could come next.

Angus says Canadians have learned not to take Trump’s declarations at face value and are waiting to see the actual details before declaring anything a victory.

“If you go into any coffee shop in Canada today, they’ll say, ‘whatever,’” Angus told Ben. “We don’t trust anything that guy says. It’ll be what it’ll be. Show us the details.”

The conversation also turns to the larger shift underway in Canada as the country moves to become less economically dependent on the United States, including a massive new Canadian energy agreement announced as Trump was touting his supposed trade victory.

And Angus gives an update on the rapidly growing Canadian petition seeking to have U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra declared persona non grata. Angus said more than a quarter-million Canadians have already signed, with the petition remaining open until November.

Watch Ben’s full conversation with Charlie Angus above and remember to join as a paid subscriber if you haven’t yet to support independent media.

Give a gift subscription

Share

Platypus Economics

Economics. Explained. Clearly.

By Justin Wolfers

The Treasury announced it is at least doubling the size of certain long-term government debt buyback operations, from $2 billion to $4 billion per operation. The announcement came as long-term Treasury yields had been surging.

Wolfers explains that the bigger story is America’s rapidly growing debt and unusually large budget deficits. As the federal government competes for enormous amounts of borrowed money, interest rates can rise across the economy, potentially making mortgages, car loans and credit card debt even more expensive for everyday Americans.

As for the Treasury’s latest intervention, Wolfers says there are two possible explanations. It could simply be a technical effort to keep parts of the Treasury market functioning smoothly, something that would normally attract little attention. Or the administration could be using the program more aggressively to try to push down long-term interest rates as markets send warning signals about America’s fiscal trajectory.

Right now, Wolfers says, we don’t know which explanation is correct. And that uncertainty is itself part of the problem.

Watch Ben’s full conversation with Justin Wolfers above as they break down what is happening in the bond market, why it matters, and what Americans should be watching next.

Subscribe to the Meidas+ Substack for more reporting, daily news bulletins, interviews, ad-free podcasts, and much more.

Leave a comment

Share

It’s Wednesday, August 19th. Trump’s been rambling outside like a lunatic about drone ports, grass, and other nonsense. Let me try to cut through the noise and bring you the latest news. As a reminder, remember to preorder our book WTF America and let us know if you did in the comments!

Here are the top stories:

• Trump gave reporters a bizarre tour of the White House grounds, obsessing over his ballroom, “drone-proof” roof, bomb shelters, cocktails, grass, and hyping a company that donated to his campaign

• Trump called the disastrous situation in Iran “so good”

• Trump faces a triple humiliation in yesterday’s elections… We break down the biggest stories out of Tuesday night

• Treasury dramatically expanded some long-term debt buybacks as yields remain under pressure

• Trump says he expects to meet Kim Jong Un this year, while Kim’s own sister says she knows of no recent communication between the two

• China’s completed the first stage of a nearly 6KM artificial island in the disputed South China Sea

• Some very bizarre new stories about the Trump-Natalie Harp relationship

• And in very good news: Merck and Moderna announced a positive Phase 3 trial for personalized mRNA cancer treatment in high-risk melanoma patients

Quick note before we get into all of this: We put these updates together so you can cut through the noise and quickly understand what actually matters each day. If that’s valuable to you, become a paid subscriber to Meidas+ if you haven’t yet and help us keep this independent operation growing.

You’ll unlock the full update below, including all the stories we’re tracking this afternoon.

Read more

Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says he is seeing signs on the ground that Donald Trump’s political grip is weakening in one of the most closely watched battleground states in the country.

Cooper, who is running for North Carolina’s open U.S. Senate seat, told MeidasTouch co-founder Ben Meiselas that voters he encounters across the state are increasingly frustrated with a Trump regime that promised to bring down costs but has instead left families struggling with higher bills.

“When the president and his administration promised that cost of living will be the day one focus, people are saying, hey, they haven’t done anything, and in fact, they’ve made it worse,” Cooper said.

Cooper pointed to rising utility, housing and grocery costs, while also taking aim at Trump’s war in Iran, which he said has added another financial burden on Americans after Trump campaigned against dragging the country into new foreign conflicts.

“This war has no strategy,” Cooper said, adding that military families he has spoken with are worried about loved ones deployed overseas. “The costs of this war, not only in lives, but in the cost of gas and groceries and utilities that people are facing,” are mounting, he said.

But Cooper said something else has stood out as he travels North Carolina: people who have never previously attended political events are suddenly showing up.

“There is hardly a political event that I have been to this entire campaign where someone hasn’t come up to me and said, this is the first political event I’ve ever been to in my life,” Cooper said.

He said those voters include Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated North Carolinians who are frustrated with Washington and looking for a way to push back.

“They’re there because they want to make a difference,” Cooper said. “They’re there because they believe that we should have the checks and balances that the framers of the Constitution intended.”

Cooper also hammered the Trump regime over a government increasingly focused on wealthy interests rather than working families.

Voters, he said, “want people in power who will pay attention to them, and not the billionaires and corporations that we’re seeing time and time and time again from this administration.”

“And I think all of the corruption that is occurring throughout Washington, DC,” Cooper added. “They were going to drain the swamp. It’s deeper than ever.”

The stakes are particularly high in North Carolina, where Cooper is running against Republican Michael Whatley for a Senate seat that has remained in Republican hands since 2008.

“My opponent, Michael Whatley, will do and say whatever this president tells him to do and say, regardless of whether it’s good for the people of North Carolina,” Cooper said.

While acknowledging that Trump still maintains support in the state, Cooper argued that even some Trump voters may ultimately want a senator willing to challenge the president.

“I think that they are, at the end of the day, going to want an independent senator who is not afraid to stand up to him,” he said.

Republicans appear prepared to spend heavily to stop him.

Cooper said nearly $100 million in advertising had already been reserved against him by outside Republican groups, with additional spending expected from Trump-aligned organizations.

“We expect a lot more,” Cooper said. “We expect a lot from Donald Trump’s PAC.”

The former governor also unloaded on Whatley over his decision, while serving as chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, to appoint Harvey Lee West Jr. to a party position.

Cooper said West had been convicted of molesting children, served six years in prison and was on the sex offender registry when Whatley later appointed him to a position within the state party.

“Michael Whatley appointed him to an important position because the guy could raise money,” Cooper said, adding that Republicans within the state party objected to the decision at the time.

Cooper accused Whatley of hypocrisy for campaigning as tough on crime while having made that appointment.

“This is the kind of thing that we’re dealing with here, people who pretend to be tough on crime,” Cooper said. “Yet when it comes to politics, they want to protect people who are child predators.”

In his closing pitch, Cooper returned to the kitchen-table issues he believes could ultimately decide the race.

He described conversations with a Wake County teacher changing how she shops because of grocery prices, a mother worried about losing Medicaid coverage for her daughter with cerebral palsy, farmers squeezed by higher equipment and fuel costs, and families considering leaving the workforce because child care has become unaffordable.

Cooper framed the Senate election as something bigger than a traditional partisan contest.

“This race is going to get very close at the end. It always does in North Carolina. And a few votes can matter,” he said.

“It matters because we need a course correction for this country,” Cooper added. “We all need to look within ourselves as to what we can do to make sure we leave a better country to our children and grandchildren and future generations.”

Watch Ben’s interview with Roy Cooper above, and listen to more interviews on the MeidasTouch Podcast.

Preorder our new book WTF America here.

• “Remember the president promised to bring down prices on day one? What’s the other promise he made? He said he wouldn’t take us to war. I would ask the president’s few remaining supporters to contrast his promises with the results you have been delivered and to vote accordingly.”

• “Over these next 3 months we face what for many of us is the most profound civic obligation of our lifetimes. And on election night, when you start to see the results come in, I know that you don’t want to be asking yourselves what more you might have done.”

• “The first thing that I want you to hear from me is that I’m your servant. I work for you. You are the boss. And whenever and however I can be of service to you, I want you to reach out to me and let me know. Because my fundamental purpose in this office is to support you and help you and solve problems for you so that you and your families and this community can flourish.”

• “Brian Kemp was right about Mike Collins. Remember how hard the governor worked to prevent this guy from getting the Republican nomination? Coach Dooley would’ve been an honorable opponent, not a sitting congressman who is surrounded at work and at home by neo-Nazi ideology and white nationalism.”

• “Because I don’t think anything illustrates the times more aptly than that the draft-dodging crook president who has plunged our nation recklessly into a war he knows not how to end or to win tried to imprison this man who embodies American heroism: a decorated combat veteran, naval aviator, astronaut, space shuttle commander, US senator. Trump tried to lock him up for daring to state in public a fundamental principle of military law.”

… Sen. Mark Kelly:

• “Trump said I should be hanged, executed, and prosecuted. The guy couldn’t even get the order right.”

• “It is not only Mike Collins. You see this in Texas with Ken Paxton. Another person who has no business running for the Senate, who was impeached by his own party because of corruption. So how did this happen? I think it happens when the country elects a man convicted of 34 felonies.”

… As Republicans were screaming for an apology from Ossoff for his Natalie Harp comment at a rally this weekend, he went on MS NOW where he was asked about it by host Jen Psaki:

• “We’re in wartime. The commander in chief has mired us in this geopolitical disaster. People have lost their lives. Our naval logistics are frayed. The global energy system is in crisis. And he retreats into this bubble of West Wing aides who are his security blanket to make him feel good about himself, to reassure him that he’s doing a great job, to help him while he designs his new ballroom.”

• “They have treated the lives of our service members as pawns in a geopolitical game in which they are in way over their head. And this debacle, this fiasco, this fundamental failure of the basic obligations of the commander in chief is something that will define Trump’s life, presidency and legacy for all time. And they know that. And that’s why they’re lashing out in this way.”

• Psaki: “The reason I asked about Natalie Harp is because it’s kind of raised this question out there. More questions about her. You specifically mentioned her, and I just wonder why? Ossoff: Well, I’ve heard this particular aide referred to as his security blanket. And I think we could say that about any number of the senior aides in the WH. They’re not telling him what he needs to hear. They’re telling him what he wants to hear.”

• “Those sailors out on the Lincoln, they do their jobs with excellence and dedication every single day. They didn’t sign up for luxury. They signed up to defend the country. And the president, surrounded by enablers in the West Wing, is playing golf, is trading stock, and is decorating his ballroom. It’s a disgrace.”

… Politico: “GA Democrats and others who have worked with Ossoff - or seen him behind-the-scenes - say he is meticulous about how he communicates and oversees all the details of his campaign’s work. Michael Vainisi, a content strategist who has worked with Democratic presidents and senators in the past, described Ossoff’s speeches as ‘optimized for clipping.’”

… “Ossoff’s speech over the weekend was no exception: From a Midtown Atlanta rally stage, he quipped of Trump, ‘He doesn’t want to do the job. He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace, gifted by the Emir of Qatar.’ He was referencing Natalie Harp, the president’s executive assistant.”

… “The one-liner has since drawn backlash from Republicans - but also over 5 million views on X.”

… Sarah Matthews, former Trump Dep. press secretary, on CNN: “They tried to get Harp to not stay at Bedminster that summer while they were on the campaign trail, because even campaign staff recognized that it was a weird relationship between the two. So what did Natalie Harp do? She found a workaround. She stayed in the women’s locker room all summer long. So I think that it’s fair to point out the sycophancy of her in particular, and their close relationship.”

… Miami Herald: “Michael Caruso, a former state legislator whom Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed as Palm Beach County’s clerk of courts and comptroller, was arrested early Tuesday morning on allegations of molesting a child. The 67-year-old Republican is running for re-election in Nov to retain the top county post that DeSantis appointed him to last August. No other Republican is contesting him.”

… Florida Politics: “Palm Beach County Clerk Mike Caruso, a former state rep. and steady ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis, has been arrested on charges related to child sexual abuse. DeSantis suspended Caruso shortly after. Caruso has been charged with 5 felony counts: Kidnapping, lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious exhibition, luring or enticing a child, and child abuse.”

… “The victim was Caruso’s grandson, to whom Caruso “enjoyed regular and unsupervised access as a family member, including periods alone with the child in Orange County, in Palm Beach County, and aboard a family vacation in August 2025.”

… “Caruso has been a consistent supporter of the Governor, who appointed Caruso as Clerk exactly one year ago, on Aug. 18. He was running for re-election at the time of his arrest. Caruso represented House District 87 from 2018-2025, when the Governor tapped him to replace former Clerk Joe Abruzzo, who vacated the post for a job as Palm Beach County Administrator.”

… “A father of 7, Caruso is married to Tracy Caruso, an editor for conservative media outlet Florida Jolt. Caruso’s previous wife, Beverly, the mother of all his children, accused him of sexually assaulting a child, according to 2012 divorce filings in Palm Beach County. Caruso denied wrongdoing.”

… This keeps happening with “Christian conservatives.”

… NOTUS: “Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico’s campaign hired a staffer from Republican Sen. John Cornyn. Jacob Smith, who worked for Cornyn for 5 years as a deputy legislative director and policy adviser, is taking on the role of deputy policy director for Talarico’s campaign.”

… Smith: “I’ve worked for Republicans like Senator Cornyn my entire career, but this year I’m proud to be joining James Talarico’s campaign. Instead of playing partisan politics, Talarico speaks to the needs of everyday people who day in and day out work too hard for too little. In the Senate, James will fight to lower costs for all 31 million Texans, whether they’re Republicans, Democrats, or independents, so that Texans of all ages have a fighting chance at the American Dream of starting a family, owning a home, and leaving a little behind for their children.”

… “Ken Paxton is the most corrupt, self-dealing politician in Texas who would sell their futures to the highest contributor just to hold onto power. I’m encouraging all my fellow Republicans who know Ken Paxton is unfit to serve in the Senate to finally hold him accountable at the ballot box.”

… Fox senior political analyst Karl Rove, who is from TX, was asked about the race:

• Host: ”James Talarico making this concentrated effort against Ken Paxton. Paxton is not raising as much money as he should. Maybe not on the campaign trail as much as he could be and pummeled by negative ads. So is that a true toss-up?”

• Rove: “I think it is. The state is Republican in nature. But this is an unusual race. You are right, Talarico had over $70 million raised and Paxton had $9 million plus. The week before the Fourth of July, Paxton was in Iceland with his new girlfriend. On July 4th, a day where he could be campaigning at Fourth of July celebrations all across TX, he was in London.”

• “So he needs to get out on the campaign trail and he is not going to change as a fundraiser. So this is going to be one that will depend mightily upon the decision of Trump to spend or not spend the half a billion plus dollars that he has in his two super PACs. If he does spend he can even it up. If he doesn’t spend this could be a really bad night for Republicans in TX.”

… CNN pollster Harry Enten on the new Reuters/IPSOS poll: Enten: “Trump net approval hits a term two low, 31 points underwater. At the beginning of term two he was at +6 points. Now he’s 37 points from where he was. Trump was unpopular going into the midterms during his first presidency, but not anywhere as unpopular as this - he’s doing 19 points worse.”

… Economist Philip Pilkington: “It has been 18 days since the US Treasury undertook an all-hands-on-deck bailout of the yen. The intervention has now been completely wiped out and the Japanese are going to start considering liquidating US Treasuries to get the situation under control.”

… Scott Bessent was a currency trader for decades in the private sector, now he is currency trading with our money. When does all the winning start?

Reminder there is no Bulletin tomorrow because I do my podcast Uncovered, where we do a deep dive into the top stories of the week. If you missed yesterday’s Bulletin, you can find it here.

Thank you to everyone who subscribes to this Bulletin and all the other work from the contributors at Meidas. Without your support, we wouldn’t be able to do this.

… Deadline: “ABC filed an unprecedented First Amendment lawsuit against the FCC on Tuesday, claiming that its investigations and regulatory actions are part of a Trump admin ‘retaliatory campaign’ to curb the network’s free speech. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in DC, also seeks to halt a proceeding in which the agency and its chairman, Brendan Carr, demanded that it put its 8 stations up for early license renewal. That followed Trump‘s attacks on the network, including its late night host, Jimmy Kimmel.”

… ABC: “Acting through the FCC, the Admin has waged a retaliatory campaign against ABC for a single reason: it disapproves of what ABC broadcasts.”

… “The lawsuit is heavy in references to Trump’s attacks on the network and calls for its to lose its licenses, including his complaints over the way that ABC News

Read more

Also, a quick reminder that the MeidasTouch Podcast with me and my brothers is up now wherever you find audio podcasts. Remember to give it a listen, and check to make sure you’re still subscribed — we’ve received lots of emails from folks saying their apps, like Apple Podcasts, have unsubscribed them recently. It’s free and takes 2 seconds to check.

Ok, today’s top stories:

• Iran says again that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until sanctions are lifted, frozen assets are released, the blockade ends, and military operations stop

• Trump claims the Strait is “open and operating” while posting fictional AI-generated images declaring it “NEW U.S. Territory”

• The UAE reportedly detected two ballistic missiles from Iran

• The AP shines new light on Trump’s recent threat to bomb Oman

• The Pentagon is considering a smaller U.S. military presence in the Gulf after the war (whenever that is), after Iran destroyed U.S. military bases, per WaPo

• ABC is suing the Trump regime due to the FCC’s retaliation against the network

• Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit South Korea this week for his first official visit there in 5 years, per Reuters

• Former Florida Republican State Rep. Mike Caruso, a DeSantis ally, has been arrested on child sexual abuse charges

• Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich publicly attacks the Palestinian authority and pushes back on Trump’s Gaza plans

• Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke is blaming foreign adversaries for people’s criticis over AI data centers

Before we dive deeper, remember to preorder our new book WTF America if you haven’t yet! Our publisher tells us preorders are super important, and we’d love to keep the momentum going and get a sense of which cities we should visit soon.

Also, if you haven’t yet, consider becoming a paid subscriber now. You’ll not only get access to everything we do here on the Meidas+ Substack, but you’ll also be supporting independent media at a time when it’s needed most.

Let’s get to the news.

Read more

Subscribe now

You can also listen to the episode free on podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and anywhere else podcasts are found.

Pre-order the new book from MeidasTouch, WTF America?!: The Way Out of This Hell and Back to Democracy, by clicking here.

Read more

Now let’s get into today’s show.

Read more

… The first question was based on a report early this morning on Fox from Trey Yingst: “I just got off the phone with Trump. The president told Fox that Iran should raise the white flag of surrender. The president said that if Oman gets in the way, ‘we’ll bomb the shit out of them’.”

• Q - “You said you would ‘bomb the shit out of Oman’ if they got in the way of reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Would you say you're out of patience with Oman, a strategic partner? Trump: I don't think they behaved very well, but we'll handled them very easily just like we do other things.”

• Q - “Jon Ossoff said you'd rather travel with your aide Natalie Harp and build the ballroom than do your job as president. What is your response? Trump: Who said that? You mean the Pee-Wee Herman look-alike?”

• Q - What about conditions on the USS Lincoln? Trump: You’re fake news. Be quiet, be quiet, be quiet, be quiet. You are a fake reporter and you report fake news.”

… It was a female reporter, of course. He then called on another reporter who asked him the same question, so he answered it this time.

• “It was a fake report. A retired Admiral came up to me over the weekend and said that he knows people on the Lincoln and they say it’s beautifully maintained and taken care of.”

… With tears in his eyes.

• Q - “You said you would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz to be a territory of the US. Could you elaborate? Trump: I think it’s a great idea. We control it with a blockade. I like the idea of declaring it a territory. We have total control over the strait.”

• “People who oppose the ballroom are disloyal to the country. When I was in China, we went to the Great Hall of China. It was this big, beautiful building, and we don’t have anything like that.”

… Make America China.

• Q - “How do you respond to folks who say you are prioritizing the interest of our adversaries in N. Korea over our ally S. Korea? Trump: Kim Jong Un has always treated me with great respect. I understand him, he understands me. He didn’t like Biden or Obama or anybody but he likes me.”

• “S. Korea has been protected by us for many, many years. I called the president of S. Korea recently and I said, ‘Would you like to give us a little hand?’ We don’t need help with Iran, but if you’d like, give us a hand with Iran. He said, ‘No, thanks.’ We can't go around and protect all of these countries, especially when they're not there to help us.”

… Meaghan Mobbs, Director of the Center for American Safety & Security: “N. Korea may be behaving respectfully toward Trump personally, but it is not behaving like an unthreatening state. Pyongyang is actively helping Russia wage war in Europe by providing ballistic missiles, ammunition and troops and gaining battlefield experience and potentially military technology in return. It also has a long history of missile cooperation with Iran.”

… “My concern is that personal rapport with Kim cannot become a substitute for assessing N. Korea by its behavior. Diplomacy with N. Korea is appropriate, but reducing military readiness without getting something meaningful in return is just giving away leverage. These exercises are how we maintain deterrence and our ability to fight alongside one of our most important Indo-Pacific allies.”

… “If scaling them back produces meaningful concessions from Pyongyang, that can be smart leverage. However, as our adversaries are increasingly helping one another, weakening exercises with one of our most important Indo-Pacific allies sends a very worrying message.”

… Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC): “S. Korea has been a solid military ally for over 70 years that possesses exquisite military capabilities. Reducing joint exercises with S. Korea does nothing more than free up thousands of N. Korea’s troops to support Putin’s systematic kidnapping, torture, rape, and murder of innocent Ukrainian citizens.”

… Daily Mail: “Trump is facing ridicule about his close relationship with his personal aide Natalie Harp, while Melania Trump has shrunk away from the public eye. Harp was among the handful of aides chosen to accompany the president as he secretly fled Air Force One amid an Iranian assassination threat in Turkey back in July.”

… “Sources have told the Daily Mail that Harp is Trump’s closest aide, often dubbing her his ‘connective tissue’ with some pointing out that she has more access to the president than even his chief of staff Susie Wiles. Natalie is also known as his ‘human printer’ for her habit of sharing printed copies of articles and social media posts that the president wants to read. There’s rarely an event or trip where she’s not glued closely to his side.”

… “Now Harp’s close relationship with the president is being mocked, as her stardom is back in the spotlight. Sen. Jon Ossoff ridiculed Trump during a rally in GA over his relationship with the young aide. Scrutiny over Harp's closeness to Trump comes as Melania has done about half as many events in Trump's second term compared to his first. She did not attend Lindsey Graham’s funeral, the WH Correspondents’ dinner, or the July 22 dignified transfer of four fallen US service members.”

… “Harp, meanwhile, was spotted at Trump’s side this weekend as the duo shook hands with supporters at the president’s Bedminster golf club in NJ. Harp was one of only a handful of aides Trump kept beside him last month when he slipped off Air Force One in Turkey and boarded a decoy military jet.”

… “Harp’s grip on the president was laid bare in June by NYT reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan in their book Regime Change. The authors reported that Harp left private notes for Trump in his personal spaces, one of which read: ‘You are all that matters to me.’ Swan said the letters were strange enough to draw the attention of the Secret Service, and the disclosure reportedly stunned Susie Wiles. They also quote Trump telling staff that Harp loved him as much as his wife and children did.”

… My favorite posts right now are snowflake Trump supporters, of all people, crying about Ossoff’s line about Natalie Harp. Here’s a couple:

• WH Comms Director Steve Cheung: “Jon Jackoff has to be the biggest cuck loser in politics. Instead of denigrating hard working people serving their country, Jon should look deep into his soul and ask himself why he’s a miserable person who hates this country. It’s because he’s a radical, extremist Dumocrat.”

• Scott Jennings: “This is quite a message for the Democratic Party to send to young women working in politics. Party of women? Pretty ugly stuff.”

… CNN: “Democrats have struggled for years to land disqualifying arguments against Trump. Their past warnings that US democracy was in peril often seemed rather esoteric to people struggling to afford gas and groceries. Jon Ossoff is providing something that the party has lacked: abrasive, robust language and framing that can be borrowed by other candidates to weave Trump’s vulnerabilities into a positive case for their own campaigns.”

… “This is one reason a senator with a strong record of winning in the conservative South and among Black voters — a critical Democratic constituency — is drawing talk of a possible 2028 run for president. First, however, he must try to win reelection.”

… Ossoff is also showing how Democrats can pin down their individual opponents by linking them to Trump’s record. He slammed his opponent, Rep. Mike Collins, whom Trump jammed onto the ballot despite the objections of state leaders: “GA deserves better — better than pro-war, pro-tariff, pro-cutting your healthcare Trump puppet Mike Collins, and America deserves better than Trump.”

… Politico: “Sen. Mark Kelly is no stranger to launches, and now the former astronaut is all but plotting one for a 2028 presidential bid. Kelly is showering the Democratic Party apparatus with money to the tune of $10 million raised or contributed, leveraging his status as an enemy of Trump and Pete Hegseth with $25 million in the bank to build a wealth of political capital.”

… “Now, he’s touching down on campaign ground today in GA alongside his wife and former Rep. Gabby Giffords for a 3-day swing to stump for Ossoff, to whom he’s already contributed over $400,000. The duo will head to the Columbus area for a meet-and-greet and discussion with voters about affordability, and a canvass kickoff with volunteers.”

… Kelly was asked if this could be a preview of an Ossoff-Kelly 2028 Democratic ticket. Kelly responded: “Hey, why’d you put it in that order?”

… There, he headlined the annual Wing Ding to a sellout crowd of 750 - the biggest attendance since 2019 - and hooped with Senate candidate Josh Turek at the State Fair, where he also flipped pork chops and ate a pork chop on a stick, a lobster roll and an apple egg roll.”

… Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) was asked on MS NOW about conditions for sailors on the Lincoln: “I think it’s important not to Monday morning quarterback on one story or another. If you look at our military, you have to recognize the damage that was caused by the previous admin. Host: Obviously the president has been in office for nearly two years. Some could argue these should be his responsibilities at this point.”

… Sen. Mark Kelly: “The president has spent a good portion of his adult life sitting on gold toilets and doesn’t know what hardship is, and doesn’t understand our service members. In fact, it’s insulting what he said - that the deployment wasn’t long enough. He doesn’t know sacrifice.”

… Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) was asked on Fox about conditions aboard the Lincoln: “These ‘reports’ are just that. I haven’t heard anything personally. I trust the Navy. I don’t make much of it, to be honest.”

… CNN pollster Harry Enten: “Hispanic men on Trump - in 2024 he won by 10 points. Look now where his net approval is - minus 41 points! That is a 51 point switcheroo against the president - these numbers are bonkers!”

The Ask the Editor podcast should be out later tonight. A bunch of really great questions this week that made it difficult to choose just 5. These were the 5 that I answered on the show:

• What are the implications of Trump’s new S. Korea policy and what could be some of the reasons for his hostility?

• Talk about the Republican reactions to Ossoff’s comment about Natalie Harp.

• What are the implications of Trump’s crypto company getting govt approval to operate as bank and what can be done to stop it?

• Who do you think will be the next WH press secretary?

• What happens to the money left in Trump’s Super PAC if he doesn’t spend it on the midterms?

If you missed yesterday’s Bulletin, you can find it here.

… The New Republic: “Left-wing Twitch streamer Hasan Piker appears to be gearing up to sue conservative commentator Scott Jennings for defamation. Jennings went viral last week after posting a heavily edited, intentionally misleading video of what looked like Piker expressing extreme hostility towards Black voters and calling for lynchings. With the full context, it is obvious that Piker was being sarcastic.”

… Jennings on his podcast: “Black voters have been voting against the socialists, only to be ruled in many cases by privileged white commies. Did you ever notice, by the way, how violent these people are? Now El-Sayed’s best friend is out there calling for Black voters to be lynched. Beneath all the smiles and dancing videos, there’s nothing but hate and violence in the heart of these Communists.”

… As Snopes reported, Jennings lied when he claimed that Piker wanted to bringing back lynchings, as “Piker’s remarks on lynchings were sarcastic reactions to a user’s

Read more

Hi all, Ben here. I hope you all had a nice weekend. It’s Monday and there is A LOT happening.

Before I dive in, I want to make sure everyone is subscribed to the MeidasTouch Podcast on your favorite audio podcast platforms, like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. We’ve recently received some emails from folks saying their podcast apps had erroneously unsubscribed them from the show, so make sure to check now. It’s free and only takes about 2 seconds, and brings you a ton of free reporting.

OK, top stories:

• Iran threatens to go “fully offensive” in the Strait of Hormuz if diplomacy fails

• Iran’s secret escalation plan includes a possible strike on undersea internet cables, a ground raid into Kuwait, and more, per WSJ

• The IRGC flatly denies Trump’s claim of a backchannel, calling it his “delusions and nightmares”

• Trump tells Fox he’ll “bomb the shit” out of Oman…We’ve heard these threats before

• Congressional Republicans wave away concerns about depleted US stockpiles and dire conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln

• NORTHCOM’s deputy commander warns the US can’t defend against a drone swarm on American soil

• Marjorie Taylor Greene says nuclear weapons against Iran are being discussed by the Trump regime

• Recent remarks from Israeli leadership

• Secret Russian drone bases within striking distance of NATO

• Legal news on the ballroom front and in the E. Jean Carroll case

• And more…

If you haven’t yet, consider becoming a paid subscriber now. You’ll not only get access to everything we do here on the Meidas+ Substack, but you’ll also be supporting independent media at a time when it’s needed most.

Here we go.

Read more