The MeidasTouch Podcast - Meidastouch Full Podcast 1926

Episode Date: January 11, 2026

On this episode of the MeidasTouch Podcast, Ben, Brett, and Jordy break down the Trump regime’s accelerating propaganda blitz following the ICE murder of 37-year-old Renee Good in Minneapolis, as pr...otests spread nationwide. We cover the regime’s bizarre new building project floated for the White House, the growing uprising in Iran against the Ayatollah, and the escalating chaos in Venezuela where even major oil companies are rejecting Trump’s false claims. We also take you to our MeidasTouch D.C. bureau for on-the-ground reporting, examine NYC Mayor Mamdani’s newly announced expansion of universal childcare, and more. Subscribe to Meidas+ at https://meidasplus.com Get Meidas Merch: https://store.meidastouch.com Deals from our sponsors!  Harry’s Razors: Our listeners get  Harry’s Trial Set for only $8 + a Free Gift at https://www.Harrys.com/MEIDAS.  #harryspod Armra: Go to https://armra.com/MEIDAS or enter MEIDAS to get 30% off your first subscription order! Smalls: Head to https://Smalls.com/MEIDAS and use promo code MEIDAS at checkout for 60% off your first order PLUS free shipping! L-Nutra Prolon: Just in time for the new year, Prolon is offering MEIDAS listeners 15% OFF their 5-day nutrition program for your post-holiday glow-up when you go to https://prolonlife.com/meidas Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum with Dr. Steve Hassan: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:46 BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. Donald Trump was humiliated twice today in the United States Congress, first in the Senate where a war powers act was introduced and passed on a bipartisan basis to prevent Trump from engaging in further military action in Venezuela without the approval of Congress. This now moves on to one more vote, one more hurdle that needs to take place, at least in the Senate. We'll break down what's going on there. Then Donald Trump was embarrassed in the House of Representatives where a vote to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies passed with 17.
Starting point is 00:01:26 Republicans defecting and joining the Democrats to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies. It's still expected to fail in the Senate where MAGA Republicans do not want Americans to have health care or it will be vetoed by Donald Trump. For Trump and the MAGA Republicans, the only subsidies they would like to see, apparently, are their billionaire oligarchs and the oil companies getting subsidies in order to go into Venezuela? We will cover that as well. For every action, there are consequences. And as Donald Trump has decided that the world should be spheres of influence with America rejecting the former global world order, and that Trump will have the West and Russia should have all of Europe and Asia should be controlled by China. We're now seeing LeViv under attack in Ukraine. That's the western city in Ukraine. Russia is launching a major ballistic missile strike all across Ukraine right now. And I believe, that that is related to Donald Trump's invasion of Venezuela, with Putin basically saying, all right, I guess I have the green light to escalate now based on the United States,
Starting point is 00:02:37 positions of spheres of influence in the United States degrading NATO. Speaking about NATO and the former allies that the United States had, we've now seen Greenland through Denmark and through its own prime minister in Greenland issue powerful responses to the Trump regimes. a consistent drumbeat of war to invade Greenland. There was reporting earlier in the day. And now what the Trump regime is trying to do is like a hostile shareholder takeover of Greenland offering to buy secession from people who live in Greenland for between $10,000
Starting point is 00:03:15 and $100,000. And if ultimately they refuse to accept the money from America, then all options remain on the table, including invasion. In response, France and Germany and others in Europe have devised potential war plans of how to respond in the event United States invades Greenland, what a war against the United States would look like and how that would be managed. We should also talk about the murder that took place in Minneapolis in cold blood by ICE agents against Renee Nicole Good. Say her name, Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, 37 years old. She had stuffed animals in her glove compartment, according to her ex-husband. She had moved recently from Colorado to Minneapolis because she viewed it as a city of love.
Starting point is 00:04:13 She's described as just an incredible all-around person, a loving mother who just wanted to be in a city that embraced her love and embraced her decision for inclusiveness. And then ICE invades Minneapolis. She was described as picking up her children from school when the ice invasion took place. And then we can clearly see in the video that it was the ICE agents terrorizing the communities that murdered in cold blood, Renee Nicole Good. We're getting the name of the officer as well, Jonathan Ross.
Starting point is 00:04:49 And then the aftermath, the disgusting response by the Trump regime. calling Renee Nicole Good, a domestic terrorist, saying that she used her car as a weapon of terror. And we all saw the video with our own eyes, but yet another Putin-esque dystopian propaganda machine tactic by this Trump regime. The Trump regime is also now saying that they may do renovations to the West Wing. They have this new architect who said, now to build symmetry with the East Wing that's been demolished and the 90,000 square foot ballroom there. We're going to have to change the West Wing. So these are the priorities of the Trump regime.
Starting point is 00:05:28 There are protests breaking out in Iran right now as well. I just want to cover that. And we should talk about how the Midas Touch Network has launched a Washington DC Bureau. We've got reporters on Capitol Hill. Pablo Monriquez has joined the Midas Touch Network and has helped get us this exclusive footage from Capitol Hill. You all know that this has been a major priority of all. at the Midas Touch Network to launch the Midas Touch DC Bureau. And I think it's off with a very strong start,
Starting point is 00:06:00 breaking a lot of important news and asking politicians, the questions that you actually want answered and not what the corporate news wants to do to try to cover up or sanitize or sanewash for the regime. Let's get into it. Brett and Jordy, it's good to see you both. Good to see you too, Ben. I think you very astutely put it, And Jordy, of course, Ben gave me the handoff, and Might as mighty.
Starting point is 00:06:27 I think you very astutely put it on Monday's show that right now we're in a battle of good versus evil. And I think that has really never been more clear as it has been in these past 24 hours, as we saw that ruthless murder of Renee Good in cold blood in Minneapolis and the lies that ensued. Not we're going to investigate the situation, see what happened, and make sure that the officer faces the appropriate consequences, but the immediate rush to label this innocent 37-year-old U.S. citizen, a domestic terrorist. And it is clear to me that if they could do that to Renee Wood, who was simply had just dropped her six-year-old off at school, was driving around as these ice thugs were in her community, being there to cause terror. The only reason they were there
Starting point is 00:07:17 is because they were following up on those other disinformation videos that was put out by that right-wing quote-unquote journalist, that fake journalist. They were there because of Twitter, essentially, to try to make a scene. Then they're there blocking the streets. It leads to them murdering this innocent woman. And then the government, the federal government, has the nerve to call this innocent woman a domestic terrorist and makeup that she's part of left-wing networks. And they get Christy Nome and they get Jady.
Starting point is 00:07:47 and all of these people when she is just a regular lady. By the way, by the way, even if she were an activist, that is not an excuse. It is not an excuse to run people down because of their political beliefs or if they're protesting, even though that is not what she is doing. But we are seeing that this is a fundamentally evil regime. We are in a battle right now of good versus evil. It is not even up for debate which side is which right now. We are looking to the world.
Starting point is 00:08:13 We are seeing our allies in this war posture, not against our. adversaries, but against the United States, seeing Denmark say things like, we will shoot first, ask questions later. If the United States tries to invade our country, we're seeing other European countries get together and legitimately are working up plans on what they will do if the United States invades Greenland or attacks Greenland in a Pearl Harbor type sneak attack. This is where we are as we begin 2026 in the United States of America. We're going to break down all the latest news and shout out to Pablo Monriquez, who is on the hill, getting all this incredible footage for Midas Touch as part of our DC Bureau.
Starting point is 00:08:57 I've seen all your comments about Pablo. I'm so glad that everybody is liking how Pablo is taking you straight to the U.S. Capitol, asking the questions that you want asked. And by the way, feel free to let us know what you want us to ask the politicians. This network is about you and your voice, and we are looking forward to elevating your voice in the halls of the United States. power jordy great to see you what's the latest on your end what's up brothers what's up might as mighty it's going to be a good show tonight going to be a deep show going to be an informative show
Starting point is 00:09:27 before we really get going quick housekeeping note we're on our way to six million subscribers here on the youtube channel so hit the subscribe button if you're not subscribed some people think they're subscribed and they're actually not so just hit that subscribe button let's let's get the six million and benjy before i toss it over to you i really just wanted to say something you know before we got going here here's the thing you know this This is what I mean when I say, I don't believe what I do here, or what we do here is political, right? There is a six-year-old boy and two other children going to bed tonight without a mom. Why is that?
Starting point is 00:09:59 Well, it's because Donald Trump and his thugs murdered her yesterday. Now, these ICE agents, they are just the lowest of the low. Literally, they lowered their standards in recent months to accept more applicants to, quote, unquote, accelerate hiring. And the way I see it, it's crystal fucking clear. You are either for these ice thugs, terrorizing communities, and murdering our citizens, murdering mothers, or you're for democracy. You watch that video of Renee Good being murdered, mother of three, Renee Good. And if your reaction is not to look at that footage and immediately condemn the execution,
Starting point is 00:10:41 you are a lost soul. And there is no saving you. Christy Noem, you are a lost soul, calling Renee Good a domestic terrorist while her body was still warm. You know, J.D. Vance, you are a lost soul. Donald Trump and anyone else who doesn't have the spine to immediately and forcefully condemn the ICE agents for killing Renee Good, you are a lost soul. It's not political to say you are against mothers being murdered, you scumbags. then you think about what ice border patrol are right now and i've called them the gustapo the s s you have names for them and really what they are they're a paramilitary group that's an arm of the
Starting point is 00:11:30 regime which is what we've seen in authoritarian regimes historically and at the present so i'll draw a parallel to Venezuela and the authoritarian regime there that's now led by Delci Rodriguez, who's just the successor to Nicholas Maduro. She was the VP and now the president, Diodados, one of the enforcer of the Maduro regime is still in power, and the Chavistas, the Maduro crew, the authoritarian's are still running things. So in Venezuela, their paramilitary is called the collectivos, crime and social control. And these are masked individuals who ride around on motorcycles and in vans, and they abduct people,
Starting point is 00:12:22 they go through your phones to see, are you writing things that are against the regime, and then they disappear you into prisons and to camps. Since Delci Rodriguez, again, Maduro's successor, has entrenched herself, in power, she's been sworn in in Venezuela, contrary to what is being reported or being spread as propaganda. There aren't really that many pro-opposition events taking place in Venezuela itself.
Starting point is 00:12:57 You actually have pro-government, pro-regime protest now, whether it's people who are afraid, actually support it, whatever. the reason is the opposition, though, is still very terrified. And you have these collectivos going around that if there is opposition, threatening, killing, detaining. The same tactics Maduro use. So why am I bringing up collectivos? Obviously, one, to talk about what's going on in Venezuela, but to talk about ICE and Border Patrol as a similar concept, a paramilitary group, military. They're really like militarized. They wear military outfills. They wear military out. They carry military weapons.
Starting point is 00:13:38 They invade cities. They create checkpoints, military style. They terrorize the community, scare people. And then when people are scared, they then harm the population that's scared. They make propaganda videos with Christy Noem, which is what took place in Minneapolis, right when the latest invasion of Minneapolis starts. Right? They have that Nick Sherrill.
Starting point is 00:14:05 propaganda guy make the misleading video. Then Trump regime announces 2,000 troops invading ICE Gestapo, paramilitary show up, terrorize communities. And people are scared. They don't know how to react to this. And one of those people who don't know how to react to this because we're not equipped with what do you do when people, when masked people go to grab you, is Renee Nicole Good, described by her ex-husband as.
Starting point is 00:14:35 picking up their child, at least described as someone who was not really out there, you know, particularly, you know, with a strong position one way or another, you know, on ice, although the story and the story is developing there. But described as picking up her child. Then there was a kind of a checkpoint in the South Minneapolis area and the paramilitary of Trump stops her and we saw with our own eyes what took place. I don't want to play the video again. I don't think I need to. We played the video. Here she is. Here's a photo of her. Renee Nicole Good. I'll repeat it over and over again. Say her name and the Trump regime says she's a domestic terrorist that she used her vehicle as a weapon of terror. No, we've seen the photos. We posted one
Starting point is 00:15:29 that has the arrow that shows where the officer, this Jonathan Ross guy, was positioned. I handled these cases as a civil rights litigator. And I've deposed in my career when I used to do this hundreds of police officers. We would go through police protocol, what they were required to do, not required to do, what their obligations were. And you look at this and these ICE Gestapo handled everything the wrong way from positioning themselves in front of the car, which you never do, doing conflicting orders. Listen, one of the persons said, go away, go away. While standing in front of the vehicle, go away. What do you expect the person in the car to do? And the other person basically saying the opposite, like stop and stay. So you're getting conflicting orders. A masked agent
Starting point is 00:16:22 is going at the window. Very slowly, you see her turn. the wheel, the tires making a complete turn. The officer immediately whips out his gun. You see the first shot, which I think was in the windshield. And then you see where it took place. We see where the officer was. The officer wasn't hit by the vehicle. The officer wasn't injured. The officer was standing on the side and at point blank range shot Renee Nicole good in the face multiple times. Then there was a physician on scene who wanted to render first aid, and the Trump Gestapo refused to allow the physician to render aid for 10 to 15 minutes while Renee Nicole Good bled out.
Starting point is 00:17:12 Objectively, that is what happened. That is what happened. We saw it with our own eyes. But Donald Trump makes posts saying the opposite happened. He goes, I just viewed the clip of the event, which took place. in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Horrible thing to watch. The woman was screaming, obviously a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully and viciously ran over the ICE officer who seems to have shot her in self-defense. Based on the
Starting point is 00:17:50 attached clip, it's hard to believe he is alive, but is now recovering in the high. hospital. The situation is being studied in its entirety. But the reason these incidents are happening is because the radical left is threatening, assaulting, and targeting our law enforcement officers and ICE agents on a daily basis. They are just trying to do the job of making America safe. We need to stand by and protect our law enforcement officers from the radical left movement and violence and hate, completely detached from reality and I'll call Brett and Jordy in, completely detached from reality, complete propaganda, but this is what's repeated over and over again. That officer was not run over. That officer was
Starting point is 00:18:41 not injured. That's not what happened on the tape. But this is what the Trump regime does, politicize, lie, divide, spread hate. It's exactly what Putin does. And it's exactly what authoritarian did in the past. And I'll just say this one thing. You can say Orwell, who wrote 1984, was prophetic. Or you can say he was a student of history. Perhaps both, but a student of history sees even when 1984 was written that authoritarian's behave this way.
Starting point is 00:19:21 They are malignant narcissists who live in their own reality that they create. to justify the atrocities and to thrust their own reality, which is not the reality, and bend the reality to fit an authoritarian narrative. And populations who live in a normal world, who get exhausted, are often ill-equipped sometimes to defend against the exhaustion that needs to be exerted against the deluge of lies, right? Trump says, it's Gavin Newsom's fault why the fire started because he was helping the smelt fish and there was no water, just entirely false. And you're like, smelt fish. What do you talk? I, Donald, had to go up to Canada and turn on the faucet. And I saved all of Los Angeles,
Starting point is 00:20:21 which would have been burned down if I didn't turn on the giant golden faucet. And you're like, Like, what the hell are you talking about? Everything he does is that. And the question is, how do we respond to it? Brett and Jordy. Yeah, I mean, this is the kind of stuff that you would see in North Korea. This is the kind of stuff you would see in Putin's Russia. This is the kind of stuff you'd see coming from Hitler's Germany.
Starting point is 00:20:48 These are propaganda, lies. In every situation, you see that this regime is doing whatever it can to make the situations worse. And I think when you look at everything in its totality, like the alarm bells cannot be ringing any louder. When you see the deployment of these Gestapo-style forces to our streets to cause terror, shooting innocent people, and then the government calling them domestic terrorists, when you see this massive expansion of the military that we're seeing right now, with Donald Trump now asking for not just $1 trillion for the military budget, but one and a half trillion. The $1 trillion was already a bloated budget as is now $1.5 trillion for the military. When you see all this money flowing into ice and now Republicans want to give even more money to ICE to continue to build this paramilitary police force that goes around and terrorizes people throughout the United States. When you see the threats that this government is making against other countries, threats of annexation, these sneak attacks against Venezuela, these bombings, these things, these things, these things, these
Starting point is 00:21:56 threats against Greenland and our other allies like Canada. When you see everything kind of together, and they've created this entire doctrine that basically says, you see Trump saying, the Don Road doctrine, the Don Road doctrine, what Trump is saying and what their philosophy is, and Stephen Miller made this abundantly clear when he was on CNN the other night, their philosophy is, the United States of America is the strongest country in the world, and therefore we will inflict pain and devastation on any week. weaker country unless they do exactly what we say. The United States in the post-World War II era especially has been known to be, or at least
Starting point is 00:22:36 has strived to be, and we certainly have many, many flaws, but we've strived to use our strength in order to try to restore stability around the world. Donald Trump is trying to use our strength to cause terror around the world and to try to unleash hell on all of these countries. And that's their kind of whole doctrine right now. now. We're stronger than you. We're going to crush you. Do exactly what we say or else. I think on the last episode I said it's like a mafia regime, uh, which I, which I stand by. But it's also exactly the kind of language, rhetoric, actions, you name it that we've seen out of all of these dictatorships,
Starting point is 00:23:16 um, over the past, you know, century plus. And so the alarm bells are sounding. Um, and now it's, I guess, up to the people to try to fight back. We see these, um, um these corporate news stations unfortunately which have totally bent the knee while all of this is going on we see cbs news uh doing segments that's literally finished up the segment on cbs evening news the other day i cannot believe it i made a video about this where they finished their segment going marco rubio we salute you you say that right after we attack venezuela and there are all these questions about an illegal attack we salute you what news organization says we salute what are they going to say next. We salute you, Christy Noem. We salute you J.D. Vance for lying to the public
Starting point is 00:24:00 and calling this lady a terrorist. Like, we salute you. That is not the language of a legitimate news organization. So I think that makes, you know, our voices more important. I think people are seeing the truth, thankfully. So I think it's on us to continue to share the truth about what's going on. The reality is on the ground. I want to thank, you know, all the people who are on the ground in Minneapolis, recording everything, getting this on tape. Imagine if this was not recorded by the way, what the government would be saying and getting away with? Imagine that. I want to give a shout out to status coup, who we've been working with, who's been on the ground, getting this first-hand footage of all the protests, of everything that's going on in Minneapolis. It's going to take all of
Starting point is 00:24:40 us coming together right now to get out the truth. And we need to be where exactly of what this regime is doing, what their plans are, and understand that this is a five-alarm fire moment. So perfectly said, Brett. If you can, can you pull up the photo of the Donald Trump response again? I'm not going to read it again, but I just want our viewers to just look at it because I just can't get it out of my head. You know, his immediate reaction here was a, it was a cosine. There's no other way you could look at this statement other than it's a cosine by Donald Trump allowing ICE agents to continue to kill with impunity, saying, hey, I got your back. That's how I read it.
Starting point is 00:25:21 I think that's how a lot of people read it. I don't think this statement is getting enough criticism countrywide or nationwide, or at least I know we've been talking about it here and independent media has been talking about it. But really, just what a horrific statement for the president of the United States to come out with. And by the way, Jardy, another reporter
Starting point is 00:25:39 ended up showing him the footage, I think, like this morning. There was a story about it, I think, in the Washington Post. And it turned out that Trump actually hadn't, when he wrote that tweet, hadn't actually seen the, the real footage of what happened. Either they showed him something else or or they, or he was just repeating what he was told. And today they showed him and he was like, oh, oh, oh, I don't know.
Starting point is 00:26:02 You know, it's just a bad situation, a bad situation. But you see how their first instinct is always to lie. And then, you know, if you think back to these stories about Christy Gnome and, you know, her killing her dog, you know, and cold blood and things like that, there's a reason why Donald Trump elevated people like that to these positions of power because he wants cold-blooded killers he wants people who like you said jordie have no soul and are willing to do this and are willing to do this to the american people it goes back to what we say if if they if the trump regime if their lips are moving they are lying the fact that christie gnomes first reaction right we're about 30 minutes in her first reaction was to label rene good a domestic terrorist what what a psycho
Starting point is 00:26:47 path. Like what a, like just a evil, vile, and that's why I've been calling them this, creatures. This Trump regime is a bunch of creatures. They're not even humans at this point because humans have a soul, humans have feelings. Humans are able to objectively look at something and be able to say, hey, this is a good thing. This is a bad thing. This is a horrific thing. Not just blanketly label folks domestic terrorists because you don't think it aligns with your political ideology. Like, it is so maniacal, man. It's evil. It's evil. It's evil. stuff that we're all witnessing with our eyes and then don't be gaslit by the CBS news or or these main corporate entities out there trying to downplay what's happening trying to lie to you about
Starting point is 00:27:28 the footage that you've seen with your own eyes it's it really is beyond anything it is so sick what is happening right now and just double down in in your convictions that's that's what i want to tell our audience here is you are right what you are what you are witnessing believe it believe what you are witnessing with your own eyes. I mean, it is really just, just sick, sick stuff. And Brett pulled up the correct photo now of the initial Trump statement here. I mean, it's, it's so evil. Well, I think ask yourself this, what is the purpose of government? Like, what is the purpose? I mean, let's pull back, because I think one of the big problems is the way politics is reported is in a gamified way. This team, that team, this personality on this team versus that personality on this team versus this personality
Starting point is 00:28:20 or that personality on other team and who's up and who's down in a horse race and it's reported that way. So pull back and just ask, well, what's the purpose of government? And how is any of this stuff that we've been discussing so far that the Trump regime is inflicting upon the people How is that supposed to be the purpose of government? Like, shouldn't government be focused on governing? Shouldn't it be focused on delivering things to the people? Shouldn't it be focused on ensuring that the people who live in the country can be able to live and thrive and survive?
Starting point is 00:29:09 And so when the Trump regime's focus is on all of this cruelty and the people, and these sociopaths who looks like cartoonishly evil bad guys from the superhero movies I used to watch growing up as a kid. Like, shouldn't it be about, are we making sure that every American has health care and education? And if they're working a job, they can be paid a wage with dignity. And if they're not working a job, we can work to help these individuals, you know, live, throbial. I mean, shouldn't we be working to help persons who have disabilities, you know, and have thriving lives? Shouldn't we be working to uplift marginalized communities? Shouldn't we be focused on making sure that people can afford shelter? They can afford homes? Like, shouldn't this be the focus? And the
Starting point is 00:30:05 Trump regime is not focused on any of that. They're focused on this imperialistic adventure to create a trump everything, dominate the Western Hemisphere, which is ultimately going to be resulting in a much weaker, less safe country and less safe world. Again, look at Russia's ballistic missile attacks tonight that went into the morning as well in Lviv. The ballistic missiles striking Western Ukraine, very close to the border where NATO countries sit.
Starting point is 00:30:47 Think about the escalation that Russia takes. Think about the escalation, China takes. Think about the escalation that we see in a less stabilized world where a world order has been torn down. That's what I want to talk about when we come back as well. I mean, when you see France at the United Nations condemning the United States for engaging in a lawful invasion, did you ever think that you'd expect to see something like that?
Starting point is 00:31:13 What a dramatic shift that is, where you talk about our former allies working on potential war plans against the United States if the U.S. invades part of the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland. I mean, what? And the Trump regime continuing to threaten Greenland. So I want to talk about that. I want to talk about what's going on in Congress with the war powers vote, the Affordable Care Act subsidy vote, and more.
Starting point is 00:31:39 Let's take our first quick break of the show. And a reminder, if you like the... expansion of the Midas Touch network, like what we're doing with our DC Bureau expansion, and you want to support our growth, become a member of this YouTube channel. Just you could gift others' memberships as well if you're a member, but that helps expand and grow our network. And that's how we've been able to build out a DC bureau and hire more staff, thanks to you. So take our first quick break.
Starting point is 00:32:07 We'll be right back and look forward to a lot more that we all have to discuss. Let's take that first quick break. Everything in our lives has leveled up. Our phone is basically a supercomputer. Cars these days park themselves and headphones, they cancel noise like magic. But your razor, it's still flimsy, still overpriced, still stuck in 2008. That's where Harry's Plus comes in. This is my all-time favorite razor, and here's why.
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Starting point is 00:35:29 That's A.R.M.R.A.com slash Midas. Let's go. Shout to our sponsors. Links in description of both YouTube and the audio. Use the links. Use the codes. If there's an exit survey, let them know. We sent you. Big fan of those two sponsors right there. Benji, where to next?
Starting point is 00:35:48 Why don't we check in with our Washington, D.C. Bureau, Pablo Monriquez, who captured some real important statements on the Hill. He was asking the questions that you wanted to have answered. Let me show you how, and I'll show you the contrast between the responses you'll hear from Democrats and the responses you'll hear from Trump regime officials at press conferences, that were taking place today. So first, Pablo spoke with AOC, and she talks about how ICE has less accountability than basically anything right now
Starting point is 00:36:24 in the government here, play this quote. Congressman, can I real quick get your reaction to the shooting death in Minnesota of the woman by the ICE agent? No, this is what... It's a nightmare. It's a nightmare. This is what we've been warning about for a very long time.
Starting point is 00:36:41 and it is, I'm just, it's tragic to say, but from the moment that, I mean, from the moment that this Congress decided to authorize and explode ISIS budget, they are accountable to no one. It's important that people know that ICE has less, has less accountability than virtually any law enforcement agency in the United States. And yet, they are some of the most well-funded. They are operating with impunity, and we just saw the murder an American citizen in cold blood in the street. And despite whatever lies that the president wants to say about what was happening in this, there is, you can see what happened for yourselves. They shot a woman in the head in cold blood on the street.
Starting point is 00:37:29 I hope that this incident is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and this is an agency that must be reigned in. Thank you, Congressman. We heard from Democratic Congress member, John Sondon. who says this was a homicide. Let's play that clip next. All right, Mr. Jessica, can I get any reaction to the shooting death of Minnesota by the ice agent of the lady in the car? It looks like a homicide for which there should be criminal charges. Thank you.
Starting point is 00:37:53 Shooting into a moving vehicle four times. Traffic stop. Murder. Then Pablo asked Democratic Congresswoman Dean, is it time to start looking at the Homeland Security Budget? Let's play this clip. Is it time to start looking at the Homeland Security budget? it maybe. Yes, and of course, the Homeland Security officer, whatever the heck, her name is, the woman in the cowboy hat and many outfits. It's time for her to leave. Time for her to go.
Starting point is 00:38:19 And one more clip from Congresswoman Dean here. Let's play it. Congresswoman, any reaction to the shooting of the woman in Minneapolis by the ice agent? Sadly, it's, we don't know the details yet. But it was predictable that this administration would unleash unmarked and marked ice agents. terrorizing communities. It looks like somebody has lost her life. And it's horrible. It's absolutely horrible. But what's really unbelievable is this administration and the things they're willing to say immediately as a result of this, claiming that this woman is a terrorist. What's wrong with just saying we're going to investigate and find out exactly what happened here? What went wrong? Why can't they do
Starting point is 00:39:06 Also, Pablo, who joined the Midas Touch DC Bureau to report in all of this, he caught when Jesse Waters' very creepy reporter was like challenging AOC to go on the Jesse Water show. And she's like, the guy sexually harasses me. Why would I want to go on the show of someone who sexually harassed me? Watch this exchange that has since gone mega viral. And our DC reporter captured it. Here, play this clip. He has sexualized me on his show. He has sexualized me on his show. He has sexually harassed me on his show. He has engaged in horrific, sexually exploitative rhetoric.
Starting point is 00:39:53 That's not true. It is true because he accused me of wanting to quote unquote sleep with Stephen Miller. So why don't you tell me what you think is acceptable to tell a woman? Thank you. And let's take a look at what Democratic Congress member, Moscow. had to say, let's play this clip. This is the person. This is the person who, within minutes of the shooting, within minutes of the shooting, went on TV and called it domestic terrorism. What is she hiding her face like her ice agents now?
Starting point is 00:40:27 She can't show her face either. By the way, is this what the $800 billion went to? Every day we see her after there's some new tragedy in homeland. She's wearing a different outfit with a different hat. I mean, come on, guys, she looks ridiculous. She's not just an embarrassment to the country. She's an embarrassment to you and the president. Okay, she deserves to be removed from her job by the president, and if not impeached, not just for her complete failures in homeland, but her destruction of FEMA. She's not even running the department. You guys know this. You guys know she's not
Starting point is 00:41:06 running homeland. Your governors and you all, when you need your FEMA money, you don't call Nome, you call Corey. You know she's not running the place. She's a complete and utter embarrassment. By the way, every Homeland Secretary has come in front of this committee once a Congress. I'd like to know the date she's coming. When is she coming? When is she coming? When is she coming? By the way, do you know Pam Bondi has not come in front of this committee? Do you know she's the only secretary to not appear in front of a committee yet? When is she coming? What's the date on the calendar that she's coming?
Starting point is 00:41:48 You know what? Let's make it easy. I want to make a motion to subpoena Pam Bondi. Second. Second. Third, fourth, fifth. How much are we going to... The gentleman is not recognized for that motion.
Starting point is 00:41:58 However, the chair will advise as to the attorney. Attorney General coming for, as they do routinely. Mr. Chairman, thank you. But where is the Attorney General the only Secretary to not appear, okay, in front of a committee, the only one? We're into year two of this Congress, and we've not had the Attorney General in front of this committee. How much are we going to weaken Article 1 of the Constitution while you guys remain in power?
Starting point is 00:42:29 I watch you twist yourself into pretzels trying to. to defend this, running away from previous statements, disagreeing with yourself, trying to defend the crap that's happening. It's really well said by Congress member Moskowitz there, but what Christenome is doing as she wears her different dress-up outfits, she goes on state regime media, which calls itself Fox, and she's asked questions during press conferences. And some of the questions that she's asked is so where why are you not allowing state investigators to be involved at any level of the shooting death of Renee Nicole good why aren't you letting the state be involved and you have christine home playing cosplay she's willing to do all these press conferences
Starting point is 00:43:24 to spread lies here she is responding and saying there's there's there's a net ever been jurisdiction by state authorities over a shooting in the state? What are you talking about here, play this clip? Yes. The head of Minnesota State Investigations agency said it's a cut out of the investigation into the fatal shooting in Minneapolis. Can you explain that reversal? I'd like to know where they've been and why they're not out on the streets,
Starting point is 00:43:50 investigating all of these people that are harassing and inciting violence on law enforcement officers right now. They're allowing the situation to be volatile. They're not doing their work. They haven't for years, and maybe they should get to work a little bit on the unprecedented fraud that we've seen in Minnesota and in Minneapolis by people that stole from American citizens and diverted funds away from vulnerable people and programs and services that they needed and put it into their own pockets. Minnesota is a train wreck. It is corrupt, and it was under the leadership of Governor Walls and this mayor that they allowed it to happen, and they let criminals and illegals and people abuse programs and steal the money, and now they're allowing violence, to go forward on the streets as well.
Starting point is 00:44:31 You just also find that Minneapolis, police department, county sheriffs, the federal authorities at this point, they don't want. I won't put a blanket statement out like those other individuals will. What I would say is I welcome them to come and help us. Come help us make sure that the streets are safe,
Starting point is 00:44:47 that laws are enforced, and that we can do the right thing to make sure that American citizens come first. Yes, sir. Brett, Jordy, they've not been cut out, she said, but we've cut him out because we've never even included them in the first place. after she then says before that, we invite them to be involved,
Starting point is 00:45:04 but we've not included you, they don't have jurisdiction. So I just wanna be very clear. They're covering up a child sex trafficking ring. They're covering up war crimes. They're covering up Donald Trump's medical records. Now they're covering up the investigation by the state into a murder of somebody in the state
Starting point is 00:45:24 because by not allowing them to have any jurisdiction over the evidence, then the state is unable to determine if there are charges to be brought. Horrific. Yeah, and they also want to protect the ICE agent from all possible crimes, right? If there was anything that would ever be charged federally and in this Department of Justice, that's not going to happen. They would pardon the individual Jonathan Ross. And they are, I think, very aware that Minnesota, if their state investigators are able to get the evidence and if they were able to prosecute this case, that they would likely,
Starting point is 00:45:59 go to a grand jury and try to bring charges against this individual because I think when you speak to all experts about this case, when you speak to a law enforcement, when you speak to people who are trained in these sorts of situations, they are all saying overwhelmingly that the officer acted in the wrong here, that the officer escalated the situation, that the officer committed a murder. And so they are well aware of that fact. And like Ben said, the same way they are covering up for a child sex trafficking ring, they are now covering up for this murder. There is no low that is too low for this regime and every single day we continue to see the depths of this regime sink lower and lower. Exactly. And you watch that footage of Christy Noem right there and that's what I mean when I say
Starting point is 00:46:40 solace. Like absolutely like there's no there's just no other way I could describe it other than that. And the amount of double speak and it's intentional and Ben you called it out perfectly, you know, that we see from this regime. We invite them to help. They do not have any jurisdiction. What do you want, Christy what do you I know what you want you want to run your own investigation and conclude whatever best fits your agenda this is why I say too you know this Trump regime they don't have the best interest of the American people in mind they they simply don't they they don't care about you like I just need to be super clear they don't care about you they care about Donald Trump and pushing forward
Starting point is 00:47:23 whatever the hell shape his agenda is continuing to take and covering up everything along the way. And that's why, again, look, I know our personal audience doesn't need to hear that because they're very well aware. And everyone here has been shouting from the rooftops about how ridiculous and how just evil this whole situation has been. And I'm really proud of the might as mind. I'm really proud of this community to continue to do that.
Starting point is 00:47:47 It's just when I just watch clips like that, like I just want to throw my laptop. Because, again, Ben, it goes back to your point. What do you want government to do? Like, at its best, what do we call? collectively want the government to do for its citizens, for its people. I just, I sincerely ask you, I look at that Christy Noem clip and I say, well, I know, I know it's not that. I know it's not whatever the hell that is, Christy Noem. It's unbelievable. Well, that's why when I interviewed New York City mayor, Zoran Mamdani, and we talked about what he and Governor Hockel of New York were focused on today,
Starting point is 00:48:21 it was child care services and expanding child care, moving closer to universal child care in the first eight days of Mamdani's administration right now. The Trump regime has suspended federal funding or is trying to suspend the federal funding that's required to go to child care services in states like New York, California, Minnesota, et cetera, Colorado, because they're blue states and they're trying to screw them over. Rather, you're going after the children. Doesn't it also seem that the Trump regime, one of their first targets that they go after are kids, right?
Starting point is 00:49:06 Amongst some of the most vulnerable, whether it's covering up child sex trafficking rings, right? Whether it is starving children to death by taking away SNAP benefits, whether it's taking away child services. Kids are the pawns of these disgusting authority. They go after kids. It's like, you know, they talk about it. It's like stealing candy from a baby, right? That's what the Trump regime does, you know, over and over again. They go into the most vulnerable and that's who they inflict harm on. So let me just show you. This was when I had the opportunity to interview New York City mayor. It was Mamdani earlier today. And here's what he told me. Let's play this clip.
Starting point is 00:49:45 You are keeping your word and you are doing things for the people of New York City and joining forces with the governor. And, you know, it's an interesting thing. Pull in people from different sides of the left and progressives joining forces for something that benefits to people. Tell us about it, mayor. Well, it's truly lovely to be back on here with you. And what I would say is that it is, as you've said, today is an incredible win for working people. We're talking about a $1.2 billion commitment from the state of New York to the city of New York to make universities. child care reality. This is money that will mean that we can fix child care for three-year-olds
Starting point is 00:50:21 across the city, and we can start to deliver child care for every two-year-old across the city. And after housing, child care is the number one crisis-facing working families in the city. It's the number one reason that they're leaving this city, and that's because the average cost of child care is $22,500 a year. And so what today's commitment and today's partnership between the governor and myself shows is that working families are not going to have to make the choice any longer between the city they love and the family they want to actually raise. I just want you to think about that. The average child care cost is about $22,000. Without the Affordable Care Act subsidies, the average health care plans are going to be between
Starting point is 00:51:00 $15,000 to $30,000 as well. So between your health and child care, that right there would equal right around $50,000 a year just on those two things. That's before going into food. That's before going into rent. That's before going into, you know, other day-to-day stuff. Just think about that right there. That's what we should be focused on. Not sending ICE Gestapo, or as Trump says, being predators of the Western Hemisphere.
Starting point is 00:51:34 How about we do some governing in the United States first? When we come back, I want to talk about Donald Trump getting humiliated in the Congress twice, once in the Senate with a war powers resolution, another time in the House with Affordable Care Act subsidies. We'll talk about that. We should talk about Democratic Congress member Roe Kana and Republican Thomas Massey, going to court, filing an amicus brief in federal court, requesting that Judge Engelmeyer appoint an independent monitor to demand the release of the Epstein files.
Starting point is 00:52:09 He was the judge in the Guillain Maxwell case and the Trump regime promised that judge, they were going to produce certain categories of documents. I really like that strategy. We'll talk about that. And let's talk about what's going on internationally as well. Let's take our last quick break of the show. You know that sluggish heavy feeling that hits right after the holidays? When you're off your routine, your energy is all over the place,
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Starting point is 00:56:21 Links in description of both the YouTube and the audio. Use the links. Use the codes. If there's an exit survey, let them know we sent you. Benji, we're to next. You know, obviously we're gathering more information on this, but the police in Portland have confirmed that federal agents had been involved in a shooting with two people in the hospital who seem to have been shot by ICE agents or federal agents will be reporting more on that.
Starting point is 00:56:46 It's Customs and Border Protection. They're saying that. And the reality is, though, with their masks, it's hard to tell the difference between the ICE agent and the Customs and Border Patrol. You often know when it is Bovino who runs Customs and Border Patrol rolling in versus, you know, ice where you usually see Christyone, by the way, who oversees both. But with the masks agents, it's kind of difficult to tell. Real quick. Yeah. And real quick, this is what I was alluding to earlier in the show here.
Starting point is 00:57:20 This is why the statements from the highest levels of governments after what transpired in Minneapolis are so important. That's why I was talking about Donald Trump's statement being a co-sign for ICE agents, for federal, for law enforcement to just go out and commit murder. Like, Donald Trump did not condemn what happened by any stretch of the imagination. Absolutely not. You read his statement. It's a cosine of the behavior saying, you know what?
Starting point is 00:57:48 I'll allow it. And lo and behold, a day later. Yeah, but, you know, I'll say this, though. You know, we don't know the details yet. And so in situations like this and in situations when there are shootings on college campuses or you name it, sometimes the best thing you could do is sit back, you know, you don't have to say anything like, like Christy Noem coming out automatically rushing to judgment and saying things. And so, you know, I know there, I've seen comments of people while we're live saying,
Starting point is 00:58:15 cover this, cover this, cover this, sometimes you just need to wait and gather the data. And we need to do our own internal, you know, investigation into things. I think that's the responsible thing to do here. Yeah. So let's talk about Thomas Massey, Rokana. They wrote a letter brief to federal Judge Engelmeyer in the Southern District of New York, who's the judge presiding over the Gielaine Maxwell case, notably Judge Engelmeyer had previously, you know, put the Trump regime on notice.
Starting point is 00:58:49 Brett, take it over for a quick second. If you can, I've got the little one right here by the, by the camera right now. I don't know, Ben, you might have to take her out. This is part of the show now, you know. Maybe he meant on the show. No, but yeah, so I mean, what happened is obviously we're. I could jump into the letters. I just wanted to make sure she was okay.
Starting point is 00:59:10 Judge Engelmeyer previously requested of the DOJ, tell me the categories of documents that you're going to be producing. And they listed all the categories because they were requesting that Judge Engelmeyer released the grand jury testimony. So Engelmeyer was like, I'll release the grand jury testimony, but you're promising me you're going to be releasing all of these records. And I want you to make reports to this court. And so last, at the end of last week, the Trump regime did a report to Engelmeyer and said they've only produced about 12,350 documents, which equals 125,000 pages.
Starting point is 00:59:51 So about 10 pages per document. And they claim they're reviewing about 2 million additional documents. So if you go by 10 pages per documents, that means it could be 20 million pages. I still, if you go back to all of our reporting here, I still think it's more than that because I've dealt with big document production cases. I think the financial records alone are probably in the tens of millions of pages before you get into all of the other emails and all of the other electronically stored information. But in any event, you had, look, Thomas Massey and Kana are not parties to the case. The parties to the case are the DOJ, who's supposed to be the good guy, right? or at least pretending to be the good guy and Gilane Maxwell.
Starting point is 01:00:36 But the DOJ and Guillain are basically on the same team in this one of cover up, right? So it's not an adversarial process before Judge Engelmeyer. So the question is, it's like, well, what do you do when, what do you do when the DOJ is the criminal racketeering enterprise? They're supposed to be the ones going after the criminals. What do you do when they are the gangsters? when they are covering up a child sex trafficking, when they're quite literally a racketeering organization
Starting point is 01:01:07 covering up child sex trafficking with Donald Trump and with MAGA Republicans. So I think Massey and Kana did the best move, which was to write what's called an amicus brief, a letter of what's called a Friends of the Court brief to Judge Engelmeyer and said, look, we're both the main sponsors of the Epstein Transparency Act.
Starting point is 01:01:29 We believe that crimes are taking place right now within the DOJ, and there needs to be accountability for that. But what we suggest this court do is appoint an independent monitor or a special master or somebody who can go through and get these records public. Because the DOJ can't be dependent on to actually do this the right way. They are covering this all up. Now, who knows ultimately what the judge is going to do, but I don't know what else. you. I mean, what else can you do in a situation like this where you have the DOJ as the criminals, not prosecuting the criminals, helping the criminals? So that was a letter that was sent. We'll keep you updated on that. For those who are- By the way, Ben, while we're on, while we're on
Starting point is 01:02:15 Epstein, we're talking about Epstein, we're talking about Venezuela. We're talking about ICE. We're talking about just the whole host of things. I want to also make a couple of connections, and I'm curious to get your thoughts on this. You know, you think about the whole deal they worked out with Galane Maxwell, where Todd Blanche went to the prison. They did that ridiculous interview with Galane Maxwell, where he was like, where she was like, oh, Trump, yeah, he's such a gentleman. What a gentleman? He was always so gentlemanly. All of a sudden, boom, like basically the next day she's moved into this cushy club fed prison. Now, you know, with that in mind and the way that we know Donald Trump works in this transactional nature in which Trump works in this Department of Justice
Starting point is 01:02:52 works, I think we're starting to see kind of the beginning stages of that same twisted kind of Donald Trump extracting favors from bad people in order to benefit himself in the case of Nicholas Maduro with the Venezuela thing, because we're already seeing now people talk about how, oh, he's going to get this person who's going to say that actually Hugo Chavez and Maduro did rig the election against Donald Trump in 2020. So if you just say this little thing, then you could get some, you know, good benefits out of it. I'm starting to see personally, I'm making the connection in my head between the treatment, the cushy treatment that they gave Galane Maxwell and the things we're already starting to read right now about the prosecution of Nicholas Maduro in the United States.
Starting point is 01:03:36 By the way, a prosecution that they're already like bungling horribly. First off, Donald Trump comes out there and immediately undercuts the entire prosecution of Maduro. He comes out there. First, he calls him the leader of Venezuela. He calls him President Maduro. There's something where heads of state have immunity for prosecution. He's widely viewed as an illegitimate leader, not the legitimate president of Venezuela because he lost the election. That's the position of many countries around the world. But Donald Trump calling him president, calling him the leader of Venezuela completely undercuts that argument and help bolsters Nicholas Maduro's defense. Then you have all these people around him pushing this notion of the
Starting point is 01:04:15 2020 election being stolen with those ridiculous theories about Hugo Chavez, who's been dead for a long time rigging the election to help Donald Trump. I mean, I'm putting it together in my head. and I'm going, I kind of am seeing the future here. Well, look also this way. Okay, so if you're Maduro and you file what's called a 12 motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, you assert as an affirmative defense head of state immunity. And you say, look at Donald Trump's post where he said, whatever Trump said, I kidnapped, or we captured the president of Venezuela, the leader of Venezuela, Maduro.
Starting point is 01:04:54 So Trump in his post says Maduro is the leader of Venezuela. So there's that. And then Trump is now recognizing Maduro's successor, who only becomes the successor if Maduro was legitimately the leader and removed under the Venezuela Constitution. So by working with and recognizing the Delci Rodriguez regime, by recognizing the Delci Rodriguez machine, you are also recognizing a plan of succession that inherently states that Maduro was the leader.
Starting point is 01:05:33 Do you get what I'm saying? So, like, there's that argument as well. Now, for Judge Hellerstein or any of these federal judges, you know, in making these rulings, that are the right rulings. Like, we don't want to see Maduro get off because of head of state immunity. the same way we definitely don't want to see Ghislaine Maxwell get off from her sentence because of the things that Donald Trump said. I just want you to think about it like this. The federal judges have to discount the words of the president of the United States as though they mean nothing.
Starting point is 01:06:11 Like, could you imagine in another criminal prosecution if former President Obama regarding a case involving a criminal defendant who was, sentence to 20 years. Obama put out a message. I have just uncovered that the case involving that criminal defendant is a hoax. The FBI has informed me. In fact, I've learned that the main prosecutor on that case, that she and her dad are in on it and that the dad of the prosecutor tampered with the case. Think about that in the Obama administration. Would we all agree that that criminal defendant would have a good argument to get a new trial. We would say, oh, my gosh, the president of the United States said that the prosecution is a hoax and that there was a setup. And the criminal defendant, the convicted person, would cite that as evidence, right? I just
Starting point is 01:07:08 want you to think about it. Geline Maxwell has that argument that she could make. Donald Trump said my whole prosecution is a hoax. The federal judges are going to say, he's a dumb shit. He doesn't, what he says doesn't matter. It's, it's meaningless. He just rants and raves. His words don't matter. And as a result, she's not going to be able to get her habeas petition granted. You know, similarly, Judge Hellerstein, looking at this case, the question is, is, are the words of the president of the United States meaningful?
Starting point is 01:07:44 Like, I, like, and if they were, then Donald Trump saying that Maduro is the last. leader should end the inquiry. But you could say, but the indictment used the right words. The indictment says de facto leader and not the real one. And so the indict, but again, we're saying that the president's posts are meaningless and not official statements. And I agree, they are me. He, he rants and raves like a lunatic, but that's got to be the analysis to get to the conclusion. So, so Brett, I'm with you. And I also think at some point, we'll hear about. about a deal where Maduro will go to Russia or Qatar and there'll be a trade for something. I wouldn't be shocked if it's it could happen tomorrow. It could happen in a week. It could happen
Starting point is 01:08:34 in a year. I think the operating assumption is this case doesn't go to trial. And let me also explain why it doesn't go to trial too. The CIA has operated in Venezuela for a long period of time. It will even, you know, before this, okay? A lot of the drug operations as well. Historically, the CIA have had informants who have been involved in this region generally. And although Venezuela is actually not really a narco state, that's not what they're known for. They have a corrupt dictatorship right now in place. But they're not the ones sending the fentanyl.
Starting point is 01:09:13 They're not the ones sending the cocaine that's coming from other areas. But the CIA's involvement there, just think about what that trial would look like if it were actually to go down. There'll be some deal cut. He'll end up in Russia or Qatar or Turkey. Brett, you're right. He will say the 2020 election was stolen or come up with some statement like that. There'll be some deal there. And it's possible, you know, Delsey has freed some political prisoners.
Starting point is 01:09:45 And you read between. the lines, they said it was a unilateral act that they freed political prisoners. You think it was a unilateral act? Do you think that there are things going on behind? Just watch what's happening there. And then as we see these protests in Iran take shape and form, you know, already the question is, is, is Trump going to do regime change there? Trump already says that he doesn't support the successor of the Shah. He's been putting out statements or he's been basically saying, that the same types of statements he put out about Machado. He's putting out against the family of the Shah.
Starting point is 01:10:25 And the question ultimately, what's the plan? And overall, you have the world as this powder keg right now, never been more unstable in an international order. It's untethered right now. The world is untethered and unglued right now. And anything can say, it's already set off, but anything can say, this off. I mean, look, do we have the clip of the ambassador to the United Nations from France? Let's play this clip right here. The ambassador from the United Nations from France, what he had
Starting point is 01:10:58 to say about the U.S. invasion. Let's play. Mr. President, the military operation, which has led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro, runs counter to the principle of peaceful dispute resolution and runs counter to the principle of non-use of force. The proliferation of violations of the Charter of the United Nations and the violations of international law by its states vested with responsibility as permanent members of the Security Council chips away at the very foundation of the international order contravening the principles of the Charter including the principle of respect for independence and territorial integrity of states undermines the foundation of the United Nations and weakens international peace and security.
Starting point is 01:11:45 France remains faithful and committed to respect for the Charter of the United Nations and of the principle of peaceful dispute resolution. We have an obligation to uphold these principles at all times and in all places. Respect for these principles is indispensable. That's from France. That's from France, as there are reports that France and Germany are preparing potential war plans in the event of the United States invasion of Greenland. The United States has repeated over and over again in statements they're not ruling out military options. You have both Caroline
Starting point is 01:12:25 Levitt and J.D. Vance lump Greenland with Venezuela and Iran saying, well, they didn't listen to us, so we had to do military operations. So maybe they should take our offer or else. And then the Trump regime's offer, according to Reuters is to pay the individual citizens of Greenland, $10,000 to $100,000 to become American and secede from Greenland and Denmark, or else, that's the plan. What are we talking about here? What are we talking about here? Brett and Jordy, want to comment on that.
Starting point is 01:13:04 And then I'll just talk briefly about what's going on in the House and of the Senate. Well, I'll just go back quickly to what you were saying before about when you're hinted at the CIA and operations that the United States did in Venezuela because one of the things that the Trump regime did with this indictment against Maduro was they actually moved references to Cartel de la Soles, the cartel of the Sun, I believe it means. And that's because that was actually a group that the CIA collaborated with back in 1990 to show you how far this goes back. the CIA literally brought in 3,000 pounds of cocaine into Caracas, Venezuela. So as you have the Trump regime now trying to, you know, press these charges against, or prosecute these charges, rather, against Maduro. The U.S. isn't quite clean in this entire process of the drug trade. And, you know, obviously, and takes some responsibility for this.
Starting point is 01:14:04 This is information that has been declassified that the United States government. has been involved in going back decades through the CIA. So this is a very messy situation. I could not agree with you more about what the future holds, you know, for this trial and things there. And I just think it says a lot right now that the entire world remains on edge. As I said in the very beginning of this episode,
Starting point is 01:14:28 could you ever have imagined, you know, at this point in time, in 2026 right now, that we would have our once closest allies, countries like France and Denmark and the United Kingdom and all these countries throughout Europe right now, essentially convening in secret, trying to figure out how they are going to handle a United States Pearl Harbor-style sneak attack against Greenland. I mean, the whole thing is just totally, completely sick. On a side note and maybe a slightly facetious or humorous note, I don't think Trump realizes that Greenland isn't as big as it appears.
Starting point is 01:15:07 appears on maps because maps are curved and Greenland looks gigantic on a map. But Greenland actually isn't as big or as large as it actually appears on a globe. And I think if Donald Trump actually knew the actual true size of Greenland, I don't think he'd be as excited about Greenland. This is the only other thing I'm going to add here. I'm sure that he doesn't understand the actual size of the country. I think you're probably onto something. We did not get a weekly cognitive update or a cognitive flex brag unless I missed it that he
Starting point is 01:15:35 passed to his dementia test. I mean, cognitive test, whatever the heck he wants to claim it is. So who knows? I think you're onto something. You know, listening to that clip that we played, it goes back to another theme that I hit on a lot, especially recently, is it's just, I'm always worried about where the United States now falls as far as how the rest of the world is going to view us going forward. Five years, 10 years, 15 years. You know, what are their thoughts on us? Can they ever sort of get over?
Starting point is 01:16:06 it is what they're seeing now. If I was them, I would feel betrayed, is one word that certainly comes to mind. Disgusted, confused, appalled. Not words that you really want to describe your allies, right? Those aren't great words to describe someone who you want to be in the same sandbox with you. So, you know, there's going to be a lot of work that this country is going to have to do, assuming that we can have a pro-democracy government, you know, in the future here, and try and reestablish our relationships with these.
Starting point is 01:16:36 these countries. I'm hopeful. I'm hopeful communities like this, the mightest mighty and pro-democracy independent media using your voices here to continue to get out the truth to continue to show receipts and facts and data and actual footage here and believing that the audience and knowing that the audience is smart enough to believe what they're witnessing with their own eyes and not to be gaslit by these corporate entities out there that are actively bending the knee to Donald Trump in this regime. So anytime we play a clip like that, that's just immediately what comes to my mind is, man, they really don't trust us. Like they really don't trust the United States, they being our former allies here.
Starting point is 01:17:17 And we've given them no reason to be able to. The behavior has been erratic, to say the least. And it's going to take some work. I'm hopeful, but hoping and just waiting isn't enough. Like there's going to have to be real work that's going to need to be done in order to, you know, get people to really believe in the United States again. Talk about very quickly what happened in the House and the Senate. On the House side, Affordable Care Act subsidies were put up for a vote.
Starting point is 01:17:47 Remember, a discharge petition was put forward by Congressmember Jeffries, Democratic leader. It ripened into this legislation that now was for a vote. 17 Republicans joined with the Democrats to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies. And now that would have to be passed in the Senate and signed by Donald Trump into law. It's expected that this will be blocked in the Senate or vetoed by Donald Trump if it passes in the Senate. But we don't expect it to pass in the Senate. But the House at least made a statement that it was supporting the Affordable Care Act subsidies. But the reality is that there are millions of Americans who have lost their health care now, can't afford their health care.
Starting point is 01:18:31 or they chose healthcare and no longer can afford food for their children or can no longer afford education for their children. So a decision had to be made there. This was a direct result of Donald Trump and MAGA focusing on being predators in the Western Hemisphere and helping oil companies and building golden ballrooms or now what, the West Wing, They want to build a two-story West Wing, the architect. The new architect, because the old architect got fired by Donald Trump or quit, Macquarie. But the new architect is out there saying, we have to now build the West Wing bigger
Starting point is 01:19:11 because it'll look silly if the West Wing is small and the ballroom is big. So they're basically playing Legos with the White House right now, plastering Trump's name on it, vandalizing the Kennedy Center. You know, this is what they're focused on while the American people suffer. contrast that to what's going on in New York City. Then there was the War Powers Resolution. I interviewed Senator Schiff about this. We had a good interview.
Starting point is 01:19:37 The War Powers Resolution where 5742 was five Republican senators joined forces with Democrats, including Senator Young of Indiana and Senator Howley of Missouri, and they joined forces with the Democrats and voted to, at least in the Senate, to clear the path to, at least in the Senate, vote to block Donald Trump's ability to engage in further military action in Venezuela without the authority of Congress. It's not like Donald Trump will listen to it though, because and Trump put out a statement saying,
Starting point is 01:20:13 war powers act is unconstitutional under Article 2, I can do whatever I want. That's where they're going with this. So that's where we're at right now. We will continue to build out the Midas Touch network. Our DC Bureau, it's been a great start. Looking forward to bringing on more reporters as well. Expanding this network, your help is always appreciated.
Starting point is 01:20:38 Become a member of this YouTube channel. That helps expand this network. Just hit subscribe and become a member. It says join, and then you can actually gift memberships to others. So if you're like, hey, I really want to help, what's a great way to help? Do that or go to Midasplus.com. that's the substack, do both. You can gift on both if you already have one
Starting point is 01:21:02 and just make a gift to others. By the way, keep a lookout each night now. When Congress is in session, we're always going to have our DC Bureau there on the ground, getting exclusive interviews that you won't see anywhere else. So you'll be able to see those on our social media feeds. We post them throughout the day. And one of the new additions to the content and reporting
Starting point is 01:21:26 that we've been putting out now each day. Ben's been doing it since we launched the Bureau earlier this week. He's posting all of the reporting that we take from the streets of Washington, D.C., from the halls of power, from the halls of Congress itself, and we are posting it on our YouTube channel each night. So keep a lookout at the end of each day for those recaps of all the reporting from inside the halls of Congress. I think it's going to give you a vantage point into the United States Capitol and into what our government is doing like you've never seen before. I think Pablo is doing an incredible job. He is off to the races. He is absolutely crushing it. And I really, really appreciate all the feedback.
Starting point is 01:22:04 We're trying to do as much as we can right now to bring you as much of the truth as possible and have you hear directly from the people whose decisions are impacting all of our lives. And so thank you for helping us to build this incredible, resilient operation that continues to grow each and every day. Thank you to everybody for listening to the Midas Touch podcast on the audio feed. And for all of you watching us live right now, please make sure you go and add the show on whatever platform that you listen to podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Apple Music.
Starting point is 01:22:35 It's on all the various podcast apps. You just search the Midas Touch podcast. Thank you so much. Jordi, why don't you take it away? Shout out to the Midas, Midi! Want to stay plugged in? Become a subscriber for our substack at Midasplus.com. You'll get daily recaps from Ron Philikowsky,
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