MAGA Mike RUNS FROM CAMERAS after LUTNICK TESTIMONY!!

What this episode is about

The discussion centers on Howard Lutnik's testimony regarding his past associations with Jeffrey Epstein, with Democrats and Thomas Massie calling for his resignation amid emerging contradictions. As tensions rise, the narrative explores the pressures faced by MAGA Republicans, their strategies to divert attention, and the implications of Lutnik's statements on Capitol Hill.

Key takeaways

• Howard Lutnik insists he's never met Epstein—yet his timeline now resembles a celebrity 'who wore it best' segment.
• MAGA rhetoric thrives on distraction; it’s easier to fear-monger against immigrants than confront powerful connections to Epstein.
• While Congress debates immigration, federal judges are pulling their hair out over DHS ignoring court orders—real priorities, anyone?
• Accusations of child endangerment are tossed around, but maybe Congress should start with the ties that bind Epstein and Trump.
• The absurdity of modern politics: while the GOP plays the blame game, Epstein's network still looms larger than their stories.

Who speaks in this episode?

• Corbin Trent (Guest) · 12 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 5:00: Jeffrey Epstein, Donald Trump, Howard Lutnick, Congressman Thomas Massie
2. 5:00 – 10:00: Donald Trump, Corbin Trent, Jeffrey Epstein, America's Undoing
3. 10:00 – 15:00: New Deal, Green New Deal
4. 15:00 – 20:00: Mission for America, Donald Trump, Corbin Trent, Green New Deal

Notable quotes from "MAGA Mike RUNS FROM CAMERAS after LUTNICK TESTIMONY!!"

• Mr. Speaker, in Howard Lutnik had said that he had cut off ties with Jeffrey Epstein in 2005 and the documents that came out contradict that Democrats and Thomas Massie say he.

  about Howard Lutnick · at 0:00

• Redactions with Trump's lawyers, speaking with Epstein's lawyers, apparently like coordinating part of the defense and saying that well, Epstein and Trump, Epstein was never…

  about Jeffrey Epstein · at 1:16

• Questions. So, what do you think about all the federal judges out there saying that the Trump regime and DHS is just violating every court order, missing every deadline? You got a comment?

  about Donald Trump · at 4:29

• Touch podcast. I love those conversations. From Northeast Tennessee, great to have you here, Corbin. Corbin, when I show those clips at the beginning, what's your overall This…

  about Corbin Trent · at 5:32

• Did they do that though? They did that by delivering with a grand vision for the country. It was called the New Deal.

  about New Deal · at 11:42

• All the, and other corporate media which also pretty much bends the knee now where something like the Green New Deal which is actually a job creator or you know former…

  about Green New Deal · at 14:32

• All you're going to get is more of the same thing, which is consolidation and very rich corporations. So for me, the message that I think is not getting out there in the way…

  about Mission for America · at 18:43

• Let's chat more. He's the publisher of America's Undoing, everybody. Check it out. Looking forward to seeing what the new super PAC fight worth having is going to be doing coming soon. And AOCC's former comms director. Great to.

  about America's Undoing · at 19:49

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Donald Trump — Person · Primary referenced political figure · 6 mentions · first at 1:01
  Central figure in the segment’s critique of MAGA leadership, alleged DOJ redactions, and broader authoritarian/government-abuse framing.
• Corbin Trent — Person · Main guest · 3 mentions · first at 5:09
  Guest provides analysis of propaganda, Democratic messaging failures, Appalachia political shifts, and proposes a public-ownership/production-focused policy vision.
• Jeffrey Epstein — Person · Referenced subject of scandal/documents · 7 mentions · first at 0:02
  Used as the focal point for allegations about elite abuse and as contrast to GOP messaging about immigrants; tied in the discussion to Lutnick and Trump-related document references.
• Howard Lutnick — Person · Referenced government official under scrutiny · 2 mentions · first at 0:00
  Discussed in relation to alleged contradictions about ties to Epstein and calls for resignation; defended by a speaker in the clip as a “great commerce secretary.”
• Congressman Thomas Massie — Person · Referenced lawmaker calling for accountability · 1 mention · first at 0:08
  Mentioned as joining Democrats in saying Lutnick should resign; also attacked/criticized in the clip defending Lutnick.
  Jeffrey Epstein in 2005 and the documents that came out contradict that Democrats and Thomas Massie say he should resign. Do you think that Howard Lutnik should resign?
• Tom Emmer — Person · Referenced speaker at GOP press conference · 1 mention · first at 1:46
  Shown in clips as part of a MAGA press conference emphasizing crimes by undocumented immigrants, framed by the host/guest as deflection from Epstein-related scrutiny.
  Immigrants and they're going to just try to instill fear in the American people. So here you have MAGA Republican Congress member Tom Emmer as part of this press. This was their big press conference this morning. It was Emmer.
• Bernie Sanders — Person · Referenced political figure (via guest bio and movement context) · 1 mention · first at 5:26
  Cited to establish Trent’s campaign experience and to frame current anti-oligarch energy as aligned with Sanders-style politics.
  Called the fight worth having. A former communications director for AOC, worked in both Bernie campaigns, and I love when Bernie's a guest on the Mightest Touch podcast. I love…

Books & papers

• America's Undoing — Book · Primary recommendation · 2 mentions · first at 5:20
  Mentioned as a significant work published by the guest, Corbin Trent, discussing current political and social issues.

Concepts & topics

• Green New Deal — Concept · Key argument · 2 mentions · first at 14:35
  Discussed as a transformative economic and environmental policy framework, contrasted with current policies.
• New Deal — Concept · Historical reference · 4 mentions · first at 11:45
  Referenced as a historical example of transformative policy that reshaped American society and economy.
• Mission for America — Concept · Strategy · 2 mentions · first at 18:02
  Presented as a visionary approach to economic and social reform, emphasizing public ownership and competition with oligopolies.

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 Mr. Speaker, in in Howard Lutnik had said that he had cut off ties with Jeffrey Epstein in 2005 and the documents that came out contradict that Democrats and Thomas Massie say he should resign. Do you think that Howard Lutnik should resign?

0:13 Of course not. It's absurd. Howard Lutnik is a is a great commerce secretary. He's done an extraordinary job for the country and Thomas Massie should stop being.

0:22 Do you have any concerns about Lenick's ties with I don't know anything about that. I know Howard as an individual and I and I I I trust his word on it. I mean, I don't know of the timing and all that. I'm I'm not sure. You have to ask others.

0:34 MAGA Republicans are getting even more desperate as they're seeing Howard Lutnik flailing on Capitol Hill after saying he's never met Epstein after that one encounter cuz Epstein's disgusting. He's now saying, "Actually, I went to the islands when he testified in the Senate. I brought my children. I brought my kids." But you know that that was it. So when I said the last time that I only saw him once and I was so grossed out I never saw him again. Well, I've actually seen him other times as well. also 38,000 references to Donald Trump, 5,000 documents that he's in. And now we're learning even more grotesque details of what lies beneath some of these unlawful redactions uh that Trump's DOJ made, including Trump being underneath these redactions with Trump's lawyers, speaking with Epstein's lawyers, apparently like coordinating part of the defense and saying that well, you know, Epstein and Trump, you know, Epstein was

1:26 never actually a member of Mara Lago, so he couldn't have possibly been banned, but he was a guest, so he could show up whenever. Um, let's just take a look at what's going down on Capitol Hill right now because you know that the MAGA leaders need to step things up and of course they're going to attack immigrants and they're going to just try to uh instill fear in the American people. So here you have MAGA Republican Congress member Tom Emmer as part of this press. This was their big press conference this morning. It was Emmer.

1:54 It was Mlan. It was MAGA Mike Johnson. Watch what Emmer was doing here. Play this clip. Pedophiles, rapists, murderers, and drug traffickers. These are just a few of the criminal illegal aliens that the brave men and women of Immigration and Customs Enforcement have taken off the streets of Minneapolis in the recent months and weeks.

2:42 Yeah. Don't look at the pedos, the rapists, the traffickers in the Epstein files. We're going to spend today attacking immigrants and saying that all immigrants are murderers and this is why ICE and Border Patrol Gustapo need to be out there invading your cities. Then we heard from Congresswoman MAGA Republican Congresswoman Mlan. Here's what she had to say. Let's play it.

3:06 Why aren't more people outraged? I don't get it. I got to share with you. I don't get it. These folks are monsters. They're criminals. They murder. They sexually assault young women, minors. And and you know what the Democrats wanted? Let's release them into their communities. And let's celebrate the criminals. Let's villainize the ICE agents AND CELEBRATE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RAPING YOUR CHILDREN. And again, she's not talking about the Epstein. They're ignore. They want you to not look at that. They want to say that Democrats are supporting people raping children.

3:48 Just think about what they're saying. So that ICE and Border Patrol can invade your cities and kill you while Trump and the people you see there are literally covering up a child sex trafficking ring. And the Karen energy, as Aaron Rupert said, is off the charts here. Here, play this clip. I am beyond frustrated watching a media that is so obsessed with tearing down President Trump that they are willfully ignoring the millions of illegals, criminal illegals that Joe Biden has allowed to cross.

4:26 And then of course, Maggamike just doesn't know anything when he's asked questions. So, what do you think about all the federal judges out there saying that the Trump regime and DHS is just violating every court order, missing every deadline? You got a comment? You're the speaker of the house. You want to comment on that?

4:42 Mr. Speaker, there's reporting this morning that federal judges are increasingly frustrated with DHS for defying court orders in cases involving ICE. Should the administration be able to miss deadlines or sloww walk proceedings in cases it disagree with disagree with and should Congress act to shield the constitutional authority of the judiciary? Look, I'm not going to comment on reporting and see how doubt and harass I've heard of it. Um, if this is a big problem, you probably heard that a lot more. I want to bring in now Corbin Trent. Y'all have seen Corbin on some of the clips we've shown here on the Midas Dutch Network where he's appeared on Fox pushing back and showing the truth on that network. He's the publisher of America's Undoing, starting a super PAC called the fight worth having. A former communications director for AOC, worked in both Bernie campaigns, and I love when Bernie's a guest on the Mightest

5:32 Touch podcast. I love those conversations. From Northeast Tennessee, great to have you here, Corbin. Corbin, when I show those clips at the beginning, what's your overall This is what they do every single day. And the propaganda has reached a level beyond parody. And as I've said before, this would be SNL worthy except this is really impacting like our lives. Like these people up there are really hurting us, but it's it's far.

6:01 Yeah. I you know, it's as you mentioned as you're playing these clips, it would be it would be it makes sense if these people were referring to the Epstein dumps. If they were referring to all the files that are coming out that are showing that people have been systematically uh abusing women ac, you know, across the country, people in powerful positions. But that's not what they're talking about. They're talking about, you know, you notice that they had four pieces of paper that they came up with. It wasn't from lack of trying, I'm sure, that they only had four pieces of paper. Um, the fact, you know, we all know this, your your audience knows this, that, uh, immigrants are far less likely than native born citizens to commit crimes. You know, that is not who we're need to protect ourselves from. It actually turns out that we need to protect ourselves from the rich, the powerful, the oligarchs, uh the Epstein

6:47 of the world, the Trumps of the world. This is who we need to protect ourselves from. And unfortunately, the courts are tied up so much right now that they're not able to do what they need to do. And besides the fact, you know, you got an administration that's ignoring the uh the orders anyway. So, Congress or or the people are are the only things that can step between I think uh you know, an out-of-crol regime and uh and and where we're headed. You know, when I see those people there and I just see I refer to it like I'm like take away the politics for a second because I don't think they believe anything. I I just see a bunch of sociopaths who wake up and say how can we further hoist up our furer and our dear leader, our Kim Jong-un that we want here, you know, which is their Donald Trump and them and Fox and you appear, I call them state regime media.

7:39 when you appear on them, there is no principle or value or underlying thing. It certainly ain't the second amendment because they said that Alex Prey didn't have the right to conceal, carry, and deserves to die. They've had lots of guests who say that. Ain't the first amendment, ain't the fourth amendment, 10th amendment. It's not states rights. It's none of it. At the end of the day, these people just exist because they And by the way, this is what we've seen throughout history. It's not a new thing that people want to hoist up authoritarians. It's just a weird thing to see it here and the tactics that are used to do it in 2025 2026.

8:14 You know, it's disarming I think in a way because it seems so unlikely that it would happen. You know, we've all said it can happen anywhere. We knew this, you know, in our brains. You can logically know that this can happen anywhere. But it is sort of unnerving to see it happening. And one of the things that makes it so hard to react to, I believe, is that life goes on. like, you know, the cars are still going down the street, people still go to work, the bills still have to be paid, kids still go to school. So, you're living in this moment where our infrastructure, our, you know, our social infrastructure, our societal infrastructure, and our uh electoral infrastructure are collapsing.

8:49 And it seems normal because life seems normal for most people. Now, that's not the case for a lot of our immigrant friends and immigrant brothers and sisters. It's not the case for a lot of people, but for the overwhelming majority of Americans, life seems to just go on. So, it's hard to get yourself, I think, stealed in the way that you need to be in order to respond to the situation. And hopefully, you know, we've seen the no king's protest. We've seen some other, you know, uh protest, I think, um there was a uh a congressperson just the other day that called for a national strike if Donald Trump keeps insisting on nationalizing the elections. Um, you know, the problem is I don't know where their limit is.

9:27 There's no limit for MAGA Mike as you've shown in these clips here. You know, there is no limit for the administration supporters in Congress or the administrator supporters on the judiciary. The limit's going to have to come from the opposition party and the American people. And you know, unfortunately, that's one of the things that I'm really disappointed in is seeing the opposition party's lack of uh I think ability to respond in a way that can really put the brakes on things. We're still funding the government. You know, we're having a negotiation about DHS, but like how can you continue funding a government that is harming the American people, you know, that is weaponizing itself against us? I, you know, I want to see more of that. And one of the I think really kind of cutting and incisive uh narrative explanations you give just based on your background being in northeast Tennessee and explaining

10:21 really how Appalachia voters moved away from Democrats and moved you know into MAGA and bought this crap. One of the in the polls right now though is Trump is underwater significantly amongst non-ol educated voters. Now he's he's negative9 negative10 in some of the latest polling there. That that doesn't specifically mean that those voters are going to automatically go and trust Democrats. they may be coming independents or they may be explain kind of what you're seeing though right now in this moment and because there does seem to be to your point an opportunity here though if the opposition understands what's actually taking place

11:06 well I mean I think we have to learn from our history just like we learn where we're headed from our history we learn that there is an alternative that can happen from our history too so in the 30s you know Europe went one direction but America went a different direction We were in a very similar circumstance in America at the end of the third, you know, the beginning of the 30s. And the the Republicans had a majority, a slim majority in the House and the Senate. They had the presidency. Very similar to what you got now. And then in just a few cycles, Democrats had a supermajority in the House and in the Senate. And they had the presidency, which they held for four terms. So how did they do that though? They did that by delivering with a grand vision for the country. It was called the New Deal.

11:47 It was a big systematic shift in our economy and the way things worked and it transformed the lives of American people in a deep and significant way. And that coalition, the New Deal coalition held together for 40 or 50 years. Now you talk about how Appalachia has shifted and how it, you know, Tennessee has shifted. The interesting thing for me is when you look at the voting history of say Tennessee for example, it, you know, Bill Clinton won this state twice and Obama only underperformed Bill Clinton by a couple of points, like three points in the state of Tennessee. So, the Tennessee Democratic Party and the Tennessee voters didn't really turn their back on the Democratic Party until Obama's second term. Um, and then, you know, and then further with Biden and and they turned towards Trump. And I think the thing about Trump originally was that he gave a vision. It was a dark vision. A dark vision of immigrants

12:38 taking your jobs. You know, it was a vision of corporations and politicians stealing your means and making a living. You know, there were all these things that were going on with it. But in there was embedded the hope that it could be changed. That if he were going in there with a chainsaw and tearing things down that something better would be rebuilt. Now, unfortunately, people fell for it and they got duped. But the problem is is that nobody's saying the kind of le the level of understanding that Trump had of where Americans minds were that mostly the Democratic party doesn't have. And I think Gavin Newsome is a good example where he's coming up now with this RFK alternative. He's going to be the anti-RFK, but he's not under, you know, he's not underscoring that, hey, actually, you know, big pharma does have too much control over our health care system. Hey, actually, our health care system is screwed up. We're eating all

13:27 kinds of stuff that's illegal in other countries. So, the Democratic Party, unfortunately, is too responsive. They want to be anti-Trump, anti-, you know, anti-RFK, anti- this, anti- that, as opposed to having a really strong vision of their own that they can then win the hearts and minds of the American people with. And I think that's critical. And in Tennessee, East Tennessee specifically, this is the, you know, my region was transformed by the New Deal. We got TVA dams. There's like, you know, dozens of them in in this whole area.

13:56 We've got the the Manhattan Project built Oakidge. The Interstate Highway System. The rural electrification system, you know, put electricity here when it didn't exist. So, this area actually is ripe for, you know, a new vision, a new bold vision for what America can be. But, you know, they've got to be leaders out there that are promoting it. And right now, unfortunately, Shortcut Shakrabarti in San Francisco is the only one I see that's really articulating that vision. So Corbin, how do you cut through though the powerful right-wing echo chambers like state regime media, Fox, like CBS, all the, you know, and other corporate media which also pretty much bends the knee now where something like the Green New Deal which is actually a job creator or you know uh former President Biden's manufacturing plans which actually was starting to create manufacturing jobs is viewed as horrible and socialistic and

14:54 you know and those terms are used despite the fact that we have socialism for billionaires right now under the Trump regime it's welfare for billionaires and but but they weaponize these words and these terms and they scare people not just from Appalachia but across the country on projects that are benefiting them and so you've been on state regime media quite a few times and you push back and you often leave those hosts there kind of frozen when they don't they struggle ble to grapple with the common sense that you're saying with so what would you say to our audience though right now and I know it's a it's a macro question that may not be able to be answered but but what but how do you combat that right now and and win the hearts and minds not just of people in Appalachia but across the country with with all of that propaganda out there that tells people vote against your interest.

15:43 Well, I think two things. I think one is Democrats often uh self censor. They they sort of p they they try to analyze what the voters are going to think and then they say they think to themselves how can I say this what should I say these people are going to react this way instead of just saying what they believe what they think right which is how you come across as genuine you know they I've had so many politicians ask me how do I sound more genuine and I you know the answer is be genuine right and so I think that's one of the things is just say what you believe you know if you believe that this is a way to fix healthcare if you believe that we need a public option and not just insurance but also in the actual delivery of care. If you believe that we need to have a better system for you know generating our energy just say it you know instead of assuming what's going to happen down the line because of this poll said that

16:32 or that poll said that you can change what people believe. Donald Trump has bought into like a dozen companies, make 10 15% shares of a dozen companies and you know that would be called socialism in any normal circumstances but he's just done it. And I think that's one and then I think two outside of that is to you know to make sure that you're taking this message everywhere you can. Well, you know you got minus touch network. There are a lot of places that are competitive with uh you know you've got these startups that are competing with the national state media and you've got to learn how to go where that's happening and not be afraid to to speak where it needs to be spoken but also go on Fox and talk about it but don't deal you know don't try to convert your message to that audience take an audience the message that you believe in and I think it gets through more more easily that way. Before we go, any

17:24 issues that you want to bring attention to to our 6 million subscribers that you just think are not getting, you know, much more that that need more attention? You know, when I have a guest like you on, um, you know, I I know just even based on, you know, your support of Bernie, you know, at the very beginning too, you know, to me that's where the country is, right? I mean, there's a reason why the Fight the oligarch tours right now are getting the biggest amount, you know, getting the biggest audiences right now. So just as you're seeing the future, as you're looking ahead, what's on your mind? What should we be thinking about?

17:58 So the there's a group called New Consensus that I worked with to start the Green New Deal. And they've got a thing called mission for America. And one of the things it looks at is one of the most important things I think we're missing whether it's healthcare, education, housing or whatever is that the Democratic Party and progressives and so many others think that what we need to do is tax billionaires, tax corporations, then use that tax revenue to invest in, you know, into the existing health care system or the existing educational system and things.

18:28 And I think that what it misses, that sort of idea misses, is that if you put money into an already broken health care system that's not creating more doctors, more nurses, more hospitals, it's not creating the supply that we need, then all you're going to get is more of the same thing, which is consolidation and very rich corporations. So for me, the message that I think is not getting out there in the way that it should is that we have to actually take some more ownership of the economy as the American people and we have to start producing more things. They touched on this in abundance, but one of the things I think was left out is the fact that the American people have to own a share of it. We used to own about 50% of our healthc care delivery. The hospitals, the clinics, all of that was owned by counties municipalities states and the federal government. Same was true with, you know, again, I mentioned TVA.

19:18 We own that here in Tennessee in the Tennessee Valley. We own the electrical production capacity. And I think that's the only way you're going to be able to compete with these oligarchs and monopolies and oligopies is if you create your own massive vertically integrated systems that are competitive. And I think it'll restore competition. It'll restore access. And I think that's one of the things I'd like to see more of. And they're talking about that, like I said, at New Consensus uh at the Mission for America. And again, showcase is pushing the heck out of it.

19:47 Corbin Trent, I hope you come back. Let's chat more. He's the publisher of America's Undoing, everybody. Check it out. Looking forward to seeing what the new super PAC fight worth having is going to be doing coming soon. And AOCC's former comms director. Great to see you, Corbin. Thank you so much.

20:03 Everybody, hit subscribe. Let's get to 6 million subscribers. Want to stay plugged in? Become a subscriber to our Substack at midasplus.com. You'll get daily recaps from Ron Philipowski, add free episodes of our podcast, and more exclusive content only available at midasplus.com.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "MAGA Mike RUNS FROM CAMERAS after LUTNICK TESTIMONY!!"?

Corbin Trent (Guest).

What is "MAGA Mike RUNS FROM CAMERAS after LUTNICK TESTIMONY!!" about?

The discussion centers on Howard Lutnik's testimony regarding his past associations with Jeffrey Epstein, with Democrats and Thomas Massie calling for his resignation amid emerging contradictions. As tensions rise, the narrative explores the pressures faced by MAGA Republicans, their strategies to divert attention, and the implications of Lutnik's statements on Capitol Hill.

What is mentioned in this MeidasTouch episode?

11 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Donald Trump, Corbin Trent, Green New Deal, Jeffrey Epstein, New Deal, Howard Lutnick. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "MAGA Mike RUNS FROM CAMERAS after LUTNICK TESTIMONY!!"?

The episode runs 20 min; the transcript is about 3,827 words in 33 timestamped sections.

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