It’s that time of the week! The latest episode of Ask the Editor in Chief, a series exclusively for our paid Meidas+ Substack subscribers, is here.
In the latest episode, MeidasTouch co-founder Ben Meiselas and Editor-in-Chief Ron Filipkowski tackle a series of pressing questions from members about the growing chaos at home and around the world.
Here’s a brief summary of what Ben and Ron discussed today, and you can watch the full conversation above. To have your questions considered for next week’s Ask the Editor, look out for Ron’s call-to-actions in his daily news bulletins.
One of the first issues addressed was the ongoing legal fight over tariff refunds tied to Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs. A federal judge has ordered the government to begin refunding billions of dollars collected under a policy that courts determined was unlawful. The case has been consolidated before a veteran judge on the Court of International Trade, who directed the government to establish a plan to return the funds.
The financial stakes are massive. The amount owed already runs into the hundreds of billions of dollars, and interest continues to accumulate daily as the government delays compliance with the court’s order. According to filings submitted to the court, administration lawyers are now arguing that issuing refunds is currently impossible. They claim the government lacks the manpower and infrastructure necessary to determine who should receive payments and how the funds should be distributed. Instead, they asked the court to give them additional weeks just to develop a proposal.
The delay reflects a familiar strategy observers have seen repeatedly in Trump-era litigation: stall, challenge, and postpone enforcement as long as possible. Meanwhile, the financial cost continues to grow with each passing day.
But the tariff dispute, while significant, now sits in the shadow of an even larger crisis—the widening war the United States and Israel are waging against Iran.
The war has escalated quickly, drawing nations from around the world into the conflict and rattling markets. Oil prices have surged, geopolitical tensions are rising, and the administration is expected to request an additional $50 billion in war funding from Congress on top of the already massive defense budget.
A central question looming over Washington is whether Democrats will unite to block the funding or whether some will break ranks. Under Senate rules, a small number of Democratic votes could determine whether the supplemental spending request moves forward.
Some lawmakers remain hesitant to oppose wartime funding outright, reflecting a longstanding tradition in American politics of rubber stamping funds during military conflicts. But that tradition is colliding with the reality of a deeply controversial war launched under chaotic circumstances (to say the least).
Public opinion numbers illustrate the unpopularity of Trump’s war. Early polling shows approval for the Iran war starting around 41 percent—lower than the lowest approval rating ever recorded during the Iraq War.
Events on the ground may further shape the political response. Reports have emerged of a devastating bombing at a girls’ elementary school, an incident that early reporting suggests may have involved U.S. targeting decisions The humanitarian impact could dramatically alter the debate on Capitol Hill.
The conversation then turned to the continuing turbulence inside the administration, including the recent firing of Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security from her top DHS role.
Noem’s removal came after disastrous congressional testimony and was followed by her reassignment to a newly created position with an ambiguous title related to hemispheric security. The move was widely interpreted as an attempt to push her out of the spotlight without formally dismissing her from the administration.
Her replacement, Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin, has already come under fire by those who see him representing little difference in leadership or direction. The shake-up reflects a broader pattern within the administration, where internal controversies and scandals frequently lead to abrupt personnel changes and a shuffling of the deck, so to speak.
Speculation is already swirling about who could be next to face the president’s wrath. Several names have circulated, including high-profile officials who have recently faced negative headlines. One potential candidate is Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, whose department has reportedly experienced sweeping staff upheaval amid mounting controversies involving both workplace conduct allegations and broader agency turmoil.
The administration’s internal instability comes at a moment when economic pressures are intensifying. Weak job numbers and rising costs are now undeniable, and even the staunchest MAGA supporters are now being forced to admit reality.
Another major topic of discussion was the upcoming Senate race in Texas, which is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched political battles in the country.
Republican Senator John Cornyn is facing a fierce primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a figure closely aligned with the most hardline elements of the MAGA movement. The primary field was so crowded and expensive that it already consumed roughly $100 million before heading into a runoff between the two candidates.
On the Democratic side, State Representative James Talarico is emerging as the party’s standard-bearer in Texas after consolidating support within the party following his primary win.
The race now poses a delicate political problem for Donald Trump. Much of the MAGA base strongly favors Paxton, but many Republican strategists believe Paxton would struggle in a general election due to his extensive legal and ethical controversies. Cornyn, while less popular among the MAGA faithful, may represent a safer option for Republicans trying to hold the seat.
Trump appears to be carefully testing how his base might react before making any endorsement. The situation echoes past moments when he navigated internal conflicts within his coalition, slowly floating different signals to gauge political reactions before committing to a position.
If Trump ultimately backs Cornyn, it could trigger backlash from segments of the MAGA base that view Paxton as their champion. That would of course add onto the current backlash already growing due to Trump’s war, handling of the Epstein files, and economic disasters. On the other hand, endorsing Paxton risks losing a Senate seat in November.
Finally, the discussion turned to a development in Colorado involving Democratic Governor Jared Polis and convicted MAGA election conspiracist Tina Peters.
Peters, a former county clerk, was sentenced to nine years in prison after orchestrating a scheme that allowed outside actors to access voting machines and confidential election data. Her actions became a cause célèbre among election denialists, and Trump has repeatedly demanded her release.
Because Peters was convicted in state court, Trump cannot pardon her directly. Instead, he has applied intense pressure on Polis to intervene by commuting her sentence.
The governor now appears to be weighing whether to grant clemency if Peters expresses remorse for her actions, something she has consistently refused to do.
Granting it would bring immediate political backlash from Democrats who see it as capitulating to Trump’s demands. Refusing it risks continued federal pressure and economic retaliation against the state, including threats targeting Colorado’s aerospace sector.
In the Trump era, we’re often dealing with multiple crises at once. But we never get distracted here at the MeidasTouch Network. We just know we have to work that much harder.
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