Big Friday Message from Meidas Founder Ben Meiselas
By Ben Meiselas
Remember what I said on Monday?
I said this would be one of the toughest weeks yet—but if we stayed in the fight together and didn’t back down, we could win this week.
I knew at the outset that the Trump regime was going to ramp up its authoritarian schemes since it looked weaker by the day on the world stage. They needed some more authoritarian stunts.
They started the week by highlighting the “partnership” between Trump and El Salvador’s leader, Nayib Bukele, to use Bukele’s infamous extermination camps on migrants—and even American citizens.
Trump tried to bully the federal courts into submission.
Trump tried to bully countries to cut deals with him after threatening their sovereignty.
Trump tried to bully the Federal Reserve Chairman to bend to his whims.
Trump tried to bully Harvard and MIT.
Trump failed, and he failed, and he failed again.
The federal courts stood strong.
The rest of the world fully appreciates Trump’s ineptitude and weakness—and they aren’t cutting bad or self-defeating deals to stroke his ego anymore.
Harvard and MIT are fighting back.
And to top it off, Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen secured a meeting with Abrego Garcia and got photos as signs of life in El Salvador.
Senator Van Hollen secured the meeting after accusing El Salvador of violating multiple international treaties while he was in the country—and applied the necessary pressure to secure the interim step of showing signs of life for Abrego.
This meeting with Abrego will serve as further evidence that the Trump regime can indeed “facilitate the return” of Abrego, as required by the United States Supreme Court.
In an alternative universe, what would have happened if we gave up this week?
What would have happened if we all bent to Trump’s noxious whims and perverted authoritarian desires like the creepy sycophants in MAGA?
Where would we be if we tapped out?
We are not destined to have our nation fully destroyed and forever defined by Trump.
This can be a passing era—or a perpetual state of fascist insanity.
We will, of course, have to rebuild from the rubble left by MAGA and Trumpism.
But there is a future we can have, if we fight for it, that involves a generational transformation that aligns with the promise of America.
It’s why I’ve been spending a lot of time this week reminding you about why and how we built this network.
It wasn’t to be wonky political people who cheerlead one team to beat another.
We embarked on this journey because, fundamentally, we felt the corporate news had lost its humanity and turned politics into a bizarre reality show.
We wanted to change that.
We wanted to connect to basic values and principles—and dignity and democracy.
We wanted to fight for people to have better, happier, more rewarding, peaceful lives, full of dignity and respect.
That’s why we built this network, and that’s why we fight.
The politics fall in line from there. It’s easy to calibrate who is fighting for us and who is fighting against us when you start with the values and principles first.
This week could have ended very differently. Heck, we shouldn’t spike the football yet (or ever), since it can still go sideways. The same is true about the rest of this month, and the next few years. But when we fight, we tell the fascists we don’t fear them—and we take away their power.
But here’s what I do know…
I know you have stayed in this fight. You are courageous. You are powerful. You are a survivor.
I know you are determined to stay in this fight in the future.
Together, we have built this media network against all odds.
Outfunded by billions of dollars, attacked constantly by Trump and Fox and MAGA, underestimated and laughed at by corporate news—here we are.
The Meidas Mighty.
The Maple Meidas.
The international Meidas community.
The most viewed network in the world on digital platforms.
The most downloaded podcast in the world.
The fastest-growing Substack in the world by subscriber count.
We are here together.
We are here because we never wavered.
We never doubted what we could achieve together.
We did it together.
We did it our way.
We are just getting started.
Let’s stay in the fight. Let’s grow this community. Let’s grow this network. Let’s keep winning each day and each week. We got this!
For those who have not yet subscribed to this Substack, we would love you to subscribe to the fastest-growing Substack channel in the world.
We would love for you to be part of this. Of course, the MeidasTouch Network would love your support to help us grow bigger by becoming a subscriber now.
We can’t get complacent.
Just because we are beating Fox News and Rogan doesn’t mean that will always be the case.
They have no clue how we’ve built this network with the help of subscribers on this Substack.
Let’s keep shocking them with our growth—and then let’s keep using the size of this network to give a platform to the protests, the shadow hearings, the town halls, and the content corporate news refuses to show.
You can also gift subscriptions to people you know.
Thanks, Meidas Mighty.
This regime is predictable because the world has seen the authoritarian actions of 1930’s Germany. But unlike then, we are more united and we have allies to stand up to feckless bully and we need to stand strong for the next 20 months and regain more power from the Trump regime, which keeps losing. The Meidas Mighty, the Maple Mighty, the Union Jack Mighty, and the rest will rebuild their alliances fast, because we all have that shared interest of decency and respect for one another.
💙🏆💙 This work, Ben, is a godsend. You, your brothers, Popock, Ron, affiliates, and MTN contributors are born for greatness. This is First Class Blue Ribbon work and, thanks be to God, it's spreading faster than the dumpster and his acolytes can stop it. "Fire in the hole!"
They are losing, and the evidence is apparent as they continue to implode and deteriorate. Once they realize--either individually or within a group--Dumpty Doo Doo cannot (and, will not) protect them it will be a mad rush to jump ship. This administration and Project 2025 are the reincarnation of the doomed Titanic. Ain't enough lifeboats this time around either.
How awe-inspiring to witness this great and honorable work. At 80 years old, I am amazed and grateful to bear witness to one of the greatest efforts in support of American Democracy and across-the-board civil unity to ever exist. Congratulations, Sir. Congratulations all.