IMPORTANT Sunday Message from Meidas Founder

By Ben Meiselas

It’s Sunday. As our current subscribers know, this is my favorite post of the week where we can have a coffee together—or a drink of your choice—and reflect on the week. For those who haven’t subscribed yet, we hope you will consider subscribing now to this Substack. We need your help more than ever, and one way you can help is by subscribing right now to this Substack.

This week we saw Trump get completely outplayed on his Asia trip by Xi Jinping and other world leaders. Although no signed agreement was entered, Trump claimed that starting in 2026 Xi agrees China will purchase 2 million metric tons fewer soybeans than they did in 2024. For 2025, Trump says China will agree to buy 15 million metric tons fewer than in 2024.

Also, Trump said China will remove some export controls on rare earth elements that were first put in place in April. Each year they will determine whether to impose further export controls on the rare earth elements. It is not clear to me how the unsigned press release constitutes a deal at all or how this is good for the United States.

Meanwhile, the Trump government shutdown rages on with no end in sight. Trump and MAGA Mike tried to starve 42 million Americans to death by unlawfully cutting off their SNAP benefits despite the law requiring that they make payments even during a shutdown. Trump claimed the law didn’t allow him to make the SNAP payments, so two separate federal courts stepped in and ruled he and MAGA Mike are lying and ordered them to make the payments. Thereafter, Trump’s been ranting on his social media for MAGA Senators to “kill the filibuster.”

Trump then left D.C. and went to Mar-a-Lago, where he threw a “Roaring Twenties” Great Gatsby–themed party. He also started posting about his remodeling of the bathroom in the White House with marble floors and golden fixtures. Trump’s press secretary said she was “horrified” at the décor of how the toilet previously looked. At least Marie Antoinette “let them eat cake,” whereas Trump’s mantra is apparently “let them starve” while he parties with oligarchs in Mar-a-Lago.

Finally, this was a big week for the MeidasTouch Network thanks to our subscribers here. I was interviewed by California Governor Newsom for 80 minutes. The interview is currently posted on the “Gavin Newsom” YouTube channel if you haven’t watched it yet. Please watch it, tell me what you think, and share it with people you know. The MeidasTouch Network also launched a film with Adam Kinzinger called The Last Republican, which became the most-watched documentary in America. We’ve been able to build out our film studios thanks to all of you.

As I finish my Sunday coffee, I wanted to thank you for all you do. Your subscriptions have helped this network grow and operate. We are grateful for this community. For those who haven’t subscribed, we hope you will subscribe now and help this network continue to grow. You can unlock the bonus features, like the podcast I do with Editor-in-Chief Ron Filipkowski—but most importantly, your subscriptions fuel this network during this critical time.

Thanks for everything. Let’s keep fighting together. This is a big week with the November 4 elections, so make sure you vote and get the word out to others to vote. I enjoyed this cup of coffee. Time for me to make another video. Thanks for subscribing.