By Ben Meiselas
What the heck did I wake up to today? I’m sure many of you feel the same each day. Anyway, let me catch you up on the latest.
During his speech to American troops at a naval base in Japan, Donald Trump once again turned the occasion into a disturbing display of delusion, deceit, and incoherence. What should have been a moment to thank service members devolved into a bizarre monologue filled with lies about the economy, rambling about “steamships” and renaming the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America.”
I watched the full address, and it’s just the latest in a string of the most humiliating performances from a supposed president I’ve ever seen. Trump told the troops, “Oh, I’d love to have your job.” What he didn’t mention, of course, is that he dodged the Vietnam draft five separate times by claiming bone spurs, and has denigrated our military ever since.
Then came more lies. Trump declared, “Inflation has been defeated,” and bragged that “everyone in our country is now doing well.” That statement alone would be laughable if it weren’t so grotesquely disconnected from reality. Food banks across America are being overwhelmed, SNAP benefits are set to expire, and inflation just ticked up again. The truth is, people are struggling under the weight of Trump’s reckless policies and his ongoing government shutdown.
From there, Trump spiraled into an incoherent rant that would make any foreign ally cringe. He declared grocery prices were “way down” and everyone could afford everything, all lies contradicted by every piece of available data. He then veered into a strange tirade about how he “never liked good-looking people,” before asserting that America now operates purely on “merit.” I’m not sure anyone has ever used the word “merit” to describe the people who fill the Trump regime.
Perhaps the oddest moment came when Trump said he would “bring back steam.” “We’re going to go back to steam,” he insisted. “They change just for the sake of changing.” He promised to sign an executive order mandating steam-powered catapults and hydraulic elevators on U.S. aircraft carriers, a statement that drew blank stares from military leaders standing behind him.
As if that weren’t enough, Trump claimed to have “hugged missiles” that he personally approved for Japan’s self-defense forces, then accused immigrants of being “from prisons and insane asylums,” and then finally circled back to spreading lies about the 2020 election.
This is the commander-in-chief that our troops abroad are being forced to listen to. A man detached from reality, recycling conspiracy theories and nostalgia for steam engines while the economy burns and families back home face mounting hardship.
Meanwhile, Trump’s government shutdown continues to devastate the American public. Food insecurity is rising. Consumer confidence has dropped to its lowest level since spring. Tens of thousands of workers are being laid off, while corporate stocks surge on the news. And yet Trump tells the troops that “everyone is doing well.”
Back in Washington, fighter jets have been conducting flyovers for propaganda videos, even as unpaid government workers watch from the ground, struggling to feed their families. It’s a perfect metaphor for Trump’s America: spectacle over substance, bluster over competence, self-interest over service.
There is some other news this morning worth sharing that’s not in my video report. I’ll keep it quick:
The ceasefire in Gaza has collapsed. Israel and Hamas both accused each other of violations this morning, and Israeli PM Netanyahu says he has ordered “immediate, powerful” strikes in Gaza. In fact, just moments ago, I heard reports that the airstrikes have begun.
Trump’s family raked in more than $800 million from sales of crypto assets in the first half of 2025 alone, and potentially billions more in unrealized gains. There’s that “merit” I was talking about.
A group of more than two dozen Democratic state attorneys general are suing the Trump administration over its decision to suspend food benefits for more than 42 million Americans during a government shutdown. They are hoping a court will force Trump to maintain SNAP benefits, which are set to expire on Saturday.
A federal judge plans to block Trump’s layoffs of federal employees during the shutdown. An official decision is expected to be handed down soon.
Trump’s disapproval has risen to 57% in a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The U.S. military struck four more boats in Pacific, killing 14. There is one reported survivor.
A federal judge issued a gag order barring Trump’s DOJ and Department of Homeland Security from violating Kilmar Abrego Garcia‘s right to a fair trial.
One more thing:
MAGA Mike Johnson and House Republicans spouted their typical lies this morning in another unhinged press conference. They must have all attended the same Trump University of Projection, because every accusation, as always, was a confession. While trying to attack Joe Biden, MAGA Mike made the perfect case against Trump. So we made a video using his words and video of Trump to expose his gaslighting and hypocrisy. You can watch it here.
Thanks for your kind words about these mid-day recaps. Watch my report above, like and share this post, and keep spreading the word. And thanks again for subscribing to the MeidasTouch Podcast on your favorite audio platforms, like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. We’ve got a new episode out right now with me and my brothers — I hope you enjoy it!
