The MeidasTouch Podcast
The MeidasTouch Podcast

Pentagon Attacks Meidas Over Our USS Lincoln Reporting…We Won’t Back Down!!

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MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports Pete Hegseth and Trump's continued attacks to MeidasTouch and to journalists like Aaron Parnas for reporting on how bad the military is treated our Navy sailors a...

Transcript

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All Hell is Breaking loose as the Pentagon is attacking the Midas Touch Network.

They are attacking reporters affiliated with the Midas Touch Network.

And the Pentagon is attacking courageous reporters affiliated with other outlets

for reporting truthfully about the horrible conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. The horrible conditions aboard the USS George H.W. Bush. The horrible conditions that previously took place aboard the USS Gerald Ford. And the horrible conditions on the various U.S. military bases in the Middle East. Most of those military bases have recently been abandoned by our military,

as they were defenseless as Iran continued to strike them.

You have the Secretary of Defense Pete Heggsip,

referring to our reporting as reckless and shameless and saying that we completely and intentionally misrepresented what's happening on the USS Abraham Lincoln Excuse me.

Courageous reporters affiliated with the Midas Touch Network,

like Aaron Parnus, by the way everyone subscribed to Aaron Parnus's YouTube channel. Aaron Parnus is speaking directly with the family members of our courageous, Navy sailors and Marines aboard these supercarriers and at the military bases. And also we have heard whether it was on CNN or MS now or other places from the family members of these sailors and Marines who have talked about the horrible conditions that are existing

on these U.S. supercarriers. Now all hell is breaking loose as well because now, very suddenly the United States military once they've been exposed. They've now made the drastic decision to bring into the Middle East the USS George Washington, which is currently the only Pacific-based supercarrier. So this move now leaves the waters of the

Pacific without a U.S. carrier presence at all for an unknown period of time. And this just

shows you the horrible logistics of the United States military under incompetent people like Hexith. Let's be very clear. The USS Abraham Lincoln needs to come home. That is obvious. They're not getting the food they need aboard. They're not getting the appropriate conditions. Whether it's showers, whether it's toilet bowls, whether it's just the basic necessities to live. So that ship absolutely needs to come home. At the same time, it is horrific that our military

didn't plan for this. And what the hell is then come doing Brad Cooper? What the hell is what are they doing in the Pentagon? Hongkhao, the acting secretary of the Navy, what the hell are you? This is your plan. So now at a time where Russia, Vladimir Putin, just went on an island which Japan claims in which Russia claims as its own. As you have China asserting itself more in the region, the U.S. Security in Brawa has not only fallen in the Middle East. It's fallen in Asia

and the U.S. doesn't even have any supercarriers in the region. While you also have Kim Jong-un launching test ballistic missiles and bragging about his nuclear capabilities. Folks, this is what happens when you have people who have bankrupted things throughout their life. And you put them in charge of our military, like Donald Trump and Pete Hexith, and this whole regime of losers. So you have Pete Hexith saying the following, the reckless and shameless

American, and he puts that in quotes, media, completely and intentionally misrepresent the U.S. S. A. Abraham Lincoln, the brave sailors of that strike group are very proud of their tough and historic mission. They embody resilience and excellence. The Department of War, the U.S. Navy and St. Com, have their back. And then he posts these performative photos of himself looking so creepy, like he looks like such a freaking crazy creep. And the allegations against him are absolutely

horrid as well. And he couldn't even run a nonprofit for veterans. He mismanaged it so badly. He got pushed out. That may have been a red flag United States and it mag up. Hexith said, hearing from the troops on the front lines in St. Com, air, land and sea, including USS Abraham

Lincoln, incredible Americans on a historic mission. Let me be clear. They are historic. I mean,

they are incredible Americans. Let's be very clear. And in terms of the mission, this is an unlawful and catastrophic war in Iran. Our sailors, our marines, our soldiers do embody resilience and excellence. Let me be clear. My view being a patriotic American. It's calling out people like Hexith as a war criminal. It's calling Donald Trump out as a war criminal. It's calling Brad Cooper out as a war criminal. And it's calling everybody out who have been involved in war

Crimes and who have treated our service members like absolute crap.

where our service members are not getting the nutrition that they need to even live and where

their conditions are so bad that you have many service members thinking it's a better decision

to go overboard because their mental health is so awful aboard these ships and they've been treated so awfully. So then you get the statement from the acting secretary of Navy Hongkhao. Here's what he posts. The USS Abraham Lincoln crushed their deployment and will return home soon as part of a planned rotation. Pause right there. Well, it's good that they're coming home soon, but this was not part of a planned rotation until people like Aaron Parnus, stars and stripes, military times,

MS now and others started to call you out. This was not a you told everybody it was going to be indefinite. In fact, yesterday Donald Trump said they should be out there longer. Donald Trump said that our troops should be out there longer and that he doesn't care about them literally his words. And this is somebody who's previously called our service members suckers and losers and he can't

even deny them. He basically said that yesterday they should be out there longer as what Trump said.

Then Hongkhao says, "Details will come, but let me be clear. The safety and security of our

sailors and marines always comes first." Really? Because you had a lot of our service members

in containerized barracks without the appropriate interceptors to stop Iran strikes. And then when they suffer catastrophic brain injuries, you said, "Oh, it's just minor injuries." You know, when ballistic missiles and shahy drones slam into the containerized places that they live, it's not a traumatic brain. It is the minor injury. Mission accomplished, he says. He goes mission accomplished. Troop well fair. This is how we lead mission accomplished. What mission was

accomplished? Iran controls the straight of her moves. You had our sailors and marines out there for way longer than they should ever been out there without getting a port call. You've missed manage the most basic logistics. That's a mission accomplished to you losers. Then it goes on to say the Lincoln was extended because the mission demanded it. Deployments are hard. Combat operations make them harder. War is hell and normal routines are disrupted.

War is hell, but I thought we were in a ceasefire. I thought Donald Trump and Pete Heggs said then Marco Rubius said, "We weren't in a war. Oh, all of this time. You mean our sailors and our marines aboard these supercarriers worked deployed for war?" And you didn't even

provide them with the basics for them to live. Oh, that's what happened. God it. One of the hardest

aspects of war fighting, beyond knowingly placing our service members and harms away, is that even

with the best planning and communication, change it uncertainty will always be in play. Our success

depends on how we adapt. Even with the best planning and communication, this was the worst planning and the worst communication. We have a psycho in the oval office every day. Oh, I did a deal. Oh, we didn't do a deal. I'm gonna bum the hell out of Iran today. Oh, I'm talking with the Iotola and we're very close to doing a deal. Oh, did you like my magnificent deal that I signed in Versailles? Oh, we're wrongs breaching the deal. Oh, I'm gonna blow up your bridges. Oh, we did a deal.

All timed right around the stock market as well. You think that was clear and great communication? You never even explained to America the United States why the hell we were there in the first place? You previously said last year we obliterated Iran's nuclear weapons. So we have to re obliterate it. No, what was happened was, is that Donald Trump and Netanyahu went in a loan. They thought that the Iranian people were gonna greet them as heroes. And that's not what happened

because the most basic understanding of the region would tell you that Iran does not want Iran to become Gaza or the way Lebanon, I like. So if the most basic understanding would tell you they were not gonna greet Netanyahu and Donald Trump as heroes after you blew up their elementary school in Manab and slaughtered little girls and then committed all these other war crimes in Iran.

Well, even the best communication. Sailors and Marines are expected to dig deep and they always

do. A leader's responsibility is to take care of their people. The best they can while balancing mission requirements. During this deployment we have seen both. The job is getting done and our leaders taking care of their people. Let's be clear. Our service members are doing everything that was asked of them in these horrible conditions and they deserve praise. Our leadership is not taking care of them. That's clear. Even right now when y'all have been called out, you know

Pete Hegseth, all the reckless and malicious meaning. We're just reporting on what the family members are saying

Is happening and we're reporting on what these sailors and Marines are saying...

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truth 15% off. Unfortunately the media are trying to paint our warriors as victims. Not only

is that dishonest but it takes away the focus on the enemy and the threat it poses against our nation people and the way of life. Here's the truth 266 days deployed 200 days in combat zones

1.5 million pounds of ordinances dropped. We know about the ordinances dropped. One of the things

that's causing a great deal of distress is that no one explained why were why are you bombing any and engaged in these war crimes like what the heck are you doing and people aboard these ships feel complicit in the war crimes being committed by Trump and Netanyahu and this is not America first. No one knows what the hell you're even talking about Donald Trump's a blabbering idiot and even on Friday Donald Trump defamed our troops. He defamed their family members as well

and he's and he's like boasted that they should be on the ship for longer periods of time.

People are in stupid. I know maybe in your maga bubble you know you're used to oh you Donald you

Donald most people get what the hell is going on right now and people don't like it one bit. He does say this though. It is also true a small number of mental health health cases were treated with no loss of life. Meal plans were adjusted when fresh resupply was unavailable without a single meal being missed people say you may have okay it's not a brag to say we didn't we

it's not a brag to say we didn't miss a meal the reality is is that you're giving people basically

the bare minimum or not enough nutrition to even sustain themselves. Calls home were limited when the operational threat was too high there's no question our young men and women have been pushed to their limits but they have never broken they are rightly tired but have never been out of the fight. However it is clear knowing the whole story our force and their families are not victims they are the epitome of American strength and resilience so when the USS Abraham Lincoln

pulls into the pier join me and stand proudly with a grateful heart and give our sailors and Marines the heroes welcome they deserve okay they are heroes we get that and they will get a heroes welcome but don't hide behind them your recklessness and your incompetence and the incompetence of this regime that got us involved in this catastrophic and unlawful war our imparness posting a sailor aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln sent a family member the following image of food they

had been served they legit said we mix things together and that was everything being offered right here I mean barely enough to sustainable more photos of the little bit of food they got then Sean Parnell one of the mouthpieces for the department of defense goes I deployed for 485 days in Afghanistan with an 80% plus casualty right we came under fire nearly every day combat deployment brings real hardship that is simply the truth we endured it we held together

we finished the mission the media treatment of the USS Abraham Lincoln is something different legitimate challenges of a long combat deployment are being twisted into a false narrative while the genuine difficulties faced by military families are being used for headlines this is shameful again you're defaming the military families and by the way your service is admirable okay but your service and the fact that there were 80% plus casualties are are you suggesting that that's

what we want to happen here are you suggesting that somehow we should not focus on what family members are saying as they raise the red flags because you served I mean there are members of Congress who serve you have Senator Gaia go you have Congress member Crow you have Congress member

Mal I can go through multiple members who served who are calling out these co...

don't think that means we shouldn't be able to talk about what's happening or tell the stories

of the family members who are out there terrified and angry about what the hell is happening and I don't get this language oh they're not victims no who's saying that all we're doing is we're calling attention to the fact that this Trump regime the Donald Trump who's bankrupted casinos and bankrupted all of these things and engaged in fraud Donald Trump who's a felon Donald Trump who's been found civilly liable as a sexual predator this incompetent gremlin creature thing

that he is mismanaging this and we wanted to be managed to better and we want our troops to be taking care of and we want to call out war crimes when there are war crimes and call out a war

that we should not be involved in that's okay that's what that's actually patriotism right there

this is shameful he says the sailors aboard the Lincoln are doing what American warriors have always

done remaining resilient focused on the mission and proud of their service we stand with them we stand with them we stand with them and standing with them and being patriotic is telling the truth about what's going on not lying about it remember what Donald Trump said on Friday he said he was asked family members of service members are concerned about the conditions and he's like no they're not they should stay on longer here playing this clip okay

what else do I have to say we're not that ship is moving right now we're very shortly and it's being replaced with another very similar ship no no not nearly long enough thank everybody and then Donald Trump this weekend we'll be heading to a luxury golf club

to golf but at his club on the tax payer dime oh also it should be noted that hegsith in one

month spent 15.1 million dollars on ribeye steaks about eight million dot seven point nine

million will be specific what be specific seven point nine on lobster tail seven point nine million dollars on lobster style close to three hundred million dollars on new furniture horrific horrific stuff as I noted as well you have the USS George Washington now heading to the Middle East and now we don't have any super carriers in the Pacific right now as we've abandoned our allies in the Pacific and they don't know what the house is going on you have Taiwan doing drills preparing for a

potential invasion by China you as I mentioned you have Russia going on Lyle and that Japan claims and you've got Russia calling out Japan you've got the war escalating between Russia and Ukraine Russia's been attacking Ukraine Ukraine's been responding as well and you've got Iran mocking

Donald Trump for hiding in a catering container with Natalie Harp his human printer let's

listen to this wife of a US service member on the USS Abraham Lincoln reacting to Donald Trump statement that we just heard let's play it what was your reaction today to President Trump saying that in fact he didn't think that he was just Lincoln's deployment has been quote long enough oh I don't think the man thinks before he talks and I'm just I I'm really hope I was really hoping at some point there would be our redemption try to redeem yourself at least a little bit

with everything that you do and everything that you say and try to redeem yourself have some sympathies some empathy takes some accountability for what's going on with your military your ships in your war in your war it's infuriating I mean I we heard what what headset said yesterday what what the president is saying today it's infuriating saying they essentially saying that families are lying in service numbers are lying even though the proof is right here on my

phone it is not fabricated nobody is lying everybody is is is it's infuriating that they're not taking accountability and not having any sort of sympathy for our service numbers that they they claim to scream and shout that they support when it's politically you know a sound for them to use support our troops support our troops into our troops need support and now suddenly everyone's lying and it's a fabrication and it's a misrepresentation it's infuriating and I I so badly

would love to plaster my face and blow the whistle so loud on social media with my name and be like this is real we are real people those are real people on the that ship this is actually happening but unfortunately I have to protect my husband's career and you know he's he's making a career out of this or he was I'm not sure he's I'm not sure what he's going to do when he gets back or what his plan is going to be after this thank you so much for your time and

For your family sacrifice and of course for your husband's service thank you ...

now a wife of a another service member aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln about how appalled her husband is who's on the ship let's play it possibly saying about conditions on the ship my husband is appalled

at the conditions on this ship this is not his first appointment this is not his first time being

out there and he is saying that it is the worst appointment that he's ever been on and he's also says that his shipmates say the same the food is appalling but the food's been appalling the whole

time I think that's the food on these ships are always pretty bad but it's more it's not just the

quality it's the quantity it's the rationing the portion are awful so it's it's really it's really not good and then I'll play for you this clip of a wife of a service member aboard the USS

Lincoln describing the carrier as a floating metal prison and saying that morale is absolutely

awful let's play it my understanding is that morale is really bad for any number of reasons not just in terms of people not being chipper but just the workload nonstop no real effort to understand morale there hasn't been a port call in more than 200 days so they've been at sea the entire time and this might explain why some of the sailors have been jumping over board absolutely yeah absolutely my husband is a very leave it out work type of person he

does his job done he comes home and he's he lets it go out work he does his best he works very hard for you know the tape military and he's even said that he finds himself changing he feels himself being angry or and a little bit more and it more frustrated and that's just very unlike him so it's very hard to hear that as his wife when I can't

do anything about it I can't help him the only thing that I'm able to do is then him care packages

and try to get him some positive send him hipters from back home of our kids to try to boost his morale and keep him strong because when you're stuck in a floating metal prison essentially in the middle of the water eating prison-like food with the same people in the same bunk beds in the same small quarters for 200 days, 250 days you start to go a little insane working 12 hours getting four or five hours of sleep and I truly just can't imagine and it

hurts my heart as his wife to know that he's going through that there you have it let me know

it you think everybody hit subscribe let's get to seven million subscribers thanks for watching

everybody and I just want to let all the family members know and we're going to do everything we can to keep on reporting on this every damn day we're not scared I mean I can only imagine what you're all going through I just want to know I read your comments and I want to say this to it's an honor just even be affiliated with Aaron Parnas and the work that he's doing man

subscribe to Aaron Parnas's YouTube channel I mean he's a really an incredible journalist

then you wait thanks for watching everybody before you go our book WTF America is available for pre-order now it's the story of how we got here and how we fight our way back to pre-order scan the QR code or click the link in the description let's do this (upbeat music)

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