Trump surprised by mourning crowds
Trump told Axios he was surprised to see Iranians crying for the Ayatollah, suggesting the displays of grief might not be genuine.
Where this was said
Trump's Reaction: Fake Tears and the Fantasy of Bombing a Funeral
At 9:50 · chapter starts 9:40
This chapter centers on two extraordinary Trump quotes sourced from Axios. The first: Trump admitting he was surprised to see millions of Iranians genuinely mourning the Ayatollah, and suggesting the tears might not be real. Meiselas points out that Western and Israeli propaganda spent months insisting the regime was universally despised and broke — and now the same crowd is claiming millions of people were paid to attend a funeral by a government they said was bankrupt. The second quote is more alarming: Trump openly stating that if the U.S. wanted to, it could strike all of Iran's gathered leadership in 'one shot,' before clarifying the U.S. won't because it wants negotiating partners. Meiselas draws an explicit contrast to Mark Levin, who watched the same footage and called it 'opportunity lost,' suggesting he would have preferred the strike. Meiselas's reaction: 'What a sick thing to say.' The sequence crystallizes the episode's core argument about the gap between fantasy and strategic reality. [1] — Ben Meiselas "Trump told Axios the mourning might be fake and mused that the U.S. could have struck all of Iran's leadership at the funeral in 'one shot.…" 09:40
Trump: 'Maybe It's Fake Tears' — And He Wanted to Strike the Funeral
Trump told Axios the mourning might be fake and mused that the U.S. could have struck all of Iran's leadership at the funeral in 'one shot.' Both statements reveal how badly Trump misread Iranian society — and how dangerous that misreading still is.
Trump floated striking funeral gathering
Trump mused that the U.S. could have struck Iran's leadership assembled at the funeral in one shot, but declined because it would leave no one to negotiate with.
Similar snapshots
Media: 90% negative coverage 10 years ago
Kalanick estimates that a decade ago, 90% of media coverage of tech business was negative, treating companies like political targets.
Largest crime drop since 1937
2024–2025 marked the single largest decrease in violent crime and murder in the US since 1937.
Violent crime down 9% in 2024–25
From 2024 to 2025, violent crime decreased 9%, property crime decreased 12.4%, and motor vehicle theft decreased 23%.
Ebony Alert went into effect January 1, 2024
California's Ebony Alert Program, designed for the swift recovery of missing Black youth and women, officially went into effect on January 1, 2024.
UK tourist ETA costs $20 to apply
Andrew Santino discovered that American tourists now need to pay $20 to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to visit the UK, starting January 2025.
Kay Classman, 28, posed as a 16-year-old student
Kay Classman, a 28-year-old woman, was arrested for repeatedly enrolling in a Bronx high school posing as a 16-year-old student across multiple school districts.
16% of Americans: 9/11 inside job
A poll around 2011 found that 16% of Americans believed 9/11 was an inside job, illustrating how viral misinformation had already embedded itself in public opinion before social media peaked.
$300K debate offer to Candace Owens
Andrew Wilson offered Candace Owens $300,000 to debate her Charlie Kirk conspiracy theory, but she refused.
Only 11 killed by Israeli pager bombs
According to the podcast, only 11 people were killed by the coordinated Israeli pager attack on Hezbollah operatives, despite widespread detonations.
