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Trump’s Latest Distraction from Epstein? Obama | Pivot

Kara and Scott discuss the news that President Trump is indeed in the Epstein files, and his latest attempts to distract the public from the story, including going after former President Barack Obama. They also unpack Tesla’s underwhelming earnings report, Trump’s so-called “AI Action Plan,” and why Columbia University is writing a big check. Timecodes: 00:00 Intro 1:14 Trump’s Epstein Mess 4:51 Trump Goes After Obama 14:58 Earnings: Tesla, Alphabet, GM 24:50 XAI Raising Capital For Nvidia Chips 30:23 Trump’s AI Action Plan 37:08 Columbia Makes a Deal with Trump 46:24 Predictions Producers: Lara Naaman Zoë Marcus Taylor Griffin Kevin Oliver Audio Engineer: Ernie Indradat Vox Media's Executive Producer of Podcasts: Nishat Kurwa Subscribe to Pivot on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pivot/id1073226719 Subscribe to Pivot on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4MU3RFGELZxPT9XHVwTNPR Follow us on Instagram and Threads at: https://www.instagram.com/pivotpodcastofficial Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@PIVOTPODCAST Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at https://podcasts.voxmedia.com/show/pivot

Kara SwisherhostScott Gallowayhost
Jul 24, 20251h 0mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Trump Deploys Obama, AI, And Distractions As Epstein Pressure Mounts

  1. Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway dissect how Donald Trump is using a flurry of headline‑grabbing moves—especially accusing Barack Obama of treason—to distract from his exposure in the Jeffrey Epstein files. They argue the Epstein scandal and the “rigged 2016 election” narrative both feed the same deep‑state conspiracy ecosystem that animates much of MAGA. The hosts predict Trump will try to leverage Ghislaine Maxwell’s testimony and a potential pardon to shield himself, while emphasizing how the real victims—girls trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell—are being sidelined. Beyond politics, they review Tesla, Alphabet and GM earnings, Musk’s AI and political gambits, Trump’s AI “action plan,” and Trump-era interference in higher ed admissions.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Trump is likely trying to pre‑arrange favorable testimony from Ghislaine Maxwell in exchange for a future pardon.

Galloway argues 'the fix is in': Maxwell will be encouraged to downplay Trump’s involvement with Epstein, then be pardoned at the end of Trump’s term, flipping the usual prosecutorial logic of working up the chain to more powerful offenders.

Accusing Obama of treason is Trump’s only distraction with real traction for the MAGA base.

Swisher notes that while side fights about TV shows, stadium names, and Melania tributes are 'nothing burgers,' casting Obama as the mastermind of a deep‑state coup taps straight into the core grievance of a “rigged 2016 election.”

The Epstein story has uniquely durable conspiratorial power—and Trump risks backlash if he appears to protect Maxwell.

They emphasize Epstein and Maxwell as a perfect conspiracy vector—sex, elites, deep state, antisemitic tropes—and warn that any hint of leniency for Maxwell, a convicted sex trafficker and perjurer, could stick to Trump politically even if he personally doesn’t care.

Media keeps amplifying Trump’s distractions, helping him “change the conversation.”

Galloway likens Trump’s daily outrage cycle to Don Draper’s 'change the conversation' tactic and a defendant at Nuremberg blowing a kazoo—yet cable news still dutifully follows each new provocation instead of staying focused on Epstein and victims.

Tesla’s valuation is wildly misaligned with its deteriorating fundamentals, while Alphabet is undervalued relative to its growth.

They point out Tesla’s shrinking automotive revenues, collapsing Cybertruck sales, and reliance on marketing stunts versus Alphabet’s double‑digit growth in Search, YouTube, and Cloud, deep AI IP, and a lower P/E than the S&P despite superior economics.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

At some point, he's gonna release a sex tape of him and Charlie Kirk. It's just… 'Say my name, Chuck!'

Scott Galloway

What does animate these people is the rigging of the 2016 election. This does satisfy them. It scratches their itch.

Kara Swisher

I think the fix is already in… At the end of his term, when he pardons Ghislaine Maxwell… what the fuck is he gonna care?

Scott Galloway

Ghislaine Maxwell is a sex trafficker. So think about that, people, that he's gonna let off a convicted sex trafficker.

Kara Swisher

Good governance is really fucking boring and doesn't get headlines… Competent leaders don't feel a need to be attention merchants.

Scott Galloway

Trump’s presence in the Epstein files and Ghislaine Maxwell’s potential leverageTrump’s distraction tactics, especially targeting Barack Obama over the 2016 electionMAGA conspiracy ecosystem: deep state, Epstein, “Russia hoax,” and stolen-election narrativesCorporate and tech news: Tesla’s weakening fundamentals versus Alphabet’s strength, GM and tariffsElon Musk’s AI positioning (xAI, Nvidia chips) and broader financial high‑wire actTrump’s AI executive orders, copyright hostility, and Silicon Valley’s interestsTrump-era intervention in university admissions, DEI backlash, and the role of government in higher ed

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