Podcast Summary: Pivot (New York Magazine)
Episode: Trump’s Alive, China Flaunts BFFs, and Scott’s Back!
Date: September 5, 2025
Hosts: Kara Swisher & Scott Galloway
Overview
This episode marks Scott Galloway’s return to the Pivot co-host seat after a summer hiatus. Kara and Scott dive into the biggest stories in tech, business, and politics: squashing online Trump death rumors, growing international alliances excluding the U.S., the politics of urban militarization, antitrust outcomes for Google, and the shifting economics and cultural scenes in America’s major cities. As always, the pair mix trenchant analysis, irreverent banter, and bold predictions.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Scott Returns: Summer Recap & Listener Love
- Scott opens with playful banter about being “alive” after various listeners speculated about his absence.
- He jokes about his travels and fitness regimens, sharing personal anecdotes about working out with his son.
- Notable Moment (03:13): “We have mating rituals, and it goes a little bit like this. Hello. Hello." — Scott, poking fun at audience thirst for his return.
- Kara recaps the guest hosts and highlights listener feedback, with Scott tongue-in-cheek crediting “Albanian Troll Farms” for some praise.
2. Trump Death Rumors & Presidential Health Transparency
- Discussion on the viral Labor Day weekend rumor that Donald Trump had died.
- Kara critiques the lack of media investigation into both Trump and Biden's health, calling for independent medical assessments for major political figures.
- Kara (13:54): “I just wish we had more of an insight so we could assess... we should know quite a bit more and not rely on like Ronnie Jackson who really needs to sit down as a doctor...”
- Scott points to actuarial realities of age and health, discussing structural incentives for opacity and Trump's chilling effect on media scrutiny.
- Scott (16:54): “Trump has deftly, meticulously and bluntly taken a page out of the autocrat's handbook... It’s working. People in the media...are chilled.”
3. Urban Militarization & Crime Politics
- Kara and Scott unpack Trump’s threats to deploy National Guard troops to U.S. cities, particularly New Orleans, and the performative politics around “cleaning up” blue cities.
- Scott criticizes Democrats’ tendencies for “overcorrection” after ignoring problems and the dangers of normalizing military intervention in civilian policing.
- Scott (27:08): “Democrats have ignored...real lifestyle issues, quality of life issues in cities... [then] Trump administration...runs right through it with a bullet train of mendacious awful behavior.”
- Discussion on polling showing public distaste for military presence in U.S. cities, regardless of political affiliation.
4. Big City Culture, NIMBYism & Affordability Crisis
- Scott and Kara laud the current energy in cities like New York and San Francisco but agree skyrocketing affordability issues create social and economic barriers for younger generations.
- Scott (34:23): “Unless we get rid of NIMBYism, unless we put more money in their pockets... All of the amazing cities in America are basically going to be sequestered to a small number of very fortunate over educated people with rich parents.”
- Kara pushes for housing policy as a top political priority, comparing bold housing concepts like Singapore’s subsidized homeownership.
5. Global Alliances: U.S. “Excluded from the Group Chat”
- Analysis of Indian PM Modi, China’s Xi, and Russia’s Putin forming a tighter alliance—contrasting decades of U.S. efforts to keep them apart.
- Scott laments the missed geopolitical opportunities, especially with India, given historic educational and commercial ties.
- Scott (41:45): “We have torn [goodwill] up and we have done the absolute stupidest thing possible. And that is...Nothing rallies your enemies like being the bigger dick enemy.”
- Discussion of Ukraine's war, Russian casualties, and the potential of targeting Russia’s economy to influence geopolitical outcomes.
6. Google Antitrust Case: A Slap on the Wrist
- Google will not be broken up after a major antitrust case but must make some search data available to competitors and will face very minor operational changes.
- Scott views the verdict as underwhelming, with Google and its stock price emerging victorious.
- Scott (51:17): “This was...like your kid comes home high on meth...and you say, that's it, you've been found guilty... We're not letting you go on Snap for 30 minutes.”
- Both hosts agree real trust-busting—with strong historical examples—could be a winning political issue if any candidate seized it.
7. Media Landscape: Cable News Decline & Podcast Ascendance
- Pivot’s own success is contrasted with the steep decline in cable news viewership, especially in the ad-coveted 25–54 demographic.
- Scott (62:23): “We get 400,000 downloads every episode... We're getting 10 times the core demo as the average CNN show.”
- Kara and Scott agree the future is more nimble, lower-cost production and successful digital-first media, but still see opportunities for legacy brands if they adapt creatively.
8. Predictions
- Kara: Predicts Elon Musk will remain on the outs with Trump and may not “come into the fold,” positing he has his own political and business priorities (71:32).
- Scott: Predicts a massive market surge if the Trump administration walks back tariffs following a potential Supreme Court ruling that they were illegally enacted, with special upside for the majority of S&P 500 companies (73:45).
Notable Quotes & Banter
-
On Scott’s absence:
“You've been so good in August, you've been deprived. I know it's gonna help, a little bit of Scott.” — Scott Galloway (02:05) -
On city life for young people:
“There might as well be a velvet rope around these cities for anyone under the age of 40 that's not making $150,000 a year.” — Scott Galloway (34:23) -
On U.S. foreign policy & allies:
“Nothing rallies your enemies like being the bigger dick enemy.” — Scott Galloway (41:45) -
On Google antitrust ruling:
“This was...like your kid comes home high on meth...and you say, that's it, you've been found guilty... We're not letting you go on Snap for 30 minutes.” — Scott Galloway (51:17) -
Kara on the media ignoring Trump’s health issues:
“I just wish we had more of an insight so we could assess... we should know quite a bit more and not rely on like Ronnie Jackson who really needs to sit down as a doctor...” (13:54) -
On the future of news media:
“Podcasts are now TV shows with a strong audio overlay.” — Scott Galloway (66:21) -
On AI sequels in Hollywood:
“Raise minimum wage to $25 an hour, mandatory national service, and no sequels for three years. And the creative community will bloom.” — Scott Galloway (11:42)
Timestamps of Important Segments
- Scott returns/Banter: 01:24 – 08:36
- Guest host recap & audience feedback: 04:44 – 05:34
- Trump death rumors & media culture: 13:54 – 20:56
- Ageism, presidents’ health debates: 16:54 – 19:39
- Urban militarization/Crime politics: 24:41 – 32:03
- Big city life & affordability crisis: 32:03 – 37:42
- Foreign policy & new global alliances: 38:00 – 45:21
- Google Antitrust case: 49:53 – 58:56
- Cable news versus podcasts: 59:34 – 68:01
- Predictions (Elon/Trump, tariffs): 71:29 – 78:47
Conclusion
This episode successfully blends humor and sharp commentary as Scott returns from his break. The hosts dissect the dangers of opaque leadership health, analyze both domestic and global threats to American influence, and highlight shifting economic and media landscapes. Their bold, specific policy suggestions center housing, competition, and affordability as keystones for future political wins. The episode ends on a light note with music and concert talk, underscoring Pivot’s signature mix of gravity and levity.
If you missed this episode, you missed not just political insight but also a masterclass in media critique, global affairs, and how to make the news both accessible and engaging.
End of Summary