Kara Swisher on Trump's UFC Distraction: "This Was Grotesque" | Pivot
- Jun 16, 2026
- 1:00:00
- Full Episode
Kara and Scott unpack the White House’s UFC spectacle, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery clearing a major merger hurdle, and SpaceX’s blockbuster public debut. Then, they discuss Fox buying Roku, the Trump administration’s latest clash with Anthropic, and state attorneys general investigating OpenAI.
00:00 Intro 00:21 White House UFC Fight 7:08 Paramount/Warner Approval 15:08 Fox Buying Roku 22:02 SpaceX Is Public 35:07 White House vs. Anthropic 45:00 Wins and Fails
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Producers: Lara Naaman Zoë Marcus Taylor Griffin Todd Wiseman
Vox Media's Executive Producer of Podcasts: Nishat Kurwa
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Brief Summary
Trump's birthday event sparks controversy; media mergers and AI regulations discussed.
Key points
- Trump's 80th Birthday Bash. President Trump celebrated his birthday with a controversial UFC event at the White House.
- Fox Acquires Roku. Fox Corporation is buying Roku in a $22 billion deal that could reshape TV.
- Roku's Revenue Surge. Roku reported a 15% increase in total net revenue, reaching $4.7 billion.
- SpaceX's Historic IPO. SpaceX's IPO saw shares rise 19% on the first day, marking a significant market debut.
- The Power of Wealth. Elon Musk's wealth raises questions about the concentration of power in a capitalist society.
- Anthropic's AI Controversy. The Trump administration ordered Anthropic to take down its powerful AI models due to security concerns.
Episode highlights
- Trump's 80th Birthday BashPresident Trump celebrated his birthday with a controversial UFC event at the White House.“This is like horrible?”1:33Jun 16, 2026
- Fox Acquires RokuFox Corporation is buying Roku in a $22 billion deal that could reshape TV.“It's a big play for advertising based television.”15:10Jun 16, 2026
- Roku's Revenue SurgeRoku reported a 15% increase in total net revenue, reaching $4.7 billion.“4.7 billion in total net revenue, up 15% year-over-year.”20:10Jun 16, 2026
- SpaceX's Historic IPOSpaceX's IPO saw shares rise 19% on the first day, marking a significant market debut.“Shares are at a high of 177 at the time of this taping.”22:17Jun 16, 2026
- The Power of WealthElon Musk's wealth raises questions about the concentration of power in a capitalist society.“Elon Musk could buy all of Manhattan with his money right now.”28:55Jun 16, 2026
- Anthropic's AI ControversyThe Trump administration ordered Anthropic to take down its powerful AI models due to security concerns.“I think maybe Jasse might have said this, but the minute they could, they jumped on Anthropic.”35:44Jun 16, 2026
- OpenAI Faces Legal ChallengesOpenAI is being sued for overselling its AI plans and facing investigations into its practices.“The company is also being sued for its $200 a month AI plans.”36:02Jun 16, 2026
- UK's Strict Teen Social Media LawBritain announces a ban on social media services for under 16s, aiming to protect teen mental health.“Britain just announced the world's strictest teen social media law.”48:14Jun 16, 2026
