Kara Swisher Slams Tech CEOs’ “Grotesque” Dinner with Trump | Pivot
- Sep 9, 2025
- 58:44
- Full Episode
Kara and Scott discuss Trump rebranding the Department of Defense as the Department of War, and his "grotesque" dinner with Big Tech leaders. Then, how Tesla's new pay package could make Elon a trillionaire. Plus, RFK Jr.'s continued chaos, and Anthropic's $1.5 billion copyright settlement.
Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:48 Trump’s Department of War Rebrand 10:17 US Tech Companies Gain $420B 18:06 Trump’s Big Tech Dinner 25:39 Elon’s $1 Trillion Pay Package 34:46 RFK Jr. Creates Chaos 40:13 Anthropic Settles 47:30 Wins and Fails
Producers: Lara Naaman Zoë Marcus Taylor Griffin Kate Gallagher
Audio Engineer: Ernie Indradat
Video Producer: Jim Mackil
Vox Media's Executive Producer of Podcasts: Nishat Kurwa
Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at https://podcasts.voxmedia.com/show/pivot
Brief Summary
Trump's rebranding of the Defense Department sparks debate; tech leaders face criticism for dinner with him; AI's job impact raises concerns.
Key points
- Trump's Department of War Rebrand. Trump proposes renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War, stirring controversy.
- Tech Leaders Dine with Trump. Prominent tech figures praise Trump at a White House dinner, raising eyebrows.
- Elon Musk's Trillionaire Potential. Discussion on Elon Musk's ambitious targets and the challenges he faces in achieving them.
- RFK Jr.'s Controversial Claims. RFK Jr. faces backlash for his statements on vaccines and public health.
- Anthropic's Historic Settlement. Anthropic agrees to a $1.5 billion settlement over copyright violations, the largest in US history.
- The Illusion of Complexity. The discussion highlights how the industry pretends complexity to avoid paying creators.
Episode highlights
- Trump's Department of War RebrandTrump proposes renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War, stirring controversy.“We're going to go on offense, not just on defense.”1:15Sep 9, 2025
- Tech Leaders Dine with TrumpProminent tech figures praise Trump at a White House dinner, raising eyebrows.“It was particularly gross and especially Zuckerberg who tried to explain himself.”19:02Sep 9, 2025
- Elon Musk's Trillionaire PotentialDiscussion on Elon Musk's ambitious targets and the challenges he faces in achieving them.“Can he hit these targets?”28:22Sep 9, 2025
- RFK Jr.'s Controversial ClaimsRFK Jr. faces backlash for his statements on vaccines and public health.“The second most dangerous person in the administration is RFK.”35:52Sep 9, 2025
- Anthropic's Historic SettlementAnthropic agrees to a $1.5 billion settlement over copyright violations, the largest in US history.“This is the largest payout in the history of US copyright cases.”40:16Sep 9, 2025
- The Illusion of ComplexityThe discussion highlights how the industry pretends complexity to avoid paying creators.“These guys could figure it out with a bunch of economists.”44:43Sep 9, 2025
- 9/11 ReflectionsA personal recount of the 9/11 attacks and their aftermath, emphasizing unity and resilience.“It was the quietest Manhattan has ever been.”51:58Sep 9, 2025
