Raging Moderates with Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov

Jessica's book I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends is out now — pick it up here: https://sites.prh.com/idisagree

Jessica Tarlov and Aaron Parnas are back for Raging Perspective with 35 days until the midterms.

They open with a bombshell recording obtained by the New York Times: Ken Paxton, the Republican Senate nominee in Texas and longtime Trump ally, is privately admitting that Trump may be hurting him and other Republicans politically. In the recording, Paxton says his numbers — and everyone else's — dropped after the recent Trump-led GOP “midterm convention” in Dallas. How bad is this for Paxton — and what does it mean for the Texas Senate race?

Former special counsel Jack Smith testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday, as Senate Republicans hoped to secure a public humiliation of Trump’s political enemies. But a moment between Smith and Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) went viral — and not for the reasons Republicans wanted. Aaron and Jessica react, with an eye toward the expression on Katie Britt's face.

Trump is working overtime to make "superintelligence" a thing. All executive branch departments and agencies are now required to use that phrase instead of "artificial intelligence," a change announced after a White House lunch with AI — or is it SI? — leaders. The tech leaders signed what Trump called a "morally binding" agreement to establish AI safety standards — a one-page, voluntary pact calling for four layers of controls and auditing, including internal monitoring, outside evaluators, and independent board oversight. Aaron breaks down why Trump is doubling down on AI when it's becoming increasingly unpopular. Also, the U.S. launched its own branded AI chatbot: America.gov. Aaron shares what he’s learned from the site so far.

Plus, a quick check in on the situation in Iran, and Jessica and Aaron take listener questions on Texas, immigration hearings, and Kristi Noem’s divorce.

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov talk about the Iran war's growing economic toll. Trump is once again claiming the U.S. will win in Iran — even as he publicly rejected Tehran's recent offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile oil prices have soared to over $100 a barrel, up from $72 in February before the war began. In the bond market, the ten-year Treasury yield is at its highest level in two decades. With Trump now planning to spend the next 30 days campaigning for Republicans in traditionally red states, he'll have to balance political priorities at home with a war that's increasingly hitting Americans in their wallets.

The Trump administration's Education Department has officially rescinded the Biden-era interpretation of Title IX that included protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. Education Secretary Linda McMahon says the move will reduce confusion for parents, students, and educational institutions. Does this actually change much on the ground — or is it primarily about optics for a base that views gender as a defining issue?

A new lawsuit has put the “Cornell Seven” back in the spotlight. A former Cornell student alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted by seven fraternity members in 2024. Prosecutors initially declined to file charges but have now reopened the investigation and are seeking a grand jury review. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Ortez (D-NY) weighed in publicly. Where does the case go from here?

In Los Angeles, new polling shows in the mayoral race shows Democratic Socialist city councilmember Nithya Raman leading the incumbent mayor Karen Bass by 11 points — a dramatic reversal from the June primary when Bass finished five points ahead of Raman. 63% of likely voters view Bass unfavorably, with majorities panning her response to the Palisades Fire. Raman is dominating among younger voters, and Kalshi currently has her odds of winning at 57%. How did Raman pull off this turnaround — and will the race tighten before November, or will another of America’s largest and most Democratic cities be led by a DSA member?

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov open the week with the Canada trade war entering a new phase: outright bans on Canadian goods including alcoholic beverages, motorcycles, and whey kick in tomorrow. Unlike the earlier tariffs, these bans may not hit the Canadian economy as hard — so what's the intended effect, and does Canada have any reason to come to the table?Meanwhile, Dan Scavino and other notable Republicans are posting AI-generated videos online at a moment when Americans are increasingly worried about AI. Is that helping Republicans — or hurting them?

Trump hosted Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei for dinner on Sunday night, after an appeals court ruling that the Trump administration could block Anthropic from Pentagon contracts. They also discuss Trump’s Oval Office announcement today about a new steel plant being built in Iowa. Scott and Jess talk about what kind of political posturing is going on, and why these moves will do little to make real change in the economy.

Over the weekend, Trump 2024 campaign ads re-aired during SNL and NFL broadcasts — but this time, stamped with "Paid for by the U.S. Government.” Ethics lawyers and politicians are objecting to the use of taxpayer money for what are effectively partisan campaign materials.

In the tech world: Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel has made a public case for why being evil… isn't all that bad. What does it say that a member of the tech billionaire class is willing to say this out loud?

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Jessica Tarlov and Aaron Parnas are back for Raging Perspective with 39 days until the midterms.

Jessica’s new book I DISAGREE is available now! Get your copy: https://sites.prh.com/idisagree

With mortgage rates hitting 7%, diesel prices at historic highs, and gas up 27% year-on-year, the affordability crisis is now front and center in the final stretch — and a growing number of Republicans, including Senate hopefuls in Michigan and Iowa, are publicly breaking with Trump over the Iran war, rising prices, immigration operations, and the questions around funding for Don Jr.'s wedding after-party. Aaron and Jessica debate whether voters will actually buy a last-minute pivot from candidates who followed Trump blindly for years.The Supreme Court has also just cleared the Trump administration to use sensitive federal data to help states identify people deemed ineligible to vote; Aaron and Jess discuss the possible impacts and why this ruling isn’t that surprising.

Days after banning CNN, Politico, and MSNOW from the White House, the administration launched "Trump TV" — a 24/7 YouTube stream drawing comparisons to state media in China and North Korea, with tiny ratings so far. A federal court ordered Trump to reverse the press ban, and reporters from the three outlets were allowed back into the White House yesterday — but CNN and MSNOW were then denied access to cover guest arrivals at the Xi state dinner the same night. Where does press freedom go from here?

On the Xi state dinner itself: protesters were outside, tech CEOs filled the room, and Trump asked guests if anyone wanted to see the ballroom construction.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has revealed he has considered the remote possibility of a U.S. invasion, following the escalation of Trump's trade war and increasing hostility from Washington. What does it say that the leader of America's closest neighbor is speaking about this publicly?

AOC told the New York Times this week that she'll decide after the midterms whether to run for president in 2028 — and that she's aware being a Latina woman could impact her electability. Aaron breaks down the interview, and outlines her potential options.

And finally: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker publicly revealed this week that he's lost 80 pounds on a GLP-1 medication. They discuss the buzz around Pritzker’s presidential ambitions and the general chances for state governors.

PLUS: Jess and Aaron take listener questions.

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Scott Galloway is joined today by Alice Han for a deep dive into one of the most consequential diplomatic events of Trump's second term: Chinese President Xi Jinping's first state visit to the United States in nearly a decade.

Trump personally welcomed Xi at Andrews Air Force Base — the first U.S. president since JFK to receive a foreign counterpart there — rolling out the full diplomatic spectacle of a state dinner and red carpet welcome. Ahead of Xi's arrival, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the U.S. and China have extended their trade truce until January.But underneath the pageantry are much more consequential questions. Alice gives her high-level read on the summit: what Xi actually came to Washington to get, what Trump was looking for, and how much the balance of power between the two countries has shifted since Trump's first term — when China has since become a major player in AI, EVs, robotics, chips, and space. They also talk through international relations and the balance of power not just between the two superpowers, but how Taiwan, Iran, and Ukraine are impacting their relationship.

On AI: Bernie Sanders introduced a bill this week to ban artificial superintelligence and establish a Cabinet-level agency to regulate it. The U.S. and China are competing intensely to lead the technology, but both governments are also increasingly alarmed by what these systems can do. Can the two countries cooperate on AI safety while remaining fierce competitors everywhere else?

On trade: the two-month truce extension buys time — but what does each country actually need from a longer-term deal, and what are the real sticking points?

Trump’s press ban fallout also reached the summit itself: a federal judge ordered the White House to restore access for CNN, MSNOW, and Politico, calling the ban likely unconstitutional. Major TV networks also declined to film Xi's arrival. Alice breaks down how that dynamic — an American president fighting his own press at a state visit — lands in Beijing.

And with AOC teasing a 2028 run, JB Pritzker sharing his weight loss journey, and Kamala Harris campaigning with Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, Alice also weighs in on how China is thinking about the 2028 elections and what a new political era in America might mean for the relationship.

Finally: looking five to ten years out, is the U.S.-China relationship heading toward a managed rivalry with agreed rules of the road — or into a period of much more intense competition?

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