Nvidia CEO's Spy Scandal, JD Vance’s 2028 Problem, and America’s Brain Drain

Episode of Pivot · November 10, 2026 · 1 h 16 min

Live in Denver, Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway interview Mayor Mike Johnston, then discuss Jensen Huang's spy scandal, Starlink in Ukraine, scientific brain drain, Todd Blanche and JD Vance's 2028 prospects.

Summary

Recorded live at Denver's Buell Theatre on the final stop of the 2026 Pivot tour, the episode opened with Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. Johnston discussed Lauren Boebert's refusal to concede her House race, Democrats flipping seven of Colorado's eight congressional seats, and his view that the midterms were a vote of anger rather than trust. He described Denver's absorption of migrants, argued Trump's immigration crackdown targeted mostly non-violent people, defended Denver's data center moratorium on water and utility-cost grounds, and outlined the city's 64% reduction in street homelessness, a proposed federal "American housing promise," a sliding-scale universal childcare plan, a privately funded Broncos stadium within his Mile High Line growth strategy, and his bipartisan group chat with other mayors. Galloway also asked him whether K–12 schooling is biased against boys; Johnston framed the issue as a crisis of connection.

The hosts then turned to reports that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had an affair with a woman U.S. intelligence suspected was a Chinese spy. Swisher argued any other CEO would have been fired and criticized Bill Ackman's defense of Huang; Galloway called it a failure of governance, argued Huang should take a leave pending the independent investigation, criticized the Nvidia board's financial dependence on Huang, and claimed the Trump administration tolerates AI risks to protect the stock market. They also discussed a congressional probe into SpaceX restricting Starlink service in Ukraine, with Galloway calling for Elon Musk to testify under oath.

On American scientists leaving the country, Swisher said research cuts had been devastating, while Galloway said he had seen few defections so far but worried about fewer top foreign students wanting to come. They discussed Attorney General Todd Blanche's threats against House Democrats, which Galloway saw as distraction, CEOs who courted Trump now distancing themselves, and the politicization of companies and dating. On 2028, Galloway called Trump "political Chernobyl," said Vance had no shot, and picked Ron DeSantis as most likely, while Swisher favored Brian Kemp. The show closed with audience questions from journalist Kyle Clark on local journalism and a 16-year-old on heartbreak.

Chapters

2:03
Opening and Boebert's contested race
Swisher introduces Mayor Mike Johnston, who discusses Lauren Boebert's refusal to concede and Democrats' Colorado midterm gains.
7:03
Immigration in Denver
Johnston recounts Denver's reception of migrants and criticizes the Trump administration's ICE crackdown.
11:35
Data centers and homelessness
Johnston defends Denver's data center moratorium and describes the city's encampment-closure and housing strategy.
19:39
Boys, schools and childcare
Galloway asks whether schools are biased against boys and Johnston outlines a sliding-scale universal childcare plan.
25:01
Broncos stadium and mayors' group chat
Johnston describes the privately funded Broncos stadium, the Mile High Line plan, and his bipartisan mayors' text chain.
33:11
Jensen Huang spy scandal
The hosts debate Huang's affair with a suspected Chinese spy, Nvidia board governance and the Trump administration's response.
46:46
Starlink and Ukraine
The hosts discuss the congressional probe into SpaceX throttling Starlink in Ukraine and U.S. support for Ukraine.
49:45
America's scientific brain drain
Swisher and Galloway debate whether research cuts are driving scientists abroad.
57:42
Todd Blanche and corporate flip-flops
The hosts discuss Blanche's threats against House Democrats, cabinet departures and CEOs distancing from Trump.
1:05:36
JD Vance and the 2028 GOP field
Galloway argues Trump-world figures struggle afterward and names DeSantis as most likely nominee while Swisher favors Kemp.
1:12:25
Audience Q&A
Kyle Clark asks about local journalism's future and a teenager asks about heartbreak and failure.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Mike Johnston
Johnston argues the midterm results reflected voter anger rather than trust, which Democrats must still earn by delivering.
“I think that this election around the country and in Colorado was about a vote of anger, not yet a vote of trust”
Listen from 6:48 · 2026 United States midterm elections
Mike Johnston
Johnston says that despite receiving the most migrants per capita, Denver saw the nation's largest drops in homicide and homelessness.
“we delivered the largest drop in homicide of any city in the country and the largest drop in homelessness of any city in the country at the same time”
Listen from 9:55 · Illegal immigration to the United States
Mike Johnston
Johnston cites a study that most people detained by the Trump administration had no violent criminal charges.
“about 93% of the folks the Trump administration has rounded up had no violent criminal charges at all”
Listen from 11:01 · Illegal immigration to the United States
Scott Galloway
Galloway warns that Democrats are only temporarily holding swing voters and must focus on economic issues rather than revenge.
“the way I would describe it is we're renting these voters, we don't own them”
Listen from 11:42 · 2026 United States midterm elections
Mike Johnston
Johnston argues data centers should lower utility bills, bring their own renewable energy and avoid water use.
“We think if a data center exists, it should make everyone's utility bills cheaper and not more expensive”
Listen from 13:15 · Data centers
Kara Swisher
Swisher criticizes tech companies for pushing data centers through via secretive NDAs without community input.
“forcing it through without community is just the absolute wrong way to do it”
Listen from 14:17 · Data centers
Mike Johnston
Johnston proposes a federal-city housing bargain and argues it would cost less than the Iran war.
“I tend to believe if we can find the dollars to bomb homes in Iran, we ought to be able to find the dollars to build homes in Denver”
Listen from 17:41 · Housing affordability in the United States
Mike Johnston
Johnston rejects the idea that schools are biased against boys but agrees boys face a crisis, which he frames as a lack of connection.
“I don't know that I think that it's intentionally or de facto biased against boys. I do think there's a crisis among boys right now”
Listen from 20:39 · Crisis of boys and young men
Mike Johnston Prediction · due Dec 2027
Johnston says Denver will design a sliding-scale universal childcare system this year and pilot it next year.
“we're going to work this year designing the system. We'll pilot it next year with the hope we can scale it in 28”
Listen from 23:34 · Universal childcare
Kara Swisher
Swisher argues that any other CEO with an affair with a suspected Chinese agent would have been removed immediately.
“If any other CEO had an affair with a suspected Chinese agent, spy they'd be gone yesterday”
Listen from 34:01 · Nvidia
Scott Galloway
Galloway argues Nvidia's board should have put Huang on leave until the independent counsel reported.
“you would ask them to take a leave of absence until you got the report back from the independent counsel”
Listen from 37:01 · Corporate governance
Scott Galloway
Galloway argues board members enriched by a CEO are reluctant to discipline him, so boards need mandatory turnover.
“this is why you need mandatory churn on boards, is typically the CEO is the most, he's the rush chairman”
Listen from 39:26 · Corporate governance
Linked moment · 45:07Skip to 45:07 using a listen link in the info box.
Scott Galloway
Galloway contends Trump protects AI companies because AI stocks drive the S&P 500, the administration's only bright spot.
“So as goes AI, as goes the S&P, as goes the only bright spot of the Trump presidency”
Listen from 45:07 · Nvidia
Scott Galloway
Galloway calls for Elon Musk to testify under oath about who decided to throttle Starlink in Ukraine.
“I think Mr. Musk should have the opportunity to come in front of a congressional panel and under oath, clarify what happened or didn't happen”
Listen from 48:37 · Starlink
Scott Galloway
Galloway argues that funding research universities has produced the highest return on investment since 1945.
“The greatest return on investment capital since 1945 has been funding our great research universities”
Listen from 54:07 · Brain drain of American scientists
Scott Galloway
Galloway predicts Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will be impeached and says the nation will be safer when he leaves.
“I think Hegsath is gonna be impeached and the nation is gonna be safer when he's out of office”
Listen from 1:00:05
Scott Galloway
Galloway argues companies should stay out of politics and that employees not knowing a CEO's politics is a compliment.
“The best compliment I think you can get as a CEO of a private company is, I don't know your politics”
Listen from 1:03:49
Scott Galloway
Galloway argues young people's political filtering of partners contributes to declining pairing and birth rates.
“I don't think limiting your pool of mates, friends, and mentors by 50% because of politics is a good idea”
Listen from 1:05:28
Scott Galloway
Galloway argues association with Trump damages political careers, citing former first-term officials.
“Trump is political Chernobyl. Can you think of anyone from his first administration that's gone on to do great things?”
Listen from 1:06:33 · 2028 Republican Party presidential primaries
Scott Galloway Prediction · due Aug 2028
Galloway names Ron DeSantis as the most likely 2028 GOP nominee, praising his stewardship of Florida.
“If I had to pick somebody, I would pick Ron DeSantis because you may not like his politics”
Listen from 1:06:33 · 2028 Republican Party presidential primaries
Kara Swisher
Swisher argues local journalism should be neither government-funded nor dependent on billionaires.
“you don't want it to be a public service either because then you're captive of that”
Listen from 1:14:10 · Local journalism
Scott Galloway
Galloway tells a heartbroken teenager that enduring rejection builds strength, unlike the risk avoidance common among young men.
“you don't get strength through avoiding risk, which a lot of young men are doing by not approaching women. You get strength by enduring rejection”
Listen from 1:18:35 · Crisis of boys and young men

People

In the conversation

Kara SwisherAmerican tech journalist and CNN contributor
Scott GallowayNYU professor and podcaster
Mike Johnston46th mayor of Denver, former teacher, high school principal and Colorado state senator

Discussed

Jensen HuangNvidia CEO who described GPUs as fungible, durable revenue-generating assets
Lauren BoebertRepublican congresswoman who opposed Trump's war supplemental
Donald TrumpPresident of the United States whose conduct of the Iran war is the episode's main subject
JD VanceVice President of the United States
Todd BlancheDeputy Attorney General named acting Attorney General
Elon MuskEntrepreneur behind X, xAI and SpaceX, discussed in AI competition
Bill AckmanHedge fund manager who criticized Mamdani's speech
Ron DeSantisGovernor of Florida
Brian KempGovernor of Georgia
Marco RubioU.S. Secretary of State who defended the Iran campaign at a cabinet meeting
Stephen MillerWhite House deputy chief of staff and architect of the administration's immigration agenda
Greg AbbottRepublican governor of Texas
Pete HegsethU.S. Secretary of Defense overseeing the Iran campaign
Richard BlumenthalU.S. senator from Connecticut who backed the 2021 resolution
Jeff BezosFounder of Amazon
Harrison ButkerKansas City Chiefs kicker

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From the publisher

Kara and Scott are live in Denver for the final stop of Pivot Tour 2026! They unpack NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang’s affair with a suspected Chinese spy and its implications for the company, the AI industry, and national security. Then, how the midterms are reshaping the Republican field for 2028, AG Todd Blanche’s threats against congressional Democrats, and why American scientists are leaving the country. Plus, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston joins to discuss data center backlash, immigration, and the Mile High City’s sports ambitions.This episode was recorded live at the Buell Theatre in Denver on November 8, 2026.Pivot Tour sponsor Beehiiv has a special offer! Get 30% off your first 3 months at beehiiv.com/pivot with code PIVOT30Watch this episode on the ⁠⁠Pivot YouTube channel⁠⁠.Follow us on Instagram and Threads at ⁠⁠@pivotpodcastofficial⁠⁠.Follow us on Bluesky at ⁠⁠@pivotpod.bsky.social⁠⁠Follow us on TikTok at ⁠⁠@pivotpodcast⁠⁠.Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or email Pivot@voxmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on November 11, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: News Commentary·Politics·Tech News