Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov take a high-level look at the 2026 landscape as Republicans continue centering their messaging almost entirely around Donald Trump. Scott and Jessica examine whether the GOP has developed any coherent platform beyond Trump himself — and whether voters may finally be tiring of the constant culture-war politics and personal attacks.

And, as California heads into a major statewide primary election featuring hotly contested races for Gavin Newsom’s successor governor, and for Los Angeles mayor — where former reality star Spencer Pratt has had a surprisingly high appeal with voters.

Meanwhile, Graham Platner — the presumptive Democratic nominee for Senate from Maine, who’ll be vying to beat Susan Collins this November— faces more scrutiny, after reports surfaced that he sent explicit texts to other women early in his marriage. Scott and Jessica debate whether political scandals still matter in modern campaigns — or whether voters are more willing than ever to write off “purity tests.”

They also unpack growing tension between Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance amid reports Trump privately doubts Vance’s political strength and future as a MAGA successor. Does Marco Rubio really have what it takes to inherit the MAGA movement?

And finally, Bernie Sanders goes viral for giving dating advice to young people in the age of screens and social media.

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov break down the latest news coming from the White House about the Iran negotiations. Trump’s bold remarks during yesterday’s Cabinet meeting seemed to suggest that a deal was imminent, but recent airstrikes and the lack of agreed-upon terms tell a different story. While the administration insists diplomacy is still alive, mixed messaging continues around the ceasefire, sanctions, and Iran’s nuclear program. 

Back home, Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) says he’s prepared to fight Trump’s controversial $1.8B taxpayer-funded “Anti-Weaponization Fund” for January 6 defendants, while former judges and Capitol Police officers continue mounting legal challenges against it. 

Scott and Jessica also look at the increasingly heated Texas Senate race, where Democrat James Talarico is embracing the attacks from coming from Trump-backed Republican nominee Ken Paxton, and turning them into campaign merchandise.

Meanwhile, Joe Biden is suing the Department of Justice to block the release of recordings tied to the confidential documents investigation led by special counsel Robert Hur. And Jill Biden revisits concerns about the president’s disastrous debate performance and health during the 2024 campaign.

Plus: as the Trump administration prepares to host a UFC event at the White House as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, a massive octagon has begun to be constructed on the South Lawn. Is this a mark of the crass spectacle that America has become? Or a shrewd play for a difficult-to-reach slice of the electorate?

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov break down the latest developments in the fragile Iran negotiations, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivering an encouraging, but confusing, update. They discuss reports that the Trump administration is pursuing a framework involving a ceasefire extension, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, renewed Iranian oil sales, and separate talks over the fate of Tehran’s nuclear program. 

Back home, Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) says he was pepper sprayed by federal agents during a protest outside an ICE detention facility in New Jersey, where detainees are reportedly on hunger strike over poor conditions and lack of medical care. Scott and Jessica check in on the latest public clash between ICE and protesters.

Plus: In his much publicized first encyclical, Pope Leo XIV issued a stark warning against AI, urging that the technology shouldn’t be concentrated in the hands of the wealthy few, should not be considered morally neutral, and warning that it could create “new forms of slavery.” How does this square with the latest thinking on Wall Street, and in Silicon Valley?

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov break down a major election week for Trump-backed GOP primary candidates, including a high-profile win in Kentucky where incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie was defeated. Massie was the de facto leader of the small faction of congressional Republicans who fought for the release of the Epstein Files.

They also preview the next major showdown in Texas, where a high-stakes runoff in the GOP Senate primary could further cement Trump’s influence over Republican politics if Ken Paxton defeats incumbent senator John Cornyn, who’s served in the Senate since 2002. Paxton — the once-indicted former state attorney general — recently received Trump’s endorsement.

Meanwhile, Democrats release their long-awaited 2024 “autopsy” report, after months of internal debate and delay. The document was meant to provide insights in detail about what went wrong for the party in the last presidential election, but, as DNC chair Ken Martin himself admitted, the document itself does not meet his standards. What happened?

Plus: Harvard moves to crack down on grade inflation amid concerns about academic standards, prompting Scott and Jess to wonder if the brands of elite colleges and universities are still as valuable as they once were. And then: Stephen Colbert signs off from The Late Show marking the end of an era in late-night television, and Jeff Bezos sparks debate after his remarks on CNBC about taxes and the economy.

And finally, the political world reflects on the legacy of Barney Frank, the pioneering congressman, LGBTQ+ trailblazer, and architect of major financial reform.

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov break down the controversy surrounding Trump’s settlement with the IRS and the creation of a fund critics are already calling a political slush fund. With the attorney general set to oversee who receives compensation, major questions are emerging about whether taxpayer money could effectively become a reward system for political allies and January 6 defendants.

They also unpack a massive primary night across the country, including Congressman Thomas Massie’s high-stakes battle against a Trump-backed challenger in what has become the most expensive House primary in American history. 

Plus: lawmakers begin sounding the alarm about AI chatbots spreading election misinformation, raising new concerns about how voters will navigate truth, trust, and political persuasion in the age of artificial intelligence.

They also discuss the tragic shooting outside a mosque in San Diego being investigated as a hate crime, and why podcasts may be killing off the era of the traditional “dad book.”

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov break down explosive new ethics filings showing that President Trump made thousands of stock trades during the first quarter of 2026, with transactions totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. While the White House insists the trades were handled through trusts and third parties, the revelations arrive alongside reports that Trump has secured a massive $1.8B fund from his own DOJ to be distributed to allies or supporters who were investigated during the Biden years.

Scott and Jess also unpack growing speculation that the administration could be laying the groundwork for a future military operation in Cuba, following new sanctions and eyebrow-raising intelligence claims involving military drones.

Plus: Senator Bill Cassidy became the first Republican senator in nearly a decade to lose a bid for renomination, after voting to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial. They discuss how this outcome reinforces the Trump-centrism of the Republican party, and the political risks of dissent in today’s GOP. 

They also dive into the increasingly bizarre Los Angeles mayoral race, where reality TV personality Spencer Pratt is gaining traction. What does his rise reveal about voter frustration, celebrity politics, and governance in the state of California?

And finally: Gen Z graduates are openly booing tech executives promoting artificial intelligence in their commencement speeches. Does it mean that Gen Z is fed up with AI? Or are the boos a reaction to the generational anxiety about automation, income inequality, and the future of work?

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Join ProfG+ (https://profgmedia.com) for exclusive access to a livestream with the latest analysis of the Trump/Xi summit. Hosted by Alice Han and James Kynge of the China Decode podcast, and featuring guest expert Kevin Xu of Interconnected Capital. 

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov break down Trump’s momentous trip to China, where discussions are taking place between the U.S. delegation and China’s, led by President Xi Jinping. The summit’s agenda was full — with trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, and the war in Iran dominating the meetings. While the summit featured warm rhetoric and symbolic pageantry, Xi also issued a stark warning about Taiwan, raising new questions about whether the U.S. and China are moving toward deeper cooperation, or a more dangerous confrontation.

Back home, the economic fallout from the Iran conflict continues to intensify. Inflation has climbed to its highest level in three years, driven in large part by rising energy costs, as Americans increasingly feel the pressure from higher gas prices and a weakening economic outlook. 

Plus: the Senate confirms Trump’s new Federal Reserve chair, potentially reshaping interest-rate policy at a moment of growing uncertainty. And then, Scott and Jessica check in on friend of the show Texas Rep. James Talarico’s Senate campaign.

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Scott Galloway and Sarah Longwell of The Bulwark break down Trump’s first visit to China since 2017, where discussions over trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan, and rare earth exports are expected to dominate the agenda. But looming over the entire trip is the increasingly fragile ceasefire with Iran, rising instability in the Persian Gulf, and growing economic pressure at home as gas prices surge nationwide.

They unpack what leverage each side actually has going into the summit, why major tech CEOs are joining Trump’s delegation, and whether the administration’s strategy is focused more on geopolitics, economics, or projecting strength ahead of the election cycle.

Plus: the early battle for the post-Trump future of the Republican Party is heating up, as JD Vance and Marco Rubio emerge as leading contenders for the MAGA mantle. Sarah shares insights from recent focus groups about who Republican voters are gravitating toward — and whether they want a new Trump, or something entirely different. 

And, they talk about the Democrats’ strategy heading into the midterm elections, and looking ahead toward possible candidates for president in 2028. Does the growing buzz around Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez mean the momentum will be with her, or another progressive upstart in the mold of Bernie Sanders? Or do the Dems need to rally behind a middle-of-the-road moderate in order to take back the White House?

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov break down Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and temporarily suspend uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief — even after it was deemed “unacceptable” by President Trump, and while Benjamin Netanyahu appeared on 60 Minutes to make it clear that Israel has little interest in a deal that leaves Iran’s nuclear infrastructure intact. With oil prices falling and markets rallying, one major question remains: is economic pressure finally forcing Tehran toward accepting a resolution — or is this simply a pause before further escalation?

Back in the U.S., the political chaos continues. After the Virginia Supreme Court invalidated the voter-approved Congressional map, the Democrats’ endeavor to match the Republican redistricting efforts got some new complications. Now, Republicans appear to be gaining ground in the nationwide gerrymandering wars ahead of the midterms. As legal options narrow and SCOTUS weakens the protections to majority-minority districts once offered by the Voting Rights Act, Democrats are left asking whether their “fight fire with fire” strategy backfired.

Plus: MAGA world erupts into conspiracy mode over a routine Obama photo-op, the Pentagon releases decades of declassified UFO files, and fears around a hantavirus outbreak reignite debate over whether America is politically prepared for the next major pandemic.

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov break down a week defined by confusion, escalation, and political loyalty tests. As mixed messages pour out of Washington and Tehran, Trump threatens further action against Iran even as officials insist tensions are cooling — leaving allies, markets, and the world searching for clarity.

Back at home, a judge has unsealed what a former cellmate has alleged is Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide note. Its release comes at a time when Secretary Howard Lutnick is giving closed-door testimony to the House Oversight Committee on his ties to Epstein. All this is enough to reignite Epstein scrutiny around Trump allies.

Meanwhile, in the ongoing redistricting wars, the Republican voters in Indiana sent a stark warning to anyone willing to cross Trump ahead of 2026. Scott and Jessica unpack the significance of last night’s election. The duo also speak on the FBI raid involving Virginia power broker and state senator Louise Lucas, Marco Rubio’s Vatican cleanup mission, and Barack Obama’s sharp appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where the former president warned Democrats to stop sounding like they’re in a “college seminar.”

Plus: remembering Ted Turner and the media legacy that changed American politics forever.

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Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov break down the latest developments in Iran, where confusion continues to swirl around a fragile ceasefire. With renewed tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and mixed signals coming out of Washington, the situation remains volatile and increasingly difficult to read.

Then they discuss the efforts by the Republicans to get Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman to switch parties, raising questions about the precarious balance of power in the Senate. At the same time, fractures within MAGA world continue to bubble up, as former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene made some new public claims about Trump and the Epstein files.

Plus, the White House appears to be reconsidering its long-held resistance to regulating AI — does this signal a potential policy shift, or have tech industry players continued their capture of DC? And finally, the Met Gala’s record-breaking year reflects a broader cultural power shift — now fueled less by traditional fashion houses and more by Silicon Valley billionaires.

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