Originally published at: https://peakprosperity.com/daily-digest/ghislaine-maxwell-revelations-nvidia-approaches-size-of-entire-nikkei-225/
US Politics
The DOJ has released the full audio of its recent interview Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell reportedly denied any inappropriate behavior by Trump, describing him as a “gentleman,” and claimed Bill Clinton never visited Epstein’s island, while highlighting her own connections to Clinton over Epstein’s. She also reportedly dismissed the existence of an “Epstein list” or black book, denied a close relationship between Clinton and Epstein, and alleged that Sarah, Duchess of York, influenced Prince Andrew’s association with Epstein. Maxwell further suggested her father, Robert Maxwell, was an intelligence asset, prompting speculation about wider connections. Rep. Jamie Raskin criticized the interview, reportedly calling it a “whitewash and cover-up,” and pointed to Maxwell’s denial of witnessing Epstein’s misconduct with minors despite her conviction. Conversely, Maxwell’s legal team defended the interview as conducted under strict guidelines, urging a balanced view of her statements.
Meanwhile, the FBI conducted a raid on John Bolton’s DC-area home and Maryland office, authorized by FBI Director Kash Patel, as part of an investigation into classified documents. The operation has sparked political debate. President Trump publicly distanced himself from the raid, with reports quoting him referring to Bolton in critical terms and suggesting the possibility of uncovering leaks. The raid is connected to an investigation tied to Bolton’s 2020 book, which sources say was previously delayed under the Biden administration. Bolton, responding via CNN, has denied wrongdoing, calling the raid politically motivated.
In a separate development, National Guard troops are reportedly set to deploy across 19 states to assist a DHS operation targeting immigration and federal crime, providing support to federal agents through mid-November, according to official statements. The ACLU has criticized this move, warning it could intimidate immigrant communities and overstep federal authority.
Meanwhile, a federal judge, Kathleen M. Williams, has ordered the closure of Alligator Alcatraz due to violations of the National Environmental Policy Act. The ruling states that the facility’s construction lacked adequate environmental review and poses risks to habitats of endangered species, including the Florida panther. The order prohibits new detainees from being admitted, requires current detainees to be relocated within 60 days, and mandates the removal of key infrastructure. Florida’s appeal, which argued that the impact was minimal due to a pre-existing airstrip, was rejected by the judge, who noted significant new construction at the site. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis criticized the ruling as politically motivated, vowing to continue the fight against the decision.
Economy
Nvidia’s market presence continues to grow, with its weight in the S&P 500 reaching 8.2%, surpassing the combined value of the 25 stocks in the energy sector. Its market capitalization stands at $4.28 trillion, representing 3.6% of global GDP, exceeding the economic output of countries like the UK, France, and Germany, and approaching the total value of Japan’s Nikkei 225, the world’s second-largest stock market. Separately, margin debt has reached a record high of $1.022 trillion, according to financial data, raising concerns among analysts about elevated leverage in the market. Some experts, as reported by Financial Times, warn that this concentration on a single stock like Nvidia and high margin debt levels could increase market volatility if performance falters.
In the US housing sector, home prices declined in 39 of the top 50 metropolitan areas in July, the highest number since 2012, based on recent market reports. However, Redfin notes that the national median home price has only slightly decreased, suggesting the market is adjusting rather than collapsing.
Finally, the US House has included a provision in a defense policy bill for 2026 that prohibits the Federal Reserve from issuing or researching central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), though it allows exceptions for certain stablecoins. Critics, including some Democrats cited by Bloomberg, argue this could hinder US innovation in digital currency compared to other nations.
Energy
Google has reported a significant reduction in the energy cost of AI queries, decreasing it by a factor of 33 within one year. This improvement is attributed to software optimizations, including the Mixture-of-Experts approach, which reduces computational load by activating only necessary parts of AI models, as well as the use of compact model versions and enhanced data center management. Additionally, Google noted a 1.4x decrease in carbon emissions per energy unit, linked to greater reliance on renewable power sources. While the energy consumption of individual text prompts is minimal—equivalent to nine seconds of TV viewing—the cumulative effect of high request volumes remains substantial. However, some environmental groups, such as the Environmental Defense Fund, caution that the overall energy footprint of scaling AI operations may still pose sustainability challenges despite these efficiency gains.
Health
The Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has issued a warning to states to recognize religious vaccine exemptions or risk losing federal funding, such as West Virginia’s $1.37 billion in Medicaid support. A letter from HHS’s Office for Civil Rights stated that federal conscience statutes and religious non-discrimination provisions apply to vaccine policies. This action follows Kennedy’s decision to exclude pro-mandate groups from advisory roles and coincides with West Virginia’s recent legal changes to protect religious exemptions under state and federal law, according to official reports. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics expressed concern that this could undermine public health efforts by reducing vaccination rates.
Sources
Google Slashes AI Query Energy Costs by 33x in Just One Year
“We estimate the median Gemini Apps text prompt uses 0.24 watt-hours of energy, emits 0.03 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent (gCO2e), and consumes 0.26 milliliters (or about five drops) of water.”
Source | Submitted by Shplad
NVIDIA’s Record 8.2% Weight in S&P 500 Overshadows Entire Energy Sector
NVIDIA’s weight in the S&P 500 is now a RECORD 8.2%.
Source | Submitted by Chris Martenson
Margin Debt Soars to Record $1.022 Trillion: A Dangerous Signal for Markets
Margin debt just hit a fresh all-time high: $1.022 trillion.
Source | Submitted by Chris Martenson
US Housing Market Shows Signs of Strain as Home Prices Drop in Record Number of Metros
Home prices dropped in 39 of the top 50 metros in July, the highest number on record in data going back to 2012.
Source | Submitted by Chris Martenson
FBI Raids John Bolton’s DC-Area Home in Classified Documents Probe, Ordered by Kash Patel
The raid, which was directly ordered by Kash Patel, seems to be related to classified documents.
Source | Submitted by Chris Martenson
Nvidia’s Market Cap Surges to 3.6% of Global GDP, Outpacing Major Economies
Nvidia’s market cap is now equivalent to 3.6% of GLOBAL GDP.
Source | Submitted by Chris Martenson
Ghislaine Maxwell Claims Trump ‘Never Inappropriate,’ Father Was Intelligence Asset in DOJ Transcripts
“I never witnessed the President in any inappropriate setting in any way.”
US House Slips CBDC Ban into Massive Defense Policy Bill
The provision in the defense policy bill would ban the Fed from issuing any digital currency or asset and stop the central bank from offering financial products or services directly to individuals.
Obama-Appointed Judge Shuts Down ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ Citing Environmental Violations
“There weren’t ‘deficiencies’ in the agency’s process. There was no process.”
Trump Slams ‘Lowlife’ Bolton After FBI Raid Over Classified Info Leak Allegations
“He is not a smart guy. But he could be a very unpatriotic guy. We’re going to find out.”
HHS Warns States: Honor Religious Vaccine Exemptions or Lose Federal Funding
OCR enforces 26 conscience statutes applicable to various funding streams as well as 21 religious non-discrimination provisions in other federal statutes and regulations, which include a number of grant and block grant programs… These protections are applicable to specific health programs and cover a range of topics depending on the statute, including abortion, sterilization, assisted suicide, advanced directives, vaccines, and compulsory health services.
Nvidia’s $4.28 Trillion Market Value Nears Japan’s Nikkei 225 Total
At $4.28 trillion, Nvidia’s total market value is about a trillion dollars shy of the combined value of Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index.
National Guard to Mobilize in 19 States for DHS Immigration and Crime Crackdown
In tonight, 1,700 National Guard troops are now set to mobilize across 19 states over the coming weeks.
Ghislaine Maxwell Denies Bill Clinton’s Visits to Epstein’s Island in DOJ Interview
“President Clinton was my friend, not Epstein’s friend.”
Ghislaine Maxwell Denies Existence of Epstein List in Testimony to Trump’s Lawyer
Absolutely no. There is no list.
Ghislaine Maxwell’s Prison Interview Slammed as ‘Whitewash and Cover-Up’ by Rep. Jamie Raskin
It’s an absolute whitewash and a cover-up.
Duchess Pushed Andrew-Epstein Bond, Claims Maxwell in DOJ Interview
So he met Prince Andrew and then he had a really good relationship … and through Sarah, actually. I think Sarah is the one that pushed that, and they met and hung out, I want to say two or three times that had nothing to do with me.
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: Environmental Defense Fund, Financial Times, Redfin, Bloomberg, CNN, ACLU, Ghislaine Maxwell’s Legal Team, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, American Academy of Pediatrics.
