Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Buck Brief - Trump's Kick-Ass State of the Union
Date: February 25, 2026
Host: Buck Sexton
Guest: Deborah Leah (Conservative Commentator)

Episode Overview

This episode centers on a conversation between Buck Sexton and guest Deborah Leah, a rising conservative commentator known for her work in media and involvement with the Trump administration. They discuss the current political climate on college campuses, the evolution of anti-Semitism in academia, divisions within the conservative movement regarding Israel, and a detailed analysis of President Trump’s first year back in office. The episode concludes with a candid report card on the Trump administration and a look ahead at key issues for year two.

Introduction to Deborah Leah (02:43–04:56)

• Background:

  • Deborah shares her journey from growing up in New York City to studying at Bar Ilan University in Israel, where experiencing rocket attacks inspired her to pursue geopolitics.
  • She describes founding a Turning Point chapter at the University of Maryland, facing left-wing hostility on campus, and credits Charlie Kirk and Turning Point for activism support.

• Quote:

  • “People will look at you on primetime shows…and automatically assume you just popped up overnight. But I've definitely put in at least six years of work into this career.”
    (Deborah Leah, 03:13)

Antisemitism & Activism on College Campuses (04:56–08:14)

• Campus Observation:

  • Deborah and Buck discuss how left-wing activism on campus frames the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in racial terms.
  • Buck notes campus ignorance of history:
    • “They don’t actually know anything. … They view it as white people, Jews oppressing brown people, Palestinians. And that's really the sum total of their emotional involvement.” (Buck Sexton, 05:38)

• Institutional Influence:

  • Deborah highlights foreign influence on U.S. universities (Qatar, China, CCP), linking it to the proliferation of anti-Israel sentiment and antisemitism.
  • She points to coordinated disenfranchisement of Jewish students, such as scheduling elections on Yom Kippur or rallies on Jewish holidays.
  • The conversation laments the modern shift to a simplified “victim vs. victor” narrative in education.

• Quote:

  • “It's detrimental to society for us to all look at things through the lens of victim/victor, and especially that they were able to rebrand the story. The Jewish people are the largest example of victims turned victors… That should be the message…but like you said, they were just teaching white bad, brown good.”
    (Deborah Leah, 08:00)

The Right's New Division over Israel (08:14–12:45)

• Emergence of Criticism:

  • Buck asks about the recent surge in anti-Israel rhetoric among segments of the political right. He references Charlie Kirk’s moderation on the topic and condemns conspiratorial thinking and demonization from all sides.

• Media Personalities Influence:

  • Deborah attributes the shift to personalities such as Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens moving further right after leaving mainstream platforms, driven by attention and alternative financing.
  • She stresses the importance of Judeo-Christian unity:
    • “Above all, we believe in true Judeo-Christian values…the strength between Jews and Christians…I think that's the path forward and is unity through shared values.” (Deborah Leah, 10:59)

• Distractions from Higher Priorities:

  • Deborah laments internal conservative distractions, reiterating that real focus should be on pressing domestic issues like child development, education, and healthcare—rather than online wars over Israel.

• Quote:

  • “Our real enemy should be the people who are trying to transition children…These are real developmental challenges…These are all distractions from the real issues that we can change. … We can’t change the hate in people’s heart…What we can change is the future of this country.”
    (Deborah Leah, 11:58)

Report Card: Trump’s First Year in Office (14:03–16:41)

• Top Achievement:

  • Deborah names lowering insulin costs (via TrumpRx) as the signature domestic policy win, along with facilitating IVF accessibility—both deepening Trump’s legacy in healthcare.
  • She also highlights Trump’s foreign policy successes: ending the Israel-Gaza war, returning hostages, and bombing Iran.

• Looking Ahead – What’s Next:

  • Deborah hopes Trump’s second year focuses on the economy—specifically tax relief for young people, financial literacy, and savings incentives for families, to energize Gen Z and millennial voters.
  • She notes successes with immigration policy and wants more “hard wins” reminiscent of Trump’s first term.

• Quote:

  • “The medical wins were great for the older folks, but to get Gen Z and Millennials rallied to the polls, we need to see...tax breaks for young folks so that we can save for our future.”
    (Deborah Leah, 15:51)

The Trump Administration: Best & Worst Performers (16:41–19:23)

• Top Three Cabinet Members:

  1. Marco Rubio:
     • “Marco Rubio has been an incredible asset in the Trump administration. The way that he represents us on the world stage…I think he's really holding the White House together.” (Deborah Leah, 17:11)
  2. RFK Jr.:
     • Initially skeptical, Deborah praises his wins in the health sector.
  3. Brock Belcher:
     • Recognized for modernizing media outreach and White House transparency.

• Cabinet Critique:

  • Deborah calls out two unnamed women in the administration, saying they have underperformed and should be replaced, highlighting the importance of capability and optics in politics.
    • “Optics is everything in politics, and the optics for the Trump administration is the only thing that the left looks at.” (Deborah Leah, 18:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On conservative campus activism:

  • “College campuses are truly a war of ideologies for the young folks.” (Deborah Leah, 03:53)

• Buck’s Assessment of Campus Politics:

  • “These campuses are like laboratories of lunacy.” (Buck Sexton, 05:24)

• On unity:

  • “I really believe in the strength between Jews and Christians. And I think that's the path forward and is unity through shared values.” (Deborah Leah, 10:57)

• On White House transparency:

  • “I think Brock Belcher…has done a fabulous job at making this the most transparent administration in human history.” (Deborah Leah, 17:56)

Key Timestamps

• 02:43: Introduction and Deborah’s background
• 04:56: Discussion on Israeli-Palestinian narrative on US campuses
• 06:38: Foreign influence in academia & rise of antisemitism
• 08:14: Divisions within the political right over Israel
• 14:03: Trump’s year one accomplishments and policy highlights
• 16:41: Rating Trump’s cabinet and administration performance
• 18:40: Critique of weak cabinet members and importance of optics

Tone and Style

• The conversation maintains a direct, conversational, and sometimes jocular tone.
• Both Buck and Deborah blend anecdotal insight with pointed policy analysis, aiming for clarity and broad appeal within conservative circles.

This summary captures the full scope and substance of the discussion, highlighting both the immediate political stakes and the broader currents within conservatism as reflected in the episode.