Podcast Summary

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Episode: Buck Brief – Why Is Trump Calling MTG a Traitor?
Date: December 9, 2025
Host: Buck Sexton
Guest: Ashley Brassfield (Daily Caller reporter)

Overview

This episode explores the recent feud between Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG), once seen as close political allies. Buck Sexton and guest Ashley Brassfield delve into the origins of this rift, unpacking the political and personal factors behind Trump labeling MTG a "traitor." The conversation branches into other current political stories, including potential Senate runs (Jasmine Crockett in Texas), redistricting frustrations among Republicans in Indiana, and general observations on the state of the GOP.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Trump-MTG "Breakup": What's Behind It?

[03:36–09:57]

• Political History & Relationship:

  • MTG was always a visible Trump ally but, as Brassfield notes, never received an official Trump endorsement when running for Congress.

    "She kind of left Congress the same way she came in, without an endorsement from Trump." (Ashley Brassfield, 04:24)

  • Despite her visibility, she was kept at arm’s length—did not land a cabinet position and maintained her role in Congress.

• Tensions Over Senate Run in Georgia:

  • There was controversy around a potential Senate run for MTG.

    "From my reporting I found that she... was shown a poll saying she was not going to lose in the general election, showing her double digits down." (Ashley Brassfield, 05:56)

  • Some suggest the poll was an attempt to spare her a career-wounding loss.

• Divergences on Policy:

  • Rifts started to show, notably over immigration, the Epstein files, and, crucially, when MTG joined others in signing a discharge resolution (seen as a "hostile act" from the Trump White House).
  • MTG's focus on affordability and the housing crisis also set her apart as she advocated on issues resonant with younger voters—sometimes ahead of official GOP priorities.

• Notable Policy Clashes:

  • MTG took unexpected stances, such as calling out supposed genocide in Gaza, which surprised MAGA circles.

    "She’s been big on the 'Israel committed genocide in Gaza' thing, which I didn’t see that one coming." (Buck Sexton, 07:33)

  • Frustrations with endless anti-Semitism resolutions in Congress factored into her growing public dissatisfaction.

    "It was just kind of this facade show... 22 times, I think she was thinking maybe it was overkill." (Ashley Brassfield, 07:47)

  • She also began openly criticizing White House staff rather than Trump directly, escalating tensions.

• Trump's Retaliatory Rant:

  • Trump publicly called MTG a "traitor" via Truth Social and accused her of being "jilted" by him, a move that surprised even Buck.

    "He wrote 'the only reason Marjorie traitor brown green... went bad, all caps, is that she was jilted by the President of the United States. Certainly not the first time she has been jilted.'" (Buck Sexton, 09:17)

2. Broader GOP Rifts & Image in Georgia

[09:57–10:58]

• Brassfield noted that MTG’s abrasive style has alienated her from others in the Georgia GOP, including Governor Brian Kemp, further reducing her support and increasing isolation.

  "I don't think she's friends with a lot of them. So I think she's taking shots... it's a culmination of things. It wasn't simply Jeffrey Epstein and it blew up like that." (Ashley Brassfield, 09:57)

3. Jasmine Crockett’s Potential Senate Run in Texas

[12:15–16:05]

• Crockett’s Persona and Campaign Viability:

  • Crockett is seen as a vocal, performative congresswoman—likened to AOC—who adjusts her tone based on the audience.

    "She puts on these... facades... tries to appeal for them." (Ashley Brassfield, 12:15)

  • Well-educated, but her privileged background may disconnect her from Texas voters, who remain largely conservative.
  • Brassfield suggests James Talarico could be a more viable Democratic candidate.

• Notable Gaffes:

  • Crockett mistook a Dr. Jeffrey Epstein for the convicted sex offender in a public contribution accusation—media blunder that sparked ridicule.

    "Her most recent... mistake... was her talking about Lee Zeldin getting a contribution from Jeffrey Epstein, but it was actually a Dr. Jeffrey Epstein in New York City." (Ashley Brassfield, 14:02)

  • Buck jokes about her defense:

    "She actually pulled the 'I said Jeffrey.' So, not wrong." (Buck Sexton, 14:56)

4. Indiana Redistricting and GOP Hesitation

[16:22–21:29]

• Republican Reluctance to Play Hardball:

  • Voters are angry that Republican state leaders in Indiana won’t maximize party advantage in redistricting, in contrast to aggressive Democratic strategies in blue states.

    "Why is it that when Republicans can do things that will help Republicans, they find ways to be like, no, that's mean to the Democrats..." (Buck Sexton, 18:02)

  • Brassfield observes that Democrats have "set the standard and the precedent" for gerrymandering, and current GOP establishment reluctance is frustrating the base.

• Complacency in Red States:

  • Buck notes "some of the worst Republicans you get in elected office are in the reddest states" because complacency sets in when opposition is rare.

    "It's easy to get complacent and lazy when everyone around you is also a Republican." (Buck Sexton, 20:27)

  • The need for higher standards and more active voter engagement is a recurring theme.

• Counting of Illegal Immigrants and Districting Issues:

  • Concerns raised about how the census counts illegal immigrants, something Republicans could address now but often don’t.

5. State of GOP and Democratic Party

[21:29–22:05]

• Buck points out that sometimes it’s not clear if Republicans even want to win, given these recurring strategic shortcomings.
• Brassfield and Buck agree both parties are internally divided, with GOP issues contrasted with establishment vs. progressive infighting among Democrats, as seen in other recent Senate primaries.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Trump-MTG Fallout:

  "It’s the political breakup of the year."
  —Ashley Brassfield (04:24)

  "Trump is very unhappy with her."
  —Buck Sexton (09:57)

• On Redistricting:

  "Democrats have set the standard and the precedent in my opinion... there is an issue when, you know, state Republicans don't want to put their best foot forward and make the change."
  —Ashley Brassfield (19:27)

  "Some of the worst Republicans you get in elected office are in the reddest states."
  —Buck Sexton (20:14)

• On GOP Voters and Candidates:

  "I have a mug that says 'this mug works harder than Congress.'"
  —Ashley Brassfield (20:39)

• Quips & Humor:

  "She actually pulled the 'I said Jeffrey.' So, not wrong."
  —Buck Sexton (14:56)

  "It's easy to get complacent and lazy when everyone around you is also a Republican."
  —Buck Sexton (20:27)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 03:36: Opening discussion: What’s going on with Trump and MTG?
• 04:24: Brassfield lays out the Trump–MTG backstory and initial conflicts
• 05:56: Discussion of the Georgia Senate poll and fallout
• 07:27: Details of MTG’s stances on Epstein, Israel, anti-Semitism resolutions
• 09:17: Trump’s "traitor" Truth Social post and public spat
• 12:15: Jasmine Crockett’s Senate ambitions in Texas and candidate backgrounds
• 14:02: Crockett’s Jeffrey Epstein gaffe and media spin
• 16:22: Indiana redistricting controversy; GOP strategy woes
• 18:49: Comparison to blue state tactics; base frustration with GOP
• 20:14: Complacency in red states; need for better candidates
• 21:29: Census and illegal immigrant headcounts in districting
• 22:05: State of partisan infighting in both major parties

Conclusion

This episode is a lively, insider-rich analysis of current Republican infighting, highlighted by the Trump-MTG feud and GOP hesitancy on redistricting power plays. If you want to understand the seams and fissures within the MAGA coalition and broader Republican frustrations—plus get some sharp humor and political quips—this episode delivers.

Guest Info:
Ashley Brassfield – Daily Caller reporter
X (Twitter): @brassfieldashley
Instagram: @ashleyebrassfield