Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show – David Rutherford Show: This U.S. General Was Taken Down by the System He Served | Brig. Gen. Chris Sage (Jan 19, 2026, iHeartPodcasts)

Overview

This episode features a compelling conversation between David Rutherford and retired Brigadier General Chris Sage, focusing on Sage’s distinguished military career and how it was upended by institutional and political failures within the U.S. military system during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss the operational realities of military leadership during the pandemic, the command decisions Sage made in that environment, and the protracted, politicized investigation that derailed his career advancement. The episode serves as a case study of political and bureaucratic interference in military affairs, highlighting themes of integrity, operational effectiveness, the impact of so-called “woke” policies, and broader issues of meritocracy and accountability within the armed forces.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Brigadier General Chris Sage’s Military Background

• Extensive Operational Experience:
  • Over 31 years of service, 1200+ combat flight hours, and leadership roles in Iraq, the Balkans, Afghanistan, and the fight against ISIS.
    • “When in doubt, when I had a choice, David, I chose to deploy.” (04:55, Sage)
• Leadership Roles:
  • Led at every level from squadron to operational wing commander, both in the U.S. and deployed overseas.
  • Strong family tradition of military service: “I didn’t know any general officers... came from a very blue, blue collar family, working class family.” (11:08, Sage)

2. Operational Leadership and the Role of the Air Force

• Joint, Combined Operations:
  • Air Force’s vital role in modern operations, from Desert Storm to present.
  • “It's a joint fight... the Air Force... the overwatch, the asymmetric advantage.” (07:45, Sage)
• Leadership Philosophy:
  • Focused on aggressive mission accomplishment, care for subordinates, and practical, common-sense solutions.

3. Military Life During COVID-19: Challenges & Command Decisions

• Crisis Command in Pandemic Conditions (16:05–22:03):
  • Arrived in the Middle East as wing commander when COVID was surging and combat ops were intense.
  • Made pragmatic decisions to balance mission readiness with pandemic rules:
    • Visited sick airmen in isolation tents, ordered removal of barbed wire surround ("They're patients, not prisoners").
    • Overruled recommendations by medical staff to keep gyms open and supply vitamin packs.
    • “We’re going to aggressively accomplish the mission... take care of the war fighters... use common sense.” (16:05, Sage)
    • Declined to enforce mask usage outside during extreme heat due to operational risk.
    • Stopped redundant COVID testing on incoming, mostly vaccinated forces.
• Morale and Effectiveness:
  • Achieved high morale rates in informal surveys.
    • “73%...felt like their morale was either high or very high.” (16:05, Sage)
  • Pushed back on rigid CDC/U.S. guidelines that were unfit for deployed, combat environments.

4. The IG Investigation and Weaponization of Military Bureaucracy

• Initial Complaint and IG Mechanism (28:07–38:00):

  • Senior officer filed a 7-allegation complaint (eventually all dismissed).
  • Investigation then shifted to command climate based on anonymous grumblings.
  • Key findings:
    • Investigation was conducted remotely, never onsite, no firsthand understanding.
    • “He did the entire investigation... from the Pentagon on the phone, never came and visited...” (32:33, Sage)
  • Ignored nearly all of Sage’s suggested witnesses, especially enlisted leaders, evidence of a one-sided process.

• The Outcome:

  • No command action was taken by direct military commanders (who supported Sage).
  • IG’s finding of “negative command climate” stuck only as a bureaucratic mark on Sage’s record.

5. Politics, Promotion, and Institutional Rot

• Derailment of Promotion (39:29–45:21):

  • Sage was on the list for promotion to Major General (two-star), but the process was paused pending IG results.
  • Six-month statutory review period was ignored; Sage was left in limbo nearly two years.
  • Eventually stripped from the promotion list at the Secretary of the Air Force’s recommendation.
  • “Part of the strategy is to wait you out.” (41:42, Sage)

• Legal and Bureaucratic Obstacles:

  • After submitting to the Board of Corrections for Military Records, Sage briefly had his record cleared and promotion reinstated—but this was swiftly overturned by a political appointee within four days.
    • “This is the first time in years and hundreds of cases... overturned against the individual.” (51:12, Sage)

• Persistent Obstructionism:

  • Systemic resistance from entrenched bureaucrats and lawyers carried over across administrations.
  • “[These] obstructionists... are deck furniture on the Titanic and they just keep getting shuffled around the Pentagon.” (51:12, Sage)

6. Systemic Issues and Path Forward

• Effects on the Armed Forces:

  • COVID mandate policies drove out or kept out thousands of warfighters.
  • The process to appeal/coax veterans back is so arduous, fewer than 100 of 8,000 separated have returned.
    • “They have to go through the exact same process I did... less than 100 have come back in... the process is so painful...” (54:23, Sage)

• Needed Reforms:

  • Per Sage, only the President or top military officials can correct such injustices and reinstate truly meritorious leaders.
  • Sage’s family, including his wife (an attorney and mother of five), has directly appealed to the President.
    • “If we can get the President’s attention, that would be our goal here, not only for my case, but to help put the pressure on the system.” (56:08, Sage)
  • Identifies malicious compliance, slow-rolling, and legalistic intransigence as obstacles that persist at second- and third-tier leadership levels.
    • “They have to remove the second and third tier obstructionists because it’s called malicious compliance.” (58:41, Sage)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“When in doubt, when I had a choice, David, I chose to deploy.”
— Brig. Gen. Chris Sage (04:55)

"They're patients. They're not prisoners."
— Sage on ordering removal of barbed wire from COVID isolation tents (16:05)

“This was not about integrity. This was about decisions that I made—command decisions that I made.”
— Sage on IG complaints (28:07)

“He did the entire investigation... from the Pentagon on the phone, never came and visited, never saw the operational environment...”
— Sage on the flawed IG probe (32:33)

"Part of the strategy is to wait you out. To wait you out."
— (41:42)

“They have to remove the second and third tier obstructionists...”
— Sage (58:41), referencing how bureaucracy stymies reform

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction to General Sage and background: 03:46–13:59
• Air Force's vital role and leadership during GWOT & ISIS: 06:25–10:00
• Command and leadership approach during COVID-19 deployment: 16:05–22:03
• IG process, complaint, investigation details: 28:07–38:00
• Timeline of career stall and bureaucratic interference: 39:29–45:21
• Legal battle, Board of Corrections, and political reversal: 45:21–54:23
• Call for systemic reforms, personal appeals, and looking ahead: 54:23–59:17

Conclusion

Sage’s story exemplifies the destructive potential of bureaucratic inertia and politicization within the military, especially during times of crisis such as COVID-19. The episode reveals how rigid, top-down policies and a weaponized IG system can undermine operational commanders, ultimately driving out experienced leaders vital to national security. Sage remains committed to fighting for other warfighters affected by these policies and calls for decisive action from top civilian and military leadership to restore meritocracy, accountability, and healing to the system.

Find Brig. Gen. Chris Sage on social media at @SageIdeas and join the conversation or support the ongoing effort to reform the military’s personnel system.