The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Episode: Hour 1 – Mean Girls
Date: October 30, 2025
Host: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts
Episode Overview
Clay Travis and Buck Sexton kick off Thursday’s show with a blend of humor and sharp political commentary, focusing on major current events and cultural battles. They discuss Trump’s recent summit with China, the state of U.S.-China relations, hot topics in U.S. politics, and sparring in the culture wars—especially the attacks on women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines. The episode also features banter about personal lives, ongoing election polling, and some pointed thoughts on cancel culture and the evolving tone of left-wing political commentary.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Banter & Personal Updates (03:01–06:48)
- Clay teases Buck’s new haircut: Buck describes getting a “low taper fade” at an all-Spanish-speaking Cuban barbershop, joking that the barbers wanted him to look “like he doesn’t live in 1985” (05:09).
- Notable Quote: “If you are listening on the radio... you should subscribe to our YouTube channel so you too can enjoy Clay’s commentary slash gentle mockery of my very contemporary haircut.” – Buck (04:09)
- Window treatment woes: Both share hilarious complaints about the outrageous cost of window coverings, a surprise expense in adulthood or marriage.
2. Political Headlines – Election Season & Polls Preview (06:49–08:12)
- Upcoming guests: Ryan Girdusky will discuss new polling from New Jersey, Virginia, and New York City. Indiana’s lieutenant governor will join to discuss redistricting battles.
- Other notes: Brief hits include Kamala Harris’s rough international book tour and Gavin Newsom’s political maneuverings.
3. Trump’s China Trip & U.S.-China Relations (08:52–16:42, 22:15–24:05)
Trump’s Perspective:
- Trump rates his meeting with Xi Jinping as a “12 out of 10”, boasting about trade deals and foreign investment. (09:30–10:23)
- Notable Quote: “Overall, I guess on a scale from 0 to 10, with 10 being the best, I would say the meeting was a 12. I think it was a 12.” – Trump, as quoted by Buck (09:30)
- Clay recaps Trump’s achievements: Reduction in tariffs, new Chinese agricultural purchases, and efforts to restrict fentanyl’s flow to the U.S. (10:23–11:23)
- Buck’s analysis: Cautious optimism; notes China has previously reneged on similar promises, especially concerning rare earth minerals and soybean purchases. (11:23–14:03)
- Notable Quote: “If the Chinese live up to their side of this—which they have not in the past, to be clear... But stability is a very good thing.” – Buck (11:23)
- Taiwan policy: Discussion of strategic ambiguity and whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan in the event of Chinese aggression.
- Notable Quote: “We’re in the maybe box with Taiwan. Nobody knows what’s actually going to happen and it is strategically the goal.” – Clay (15:52)
4. The “Mean Girls” Segment – The Politics of Personal Attacks (25:48–39:10)
Riley Gaines Controversy
- Clay introduces the controversy: Riley Gaines, a former college swimmer, Outkick employee, and women’s sports advocate is being targeted by both AOC and podcast host Jennifer Welch.
- Notable Quote: “So, Riley was talking about the fact that she got attacked by AOC. Just out of nowhere... And then this awful chick who evidently comes out of the Bravo world.” – Clay (27:32)
- Jennifer Welch’s attack: A vitriolic rant against Riley Gaines is aired (bleeped for radio). Welch accuses Gaines of hatred, lack of compassion, and being a “bottom feeder” (28:54–30:00).
- Hosts’ Response: Clay and Buck defend Gaines, emphasizing her integrity, success as an athlete, and the absurdity of Welch’s insults.
- Notable Quote: “People who have actually competed at any level... I think they all greatly respect being the fifth best swimmer in the NCAA in the United States.” – Buck (30:31)
- Memorable Buck Moment: “The only thing she’s competing in is the Botox Olympics.” (30:31)
- Broader cultural point: Welch’s nastiness is symptomatic of a frustrated progressive left, especially among a certain demographic: “angry, Xanax and wine-swilling, left-wing coastal boss babe wannabe lib, no-kids, protest-attending white women of America.” – Buck (31:15–32:58)
- Clay on Riley Gaines’s effectiveness: She resonates with both older and younger demographics, inspiring women and serving as a beacon for college-age conservatives.
- Notable Quote: “You would want Riley to be your daughter or your granddaughter. I will just say that.” – Clay (32:58)
- Attack Patterns: Leftist critics focus on straw man attacks (e.g., mocking Riley for finishing fifth, ignoring that Leah Thomas—a biological male—won outright).
- Notable Quote: “Attacking Riley, to your point, is also a sign that you know nothing about sports.” – Clay (37:43)
Second Welch Clip – Attacks on Charlie Kirk (33:54–34:52)
- Welch continues: She says there should be more “celebration” of Charlie Kirk’s (hypothetical) death and criticizes Democratic leadership for being insufficiently radical.
- Hosts’ take: The rhetoric is viewed as desperate, nasty, and revealing of a left on the defensive culturally.
5. The Broader Transgender Sports Debate (36:24–39:10)
- Buck frames the issue: The trans movement is “gaslighting” society, making any resistance seem like an attack rather than self-defense of fairness or basic reality.
- Notable Quote: “They make it your problem... and then when you say, hold on a second, I don’t agree with that… they say, why are you making such a big deal of this?” – Buck (36:24)
- On sports fairness: Riley’s story strikes a nerve because she speaks from lived experience, unlike critics who ignore or minimize the issue’s athletic realities.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Buck’s Haircut:
“Pretty sure they said in Spanish, let’s make this guy look like he doesn’t live in 1985.” – Buck Sexton (05:09) -
On Trump’s Trade Negotiation Optimism:
“...with 10 being the best, I would say the meeting was a 12.” – Trump, quoted by Buck (09:30) -
On Riley Gaines and Leftist Attacks:
“She’s an amazing employee and an awesome person.” – Clay Travis (30:23)
“The only thing bad I can say about Riley is that she went to the University of Kentucky instead of... Tennessee.” – Clay Travis (25:48)
“She’s a lovely human being. She’s a mom, she’s a wife, she is respected for her voice and what she’s doing, which is standing up for women and women’s sports all over America.” – Buck (30:31) -
On Transgender Sports:
“The reason why Riley is so effective is... because people will say, I don’t know why you care about this... Riley, you can’t say that to.” – Clay (37:43)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 03:01 – Clay teases Buck’s "hip" haircut
- 06:49 – Upcoming election analysis and guest previews
- 08:52 – Trump’s triumphant report from China
- 11:23 – Buck’s skepticism about China’s trade promises
- 14:05 – What would the U.S. do if China invaded Taiwan?
- 25:48 – Riley Gaines vs. Jennifer Welch/AOC: The “Mean Girls” political culture war
- 28:54–30:00 – Welch’s attack on Riley Gaines (played on air)
- 32:58 – Clay praises Riley's impact and likability
- 33:54 – Welch calls for celebrating Charlie Kirk’s hypothetical death
- 36:24 – Buck analyzes the dynamics of transgender sports activism
- 37:43 – Clay: Attacks on Riley reveal ignorance of sports; importance of standing up
- 39:10 – Segment transitions from Riley/back to pro-life advocacy discussion
Tone & Language
Clay and Buck mix irreverent humor, personal storytelling, and sharp-edged culture war commentary throughout. They aren't shy about using pointed language (“bitch,” “nasty and toxic”) when referring to public figures they see as emblematic of the left's problems but anchor their criticisms in policy and cultural analysis.
Summary
The episode moves briskly between politics and culture, with extended attention to the increasing sharpness of left-on-right personal attacks, especially against women like Riley Gaines who dissent from progressive orthodoxy. The hosts are optimistic about the direction of U.S.-China relations under Trump but skeptical of China’s reliability; they also see the left’s cultural attacks as a sign of strategic weakness—a last gasp as their narrative control slips. Their underlying theme is a defense of traditional values, free speech, and merit, with persistent mockery of the most aggressive voices on the current progressive left.