The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 1 - Slow Your Roll
Date: January 13, 2026
Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (iHeartPodcasts)
Summary of Content:
Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle pressing topics in politics and current events, focusing on the Supreme Court’s transgender sports case, the ICE agent controversy in Minnesota, national inflation and the economy, and escalating events in Iran, with special guest Senator Ted Cruz.

Main Theme

In this episode, Clay and Buck dissect the hyper-politicization of law enforcement and judicial issues, particularly focusing on the ICE shooting in Minnesota and the left's legal strategies. They also address the Supreme Court's transgender sports case, the state of the economy, and U.S. foreign policy concerning Iran, featuring an in-depth conversation with Senator Ted Cruz.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Supreme Court Transgender Sports Case

• Both hosts listened to oral arguments and share skepticism about the Democratic justices' reasoning on the issue.
  • “There is no reasoning with them. There is no rational. There is just they want what they want…” — Buck Sexton (00:59)
• Promise to delve deeper into the legal arguments and political implications later in the episode.

2. ICE Agent, Minnesota, and Political “Lawfare”

• Ongoing fallout from the Reneé Good shooting involving an ICE agent in Minnesota.

• Minnesota authorities and Democratic leaders (like AG Keith Ellison, Mayor Jacob Frey) are ramping up legal opposition to federal action while leaning on political theatrics.

  Notable quotes:

  • “ICE is not backing down at all. Trump is not backing down at all. ... The enforcement of the law will continue, irrespective of how many teary eyes there are…” — Buck (02:19)
  • Tom Homan (ICE): “They're annoyingly releasing public safety threats, illegal aliens, to the streets every day. ... If these governors and mayors will simply let us in their jail... we can arrest that criminal public safety threat…” (03:07)

• Clay points out the distinction between legal and political strategies:

  • “Democrats have decided in Minneapolis they are going to throw up as many legal roadblocks as possible to this ICE investigation... entirely for political reasons, with no basis in legal reality...” (04:08)

• Legal precedent: Clay analyzes the futility of Minnesota’s lawsuits, referencing past immigration battles with Texas.

  • “The precedent the courts are putting out there is, whomever is the executive…gets to decide what the law is and gets to execute it as they see fit.” — Clay (05:26)

• Minnesota AG Keith Ellison raises possibility of future murder or manslaughter charges against the ICE agent, stressing “there is no statute of limitations on murder” (07:39).

  Buck’s reaction:

  • “He’s putting that out there to buy time… so that as the pressure is high, he can say, we’re investigating, we’re investigating…” (08:20)

3. National vs. Local Politics

• Clay and Buck discuss how these legal battles and rhetoric play locally versus nationally.

  • “I think in Minnesota…they actually think they benefit politically. So you might be right that there may be some big-footing coming in… saying, hey, slow your roll here. This is making us look bad nationally. Locally, I think it’s the best thing that could happen to them…” — Clay (11:50)

• Comparison to Trump's legal issues in New York, with Buck noting:

  • “The legal analyst, though, had a really tough time with charging 34 felonies or whatever over a bookkeeping error that wasn’t even an error…” (12:18)

4. Economic Conditions & Inflation

• Core inflation is at its lowest point since March 2021 (2.6%), giving some optimism for consumers and political messaging.

• Clay's perspective:

  • “In terms of actual on the ground inflation at this point in time, we have now brought it back core to 2.6%… I feel very good, Buck, in 2026 about the likelihood that inflation is going to continue to come down.” (16:37)

• Rick Santelli (CNBC): “The numbers are coming out for our December read on Consumer Price Index… If you look at year over year up 2.7 expected, 2.7 arrives… the core comes in a tenth light expectations. But the 2.6 level is where we’ve been.” (17:19)

• Discussion on capping credit card interest rates at 10%—introducing economic populism versus practical impacts, setting the stage for Cruz’s comments.

5. Donald Trump and Upcoming Elections

• Trump is in Detroit, aiming to galvanize support on economic issues.
• Both hosts are skeptical that Democrats’ impeachment efforts are anything more than political theater.
  • “I just feel like the whole concept of impeachment, if you don’t have any pathway to 67 votes … all of it’s just a big sham and a big sideshow theater.” — Clay (21:25)

Feature Interview: Senator Ted Cruz (23:08–35:33)

Credit Card Interest Rate Cap

• Cruz strongly opposes a 10% national cap:
  • “If you cap it at 10%, what it’s going to mean is they’re not going to be able to get any credit cards at all. … It will drive every one of those people to an even worse credit option, whether it is a payday loan or … a loan shark down the street.” (24:32)

U.S. Policy and Unrest in Iran

• Cruz suggests potential for imminent collapse of the Iranian regime post-12-Day War defeat.

  • “There’s a very real possibility that in the next 90 days, we will see the regime in Iran fall. … Losing a war is not just a communications problem. It is reality.” (26:28)

• Cites powerful symbols of resistance, including a woman lighting her cigarette with a burning picture of the Ayatollah (28:00).

• On U.S. intervention:

  • Advocates for cyber and covert support, limited possible strikes, but opposes broad military intervention:
  • “If there were a particular kinetic strike…to stop the mass murder of protesters, I think that could well make sense. … But we do need to think about the day after … who governs Iran going forward? That’s not an easy question.” (30:36)

• Emphasizes importance of U.S. support for the protesters blending with a hands-off approach to regime change.

• Tucker Carlson anecdote:

  • “Do you guys know the main thing? … The Ayatollah is broadcasting all over Iran right now in Persian? … He’s playing Tucker Carlson.” (34:37)
  • Cruz uses this as a tongue-in-cheek warning about the line between anti-intervention rhetoric and regime propaganda.

Notable Quotes

• “They are using Minnesota now as an opportunity to show that the enforcement of the law will continue, irrespective of how many teary eyes there are…” — Buck, (02:19)
• “You can’t run into a cop with your car because you’re acting like a maniac and you don’t like the law. You can’t do it. If you can do it, we no longer have rule of law.” — Buck, (10:12)
• “All these lawsuits, look, it may play well … with the Democrat base…as they have a zero percent chance of actually succeeding.” — Clay, (05:44)
• “If you cap it at 10%, what it’s going to mean is they’re not going to be able to get any credit cards at all. … It will drive every one of those people to an even worse credit option.” — Ted Cruz, (24:32)
• “If there is anything possibly worse than losing a war, it is losing a war to Israel.” — Ted Cruz, (26:57)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Supreme Court Transgender Sports Case: 00:59
• Minnesota ICE/Legal Maneuvering: 02:19–14:00
• Inflation and the Economy: 16:37–19:13
• Trump/Impeachment Talk: 20:18–22:55
• Senator Ted Cruz Interview: 23:08–35:33
  • Credit card interest rate cap: 24:32
  • Iran and U.S. Policy: 26:28
  • Starlink and communication in Iran: 34:04
  • Tucker Carlson propaganda anecdote: 34:37

Memorable Moments

• The sharp critique of legal posturing in Minnesota and mockery of the statewide officials' political ambitions.
• The anecdote about the Ayatollah broadcasting Tucker Carlson—used as a jab at American commentators who inadvertently aid adversarial regimes.
• Cruz’s focus on how “winning” revolutions must belong to the people, not imposed by foreign intervention.

Episode Tone & Style

The episode is charged with political critique, skepticism of Democratic legal strategies, a blend of sarcastic humor and earnest policy talk, and a focus on clarity for their audience. The interview with Ted Cruz is substantive and notable for both its insight and partisanship.

For more: Listen to the full episode on your preferred podcast platform.