The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 1 - Trantifa
Date: November 17, 2025
Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (iHeartPodcasts)

Overview

In this Monday edition, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton focus on recent revelations regarding violent political extremism, particularly the ideological backgrounds of several high-profile attackers labeled as "Tran-tifa" (transgender Antifa). The hosts react to investigative reporting that disputes prior narratives about a would-be assassin’s motivations and online footprint and discuss the institutional failures in identifying such threats. Later, the episode features an in-depth interview with Paul Finebaum (ESPN/SEC Network), who is considering a Republican Senate run in Alabama. The tone is direct, urgent, and combative, with frequent criticism of law enforcement and political institutions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Revelations: The Would-Be Trump Assassin (02:58–16:40)

• Media & Institutional Failure

  • Clay and Buck share breaking news from Tucker Carlson and Miranda Devine about the motivations of the 2024 Butler, Pennsylvania would-be Trump assassin.
  • The attacker was openly making violent threats against Donald Trump on YouTube, using they/them pronouns, had a “furry” fetish, and was deeply immersed in left-wing and trans activist online communities.
  • The narrative that the shooter was a Republican or Trump supporter is refuted with direct evidence from the attacker’s own social media.
  • Clay Travis: "All of this ... you can go read it yourself ... it has always been the case that the idea that somehow the Trump shooter was a Republican or a Trump supporter ... it's always been ridiculous." (03:29)
  • Law enforcement's inability or unwillingness to uncover these details is described as “staggering incompetence.”

• Pattern of Political Violence

  • Buck connects this case to other high-profile acts of violence, linking them to “Trantifa” and highlighting a pattern.
  • He references the “Charlie Kirk assassin,” Covington school shooter, and recent Minneapolis church shooting, alleging similar trans/Antifa affiliations.
  • Buck Sexton: "Tran tifa is the most dangerous terrorist ideology in America right now. That is a reality that we all have to understand." (14:40)
  • Urges listeners to recognize the ideological connections and accuses the Democratic party and mainstream media of cover-ups.

• Online Radicalization and COVID

  • Clay recounts how the would-be assassin’s social media history shifted from pro-Trump to radical anti-Trump during COVID lockdowns, suggesting left-wing politics radicalized the individual.
  • Raises questions about whether online collaborators encouraged the assassination attempt.

• Democrat Ideology and Media Double Standards

  • Frequent references to “Democrat orthodoxy” as radicalizing and justifying violence.
  • Criticism that the FBI and mainstream media claim ignorance regarding motives whenever the ideology contradicts their narrative.
  • Buck Sexton: "When it's a tran tifa left wing maniac who aligns with a lot of Democrat orthodoxy, then it's really hard to figure out the motive." (17:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Buck Sexton on the investigation:
  "Tucker Carlson's team has better resources than the FBI, than the intelligence community. The intelligence community and the federal law enforcement apparatus is vast, my friends, and does have tremendous power as we know." (05:57)

• Clay Travis on the ‘footprint’:
  "He was on YouTube under his own name making violent threats. We're not talking about needing to have the greatest crack team of investigators of all time to figure out who this guy is." (09:06)

• Buck Sexton on radicalization and Democrat messaging:
  "[T]his stuff all comes from the left ... a man can become a woman. All this crazy sexual stuff too ... if you're into furries and you're a they them... This is why Tran Tifa, the trans antifa wing, is responsible for these kinds of actions." (11:09, 14:40)

• Clay Travis summing up the problem:
  "This is a five alarm fire. ... And how many times do we have to hear, um, oh, we had ... no idea what his motivations were. And then you just go into fricking YouTube and he's posting under his own name exactly what his motivations are, calls for political violence." (12:38)

2. Paul Finebaum Interview: Potential Senate Run (23:13–39:44)

Finebaum's Political Aspirations and Motivations

• Context & Motivation

  • Paul Finebaum, sports broadcaster and Alabama native, discusses his consideration of running for U.S. Senate as a Republican.
  • Inspiration arose from political encouragement, gaps in the candidate field, the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and a sense of national crisis.
  • "There was an evolution ... when Charlie Kirk was tragically assassinated. And it got me thinking. ... I talked to a number of people, including my close friend and coworker Tim Tebow, who was very close to Charlie. And it inspired me to want to keep moving forward." (26:10)

• Intersection of Jewish and Christian Values in Alabama

  • Finebaum addresses concerns about being a Jewish candidate in Alabama and expresses faith in the state’s openness.
  • "I'm not going to run on being a Jewish Republican senator if I chose to from Alabama. ... But I think it would, you know, standing up there, assuming it happened with Senator Britt ... I think we would make an incredible tandem." (29:10)

• Personal and Professional Calculations

  • He cites ongoing obligations at ESPN/SEC Network and the need to wait until the college football season finishes before making a decision.
  • "I'm under contract to ESPN and I feel like I have to get to the end of the season before making a decision." (35:32)

• Policy and Messaging

  • Finebaum focuses on economic issues, the concerns of everyday citizens, and the unique opportunity to connect with young males on college campuses.
  • Praises the engagement and support from coaches and college administrators across Alabama.

• Candidacy Prospects

  • Clay and Buck encourage him to make any official campaign announcement on their show and predict an easy win if he runs.
  • "Yeah, you would win in a landslide. But I told Buck you would win in a landslide." (39:21)

Notable Quotes

• Paul Finebaum on entering politics:
  "And the most important thing, Buck, I believe, is what matters most to every Alabamian or every person from Connecticut or Texas ... How am I doing what is going on in my life right now? And it starts with the economy... ." (32:47)

• Clay Travis on Finebaum’s candidacy:
  "Yeah, you would win in a landslide ... when you decide to run, you come on, you announce it with us. We'll make that even more likely, potentially. Next, Senator Paul Feinbaum ... thanks for the time here and we'll talk to you again soon." (39:21)

3. Policy & Security: U.S. Strikes Against Narco-Terrorists (43:07–46:22)

• Update on U.S. Military Action
  • Buck highlights ongoing U.S. military strikes against Venezuelan narco-terrorist boats, with over 20 boats destroyed and 82 narco-terrorists killed.
  • Raises the importance of deterrence: "It's another thing if you're actually going to be blown to smithereens out in the open ocean." (45:14)
  • Clay agrees, emphasizing that the risk profile is changing for those involved in these activities.

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:58 | Introduction to today’s lead topic: New revelations in the Butler, PA would-be Trump assassin | | 05:57 | Buck Sexton criticizes the FBI and the scales of investigation resources | | 09:06 | Clay Travis dissects the online footprint and radicalization of the attacker | | 11:09 | Buck and Clay link patterns of violence to “Trantifa” ideology | | 14:08 | Discussion of media and law enforcement failures; Miranda Devine/NYP praised over FBI | | 14:40 | Buck: "Tran tifa is the most dangerous terrorist ideology in America right now..." | | 23:13 | Transition to Paul Finebaum interview; context for his potential Senate run | | 26:10 | Finebaum’s motivation tied to Charlie Kirk assassination and political outreach | | 29:10 | Finebaum discusses faith, Jewish identity, and unity with Christians in Alabama | | 32:47 | Finebaum’s core campaign issues: economy, national security, and youth engagement | | 39:21 | Clay’s strong endorsement of Finebaum’s candidacy | | 43:07 | U.S. military strikes against Venezuelan narco-terrorist boats, discussion on deterrence |

Overall Summary & Takeaways

• Trans Activism and Political Violence: The hosts argue there is a pattern among recent, high-profile acts of presumed political violence linked to trans/Antifa ideology. They see a systemic failure by law enforcement and media to recognize or report these connections, instead alleging active cover-up or dangerous incompetence.
• Institutional Distrust: Investigative reporting from conservative outlets is praised above federal agencies, with the FBI painted as ineffective or possibly complicit in narrative management.
• Political Engagement & Leadership: The latter portion provides a detailed, personal look at Paul Finebaum's political aspirations, emphasizing Alabama's culture, values, and the current political landscape.
• Urgency and Tone: The hour is marked by a sense of crisis and frustration, urging political and social action against what they define as rapidly escalating threats from the political left.