Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 1 - Would They Do This in a Mosque?
Date: January 19, 2026
Hosts: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This hour of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show" dives into recent headline-grabbing protests in Minneapolis—specifically the incident where activists disrupted a Christian church service to protest ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). Clay and Buck dissect the legality, cultural implications, and media coverage (notably involving Don Lemon) of these protests, drawing broader connections to current trends in political activism, media bias, and the selective enforcement of legal protections. The conversation fluctuates between sharp critique, legal analysis, and observational humor—all characteristic of the show's tone.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Protests in Minneapolis: Context and Reactions

• Setting the Scene:

  • Clay opens by noting the cold weather in Miami and the anticipation around the national championship game (02:30), but quickly pivots to the “cultural flashpoint” in Minneapolis—ongoing protests about ICE actions and police-involved shootings.
  • Over the weekend, activists stormed a church during a service to protest ICE, an event that became viral online, raising questions about protest boundaries (04:07).

• Reaction to Protest Tactics:

  • Both hosts decry the protestors’ decision to invade a place of worship, arguing it’s counterproductive and disrespectful.
  • Clay Travis (06:12): “If you are storming into a worship service and you are disrupting it, you are not the good guy. I think this is going to play very poorly for these protesters.”

• Would They Do This in a Mosque?

  • Buck raises the rhetorical question that gives the episode its title, arguing that protestors target Christian spaces because they perceive them as "safe" to disrupt, implying they would not dare do the same in a mosque or synagogue due to potential backlash or cultural restrictions (06:52).
  • Buck Sexton (06:52): “Would they go into a mosque and do this? ... No, they would not. They only do this to a group that they identify as being part of the kind of right of center American paradigm.”

2. Churches as Sites of Vulnerability & Openness

• Openness and Security:

  • Clay highlights how Christian churches tend to be open and welcoming, making them vulnerable to such disruptions, while noting increased security in synagogues due to recent anti-Semitic attacks (08:31).

• Emotional Impact on Congregants:

  • Later, Clay references the traumatic context for Minneapolis churches, including a recent attack by a “crazy trans shooter”—making the protesters' invasion even more frightening for churchgoers, some of whom were children (23:51).

3. Don Lemon’s Role and Media Narrative

• Don Lemon in the Church:

  • The hosts play audio from the church showing Don Lemon, formerly of CNN, accompanying the protesters and confronting the pastor about First Amendment rights (09:57).
  • Lemon is criticized for misunderstanding the Constitution and for haranguing the pastor during a service:
    • Buck Sexton (10:53): “Don Lemon is a degenerate... he doesn’t know anything. The Constitution doesn’t give you a right [to disrupt private property].”

• Media Bias and Participation:

  • Clay and Buck debate whether Lemon’s actions cross the line from journalism to activism, and discuss the legal gray area if a journalist has advance knowledge of planned unlawful activity.

4. Legal Aspects: Trespassing, the First Amendment, and the FACE Act

• First Amendment Misconceptions:

  • Both hosts explain that free speech does not cover trespass or disruption of private events (12:31):
    • Clay Travis (12:33): “You don’t have the right to show up in a private venue and start to lecture them with your First Amendment rights... they’re trespassing.”
    • Buck Sexton (13:36): “They're not trying to change anybody’s mind. They're acting out, they're throwing a tantrum, they're harassing people.”

• Potential Charges Under the FACE Act:

  • Clay outlines the FACE Act—which prohibits threats and physical obstruction at clinics and places of worship—and notes its recent use by the Biden administration against abortion clinic protesters (27:49).

5. The Minneapolis ICE Case: Media and Legal Developments

• ICE Officer Doxxed and Under Scrutiny:
  • The shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer is under investigation, but the focus has turned to Good’s partner, who reportedly incited the confrontation (“drive, baby, drive” audio played at 26:06).
  • Clay and Buck report that the New York Times published detailed personal info about the ICE agent involved, arguing this puts his safety at risk (22:43).
    • Buck Sexton (22:43): “The New York Times newsroom would cheer, not publicly, but cheer if something terrible happened to that ICE officer.”

6. Protests Spreading Beyond the Church

• Protesters Occupy Target Stores:
  • In real-time, Clay notes that activists have now also “occupied and invaded” local Target stores in Minneapolis to demand ICE’s abolition (42:54).
  • Clay Travis (42:54): “There now are crazy protesters that have decided that they are going to take over the Target store as well.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Clay Travis (06:12):
  "If you are storming into a worship service and you are disrupting it, you are not the good guy."

• Buck Sexton (06:52):
  "Would they go into a mosque and do this?... No, they would not. They only do this to a group that they identify as being part of the kind of right of center American paradigm."

• Buck Sexton (10:53):
  "Don Lemon is a degenerate... The Constitution doesn’t give you a right to be—it's private property, actually. You have been trespassed. Now you are breaking the law."

• Clay Travis (12:33):
  "You don’t have the right to show up in a private venue and start to lecture them with your First Amendment rights... they're trespassing."

• Buck Sexton (13:36):
  "They're not trying to change anybody’s mind. They're acting out, they're throwing a tantrum, they're harassing people."

• Clay Travis (42:54):
  "There now are crazy protesters that have decided that they are going to take over the Target store as well."

Key Timestamps

• 02:30: Clay sets the scene, mentions Miami’s weather and pivots to Minneapolis protests.
• 04:07: Introduction of the viral church protest and play-by-play of protester behavior.
• 06:52: Buck asks, “Would they do this in a mosque?”—launching a recurring theme.
• 09:57-10:53: Exchange with Don Lemon and the church pastor, discussion about First Amendment, legality, and media conduct.
• 13:36: Analysis of protester motivations—“acting out” vs. real persuasion.
• 22:43: Buck on media’s role and treatment of ICE officer in the press.
• 23:51: Clay contextualizes churchgoers’ trauma and fears post-recent violence.
• 26:06: Audio of "drive, baby, drive", implication for investigation.
• 27:49: Explanation of the FACE Act and its application.
• 31:09: Buck and Clay discuss whether Lemon’s role could have legal consequences.
• 42:54: Breaking news: Protests now move to Minneapolis Target stores.
• 44:12: Preview of upcoming topics and next hour's lineup.

Tone and Style Notes

• The conversation is assertive, sometimes sarcastic, and unapologetically critical of the left, media figures, and activist tactics.
• Clay and Buck alternate between providing legal/constitutional context and observational humor.
• The episode includes rapid real-time updates as new information about protests emerges.

Conclusion

This episode provides a pointed critique of protest methods that target houses of worship, the media's role in shaping and publicizing activist narratives, and the selective enforcement of laws depending on political context. The hosts hold up Christian churches as examples of vulnerable, open spaces and draw sharp contrasts with other religious institutions, using the Minneapolis protest as a jumping-off point to question broader issues of justice, media impartiality, and protest boundaries.