The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 2 – Left Wing Media Bias
Date: January 16, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton dig into the recent ICE raids in Minneapolis and use these events as a springboard to discuss widespread left-wing media bias, particularly regarding immigration and law enforcement. They analyze a heated exchange between White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt and reporter Niall Stanage, examine political rhetoric around law enforcement, and bring in guest Ryan Girdusky for a deep dive into how immigration is shaping future congressional apportionment and elections.

Tone: Direct, lively, and occasionally humorous, with a strong emphasis on confronting perceived liberal bias and championing conservative viewpoints.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. White House Press Briefing Clash Exposes Media Bias

(Starts ~05:44)

• A confrontation between Caroline Levitt (White House Press Secretary) and Niall Stanage (reporter from The Hill) is played and dissected.
  • Levitt accuses Stanage of bias: “You’re a left wing hack. You’re not a reporter. You’re posing in this room as a journalist...” (07:06)
• Key issue: Stanage admits he believes an ICE agent acted “recklessly” during a recent shooting, revealing his personal bias.
• Clay and Buck argue this is emblematic of journalists presenting opinions as news and never facing repercussions for left-wing slants.
  • Buck: “He pulled the mask completely off with this answer.” (12:38)
  • Clay: “No one is ever punished for showing a left wing bias in journalism at any of these places...it’s always actually to their benefit.” (07:51)
• Memorable paraphrase: “Going hard after a Republican guarantees you lifetime employment in media, by and large.” – Buck (10:45)

2. Media Treatment of Law Enforcement and Political Hypocrisy

(13:42–16:05)

• Clay and Buck play reactions from:
  • Sen. Ron Johnson, who calls protesters in Minneapolis “a real insurrection.” (14:03)
  • Sen. John Fetterman, who condemns anti-ICE tactics, saying protest is fine but not violence or blockades. (14:37)
• Hosts highlight:
  • The double standard: Democrats claim to defend law enforcement (post-Jan 6) but demonize ICE and federal officers when enforcing immigration law.
  • The rhetorical shift: Officers confronting dangerous situations are now treated as villains if the left disagrees with the law being enforced.
  • Clay: “They cared so much about law enforcement that one day...but now, we are told that they’re the bad guys.” (16:05)

3. Why ICE Must Conduct Street Operations

(21:28–22:45)

• Tom Homan (former ICE Director) explains the necessity of street arrests in sanctuary cities:
  • If local governments cooperated, ICE could detain criminals safely in jails rather than conducting risky community raids.
  • Homan: “They could fix this situation right now...But they haven’t achieved anything other than violence.” (22:03)
• Clay underscores: “This is totally unnecessary. It is legitimate, it is lawful, but it is unnecessary” if local law enforcement worked with ICE. (22:45)

4. Deep Dive: Immigration’s Impact on Future Congressional Power

(24:23–38:29) [with guest Ryan Girdusky]

• Ryan Girdusky breaks down how migration (both interstate and international) is transforming the political landscape:

  • Blue states are losing people (often to red states), offset only partly by incoming immigrants.
  • “California will likely lose three congressional seats...Illinois will lose two, Minnesota will lose one, New York will lose one, Rhode Island will lose one.” (25:47)
  • Red states like Texas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, and Utah will gain seats and electoral votes.
  • Key quote: “The Electoral College map is such that...it becomes much more difficult in math for the Democrats to capture the White House if they can’t win those states.” (27:41)

• Discussion shifts to how illegal immigrants are counted in district apportionment:

  • Even though illegals cannot vote, their presence boosts seats for blue states, inflating Democratic representation.
  • Girdusky: “The more illegals that flood into these districts, the more seats they get, the more power they have.” (34:48)
  • Estimate: Without counting non-citizens, Democrats could lose about a dozen House seats.

• Concrete example: In Ro Khanna’s district (CA-17), significantly fewer votes are needed to win thanks to a high non-citizen population (33:56).

• Discussion closes on the long-term strategic impact for both parties as demographics and census rules evolve.

  • “It actually changes the electorate and it changes the political balance of power right now to have all these illegals here.” – Clay (36:42)

5. Rhetoric, Social Media, and the Death of Journalistic Objectivity

(12:41–13:19)

• Clay criticizes the modern media ecosystem, blaming social media for the public exposure of journalist biases.
  • “Journalism was killed by social media because...at noon on Sunday [a journalist says] ‘I’m just here to bring people the facts,’ and then on Twitter, ‘I hate Trump, he’s a fascist.’” – Clay (12:41)
• Buck agrees: “Social media over time reveals who you really are, for better or worse.” (13:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Caroline Levitt confronting Niall Stanage:
  “You’re a left wing hack. You’re not a reporter. You’re posing in this room as a journalist...the premise of your question...proves your bias.” – Caroline Levitt (07:06)

• Clay on media incentives:
  “No one is ever punished for showing a left wing bias in journalism at any of these places...Look at Jim Acosta, right?” (07:51)

• Buck on the objectivity façade:
  “All of these reporters on the left, they pretend that they have no preconceived notions...there’s a huge difference in the way that they treat...a Republican and...a Democrat.” (10:45)

• Tom Homan on ICE:
  “They could fix this situation right now...They haven’t achieved anything other than violence.” (22:03)

• Ryan Girdusky on congressional seats & the census:
  “If we did not count illegal immigrants...it would be around about a dozen seats. Mostly out of California.” (35:51)

• Clay’s takeaway:
  “It actually changes the electorate and...the political balance of power right now to have all these illegals here.” (36:42)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [05:44] – Caroline Levitt–Niall Stanage Press Briefing Confrontation
• [07:06] – Levitt’s full rebuke of Stanage, exposing bias
• [10:45] – Discussion on why media bias is beneficial to liberal journalists
• [14:03] – Sen. Ron Johnson on protests as “real insurrection”
• [14:37] – Sen. John Fetterman: Both sides need to turn down tactics, don’t block roads
• [21:28] – Tom Homan explains need for ICE raids in the streets versus jails
• [24:23–38:29] – Interview with Ryan Girdusky: immigration’s impact on current & future political power

Summary For Listeners

This episode provides a sweeping critique of left-wing media bias, especially regarding immigration and law enforcement, with both hosts arguing that liberal journalists openly express bias with little professional consequence. They use the Minneapolis ICE case as a lens to examine not just media practices but also the political and demographic strategies at play. The conversation with Ryan Girdusky is a must-listen for anyone interested in how census math and migration could dramatically shift American politics over the next decade.

If you want clarity on how media narratives, population shifts, and immigration enforcement collide in national politics, this is an essential episode.