The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 2 - “Things That Make Us Go Hmmm...”
Date: November 14, 2025
Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (iHeartPodcasts)

Episode Overview

This hour of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show dives into key political stories with their trademark blend of skepticism, humor, and conservative analysis. The show unpacks the renewed focus on the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and its political weaponization, debates the mysteries surrounding Epstein's fortune, and discusses California’s ongoing crisis with special guest and gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton. The episode offers critical takes on political distraction, institutional incompetence, and the ideological battles shaping the news.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Political Use of the Epstein Story ([02:03]–[14:13])

• Trump’s Response to Epstein Distraction:
  Clay Travis reads aloud a post from Donald Trump on Truth Social, pointing out Trump’s call for an investigation into Epstein’s connections—notably to Democrats and powerful institutions, countering recent attempts to tie Trump to Epstein by his critics.

  • Quote (Clay Travis reading Trump): “Now that the Democrats are using the Epstein hoax involving Democrats, not Republicans... I will be asking AG Pambondi and the DOJ, together with our great patriots at the FBI, to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s involvement and relationship with Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, JP Morgan Chase and many other people and institutions...” ([02:35])

• Analysis of Motives & Media Tactics:
  Both hosts argue that resurrecting Trump’s association with Epstein is a deliberate distraction from recent Democratic failures, like the government shutdown.

  • Clay with sarcastic disbelief: “If President Trump were involved in any kind of significant way with Jeffrey Epstein, do you think Joe Biden would have sat on it for four years... while they were charging him with criminal offenses in South Florida and in New York and in Georgia...?” ([04:30])

• Perpetual Targeting of Trump:
  Buck reinforces the point, framing the renewed Epstein focus as part of a pattern of unfounded attacks (e.g., Russia hoax, various indictments) aimed at damaging Trump politically.

  • Quote (Buck Sexton): “The lies that they have told about Donald Trump are completely absurd. They lied about all that and then they brought four bogus criminal prosecutions...” ([05:30])

2. The Enigma of Epstein’s Wealth ([07:16]–[16:49])

• Where Did Epstein’s Money Come From?
  Clay and Buck press on one of the true, unresolved “Epstein mysteries”—the source of his vast fortune.

  • Clay doubts the plausibility of Epstein’s purported wealth, highlighting the lack of a traceable enterprise or inheritance:
    “There’s a big difference between being worth ten million dollars and being worth a hundred million dollars... as you get up in those big numbers, it becomes almost impossible to be worth $500 million or more without there being a really traceable way that your wealth exists. Except for Jeffrey Epstein...” ([07:33])
  • They note the immense Manhattan mansion he received as a gift, which Buck calls “a very strange move” ([10:01]).

• Bank Transactions & Lack of Transparency:
  Both hosts call for public scrutiny of large financial transactions to Epstein.

  • Buck: “The idea that they’re going to be able to get away with not having more transparency on this... that’s just going to fall by the wayside... Why can't we... be excluded from seeing the financials of all of this?” ([11:56])

• Industry Knowledge & Skepticism:
  Buck, referencing his own investing experience, casts doubt on Epstein’s claim to have grown so wealthy as a mere asset manager. “How do you get from ‘I manage assets for really wealthy people’ to ‘I’m worth $600 million’?” ([12:41])

• Summary Judgment:

  • Buck, turning to AI for research, notes:
    “The origins of Jeffrey Epstein’s wealth remain one of the most debated and opaque aspects of his life. No definitive, fully documented explanation has been made public.” ([14:06])
  • Clay summarizes the issue: “He worked as a teacher at a Manhattan private school... He had no money. He faked his credentials to get that job too. This guy’s been a fraudster his whole life. In addition to everything else, he ends up being worth hundreds of millions of dollars. It just again, it does not add up.” ([16:05])

3. California’s Dysfunction: Steve Hilton Interview ([23:30]–[38:33])

A. LA Wildfire Rebuilding Failures ([24:14])

• Steve Hilton’s Take:
  Hilton lampoons California’s bureaucratic paralysis in the wake of devastating wildfires, citing endless, circular permitting and insurance requirements.
  • Quote (Steve Hilton): “They go to the building department. It’s a different person each time. They say, ‘We can't give you a permit until you get your insurance.’ You go to the insurance, they say, ‘We can't give insurance until you get a permit.’ And it’s just round and round. This is all months after Karen Bass ludicrously made an announcement saying, ‘I have just signed an executive order streamlining permitting...’ Nothing’s happened.” ([24:34])

B. Political Mood Shifting in California ([26:18])

• Political Fatigue & Breakdown:
  Buck and Hilton discuss how the citizenry’s frustration crosses ideological boundaries—people want competence, not just ideology. San Francisco’s moderate mayor is cited as evidence of a pragmatic shift.
  • Hilton: “People are waking up now... the scale of their failure, every single measure you look at, we are the worst performing state in America. Highest unemployment rate, highest poverty rate, highest cost insurance, rent, home prices...” ([27:46])

C. One-Party Rule & Calls for Balance ([29:40])

• Argument Against Single-Party Dominance:
  Clay and Hilton agree that monopoly governance leads to poor results; Hilton advocates for healthy political competition.
  • Hilton: “We’ve now had 15 years of one party rule. They’ve controlled every statewide office, super majority in the legislature... Let’s just have a bit of balance... That argument goes over very well.” ([30:35])

D. Can Any Governor Reform California? ([31:40])

• Learning from Arnold Schwarzenegger Experience:
  Buck asks whether entrenched public sector power makes real reform impossible.
  • Hilton shares his UK government reform experience and outlines specific strategies, such as overturning legislation via executive power and appointing reform-minded administrators: “I learned how bureaucrats work and how incredibly aggressive you need to be in order to make change happen.” ([32:32])
  • Specific example: Responding to the controversy over biological boys in girls sports, Hilton has prepared legal strategies to challenge enabling legislation ([33:15]).

E. Litigation and the Business Climate ([35:12])

• Legal System Weaponized Against Business:
  Buck and Hilton discuss predatory lawsuits and laws like California’s Private Attorney General Act. Trial lawyers are the second-largest donors to Democrats in California—creating incentives for lawsuit proliferation.
  • Hilton: “It’s a nightmare business at the best of times. In California, it’s the absolute worst because of these people and what they’re doing. But we really can change this…” ([36:07])

F. Other Race Dynamics & Political Humor ([37:05])

• Factors Shaping the Race:
  Clay notes the leftward drift of urban Democrats, and Hilton jokes about the likelihood of facing Eric Swalwell (“endless opportunity for Fang Fang jokes”) or Katie Porter (“endless opportunity for mashed potato jokes”) ([37:31]).

4. Lighter Moments & Listener Feedback ([42:06]–[43:32])

• Catch-Up and Self-Deprecation:
  The hosts joke about their lack of practical handyman skills after a listener calls in questioning their manliness given their inability to fix houses or cars.
  • Buck, slightly sheepish: “You know, Carrie’s dad said, make sure you marry a guy who knows how to swing a hammer… Missed on that one…” ([43:21])
  • Clay: “Did find a guy who could talk on the radio, and that’s supermanly.” ([43:25])

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Clay Travis (interpreting Trump’s post):
  “This is, I’m reading from President Trump, another Russia, Russia, Russia scam with all the arrows pointing to the Democrats...” ([03:24])

• Buck Sexton on media attacks:
  “They lied about all that and then they brought four bogus criminal prosecutions... What is more likely—that this is yet another effort to lie about Donald Trump, to try to bring him down or even just to slow him down a bit?” ([05:45])

• Clay Travis on Epstein’s wealth:
  “How is he so incredibly wealthy, despite the fact that he’s never really created anything... He’s never founded a company... It's just doesn’t add up.” ([08:37])

• Buck Sexton on need for transparency:
  “Why can't we, on what basis could we be excluded from seeing the financials of all of this?” ([11:56])

• Steve Hilton on California’s wildfires bureaucracy:
  “They go to the building department... ‘We can’t give you a permit until you get your insurance.’ You go to the insurance, they say, ‘We can’t give insurance until you get a permit.’ And it's just round and round.” ([24:34])

• Clay Travis on party balance:
  “Anything that Democrats completely control...you have abject failure.” ([29:40])

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------|----------------| | Trump’s Truth Social Epstein statement | 02:03–04:30 | | Analysis of political distraction | 04:30–07:13 | | Epstein wealth mystery - detailed breakdown | 07:13–16:49 | | Steve Hilton interview begins | 23:30 | | CA wildfires rebuilding/debacle | 24:14–26:18 | | Shifts in CA political mood | 26:18–29:40 | | Argument for political balance | 29:40–31:40 | | State governance reform/deep-dive | 31:40–37:05 | | Lawsuit culture and business climate | 35:12–37:05 | | Political humor re: governor’s race | 37:05–38:33 | | Listener feedback & wrap-up banter | 42:06–43:32 |

Style & Tone

• The episode strikes a balance between deep skepticism, wit, and practical policy critique—mirroring the hosts’ signature blend of “intelligence and humor.”
• The conversation is colloquial, occasionally sardonic, and laser-focused on core conservative criticisms of current governance and media narratives.
• The Steve Hilton interview is rapid-fire, full of specific grievances, policy nuances, and the irrepressible optimism of an insurgent candidate.

Conclusion

For listeners wanting a clear run-down of current GOP perspectives on political distraction, media gamesmanship, and big-state dysfunction—with a particularly incisive look at the still-unsolved mystery of Jeffrey Epstein’s fortune—this episode delivers. The second hour offers deep dives into headlines, a practical reform roadmap for California, and plenty of laughs—all stitched together with Clay and Buck’s sharp chemistry.