The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Hour 3: "Cuba Goes Dark, Again"

Date: March 23, 2026
Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (iHeartPodcasts)

Episode Overview

In this lively third hour, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle several major topics in news and politics, focusing particularly on:

• The symbolism and controversy of installing a Christopher Columbus statue on White House grounds,
• Ongoing struggles in Cuba as the country faces another island-wide blackout,
• Critiques of “hate America” narratives and the defense of Western civilization,
• The real-world impact of border/immigration policy, highlighted by a tragic murder in Chicago allegedly committed by an illegal immigrant,
• Listener engagement leading to actual policy action (TSA backlogs remedied by ICE agent deployments) and ongoing crime reduction in Memphis and Washington, D.C.

The hosts blend sharp political commentary and humor, foster interactive audience participation, and critique left-leaning narratives in history, immigration, and crime.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Restoration of the Christopher Columbus Statue

(04:00 – 07:30)

• The White House installs a replica of the Columbus statue that was toppled in Baltimore (2020), as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
• Clay and Buck frame this as a win for the preservation of American history and an antidote to “iconoclasm” driven by the political left.
• Both host praise the symbolic importance of recognizing Columbus, describing him as a hero of Western civilization.
• Memorable moment: Light-hearted recollection of Clay’s failed attempt to enter the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in flip-flops and “Tommy Bahama shirt.”

Notable Quote:

“Columbus is the original American hero. This is all from the White House press release on this. A giant of Western civilization, one of the most gallant and visionary men ever to walk the face of the earth.”
— Buck Sexton [05:55]

2. Debate Over American History and Western Civilization

(07:30 – 10:32)

• The conversation shifts to the broader battle over how history is framed, particularly whether America has been a force for good.
• Buck emphasizes the “luxury” of Western civilization:

  “The incredible luxury of capitalism... produces so much free time that people have the opportunity to sit around and argue about whether Western civilization and American capitalism is a good thing.” [08:08]

• Clay points out that the critics of American history often have a one-sided view of pre-Columbian America and indigenous cultures.

3. Cuba Blackout and Climate Change Ironies

(10:32 – 12:08)

• Cuba experiences a total blackout, “in literal and metaphoric darkness.”
• Buck and Clay discuss how leftist influencers—and even climate activist Greta Thunberg—pivot to argue for sending oil to Cuba, despite their usual anti-fossil fuel stance.
• The hosts argue, somewhat satirically, that Cuba’s darkness should count as a climate victory if CO2 really is the existential threat some claim, exposing what they see as climate dogma’s inconsistencies.

Notable Quote:

“If Cuba going into darkness is clearly and metaphysically, metaphorically and literally, it is in darkness. But if Cuba were in darkness, that would cut down the CO2 footprint dramatically. They should be hailing this as a huge victory.”
— Buck Sexton [10:32]

4. Critique of “Hate America First” Historiography

(12:08 – 16:10)

• The hosts explore the tendency of the left to fixate solely on the faults of historical figures like Columbus, while ignoring or excusing serious failings in liberal icons.
• Clay references new allegations against Cesar Chavez and the left’s willingness to keep his name on schools despite such scandal.
• The double standard in how historical figures are judged and memorialized is a recurring theme.

Notable Quote:

“[The left] want to trash Columbus because he didn’t have the right policy on the trans community or because he was too mean to the natives. The natives were mean too. Like, everybody was trying to conquer everybody back then.”
— Clay Travis [13:10]

5. Myths of Pre-Columbian Harmony / The Reality of Tribal Warfare

(16:10 – 18:10)

• The hosts provide examples (Crow Creek massacre, Tasmanian fire-making) to argue indigenous societies were often “living in the Stone Age” and in a “constant state of warfare.”
• They challenge sentimentalized portrayals of Native American societies as entirely peaceful or “living in harmony.”

Notable Quote:

“No, that’s actually not how it was… If they could wipe out their adversaries, man, woman and child, they would do it regularly.” — Clay Travis [17:24]
“There were basically constant wars.” — Buck Sexton [17:36]

6. Immigration Policy & the TSA Crisis

(23:10 – 31:30)

• The murder of Loyola student Sheridan Gorman in Chicago, allegedly by a Venezuelan illegal immigrant, is tied to failures in border security and policy.
• Clay contends these tragedies are “the price Democrats are willing to pay” to maintain what he sees as political advantage via the illegal immigrant constituency.
• The listener Linda from Green Valley, Arizona is celebrated for a call the previous Friday, suggesting ICE agents should fill in for TSA agents—an idea rapidly adopted by the Trump administration.

Notable Quote:

“No matter how many of these stories we tell, Democrats will not change their minds on this issue because they think that illegals and their position on illegals benefit their power. That’s it. They don’t care about the casualties...”
— Clay Travis [24:57]

7. Audience Engagement & Impactful Listener Calls

(26:40 – 31:30)

• Linda is brought back as a caller and thanked for her creative advocacy. She discusses travel hardships, her family, and the satisfaction of seeing positive change.
• The hosts note how quickly the Trump administration acted on her idea—a rare example of direct and democratic feedback-loop in government.

Notable Exchange:

“Well, Donald Trump is the kind of president that listens to the American people. ... It doesn’t have to go through a committee for six months or a year before you can actually come up with a good idea.”
— Linda, listener caller [30:33]

8. Crime Drops in Memphis and Washington, D.C.; Trump at Graceland

(31:30 – 37:40)

• Trump is at Graceland, celebrating major crime reductions in Memphis and DC, attributed to law enforcement strategies and Trump administration policies.
• Clay and Buck emphasize these declines as concrete, objectively measured successes ignored by left-wing media and politicians reluctant to embrace “tough-on-crime” policies.

Notable Quote from Trump (32:29):

“We’ve achieved one of the largest, fastest declines in violent crime ever recorded... a 70% reduction in murders from the peak in this place.”

Host Reflection:

“You would think so. Trump has racked up... the most secure border in our lifetime and the biggest crime drops in some major American cities in the shortest period of time that we have ever seen.”
— Clay Travis [36:10]

9. Host Reflections on Urban Life, Mobility, and Walking

(38:53 – 40:11)

• Lighthearted banter about stolen scooters, urban crime, walking for health, and how modern constraints (“Zoom culture”) impact daily routines.

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• “[Democrats] are willing to have other people, innocent people, pay those costs so that they can continue to grasp at power.”
   — Clay Travis [24:57]

• “If Cuba going into darkness is clearly and metaphysically, metaphorically and literally, it is in darkness... They should be hailing this as a huge victory.”
   — Buck Sexton [10:32]

• “The natives were mean too. Like, everybody was trying to conquer everybody back then.”
   — Clay Travis [13:10]

• “There were basically constant wars.”
   — Buck Sexton [17:36]

• “Well, Donald Trump is the kind of president that listens to the American people. And he’s also the type of person, as a businessman who gets things done…”
   — Linda, listener caller [30:33]

• “We’ve achieved one of the largest, fastest declines in violent crime ever recorded…”
   — Donald Trump [32:29]

Important Segment Timestamps

• Christopher Columbus statue, cultural history — [03:40 – 07:30]
• Debate over American/western historical legacy — [07:30 – 10:32]
• Cuba blackout & climate change critique — [10:32 – 12:08]
• Historical figures & left-wing double standards — [12:08 – 16:10]
• Pre-Columbian warfare & reality check — [16:10 – 18:10]
• Chicago killing & border policy failures — [23:10 – 24:57]
• Linda’s call, TSA solution & listener engagement — [26:40 – 31:30]
• Trump crime stats, Graceland visit — [31:30 – 36:10]

Conclusion

This action-packed episode sees Clay and Buck decrying what they see as historical revisionism, critiquing both progressive and mainstream narratives about immigration, crime, and energy, and championing grassroots engagement in national policy. Their signature banter, real-life examples, and audience interaction highlight how the show aims to empower listeners and contribute to ongoing debates in American political life.