The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Hour 3 – Dealing with Holiday TDS

Date: December 18, 2025
Hosts: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
Guest: Jonathan Alpert, psychotherapist and author of "Therapy Nation"

Episode Overview

The third hour of the show focuses on navigating political tensions during the holiday season, particularly in the context of "Trump Derangement Syndrome" (TDS) among friends and family. Clay Travis, solo-hosting while Buck Sexton is on holiday, provides updates on major news, analyzes current events, and is later joined by psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert to offer advice on handling politically charged family gatherings. Listener questions and feedback are incorporated, and the show closes on a lighter note with a discussion about the best Christmas movies.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Major News Updates

[02:12–08:48]

• Brown University Shooting & MIT Professor Murder

  • Ongoing investigation into shootings at Brown University (no arrests yet; authorities reportedly identify prime suspect later in the hour).
  • MIT professor Nuno Lauro, a nuclear science expert, was killed at his Boston home; FBI says no confirmed link to Brown shooting but public speculation continues.
  • “The idea that a MIT professor who was an expert in nuclear weaponry would be killed like this is…a story that I think should get a lot of attention.” — Clay Travis [05:47]

• Plane Crash Involving NASCAR Legend

  • Daily Mail reports Greg Biffle and family died in a private plane crash en route to Florida.
  • "So that is an awful story out there for those of you that are NASCAR fans." — Clay Travis [04:30]

• Economic News

  • Inflation lowest since spring 2021 at 2.7%; core inflation 2.6%.
  • Clay previews optimism for the economy in 2026 and references earlier analysis from the first hour.

• Trump’s Executive Order on Marijuana

  • Update that Trump, back in the White House, is signing an order to ease marijuana restrictions and taking press questions [03:40].

• Kennedy Center Renamed to Trump Kennedy Center

  • Reports that the Kennedy Center has voted to adopt the “Trump Kennedy Center” name [03:58].

2. Media Accountability and Conspiracy Theories

[08:48–19:12]

• Candace Owens, Conspiracies, and Media Incentives
  • Clip from Piers Morgan’s show with Candace Owens: Owens alleges internal Turning Point USA involvement in Charlie Kirk’s assassination but provides no evidence or names.
  • Clay Travis strongly denounces such conspiracy theorizing as “crazy” and highlights how the modern media landscape rewards outrageous claims.
  • “It is…I think, absolutely a crazy loony bin take. And one of the things that I think is very challenging in modern media is there are very few consequences for crazy opinions.” — Clay Travis [10:27]
  • Explains defamation law’s “public figure” loophole (NYT v. Sullivan), enabling reckless speculation without accountability.
  • Advocates for media reform and adjusting speech standards for the digital era.

3. Holiday TDS (“Trump Derangement Syndrome”): How to Handle Family Disagreement

[21:19–34:18]

Guest Expert: Jonathan Alpert, Psychotherapist

Key Questions and Advice:

a. Top Advice for Holiday Gatherings with Trump Haters

• “Family and friends are or at least should be more important than Donald Trump or any political figure.” — Jonathan Alpert [24:14]
• Recommends shifting focus to shared values and the meaning of the holiday, using gentle redirection and avoiding politicized conversations.

b. Dealing With Specific Challenging Relatives

• Caller Kathy (father is ardently anti-Trump):
  • Alpert suggests acknowledgment of differences (“I love you, you’re my father, let’s focus on family and enjoy the holiday together”) and steering conversation towards what unites rather than divides. [26:29]

c. Why Is Political Exclusion and Name-calling So Common?

• Caller Ryan (Boston) asks if emotional stunting is to blame:
  • Alpert notes that polarization has become worse and that, while political hatred may carry on, Trump is uniquely polarizing due to his outsider/unconventional background.
  • “One of the differences that I’ve seen is the hatred towards the right seems to be much more potent than the hatred towards the left.” — Jonathan Alpert [29:46]

d. Does TDS Stay if Trump Leaves the Stage?

• Alpert expects the intensity of anti-Trump feelings will likely diminish when he is no longer president, but animosity towards the right remains—albeit less extreme.

e. Highlighted Listener Wisdom

• Caller Mary (Texas): “Let’s take responsibility as adults, as human beings, to be loving with each other, to be Christian with each other. And the rest is going to be what it is.” [30:42]
• Alpert praises this as near-perfect advice: “Friends and family are far more important than politics and they should transcend any occupant of the White House.” [31:26]

f. Has America Survived Deeper Divides in the Past?

• Clay draws historical parallels to post–Civil War and Vietnam eras.
• Alpert warns modern social media and “therapy culture” intensify grievances and undermine resilience, suggesting these factors worsen today’s divisions compared to the past. [32:47]

4. Real-Time Crime Updates

[39:02]

• Authorities reportedly identify a suspect in the Brown University shooting via surveillance footage, though no arrest has been made yet.
• Discussion about possible links between the Brown and MIT incidents continues.

5. Light-Hearted Segment: Best Christmas Movies Debate

[40:27–closing]

• Clay invites audience feedback on favorite Christmas movies, noting the importance of shared traditions. Injects humor by defending his fondness for “Love, Actually” and prompts a debate about whether “Die Hard” counts as a holiday film.
  • “I really do like the movie Love, Actually…I know, it’s a romantic comedy. Really good. Love, Actually.” — Clay Travis [41:35]
  • “Is Die Hard or is Die Hard not a Christmas movie has been an ongoing debate for the last 30 some-odd years.” [42:11]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Conspiracies & Media:
  “We’ve created a media ecosystem that can reward crazy opinions. And I think that’s something that is going to be important to grapple with in the years ahead.” — Clay Travis [11:02]

• On Family vs. Politics:
  “Most of the time, that will work…just a brief acknowledgment: I understand that we don’t see eye to eye politically, but I love you.” — Jonathan Alpert [26:29]

• On Social Media’s Role in Division:
  “If people could just look at our country’s history…our mental health would be better off. But then when you enter into the mix social media and echo chambers…it’s really only intensifying the division.” — Jonathan Alpert [32:47]

• Listener Perspective:
  “It's not about who you voted for…it's the ideology. And it's not a political figure. It's how you believe. And when that is the root of your disagreements, then maybe you do have…justification of saying…we're still family, we're still friends.” — Becky from Phoenix (listener talkback) [38:36]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 02:12 | Clay welcomes listeners; outlines news updates | | 03:40 | Trump executive order on marijuana | | 04:30 | Greg Biffle plane crash | | 05:47 | MIT professor murdered; speculation on connections | | 08:48 | Candace Owens, conspiracies, and media standards | | 10:27 | Critique of media incentives for outrageous claims | | 21:19 | Call-in and talkback segment begins – advice on TDS| | 24:10 | Jonathan Alpert: first advice for holidays | | 26:29 | Strategies for dealing with family disagreement | | 29:18 | Will TDS endure after Trump? | | 32:47 | Social media, therapy culture & polarizing divisions| | 38:36 | Listener Becky from Phoenix – it’s the ideology | | 39:02 | Breaking news: Brown U. shooting suspect identified| | 40:27 | Christmas movie debate |

Final Thoughts

This episode blends hallmark Clay & Buck humor, news commentary, and genuine listener engagement with pragmatic advice for navigating today’s political climate—especially as families gather for the holidays. The show demonstrates a push for civility, empathy, and mutual respect, even amidst heated national divides, while also spotlighting the ways in which sensationalism, media incentives, and social media can undermine that spirit.

Follow-Up:

• For more from Jonathan Alpert: JonathanAlpert.com | Twitter/X: @JonathanAlpert
• Audience encouraged to share favorite Christmas movies in tomorrow’s episode.