The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (12/26/2025, Hour 3): Holiday Kindness and Patriotism Unite
Guest Host: David Rutherford
Notable Guest: Jared Hudson (Navy SEAL, Senate Candidate)

Episode Overview

Theme:
This special post-Christmas episode, guest-hosted by former Navy SEAL David "Rut" Rutherford, explores the intersection of patriotism, public service, and the power of holiday kindness. The heart of the hour features an interview with Jared Hudson, another former SEAL and current U.S. Senate candidate from Alabama, focusing on national security, faith-driven leadership, border crises, and the vital importance of ordinary acts of kindness, particularly during the holiday season. The episode is rounded out with lighthearted listener call-ins sharing stories of generosity and humorous hypothetical "cartel mission" squads.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Interview with Jared Hudson (03:19–13:02)

National Security: Trump’s Strategic Strikes in Nigeria (04:42–06:05)

• Rutherford opens:
  “What do you think about Trump ordering the Secretary of War to go ahead and give strategic strikes against Muslims who are persecuting Christians in Nigeria?” (04:42)
• Hudson’s take:
  “Yeah, I do believe it’s a good move…we’re not these neocons...but when we have other governments that want to partner with us…of course we want to be a part of that, because, you know, ISIS is part of our enemy…we’re helping persecuted Christians in the process.” (05:12)

Border Policy, Cartels & Fentanyl (06:05–08:08)

• Cartel Marque and Reprisal Authorization Act:
  Hudson supports offensive strategy: “I think it’s great that they’re taking the war outside of our borders before it crosses over…kill them before they cross our borders and take the war to our backyard and impact our kids.” (07:18)
• Personal law enforcement anecdotes:
  “Every guy on the TAC team, with the exception of me and one other, said they had brought back people that were exposed to fentanyl with Narcan…It is a dangerous, dangerous thing, and it’s taken a lot of American lives. It’s taken a lot of lives here in Alabama.” (06:59)

Hudson’s Vision for the U.S. Senate (08:08–11:25)

• People-First, Faith-Infused Leadership:
  “The kings and queens of this nation are we the people ... elected representatives are there to serve.” (08:50) “I’m bound by the blood of men greater than me who gave their lives for this nation…and my Savior, more importantly, who gave his life for me.” (09:35)
• Support for Trump & Policy Codification:
  “Trump is fighting for our constitutional republic ... we’ve got to be able to codify that, because he’s going to go away in two, two and a half years when his presidency is over. If we don’t have good legislators codifying these things ... it’s like we take five steps forward and ten steps back.” (10:22)
• Reducing Costs & Infrastructure:
  “The job of the federal government is to protect its people, develop infrastructure ... maintain a free and fair market. If you do those three things, you take people out of poverty ... decrease criminal enterprise, and elevate the people.” (10:59)

Politics Meets SEAL Culture (11:25–12:55)

• Physical Fitness with Troops:
  “Is there a chance you’ll become the first sitting US Senator that gets out there and goes and PTs with the troops?” (11:25)
  • Hudson: “Oh dude, 100%. … I’ll take it even farther ... If they'll let me roll on op, I'll roll on op, bro.” (11:56)
• Hudson’s Campaign Info:
  “Go to hudsonforalabama.com or just look up Navy SEAL running for US Senate in Alabama … about a 40-year-old dude with hair and a beard.” (12:34)

2. Call-In Segments: Holiday Kindness and Comic Relief (17:24–28:54)

Acts of Kindness

• Tom (Indiana):
  Attempted to pay for the car behind him at McDonald’s, but balked at the $65 total.

  • “I said, you know, I’m just gonna drive away right now. Almost, brother, almost.” (18:52)
  • Rutherford’s advice: “Maybe you can go to a coffee shop and then all you have to do is just get one coffee for the dude.” (19:08)

• Dan (Kent):
  Covered for a mom who accidentally passed gas in a coffee shop.

  • “I just threw my hand up. I said, ‘I’m sorry people, that was me.’” (24:20)
  • Rutherford: “God bless you for doing that…that is one of the top acts of kindness I’ve heard in a long time.” (24:28)

• Carrie (Kentucky):
  Tipped two overworked fast-food employees $40 on Christmas Day.

  • “You are working. I am not.… so I handed her two twenties…She just stood there for a second and looked at me, then…headed back to share it with him.” (27:22)
  • Rutherford: “It’s those little acts like that that mean all the difference in the world.” (28:20)

• Wendy (Utah):
  Attempted to share about helping Afghan veterans but technical issues intervened. (28:54)

Lighthearted Patriotism: Build-Your-Own Cartel Raid Teams

• Charles (Wisconsin):
  Proposes a “Fantastic Four”-style raid team:
  “My team is gonna be J.D. Vance … Pete Hegseth … Trump … and Hulk Hogan with the M16 and grenade launcher…We’re gonna make Trump the Invisible Woman, why not?” (20:45)

  • Rutherford: “There’s nothing better than just having fun with all this stuff.” (21:45)

• Tim (Florida):
  Would enlist Elon Musk’s “dukes” to build drone swarms armed with neurotoxins.

  • Tim: “We load them up with neurotoxins...they just float around the place and tap them all and they don’t even know it. Next thing you know, they’re all dropping like flies.” (25:00)

• Scott (Louisiana):
  Naval aircrewman, suggests assembling a “Shadow Navy” of volunteers with military expertise.

  • Rutherford: “We could just have the Shadow Navy or the Shadow Army out there. That goes out there and does it. I love that.” (26:41)

3. Closing Reflections: The Power of Kindness and Patriotism (28:54–End)

• Importance of small, daily kindnesses:
  “Little acts of kindness…are just simple acts of kindness that we can do for each other. And that’s an important aspect of, not only the Christmas spirit...but the spirit of Christ and the spirit of great faith in humanity.” (29:25)
• The need to overcome division with connection:
  “What brings us back to what, you know, Christ is all about is that willingness to sacrifice something for another person, whether it’s the basic idea of a hug and telling someone you love them…” (31:11)
• Personal mission:
  “My mission in life now is to live a Christ-like life and to really try and lift others up.” (34:24)
• Encouragement to listeners:
  “Over the holidays, man…get out there and just…give someone some kindness. I’ve seen it work not only thousands, but tens of thousands of times and stories and actions all around the world, just, it really will lift somebody up and fulfill that Christmas spirit again.” (35:42)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On public service:
  “The kings and queens of this nation are we the people. It’s outlined in the preamble of the Constitution.”
  — Jared Hudson (08:50)

• On law enforcement and fentanyl:
  “It is a dangerous, dangerous thing, and it’s taken a lot of American lives...I think it’s great that they’re taking the war outside of our borders before it crosses over.”
  — Jared Hudson (07:18)

• On the spirit of kindness:
  “Little acts of kindness does not take anything, really…doesn’t cost anything. You don’t have to download it, you don’t have to rent it. It’s free every single day.”
  — David Rutherford (34:43)

• Comic relief:
  “We’re going to make Trump the Invisible Woman, why not?”
  — Charles from Wisconsin (21:17)

• On faith and national service:
  “I’m bound by the blood of men greater than me…[and] by the blood of my Savior, more importantly, who gave his life for me.”
  — Jared Hudson (09:35)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:19 – David Rutherford welcomes Jared Hudson for interview
• 04:42 – Strategic strikes in Nigeria
• 06:05 – Policy on cartels and border crisis
• 08:08 – Hudson’s Senate run and leadership philosophy
• 11:25 – SEALs, senator fitness, and campaign contact info
• 17:24 – Call-in segment: acts of kindness and holiday spirit
• 20:45 – Charles presents “Fantastic Four” cartel raid squad
• 27:22 – Carrie’s story about tipping fast food workers on Christmas
• 29:25 – Rutherford’s reflections on the power of kindness
• 34:24 – Encouragement to embody the Christmas and patriotic spirit daily

Final Thoughts

This episode artfully wove together hard-hitting discussions on policy and national security with a post-holiday celebration of the everyday goodwill that binds communities. Through good-natured banter, personal testimonies, and faith-rooted leadership, David Rutherford and guests encouraged listeners to remain vigilant yet compassionate, forming a community of “pipe hitters”—not just in the fight against America’s enemies, but in championing simple, life-affirming gestures of kindness every day.