Hour 3 - James Blair, WH Deputy Chief of Staff, on Clean Up in Aisle Biden

Summary

Summary of "Hour 3 - James Blair, WH Deputy Chief of Staff, on Clean Up in Aisle Biden"

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
• Hosts: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
• Episode: Hour 3 - James Blair, WH Deputy Chief of Staff, on Clean Up in Aisle Biden
• Release Date: May 20, 2025
• Description: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton discuss major news, politics, and current events with intelligence and humor, navigating topics from border security to cultural conflicts.

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1. Sports Controversy: Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese

The episode delves into a significant incident in women's basketball involving stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. During a high-profile game between LSU and Iowa, Caitlin Clark committed a foul on Angel Reese during a layup attempt, sparking intense reactions both on and off the court.

• Incident Overview:

  • Ferocity of Reaction: Following the foul, Angel Reese reacted vehemently, leading to widespread media coverage and fan discussions.
  • Viewership Impact: The game attracted 2.7 million viewers, marking it as the most-watched WNBA game on ESPN to date.

• Controversial Commentary:

  • Robert Griffin III's Statement (Buck Sexton, [04:50]): Griffin III suggested that Reese's aggressive reaction was fueled by hatred towards Clark, attributing it to Clark's superior performance and popularity.
  • Ryan Clark's Retort ([05:00]): Ryan Clark, an ESPN employee, countered by implying that Griffin III's perspective was influenced by his interracial marriage, stating, "...the reason that Angel Reese reacted emotionally and was fueled by hate is because he's married to a white woman."

• Hosts' Analysis:

  • Clay Travis ([05:21]): Criticizes Ryan Clark for bringing personal relationships into professional sports commentary, labeling it as "cowardly" and "spineless."
  • Buck Sexton ([06:17]): Highlights the cultural and racial undertones of the controversy, emphasizing that such personal attacks are unacceptable in media discourse.

• Cultural Implications:

  • The hosts discuss the broader racial resentment towards Caitlin Clark within the WNBA, suggesting that Clark's success and visibility have sparked underlying racial tensions.
  • Notable Quote (Buck Sexton, [07:40]): "The resentment point is obvious. And the fact that RG3 would make that point, that there is something... a cultural story, not only a sports story."

2. Interview with James Blair: The Big Beautiful Bill

In the latter part of the episode, hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton interview James Blair, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, focusing on a significant legislative development referred to as the "Big Beautiful Bill."

• Bill Overview:

  • Passage Timeline ([22:05]): Blair anticipates the bill passing the House within the week, moving to the Senate shortly after, with the goal of reaching the President's desk by July 4th.
  • Key Components:
    • Border Security: Allocation of funds to enhance border enforcement by adding 10,000 new ICE officers, complete with pay raises and logistical support to secure the border effectively.
    • Military Funding: Investments aimed at modernizing the military, ensuring it remains the most formidable fighting force globally.
    • Tax Cuts: Renewal and expansion of the 2017 tax cuts, eliminating taxes on tips, Social Security, and overtime pay. Blair claims it will provide $1.7 trillion in savings, the largest since the Clinton era.

• Economic Impact:

  • Fiscal Responsibility ([24:22]): Blair emphasizes that the bill addresses the country's fiscal challenges by combining tax cuts with significant spending reductions, aiming for sustainable economic growth.
  • Long-Term Vision ([24:50]): The strategy includes fostering economic growth through deregulation and job creation, alongside cutting unnecessary spending to balance the budget over time.

• Potential Consequences if Bill Fails ([27:55]):

  • Economic Recession: Predictions of soaring taxes leading to a potential recession.
  • Debt Default: Concerns about the U.S. defaulting on its debt, which could trigger a global depression.
  • Border and Public Resource Strain: Increased illegal immigration exacerbating public spending on programs like Medicaid.

• Notable Quotes:

  • James Blair ([22:05]): "This bill funds Border enforcement, adds 10,000 new ICE officers... It will be the single largest tax cut for middle and working-class Americans in the history of the country."
  • James Blair ([24:50]): "We're unlocking growth. We do that through tax cuts. We do that through deregulation. We're doing that right."

3. Discussion on Immigration and Policy Stances

The hosts also touch upon Secretary of State Rubio's recent statements regarding Africaner refugees from South Africa, highlighting the administration's strict immigration policies.

• Rubio's Stance:

  • Selective Admission: Rubio defends the U.S.'s right to choose refugees based on national interests, implicitly addressing racial considerations.
  • Notable Exchange ([35:00]):
    • Rubio: "The United States has a right to pick and choose who they allow into the United States even based on the color of somebody's skin."
    • Clay Travis ([36:48]): Praises Rubio for his aggressive and effective communication, aligning with the administration's policies.

• Hosts' Commentary:

  • Buck Sexton ([36:09]): Commends Rubio's unwavering stance on immigration, contrasting it with Democratic approaches.
  • Clay Travis ([38:08]): Highlights Rubio's role as a key player in the administration, noting his effective communication and policy implementation.

4. Future Topics and Concluding Remarks

As the episode wraps up, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton preview upcoming discussions, including:

• Jake Tapper's Book Launch: Anticipated debates and critiques surrounding the release of "Original Sin."
• Political Strategy: Insights into the Trump administration's communication strategies and future legislative plans.

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Conclusion:

This episode of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show navigates through a high-profile sports controversy, unraveling its cultural and racial dimensions, before delving into significant legislative developments with James Blair. The discussion underscores the interplay between media narratives, cultural tensions, and political strategies shaping current American discourse.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Buck Sexton ([04:50]): "Angel Reese reacted crazily, runs after Caitlin Clark."
• Clay Travis ([05:21]): "Ryan Clark personally attacking me and my family is a bad look for ESPN."
• Buck Sexton ([07:40]): "This is a cultural story, not only a sports story."
• James Blair ([22:05]): "This bill... It will be the single largest tax cut for middle and working-class Americans in the history of the country."
• James Blair ([24:50]): "We're unlocking growth. We do that through tax cuts. We do that through deregulation."

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This summary captures the essential discussions and insights from the episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those who have not listened to the podcast.

Transcript

[Podcast Announcer]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast.

[Clay Travis]

Welcome to today's edition of the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton show podcast. Welcome in hour number three, Clay Travis, Buck Sexton Show. Appreciate all of you hanging out with us, encourage you to go subscribe to the podcast. You can search out my name, Clay Travis. You can search out Buck Sexton. You will be well on your way to being able to follow not only us, but the entire Clay and Buck podcast network, which has grown and continues to expand substantially. I think that you guys will love it. And so if you are coming up on, as we all are, Memorial Day, maybe you've got kids like I do that just got home from taking exams and you are going to be on the road some in the days, weeks and months ahead as summer season begins to unspool for you and you can take us with you anywhere. You can also download the iHeartRadio app, which is a tremendous asset. Easy to stream the show every single day there as well. All right, I want to tell all of you about a crazy, unbelievable story that I think Buck knows a little bit about, by the way. 2:30 at the bottom of this hour, we'll give you the absolute latest on the big beautiful Bill. James Blair from the White House is going to join us. Also reports that Trump is going to make an announcement around 3 Eastern related to the Golden Dome Protective Missile Defense Shield that he and Pete Hegseth are working alongside of. We've got the Original Sin book coming out, although it feels, I don't know about you, Buck, a bit muted, like they fired all of their proverbial bullets in the days leading up to that book and there is not a ton left there. But we will see. I haven't seen any new blockbuster revelations surrounding that book today and we have the charges fired filed against Congresswoman Lamonica McIver from the 10th congressional district of New Jersey. A lot of you weighing in on that. James Comey on msnbc. We have hit a lot of different things. This is a crazy story and sometimes I hit Buck with crazy stories that he is not familiar with. And this is a truly crazy story. So a lot of you out there are big fans of Caitlin Clark, former Iowa women's basketball player. She has made women's basketball matter more in college basketball and the WNBA that at any point in my life. The audience is massive for her. Lots of people are big fans of Caitlin Clark. They played a game over the weekend and she committed a foul of Angel Reese that these two went head to head back when LSU played Iowa, they have got a rivalry. A lot of people watched this game over the weekend, especially considering it's a women's basketball game. WNBA game, 2.7 million viewers most watched WNBA game on ESPN I think ever. So a lot of people care about this. Foul was called at on a would be layup attempt. Caitlin Clark fouls Angel Reese. And the sports media has completely lost its mind ever since that moment. So Angel Reese reacts crazily, runs after Caitlin Clark. Robert Griffin iii, who is a, who is a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback drafted in the first round in the NFL. He was attacked by an ESPN employee. And I think this is an important story. Some of you say I the sports don't know. I think it's a cult story as much or more than it's a sports story. Robert Griffin the third Buck said the reason that Angel Reese reacted that way is because she hates Caitlin Clark. Caitlin Clark is a better player. She makes more money, more popular, all those things. And he said this was based on hate. Ryan Clark, who is employed at espn, fired back and said the reason Robert Griffin III had that opinion is because he has a white wife. Yeah, this is real. So Robert Griffin iii, black guy married to a white woman. Ryan Clark said the reason that he said Angel Reese reacted emotionally and was fueled by hate is because he's married to a white woman. Well, this did not go over well with Robert Griffin iii who posted what I thought was an epic takedown yesterday. This has turned into a big story. I think it's a cultural story, not only a sports story. The team pulled the audio. Listen to this. Ryan Clark personally attacking me and my family because he disagreed with my sports opinion is a bad look for espn. It's cowardly, it's spineless, and it's weak. Ryan Clark personally attacking me and my family personally because he disagreed with my.

[Buck Sexton]

Sports opinion is a bad look for.

[Clay Travis]

Him as a man.

[Buck Sexton]

I hope you get the help you need, brother.

[Clay Travis]

All right now, Buck, I just want to toss this to you because this is blown up. It's everywhere. If, if any white guy said the reason a black guy has an opinion is because his wife is black, that white guy or that white woman would get fired and they would never work in sports again. I, it's rare that I see a story and I'm like, oh, I can't believe this is real. I legitimately can't believe that one guy attacked another guy and said the reason he has the opinion is because of the race of his wife. But when you see a story like this and again, I would encourage you. I've shared the videos. You can go watch this. RG3 basically argues this should have nothing to do with race. Right. Like, again, it's a women's basketball foul and it's just set off nuclear war and it's not even really sports so much as it is culture now.

[Buck Sexton]

Well, a big part of this whole conversation. And you're right, you know, Clay brings this story to my attention when it's in the sports world and he realizes that I'm gonna say, oh, no, that is a. I mean, I agree with you. There's a broader cultural, broader social commentary thread that runs through this, which is why it's getting so much attention. First, this is something of an aside, but Clay and I agree on this one. You know, when you work in media, you get used to people saying things about you that are untrue and people attacking you and all of that. I think for any red blooded American male who works in media who has any backbone at all, you randomly bring somebody's. Like you randomly bring someone's wife into it. It would never occur to me in a million years and I would be ashamed. I mean, it would just never happen. Right. So to bring somebody's wife into something that, you know, it's Hillary Clinton was trying to be president. Right. Like it's Bill Clinton's wife. But we understand when you bring someone's family that has nothing to do with it into it, just to take a swipe at them, you've crossed a line. Even in media, you've crossed a line. And I think that Mr. RG3 handled it very well. I thought his statement was excellent. But really, the Caitlin Clark issue is fascinating because it shows the depth of what a lot of people have as. As racial resentment toward her.

[Clay Travis]

Yes.

[Buck Sexton]

And a lot of. A lot of WNBA players do. Perhaps some portion of some. Some of the fan base. I don't think that's really the case overall because she's so popular and the fan base is so happy to have a marquee star like her. But I mean, I also have to say, I just think the wnba and this is not groundbreaking, it's just not a very good product to watch on television. And women's basketball for me is just not fun to watch. Clay, I went to a. And I will say, whereas, by the way, I sometimes prefer watching women's tennis. Not for that reason any of you out there, but because as an amateur tennis player, I love the game. The women's game moves at a pace and has Tactics that are far more.

[Clay Travis]

Translated, powerful and more of the rallies.

[Buck Sexton]

And I'm never going to hit 130 mile an hour serve and 100 and, you know, 20 mile an hour second serve. It's just never going to happen. And that's a huge part of the men's game. The women's game is much more about the ground stroke tactics. Right. And so, so anyway, and you know, so women, women's tennis, for example, I think is a great product. It's not about men and women, but some women's basketball, I think is not a very good product. But the fact that their resentment of Caitlin Clark is so strong that even though she brings money and attention. You tell me about the ratings. I mean, I don't pay attention to this stuff, but astonishingly high ratings for a league that has always struggled, you know, and. And all of a sudden there's all this. There's all these people who are saying that that's not good or they don't like that. So the resentment point is obvious. And the fact that RG3 would make that point, that there is something. Bill. So I played enough basketball to know it was a standard basketball foul.

[Clay Travis]

The wide open layup. Caitlin Clark fouled her angel Reese reacted crazily, like she wanted to fight her. What is the reaction based on?

[Buck Sexton]

Hey, you know, we start to have. Yeah, but we need to start to have conversations. It's not okay to resent anybody based upon their race or have resentment against any race, because no matter what race you are. And you know, this also comes up in the context, Clay, of the South African Afrikaner migrants. All of a sudden there's a problem. There's 50 of them, and all of a sudden there's a problem with bringing. Not allowed to bring white migrants into America. That's the actual feeling that a lot of the country has. A lot of democrats and leftists in particular have. And that's not okay. And I don't think a white girl should be. You know, again, I'm taking the sort of quoting the perspective here. It's not how I feel, but someone's saying, I don't think a white girl should be the premier player in the wnba because why? Because she's white. That's also not okay. That's also not okay. You know, I've started watching basketball again, NBA basketball. And, you know, I think it's remarkable. Like no one even cares really about it, but I think there's a strong case to be made the best player in the NBA right now. Is white maybe single?

[Clay Travis]

Best two or three. I mean, you can argue that Jokic and Don Doncic. Luca are the two best players in the NBA right now. Not a crazy take.

[Buck Sexton]

And I think everyone. I think all the other players are like, those guys have a lot of game and like, I respect them. And it's. It's just. It's just about who's the best.

[Clay Travis]

Yeah. And if they're the best, should be.

[Buck Sexton]

Other guys want to beat them. And there are plenty of minority representation in the NBA, obviously, so it's not like that's an issue. But the wnba, this resentment has been allowed to. Has been allowed to kind of grow for too long, I think. And this is a. This is something that should be spoken about openly because it's not. It's just not. Right. It's just not. It's not ethical.

[Clay Travis]

Let me also mention two things. One, think about how if tennis had welcomed Venus and Serena like this, right? Tennis, let's be honest, usually a white sport. If golf had welcomed Tiger like this, it would have been seen as unacceptable. They are a different race, but they are playing at a dominant level. And tennis and golf both benefited immensely from Venus and Serena.

[Buck Sexton]

I would say those leagues actually open arms, biggest endorsements imaginable. Please, please, let's sort of expand the, you know, the.

[Clay Travis]

The audience, I mean, and everybody benefited, Right. Like Tiger woods made everybody in golf richer because more people cared. Well, Caitlin Clark's doing that in wnba. They aren't responding well. Bobby Barack, who does really good work at Outkick, one of our writers, has a story coming to Outkick. A bunch of ESPN guys are upset about what Ryan Clark did. Listen to these quotes. Imagine how RG3's little black girls feel. He has four daughters. Seeing a prominent figure claim their father lacks empathy for black women. Another former espn, a former player turned ESPN analyst, said, Ryan Clark's a former player. There are two rules in the locker room. You don't talk about a man's girl or their money. That crap wouldn't fly face to face. So this is turning into a big story. And it's all coming out of a WNBA foul, which again, speaks to the amount of attention that's on Caitlin Clark. I think it's overall good for the league. But to your point, Buck, it's also exposing the ugly underside underbelly of the wnba, which is a league that would rather many of these women, it appears, fail being led by minorities than have success with a white girl near the top, which is very troubling.

[Buck Sexton]

And people should be able to speak about this because, you know, it's also unfair. I bet there are plenty of WNBA players who love the idea of there being more, including a lot of, you know, black WNBA players who are just like, more eyeballs, please. More money, please. Like, let's grow our league. But some of the stars who weren't very big stars before because of what the league was, but some of them have resentment. And the resentment isn't about, oh, she's not better than me, or I think, you know, it's about she's a white girl and that's not okay.

[Clay Travis]

I think that's right. But so pay attention. This story, it may be percolating up in many of your universes. It is blowing up in a big way. And I wanted to tell you all about it because I think it's not only a sports story, more importantly, it's a culture story. Now. Last thing anybody wants is to burden their family when they pass. That's why having a trust or a will is essential. It ensures your loved ones, your spouse, children, anyone you care about, that they don't have to deal with confusion, drama, or legal hassles during a time of grief. Without a will, your assets could be distributed in ways you never intended. There are some states where a healthy percentage of your assets are taxed before any distributions are even provided. You don't want that to happen, that's for sure. And besides, probate often complicated and expensive, but it's avoidable when you put a simple trust in place. A trust or a will sets a clear plan for how you want your estate to be handled. They're simple, affordable, and give you peace of mind. I have one. I know my family won't face unnecessary stress. And as a result, when I'm gone, do the same for yourself and your family. It gives you and others peace of mind. Visit trustandwill.com today. They're experts in creating personalized trust and wills that protect your legacy. That's trust and willcom. Start today.

[James Blair]

In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency.

[Buck Sexton]

Did you make a mistake in sending.

[Podcast Announcer]

Arms to Tehran, sir?

[Clay Travis]

No.

[James Blair]

It became known as the Iran Contra affair.

[Buck Sexton]

And I'm not taking any more questions. In just a second, I'm going to ask.

[James Blair]

I'm Leon Nayfak, co creator of Slow Burn. In my podcast, Iran Contra, you'll hear all the unbelievable details of a scandal that captivated the nation nearly 40 years ago. But which few of us still remember today.

[Buck Sexton]

The things that happened were so bizarre.

[Podcast Announcer]

And insane, I can't begin to tell you.

[Buck Sexton]

Please do.

[James Blair]

To hear the whole story, listen to Fiasco Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Clay Travis]

Dedicated first responders and service members like US Army Major Scott Smiley have paid a huge price serving our nation and communities. Friends like you have shown your gratitude for Scott's service and sacrifice, not only through words, but through actions.

[Buck Sexton]

This brave service member was in Iraq leading his platoon when a car bomb detonated in front of him. The blast sent shrapnel through Scott's eyes, leaving him blind and temporarily paralyzed. But he refused to let his injury stop his military career. Scott became the first blind active duty officer in military history before medically retiring years later.

[Clay Travis]

Thanks to friends like you, the Tunnel of the Towers foundation gave Scott and his family a mortgage free specially adapted smart home to help him live more independently. Please show you appreciate the profound sacrifices made by America's heroes, the men and women who've served our country or our local community so unselfishly. Show your support. Now. Join us in donating $11 a month to tunnel the towers at t2t.org that's t the number 2t.org.

[Buck Sexton]

Welcome back into Clay and Buck. I will bring you here in a few minutes. Some some really good stuff from courtesy of Secretary of State Rubio up on Capitol Hill, squaring off with some members of Congress who don't realize that the this Rubio, Rubio, I guess 2.0 or 3.0 maybe is is dialed in, is ready for the fight and is totally aligned with the Trump administration on matters of policy and has really learned Clay, I think if you're looking at somebody who gets the most improved award for how to handle the media and maybe learning in no small measure from how Trump handles them, Rubio has done really, really well. So we'll get to some of this coming up here in a little bit. We've also got a James Blair, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, gonna join us here in a few minutes. We can ask him about both the believed announcement or reported announcement coming about the golden dome, which is like an iron dome except golden, bigger. And we'll talk to him about that. And then also the big beautiful bill, do we know is that real? Real question. Is that going to be the name? You know there's always an actual bill name, right? Like there was the Affordable Care act for Obamacare.

[Clay Travis]

Look, if the inflation Reduction act can actually increase inflation. Then I think the big beautiful bill is a fair name.

[Buck Sexton]

What could be more Trump than the signature legislation of his first year of his second term is the big beautiful bill. It's amazing. Some people are saying. So yeah, I think that that could be a lot of fun. We'll dive into some of the details on that and see, you know, what's what what's going on with it. Yeah, no doubt. Sometimes I catch Clay, he's so deep in thought. I'm like, okay, are you about to take us on?

[Clay Travis]

I thought we were going to play I thought we were going to play the Rubio going on.

[Buck Sexton]

I don't think we have it yet. I want play it.

[Clay Travis]

Oh, we do.

[Buck Sexton]

We do. Well, no, it's no, not ready. See, it's timing.

[Clay Travis]

So we're going to talk with the White House when we come back and we will find out what we think the timing is on this bill. Initially the hope was that they would get it done by Memorial Day. Now there seems to be a suggestion that it might be bumped back a bit more. We'll get the absolute latest there. And like you said, the golden dome, the which been obviously very successful in Israel, remaining under under contemplation but maybe officially announced here in the next 30 minutes or so.

[Buck Sexton]

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[Clay Travis]

Welcome back in Clay. Travis Buck Sexton show. We are joined now by James Blair, White House deputy chief of Staff, AKA the Oracle joining us now. All right, so that's a pretty cool nickname. And, and I imagine that doesn't stink to be the White House chief of staff deputy that is the known as the Oracle. So let me ask you for your predictions, Oracle on how the big beautiful bill is going to go and what should this audience know about it from your perspective?

[Podcast Announcer]

Appreciate that. Good to be with you guys. I think that the big beautiful bill will get out of the House this week. I think that obviously if it gets out of the House this week, then it will go over to the Senate. They'll work on it for a few weeks. And the goal is to get it on the president's decks by July 4th, which I think will happen. Look, we've got to get this done. This bill has so much to love, guys. First of all, let's talk about the border first and foremost, which nobody's talking about anymore because the president has driven illegal border crossings to zero since he came into office. But this bill funds Border enforcement, adds 10,000 new ICE officers, gives them pay raises, gives us everything we need logistically to not only keep the border secure for the president's entire term in office so we don't have to come back and do this again, but also to deport people and get millions of illegal immigrants out of this country, which is something that a majority of the American people support. Secondarily. It gives us the funding we need for our military. You know that the president is involved in complex negotiations across the globe to bring peace that's backed up through strength. And it gives us the funding to modernize our military and make sure it's the most lethal fighting force in the world for the foreseeable future. But then the big thing that it does that everyone's talking about is the tax cuts. This renews the president's historic tax cut from 2017 that was the biggest in history and then adds more taxes on top everything he campaigned on. No tax on tips, no tax on Social Security, no tax on overtime pay. It will be the single largest tax cut for middle and working class Americans in the history of the country. And it will do that while still generating more than a trillion dollars right now, $1.7 trillion in savings for the American taxpayer, which is twice as much savings that has ever been delivered by Congress in the last 30 years. And that was almost 30 years ago under Bill Clinton. So we're getting the country's fiscal house in order. We're giving people money back in their pocket that they earned. We're Deregulating, we're unleashing energy, we're securing the border, we're rebuilding the military. We're doing what President Trump campaigned on, plain and simple. So there's still some little issues being worked out with a few guys at the edges. But in the big picture, I think we're right on track, and I think we'll get everybody there.

[Buck Sexton]

James, appreciate you being with us, and certainly a lot to be excited about that is in this bill. For those who are concerned about the debt, who want the spirit and action of Doge to be enshrined in some way in this bill, what do you say to them and what can we point to that deals with getting that fiscal house in order, not just for this year, but in the longer term?

[Podcast Announcer]

Yeah, great question. Well, first of all, it's important to note that this is by far the biggest savings, which I mentioned a minute ago. But let's put some points on it back in. Back when Bill Clinton was president, Congress passed a package that saved like, $800 billion in spending cuts. Okay. This one's looking like 1.6, 1.7 currently. No, still be, you know, iterated on a little bit as it goes through the Senate and everything, but more than double, okay? Congress literally has not done anything like that in over 30 years. So right there, those are the biggest savings that we've ever seen. We're doing something called rescissions, which is the stuff that Doge has found, this bad stuff. We go out, the Congress votes on it, and what's called a rescissions package that's actually separate from this bill, but then it permanently pulls out that stuff out of the budget. Okay? There are savings, and then in that. And then, you know, what's not counted in this bill, and it's just a stupid quirk of how legislative scoring works, is tariff revenue. The President is bringing in hundreds of billions of dollars of tariff revenue right now, and that money's not being spent, okay? That money's not being spent in the big, beautiful bill or anything else. That's just money in the treasury that goes straight to deficit reduction. So sometimes, you know, when they call it the Congressional Budget Office, which kind of puts out the church, they're not being honest because they don't add in the tariff revenue and some of the rescissions and the different things that are happening. So you're not really seeing the full picture. But the fact is, this is a huge step in the right direction for getting the country on a better fiscal footing. And we're unlocking growth. You know, there's three things we have to do, really, to get to a balanced budget, which the president hopes to achieve at some point before he leaves office. But, you know, at least in the foreseeable future, we've got to grow, okay? We've got to unleash our economy. We do that through tax cuts. We do that through deregulation. We do that through getting government out of the way. We're doing that right. That's partly the President, partly Congress, partly Doge, all of those things combined. Second, we got to do spending reductions. I already told you the historic nature of those spending reductions that we're doing. And then the third thing is we've just got to deregulate and we've got to bring more jobs in. And ultimately, you know, in 2017, we actually collected more money in taxes, which improved the fiscal picture as a result of the tax cuts than we would have if we didn't have the tax cuts. That's because more jobs were created, more people were paying taxes. So we've got to add revenue. The tariffs are doing that. We've got to cut taxes. We've got to cut regulation, unlock the economy through growth. We're doing that. And then we've got to do spending reductions. It's going to take all three of those things, concerted effort over a period of time. But if we just stick through it here and we are able to do it for four years instead of two. Two, which means we have to win the House majority back in the midterms, then we'll be able to really be on a great sustainable fiscal path. So I think we're on the path, but, you know, it's not all going to be done in one bill. We're going to have to do a couple. And this is a monumental first step, way bigger than anyone expected months ago. So we're really proud of that, and we just got to get it done.

[Clay Travis]

We're talking to James Blair, White House Deputy Chief of Staff. You mentioned the border. I also think this is important. The tax cuts expire. So for people out there who don't realize this, what happens if the bill doesn't pass?

[Podcast Announcer]

Well, if this bill doesn't pass, first of all, economic forecasters are said we're going into a recession because taxes are going to go through the roof. All of these tax cuts we passed in 2017 will go away at the end of this year. Okay? So the average family is going to pay thousands more in taxes if the bill doesn't pass next year. Businesses are going to pay thousands more in taxes. We're not going to have the money to secure our border. Okay? Terrible things are going to happen. It'll be the largest tax hike in history if this bill doesn't. So that's just not an option. Right. If we don't extend the debt ceiling, the country is going to default on its debt, which could drive us into a global depression. Right? This is not our fault. This is Joe Biden's fault. We're just here cleaning up the mess and that's what we have to do. It's not anything anybody wants to do. It's something that we have to do. The country can't default on its debt or people would pay the price in a massive way I don't think any of us can even fathom. And then on the border, look, we've got to ultimately have money to pay for planes and law enforcement to get people out of the country. And that money is coming in this bill. And that is such a critical piece. Everyone needs to understand that illegal immigrants in this country level that Joe Biden brought in are a huge drain on our system. When you talk about the spending, I mean, hundreds of billions of dollars being caused by illegal immigrants being in this country and being on. On public programs are in place for American citizens when we get them out of the country. That's actually going to lower our spending levels massively without doing a single thing. One of the changes in the big beautiful bill will be getting millions of illegal immigrants off of Medicaid. Okay? They're costing Medicaid billions of dollars a year. So these open borders that we have, we have to not only have the border secure, but we got to get these people out so they stop draining our public resources. All of this stuff has to work together to get our country on the right fiscal path forward.

[Buck Sexton]

Appreciate you being with us. Thank you so much for giving us some of the details on the big beautiful bill. What can you give us a sense as to what you. What this announcement is supposed to be about? The golden dome.

[Podcast Announcer]

I'm going to let the president break that news, but it's very exciting stuff. Look, the president and something he's talked about for a long time. The president wants to make. Make sure the homeland is secure. He wants to make sure that other countries are deterred from ever thinking about even, even remotely thinking about attacking our country. So it's all part of his vision of having the most lethal fighting force in the world. And that is what really gives us the leverage to sit at the table and demand peace not only for ourselves and our allies, but everywhere across the globe. And the world has been better off when America has been strong in the world. And that is part and parcel having a strong military, part and parcel of that effort. Peace through strength.

[Clay Travis]

Thank you so much for the time. Keep up the good work and we'll talk to you again soon.

[Podcast Announcer]

Thank you guys.

[Clay Travis]

That's James Blair, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Bucks going to be excited tomorrow because his Knicks are in the Eastern Conference finals against the Pacers. I'm going to be headed up to the Indy 500, which can be taking place this weekend in Indianapolis, and NHL playoffs are underway. Major League Baseball Got a favorite team. My Braves are finally back above.500. You can get hooked up with all that at Price Picks because they've upped their game with new offerings to go with the playoff action. If you haven't downloaded it yet, it's all about the player. You just pick more or less on a player stats. You can up to 2000 times your cash just a week ago. A thousand times your cash now. Playoff Knowledge NHL, NBA, Major League Baseball knowledge. Get hooked up right now. Prize Picks Best way to get action, including in California, Texas and Georgia if you've been feeling left out. Withdrawals Fast, safe and secure. Some hitting your account in as little as 15 minutes. Over 13 million people have downloaded the PricePix app. You can do the same. Use my name Clay as the code to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5. That's code Clay to get $50 instantly after the first $5 prizepix.com code Clay that's prizepix.com code clay for 50 bucks. California, Texas, Georgia and 30 plus states nationwide. Run your game with Prize picks.

[James Blair]

In the fall of 1986, Ronald Reagan found himself at the center of a massive scandal that looked like it might bring down his presidency.

[Buck Sexton]

Did you make a mistake in sending.

[Podcast Announcer]

Arms to Tehran, sir?

[Clay Travis]

No.

[Buck Sexton]

No one was let go.

[James Blair]

It became known as the Iran Contra.

[Podcast Announcer]

Affair and I'm not taking any more questions.

[Buck Sexton]

In just a second, I'm going to ask.

[James Blair]

I'm Leon Nayfak, co creator of Slow Burn. In my podcast, Fiasco Iran Contra, you'll hear all the UN unbelievable details of a scandal that captivated the nation nearly 40 years ago, but which few of us still remember today.

[Buck Sexton]

The things that happened were so bizarre.

[Podcast Announcer]

And insane I can't begin to tell you.

[Buck Sexton]

Please do.

[James Blair]

To hear the whole story, listen to Fiasco Iran Contra on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Buck Sexton]

All right, welcome back into Clay and Buck. Usually we close up shop and take some calls, but there's actually a lot going on here that we want to bring to your attention in these final minutes of the program today. And one thing is there's the, the launch of the Tapper book is, is interesting. We'll bring I think more of the. We'll save some of those details for tomorrow's show. He is on our friend Megyn Kelly's program and she is, she is making the case, the case we've been making all along, which is that he was part of the con. He's the wrong guy to be coming forward presenting this as though this is truth telling. It's a day late and a dollar short and then some and yeah, so we should, we'll get into some of that tomorrow. But I mentioned this Rubio take and I just think this is great. Rubio. It's. Who is the, who was the loser who was going to be Hillary's vp? I just know him by face.

[Clay Travis]

Tim Kaine.

[Buck Sexton]

Thank you. Tim Kaine. Tim Kaine. Here he is trying to press Rubio on the Africaner refugees from South Africa. 50 of them. It's not even, you know, it's not even a big deal. But here you go. Here's how Secretary Rubio handles it. Give him an A. I'm going to.

[E]

Ask you what so a well justified fear of persecution. Yeah. They thought that their farms were being burned down and they were being killed. I think that's a pretty good justification for wanting to come. They're afraid for their lives. And should it be applied in an even handed way, that's an easy no. Our foreign policy, our foreign policy doesn't require even handedness. Prioritizing the statutes phrase says you are entitled to entrance as a refugee if you demonstrate a well justified fear of persecution. You're not entitled. So you have a different standard based upon the color of somebody's skin. Would that be acceptable? Well, I'm not the one arguing that. Apparently you are because you don't know the fact that they're white. And that's why that that would be unacceptable. No, I would say that the United States a very easy. The United States has a right to pick and choose who they allow into the United States even based on the color of somebody's skin. No one's. You're the one that's talking about the color of their skin, not me. These were burned down and they were killed because of the color of Their skin. Well, well, you've demonstrated enough because you think anyone should be allowed into this country for any reason, because admittedly, who has said that we are going to prioritize people that come into our country on the basis of what's in the interests of this country. That's a small number of people that are coming. But you said this weekend that. But in other cases, it's harder to vet. In other cases, more difficult. By the way, the United States admits people every year.

[Buck Sexton]

Yeah, just, just, I like it. Don't give an inch. Stick to the truth. Stay on it. Don't let them do the usual nonsense here. Claire, this will sound like a diversion, but it actually, it actually ties in. Do you remember the movie Hook with Robin Williams? Remember that? It's a good movie. Remember the guy who's sort of the replacement for a while for Peter Pan is Rufio. And they're all chanting, Rufio, Rufio. I want to do that for Rubio here. Like Rubio, Rubio. Because he's kicking ass and he's saying what needs to be said, which is, you, Senator, don't like that we took white refugees. Just say.

[Clay Travis]

Also, I think is symptomatic of how good the Trump Cabinet is at communication. Whatever you think about the arguments that they are making, they are making the most efficient and effective version of those arguments, whether it is with Pete Hegseth at Defense, whether it's with Rubio at Secretary of State, among many others. Vice President J.D. vance. There is a collection of elite communicators, younger oftentimes than a lot of the oligarchs, oligarchs of the, of the old, elder groups of the, of the, of the Congress. Right. And Democrats are actually quite a lot older on average than Republicans are. And so I think it just comes across as younger and more energetic. And certainly you can talk about Tulsi Gabbard, you can talk about Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem. I mean, this is a, I think, elite level of communication that is taking place. And I know Trump loves the conflict. And so when Rubio just goes out there and stands up as aggressively as he is, it's why Trump said, in particular, who takes over after you're gone? He mentioned JD Vance and he mentioned Marco Rubio as two guys that were standing out at an elite level to him.

[Buck Sexton]

I just, you know, there's, there's a lot of great picks. I, I, you know, I, I was a huge JD Supporter very early on. I predicted it and also said it would be a Great pick for Trump. Love the JD Picket vice president. I think Scott Bessen has served him very ably so far as treasury secretary. Obviously, Cash and Bongino is like a dream team over at FBI. I mean, there's so many good, you know, and I'm not leaving anybody out on purpose. Tom Holman, I'm like the biggest Tom Holman fan on the planet. But Rubio has really stepped, stepped, stepped into the role and is, is like a key player. You know, he's become a key player of this administration. Deserves a lot of credit. You know, he had some bruises after the first bout with Trump running against each other in the primary, but Trump saw him as a worthy adversary who could now be a key player on the team. And Trump deserves credit, I think, for that, too. And he's Rubio's really doing good stuff because otherwise you're going to let Tim Kaine do this grandstanding malarkey on how, oh, but you brought in these refugees. Well, what about the. It's like, yeah, they actually have a fear of persecution, unlike the millions of liars you Democrats let in.

[Clay Travis]

I don't know if we have this audio. We'll bring it over tomorrow if we don't have it right now. Also in that hearing, Chris Van Hollen, the senator from Maryland who went down to meet with Breo Garcia, the El Salvadoran, he said, I wish I hadn't voted for you now, which is such a loser thing to say in a public hearing, in my opinion. And also since Rubio came out of the Senate, it comes across, frankly, as a personal attack, more so than a political one. And Rubio says that makes me feel even better about the job that I'm doing. Especially, and I'm paraphrasing because you're traveling to El Salvador to just have margaritas with terrorists or illegal immigrants, which is a great line. It's a great comeback line. And I think Rubio is delivering on a high level. We'll talk about some of that tomorrow. We'll break down the absolute latest on the big beautiful bill you just heard from James Blair that he expected it to pass the House this week and to pass the Senate by July 4th. So a lot still to go there. We'll have some fun with Megyn Kelly filleting Jake Tapper over the original sin book. All that coming tomorrow. Thanks for hanging with us on playing Buck. April showers may have come and gone, but that doesn't mean summer showers have a clean gutter. Clears the way for a carefree summer, whether you're tired of unclogging your gutters or don't even know what they look like? It's time for a permanent solution with Leaffilter right now.

[Buck Sexton]

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[Buck Sexton]

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[James Blair]

[e-mail] paid for by the American Investment Council.

[Podcast Announcer]

You're listening to an iHeart podcast.