The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 3 - Operation Absolute Resolve
Date: January 5, 2026
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

The first episode of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show" in 2026 opens with Clay and Buck discussing a major international story: the U.S. operation ("Operation Absolute Resolve") that led to the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, both indicted for narcotrafficking. The hosts also hit on domestic news, notably the resignation of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz amid a massive Somali fraud scandal, and break down the CDC’s decision to pare down recommended childhood vaccines. The major feature of the hour is a detailed interview with former Navy SEAL David Rutherford about the Maduro raid. Throughout, the hosts compare and contrast recent U.S. military/foreign policy actions with those of the Biden administration, reflect on the implications for American power projection and domestic politics, and take listener questions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The U.S. Raid on Venezuela: Capturing Maduro

[01:14 - 10:49]

• Main Story: Operation Absolute Resolve successfully captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife, both indicted as narcotraffickers under U.S. law.

• Procedural Notes:

  • The operation is compared to the 1990 Noriega raid in Panama.
  • Maduro is being tried in a criminal court (not a military tribunal).
  • Buck notes: “This was an arrest of an indicted criminal under American law... He pled not guilty, as is his right, in a criminal court in New York City this morning.” (06:16 - Buck)

• Legal Q&A ([05:42 - 08:19]):

  • Michael from Florida asks about the rights Maduro has as a non-U.S. citizen arrested in New York.
  • Buck clarifies: “He [Maduro] gets same protections under federal law that any other criminal defendant would be entitled to.”

• Political & Historical Context:

  • Clay draws connection to past military operations (Operation Urgent Fury, Grenada 1983), emphasizing the criminal—not enemy combatant—classification (07:05).
  • Comment: “He’s really being treated as a narco kingpin and not as a terrorist mastermind.” (08:19 - Clay)
  • Buck: If Maduro were treated as an enemy combatant (like the Ayatollah), it would be a military tribunal.

2. Listener Email: Venezuela’s Downfall & Socialism

[08:59 - 10:49]

• Pamela writes about Venezuela's transformation from prosperity to starvation under Chavez and Maduro.

• Socialism’s damage is lamented (“The devastation society-wide… is because of socialism, because of redistribution of wealth, collectivism, social justice… That’s why you can go back and look at... the New York Times in like 2012, writing editorials... about all the great social justice things that Chavez was going to accomplish in that country.” - 09:44, Buck).

• Political Divides:

  • Buck slams the American left for protest reactions sympathetic to Maduro, contrasting this to how Republicans responded positively to Obama’s killing of bin Laden:
    • “Think about the reaction when, to his credit, Barack Obama... took out Osama bin Laden. I don’t remember... any Republican saying, ‘I can’t believe we undertook this risk.’” (10:49 - Buck)

3. CDC Vaccine Recommendation Changes

[01:16 - 04:23]

• Breaking News (via Wall Street Journal): The CDC drops universal recommendations for several childhood vaccines, moving towards Denmark’s model.

  • Vaccines now discretionary: rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A & B.
  • Parents are to consult with healthcare providers individually.

• Host reactions:

  • Clay: “The overall schedule is way too many, way too fast.” (04:10 - Clay)
  • Buck: “I am so grateful that we did not get my kids the COVID shot… the data on the COVID shots just keep getting worse… I think a lot of parents out there felt like they had to do it to keep their jobs and to make sure they could pay their mortgage. And we certainly can’t forget what they did to us.” (04:23 - Buck)

4. Tim Walz's Resignation and Somali Fraud Scandal

[01:14, 18:43 - 22:35]

• Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced he’s not running for reelection, caught “red handed” (per Trump) in a Somali fraud scandal.
• Trump’s reaction (read by Buck): “Minnesota’s corrupt governor will possibly leave office before his term is up... stealing tens of billions of dollars, taxpayer dollars. I feel certain the facts will come out and they will reveal a seriously unscrupulous and rich group of slime balls.” (18:48 - Buck/Trump)
• Clay is skeptical legal charges will follow, framing Walz as prioritizing the wrong things, turning a blind eye politically, but likely not directly profiting. “I don’t think [he] did anything like that. I just think it wasn’t an enforcement priority for him at all.” (21:13 - Clay)

5. Contrasting U.S. Foreign Policy: Trump vs Biden Era

[12:22 - 13:58, 25:44 - 27:27]

• Buck contrasts the “mess” of the Afghanistan withdrawal with the Venezuela raid’s precision: “Just look at the organizational plan that it was in place and was necessary in Venezuela compared to leaving Afghanistan. And I think it's hard to argue that we have not put competent people in positions to be able to make the world a safer place.” (13:06 - Buck)
• Clay underscores the difference in implementation (“How you do things, the decision to do something matters a whole heck of a lot, right? That is judgment, that is wisdom. But how you do the thing is skill, it is acumen, it is tactics. You know, it is implementation and the Trump administration is superior to Biden...” - 13:58, Clay)

6. Interview: David Rutherford — Inside Operation Absolute Resolve

[24:08 - 37:51]

a. Operational Commentary

• Complexity and Precision
  • David Rutherford: “Can you believe what a way to kick off 2026 with one of the top, top five best ops I've ever seen or heard about.” (24:08)
  • Units involved: Delta (CAG), 1/160th SOAR, CIA, DIA, Intel, Navy, Air Force.
  • “To execute it as flawlessly as they did... this thing went flawless.” (25:44 - Rutherford)
• Room Clearing Skill
  • “The precision, speed and accuracy of their movements, there's just nobody else on the planet that can compete with these guys.” (24:50 - Rutherford)

b. Military Implications & American Power

• Global Significance
  • “The implications of this operation… affect the entire world and puts everybody on notice. Hey, stand by because there’s some pipe hitters back in control now, and things are going to change.” (26:24 - Rutherford)

c. Personal Experience & Operator Mindset

• “The biggest thing is to remain calm and just relaxed. You know, you've done so many dry runs, you so many rehearsals...these guys are chilling at 115 beats per minute.” (28:24 - Rutherford)

d. Aviation Excellence (1/160th SOAR)

• “They're the best pilots I've, I've ever seen, I've ever worked with. I got picked up on the side of a mountain with like a 2500 foot cliff... Everything was so succinct and so flawless…” (29:45 - Rutherford)

e. Maduro Raid vs Bin Laden Raid

• Question: How does the Maduro raid compare to the Bin Laden raid?
  • “The size and scope of that op was not probably one-tenth the size of this, maybe one-twentieth… This operation is... I mean, we just went in and snatched a world leader in his sleep and didn't take one casualty.” (31:32 - Rutherford)

f. Geopolitical Consequences & Cartel Watch

• Global Precedent
  • Buck: “Don’t all those leaders have to be looking around saying, if the US can do this to Venezuela, they can do this to me really easily?” (35:21)
  • Rutherford: “100%... This is a notice to the world. Listen, America is done playing the games of the last administration...” (35:54)
• Cartels on Edge
  • “...if you’re a cartel and you’re engaged in any drug trafficking that directly impacts American civilians, then guess what? You probably just got put on the JSOC door knock list, which is a list… you never want to be on.” (36:49 - Rutherford)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “What happened in Venezuela, it's a win for America, it's a win for the Venezuelan people, it's a win for the rule of law, it's a win for the hemisphere, it's a win for the world.”
  (11:34 - Clay Travis)

• “To execute it as flawlessly as they did, I mean… this thing went flawless.”
  (25:44 - David Rutherford)

• “We just went in and snatched a world leader in his sleep and didn't take one casualty... it’s mind blowing to what our capabilities truly are.”
  (32:41 - David Rutherford)

• “The worst people in American politics are the people who are upset that Maduro was gone... There’s a thread that connects all of these things.”
  (09:44 - Buck Sexton)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• CDC changes to childhood vaccines: 01:16 – 04:23
• Maduro arrest, legal implications: 05:42 – 08:19
• Venezuela's socialist collapse, listener email: 08:59 – 10:49
• Contrast Venezuela raid & Afghanistan withdrawal: 12:22 – 13:58
• Trump statement on Tim Walz: 18:43 – 20:41
• David Rutherford interview begins: 24:08
  • Operation Absolute Resolve (complexity and skill): 24:08 – 27:27
  • Comparison to Bin Laden raid: 31:32 – 32:41
  • Global implications, cartels, and power projection: 33:14 – 37:51

Tone & Style

The conversation maintains the show's characteristic brash confidence, humor, and combative political commentary with a focus on American strength and skepticism of left-wing and establishment policies. Buck often provides policy or historical context while Clay delivers sharp, energetic takes, drawing on legal and cultural references. The interview with Rutherford is informative, direct, and full of military jargon and admiration for special operations forces.

Conclusion

This hour delivers a dynamic breakdown of breaking global news (the Maduro capture), commentary on domestic political fallout (Tim Walz and the Somali fraud ring), and a clear frame that sees recent U.S. actions as a return to competence and strength abroad. The detailed, insider conversation about Operation Absolute Resolve with David Rutherford stands out as the highlight and a rare real-time analysis of a major covert success.

A must-listen for those tracking U.S. policy, military operations, and conservative political commentary.