Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Hour 3 – Smithsonian Showdown
Date: August 25, 2025
Host(s): Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
Podcast Provider: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the controversy involving the Smithsonian Institution and broader discussions about museums and their role in portraying American history. Clay and Buck dive into the recent calls from the Trump White House to review museum exhibitions for their alignment with "American ideals." The conversation branches into debates around "wokeness" in cultural institutions, the political framing of American history, and First Amendment issues related to flag burning. The tone is candid, irreverent, and argumentative, mixing humor with pointed critique.

Main Themes and Discussion Points

1. Smithsonian Museums and the Pushback Against “Woke” Exhibits

(01:58–14:35)

• Origins of the Controversy:

  • The Trump administration has called for a review of current and future exhibits at eight Smithsonian museums, including calls for exhibits to align with "American ideals."
  • The administration’s actions were prompted by the perception that museums, especially in DC, have become bastions of left-wing ideology.

• Personal Museum Experiences:

  • Clay recently visited the National Air and Space Museum with his son and had a positive, "uplifting" experience, noting an absence of negative or "failure"-focused exhibits (e.g., no displays on plane crashes or aviation disasters).
  • Buck connects this approach to how the left emphasizes America’s failures, whereas he and Clay believe museums should primarily celebrate American achievements.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Clay Travis (06:31):

    "When you go to the Air and Space Museum, it is about the incredible human accomplishment of flight and space exploration... There wasn't a single exhibit about plane crashes or about people who died trying to go to space. That doesn't mean that plane crashes don't happen... But in general, I think the goal of the Smithsonians is to make people feel better about America and American life and to leave with an uplifting feeling."

  • Buck Sexton (04:11):

    "Trump has told his lawyers to go through museums... His administration saw changes threatening funding cuts and even tax-exempt status. So the left is of course very upset about this... There’s no neutral space here. They want these to reflect their view of American history, which means highlighting oppressed and victimized people..."

• Key Exhibits Highlighted by Administration:

  • LGBTQ+ history (American History Museum)
  • A painting of immigrants crossing the border (National Portrait Gallery)
  • A drawing of Anthony Fauci (National Portrait Gallery)

• Critique of Progressive Narratives:

  • Both hosts argue these exhibits reflect partisan and contemporary (rather than historical) priorities.
  • Buck and Clay criticize the focus on America’s sins—most notably slavery—while downplaying national achievements.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Buck Sexton (13:24):

    "If you're talking about combat fatalities in the Civil War, overwhelmingly it was white men who died on both sides, and it was their price in blood that ended the institution of slavery, which always seems to get left out..."

  • Clay Travis (11:43):

    "One reason that Democrats’ popularity is in the tank is because they focus on the failures of America almost exclusively. They've got the oppression Olympics all the time. The idea that you cannot succeed, that America is a horribly racist, irredeemable country with a sordid past..."

• International Comparisons:

  • Buck questions whether other countries feature self-critical museum exhibits to this extent, noting that only post-Nazi Germany might be comparable.

  • Buck Sexton (14:35):

    "What other country would do this? ...this idea that you're going to have museums that seek within a country, that seek to attack and undermine the country from within, this is not a common thing..."

2. Patriotism, Education, and Cultural Confidence

(14:35–17:56)

• Impact on Youth:

  • Both hosts argue that teaching young Americans to focus on their country’s failures leads to a lack of national pride and susceptibility to “being led astray.”

  • They assert that “Make America Great Again” resonates because it appeals to the ideal of continuous national improvement and pride.

  • Clay Travis (15:44):

    "[If students are] being taught that America is a profoundly racist, awful, oppressive country, then it's hard to have pride in the country... When you don't have pride in place, you're able to be led astray."

3. Trump’s Remarks and Flag Burning Executive Order

(22:57–35:44)

• Trump’s Proposal:

  • A new executive order (proposed by Trump) would make burning the American flag punishable by one year in jail, with no early exit and a permanent record.

  • Trump cites prior executive orders on monument vandalism as successful deterrents.

  • Donald Trump (23:24):

    "If you burn a flag, you get one year in jail. No early exits, no nothing. You get one year in jail. And it goes on your record. And you will see flag burning stopping immediately."

• Host Commentary:

  • Buck and Clay both disagree with Trump’s proposal, citing Supreme Court precedent (Texas v. Johnson, 1989) protecting flag burning as symbolic speech.

  • Both hosts support free speech rights, including burning the American flag, pride flag, or any other symbol, so long as it doesn’t incite a riot or involve theft/vandalism of someone else’s property.

  • Buck Sexton (26:08):

    "Either flag burning is a legal act of protected symbolic speech or it is not. We cannot have a society where we pick and choose."

  • Clay Travis (26:24):

    "I don't think he has the constitutional authority to do it. I understand the intent, but the Supreme Court has said you can burn flags... as a First Amendment absolutist, I think the president is wrong on this one."

• Hate Crime Laws and Selective Enforcement:

  • The hosts contend that hate crime enhancements are inconsistently applied, with more severe penalties for expressions deemed offensive toward favored groups (e.g., a man receiving 15 years for stealing and burning a pride flag).

  • Buck Sexton (32:14):

    "A guy in 2019... given a sentence of 15 years for stealing a pride flag and burning it. ...In any other situation, do you get 15 years in prison for stealing something that's a $50 item? I don't think so."

  • Both hosts argue this reflects an imbalanced approach to free speech and the law, calling for equal protection regardless of group identity.

4. Showdown on Sports and Lighthearted Moments

(39:20–41:40)

• Brief lighthearted discussion about Clay’s nephew’s tennis servespowers and Buck’s own earlier tennis claims, adding a break from political talk.
• Clay shares meeting Bo Duke from “The Dukes of Hazzard,” and Buck reminisces about 1980s TV, reinforcing the relatable, friendly banter style.

5. Listener Call: Flag Burning Debate

(41:59–42:57)

• A caller (Jim from North Carolina) challenges Clay and Buck’s position on flag burning.
• Clay acknowledges the Supreme Court’s stance, reiterates the speech-act connection, and references controversial moments globally (e.g., burning of the Quran or Bible in protest settings).
• Clay maintains support for flag protection as expression, given the existing legal framework.

Notable Quotes

• Clay Travis (06:31):

  "When you go to the Air and Space Museum... it is about the incredible human accomplishment... There wasn't a single exhibit about plane crashes... I think the goal of the Smithsonians is to make people feel better about America..."

• Buck Sexton (13:24):

  "Overwhelmingly it was white men who died on both sides [of the Civil War], and it was their price in blood that ended the institution of slavery, which always seems to get left out..."

• Donald Trump (23:24):

  "If you burn a flag, you get one year in jail. No early exits, no nothing..."

• Buck Sexton (26:08):

  "Either flag burning is a legal act of protected symbolic speech or it is not. We cannot have a society where we pick and choose..."

• Clay Travis (26:24):

  "As a First Amendment absolutist, I think the president is wrong on this one. I don't think he has the authority to do it with the executive order..."

• Buck Sexton (32:14):

  "In any other situation, do you get 15 years in prison for stealing something that's a $50 item? I don't think so..."

Key Timestamps

• [01:58] – Introduction to the Smithsonian/museum controversy and Trump’s pushback
• [06:31] – Clay’s perspective on Air and Space Museum's focus vs. trauma-centered exhibits
• [10:05] – Critical discussion of highlighted “woke” exhibits (e.g., LGBTQ+, immigration)
• [13:24] – Civil War, slavery, and partisan historical framing
• [14:35] – Buck compares U.S. museums to foreign nations' approaches
• [23:24] – Trump audio on flag burning penalties
• [26:08]–[26:24] – Clay and Buck’s strong defense of free speech and criticism of selective enforcement on flag burning
• [32:14] – Sentencing disparities and hate crime enhancement discussion
• [41:59] – Caller challenges hosts on flag burning stance

Conclusion

This lively episode uses the “Smithsonian Showdown” as a springboard to debate culture war flashpoints ranging from the American historical narrative to free speech on flag burning. While both hosts lambaste “woke” museum exhibits and endorse a focus on national achievements, they diverge from Trump on banning flag burning, insisting—and repeating—that the right to symbolic protest is constitutionally protected regardless of political content. The episode blends critique, humor, and a consistent conservative viewpoint, closing with interactive audience participation and banter.