The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show:

Trump’s Global Meetings, Left-Wing Disarray, and the Debate Over Designer Babies

Publication Date: August 19, 2025
Hosts: Mary Kathryn Gates Garcia, Carol Markowitz
Producer: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this episode, hosts Mary Kathryn Gates Garcia and Carol Markowitz delve into three major topics shaping current affairs:

• Former President Trump's recent meetings with global leaders and implications for U.S. foreign policy
• The mounting disarray and increasingly odd strategies among left-wing political figures and institutions
• The ethical debate over "designer babies" driven by new advances in embryo screening technology

Their conversation is marked by wit, skepticism, and a sharp eye for inconsistencies and double standards on all sides of the political spectrum. Clay and Buck guide their audience through skepticism about both political and scientific claims, mixing political analysis with personal perspectives.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Trump’s Global Diplomacy: New Meetings with Putin and Zelensky

[03:35 – 11:46]

• Setting the Scene:

  • Trump recently met with Vladimir Putin in Alaska (an American, not neutral, site), and plans a meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky.
  • Hosts note ongoing speculation and concern over what might be brokered but acknowledge that it’s a waiting game for concrete outcomes.

• Symbolism & Diplomacy:

  • The choice of Alaska sends a message of American strength.
    • Quote, Mary Kathryn Gates Garcia [04:55]:
      “We own the skies. This is an unambiguous flex of American military might. And Putin is a power dude. Right? Like, that's what he reads as power. And there it is right in front of your face.”
  • Putin is described as being unmoved by peace prospects, and there’s worry over Trump’s susceptibility to flattery but optimism about his tactical unpredictability.

• Sanctions & Red Lines:

  • Trump has been rhetorically “squishy” on Russia but materially tough—pointing to sanctions and military actions that have provided a credible deterrent.

• Peace Prospects & Criticism:

  • There’s skepticism about expectations: peace talks can’t occur without all parties present.
    • Marco Rubio, featured via clip [07:39]: “There’s no way you can have a meeting like that... This is a war between two countries, not America. It’s Ukraine and Russia. We met with the Russian side. We’ve spoken...with the Ukrainian side. We’ll see them again tomorrow, along with our allies in Europe...But there’s a lot of work that remains. There’s a reason why this war has been going on for three and a half years. It’s a war that never would have happened had President Trump been president. But he inherited it...If [peace] is possible, he’s the only one that can get it done...”

• Comparisons & “Russian Asset” Narrative:

  • Hosts argue it’s outdated and inaccurate to mistrust Trump as a “Russian asset,” and that his unconventional style may open diplomatic possibilities.

Memorable Moment:

• Carol Markowitz [08:55]:
  “America is back as a leader on the world stage...Despite all the talking down about America, when things get real, they look at us…”

2. Left-Wing Disarray: From Taylor Swift to Military Coups

[16:47 – 31:53]

• Fragmentation and Odd Messaging:

  • The left is described as uniquely fractured—unlike their historic unity, they now appear in a state of “funky disarray.”

• Bizarre Political Endorsements:

  • Ex-FBI Director James Comey’s five-minute “selfie” video lauding Taylor Swift as a model for resistance to Trump is lampooned for its awkwardness and lack of gravitas.
    • James Comey [18:39]: “She said something about dealing with Internet trolls that stuck with me. Think of your energy as if it’s expensive... As if it’s like a luxury item. Not everyone can afford it.”
    • Carol Markowitz [19:39]:
      “I have no problem with him being a Swiftie; I have a problem with him being a weirdo. […] He recently said he was walking on a beach and came across this shell formation that had 8647, which means end 47. It’s seen sort of as a death threat to President Trump. How is that not being a bully?”

• Pushback on New York Times Editorials:

  • A NYT piece suggests the military should stand up to Trump, sparking incredulity from hosts:
    • Mary Kathryn Gates Garcia [23:58]:
      “Your position is that to preserve democracy and all the norms, we should have a military coup wherein the military does not obey the chain of command...”

• Leftist Calls for Dismantling Institutions:

  • There’s direct mention of think pieces advocating for abolishing the Electoral College, packing the court, and even rewriting the Constitution.
    • Carol Markowitz [25:44]:
      “Abolish the Senate and the Electoral College, Pack the Court. Why the Left Can’t Win without a New Constitution. I mean, you can’t just admit it out loud like that, guys.”

• Political Tactics & Double Standards:

  • Beto O’Rourke is quoted urging Democrats to break the rules to ensure victory:
    • Beto O'Rourke [27:05]:
      “There are no refs in this game. Fuck the rules. We are going to win. Whatever it takes. We’re going to take this to them in every way that we can.”
  • The hosts criticize both the practical impossibility (blue states already fully gerrymandered) and the underlying logic of this approach.

• Cultural Fights (Smithsonian, MSNBC Rebrand, “Trump Satire”):

  • Trump's initiative to review Smithsonian exhibits is seen as blowback against leftist takeovers.
  • MSNBC’s rebrand to “Ms.” is mocked as confusing and ill-conceived.
  • Gavin Newsom’s press office mimicking Trump’s online persona is critiqued as lacking authenticity:
    • Mary Kathryn Gates Garcia [31:36]:
      “This is a personality transplant. They’re like, well, let’s just plug something in here, see how it goes.”

3. Designer Babies: Ethics, Technology, and Moral Blind Spots

[36:57 – 44:29]

• New Trends in Embryo Screening:

  • Highlighted by a NYT feature on a startup called Orchid, which offers full genome embryo screening for $2,500, promising to reduce risks for various diseases.

• Sales Pitch and Pushback:

  • The founder Noor Siddiqui’s messaging is described as aggressive and dismissive of moral qualms:
    • Siddiqui (quoted by hosts) [41:04]:
      “Most kids are born by accident. And yet we stigmatize parents who plan ahead, who screen embryos to prevent deadly, now preventable diseases. ... Just be honest. You’re okay with your kid potentially suffering for life so you can feel morally superior.”
  • Both hosts question not only the reliability of such screenings (citing epidemic false positives) but also the ethical consequences.

• The Ethical Quandary:

  • The hosts stress that this trend portends a slide toward eugenics, where inconvenience trumps humanity:
    • Mary Kathryn Gates Garcia [41:15]:
      “You’re not eliminating disease. You’re eliminating a person with disease. That’s what you’re doing.”
  • Ross Douthat’s interview with Siddiqui is referenced to note her inability to grasp the philosophical argument that something ineffable is lost when making human life only a technical project.

• The Human Element of Parenthood:

  • The unpredictability of birth, and the “art” of parenting versus the “science” of selection, is emphasized.
    • Carol Markowitz [43:17]:
      “My obstetrician … said … having a baby is more art than science. … You have to take the good and the bad … even if you do design the perfect genome … you don’t know what’s going to happen.”
  • The need for more bioethical debate and guidance is underlined; the technology is moving faster than public discussion.

Notable Quotes & Highlights (with Timestamps)

• [04:55] Mary Kathryn Gates Garcia:
  “We own the skies. This is an unambiguous flex of American military might. And Putin is a power dude. … That’s what he reads as power.”

• [07:39] Marco Rubio (via clip):
  “We never said there was going to be a deal coming out of the meeting because the Ukrainians are not there… If [peace] is possible, he’s the only one that can get it done.”

• [19:39] Carol Markowitz (on Comey’s Taylor Swift video):
  “I have no problem with him being a Swiftie; I have a problem with him being a weirdo.”

• [23:58] Mary Kathryn Gates Garcia (on NYT military coup op-ed):
  “Your position is that to preserve democracy … we should have a military coup…”

• [25:44] Carol Markowitz:
  “Abolish the Senate and the Electoral College, Pack the Court. Why the Left Can’t Win without a New Constitution… You can’t just admit it out loud like that, guys.”

• [27:05] Beto O’Rourke:
  “There are no refs in this game. Fuck the rules. We are going to win. Whatever it takes…”

• [41:04] Siddiqui (quoted):
  “Just be honest. You’re okay with your kid potentially suffering for life so you can feel morally superior.”

• [43:17] Carol Markowitz:
  “Having a baby is more art than science. … It’s not supposed to be perfect. … Even if you do design the perfect genome … you don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:35 – Trump's Alaska summit with Putin, Zelensky meetings preview
• 04:55 – Symbolism of Alaska as meeting site, military flex
• 07:39 – Marco Rubio on the peace process, skepticism about expectations
• 16:47 – Disarray on the Left, Comey’s Taylor Swift video
• 18:39 – James Comey’s message, discussion and critique
• 23:58 – NYT op-ed suggesting the military should oppose Trump
• 25:44 – Left-wing calls for abolishing institutions, Constitution
• 27:05 – Beto O’Rourke’s "whatever it takes" gerrymandering advocacy
• 29:11 – Smithsonian fights, MSNBC rebrand, Newsom’s satirical tweets
• 36:57 – Designer babies, Orchid’s embryo screening and morality
• 41:04 – Siddiqui’s contentious tweets and rebuttal
• 43:17 – “More art than science”: the unpredictability of childbirth

Tone and Style

• The hosts maintain a casual, bantering, and often critical tone.
• Humor and incredulity are used to call out perceived absurdities on all sides, but particularly to lampoon left-wing excesses and double standards.
• There’s a consistent call for sanity, consistency, and ethical reflection—whether in politics, bioethics, or public discourse.

Conclusion

This episode of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show" brings listeners through a sharp, sometimes witty examination of U.S. foreign policy under Trump, exposes the latest developments and self-inflicted wounds among left-of-center leaders and media, and opens a discussion on the daunting ethical questions raised by the advance of designer baby technology. The hosts highlight double standards and stress the need for debate and ethical guardrails as technology and politics continue to move in unpredictable directions.