The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Team 47 – President Peacemaker

Date: October 12, 2025

Host: Clay Travis & Buck Sexton

Overview

In this episode, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton examine the recent accomplishments of former President Trump in international peacemaking, specifically highlighting the resolution of multiple global conflicts and Trump's effort to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine. The hosts also discuss high-profile legal battles involving former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, scrutinizing alleged political weaponization of the justice system. Throughout, Clay and Buck deliver their signature blend of intelligent analysis and wry humor, engaging listeners in timely discussions of war, peace, and legal accountability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump as "President Peacemaker" (00:48–11:59)

• Buck introduces the central theme:
  Trump is taking (deserved) credit for brokering peace or ceasefires in multiple international conflicts, framing it as a positive legacy.

  “Trump doesn't want wars, which is a very good premise to start with.” — Buck (02:05)

• List of peace negotiations facilitated by Trump:

  • Armenia–Azerbaijan
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo–Rwanda
  • Iran–Israel (nuclear dispute ceasefire)
  • India–Pakistan (border issue)
  • Cambodia–Thailand
  • Serbia–Kosovo (from first administration)
  • Ethiopia–Egypt (Nile dam dispute)
  • (Current) Israel–Gaza

  “That is quite a world tour that he has put together.” — Buck (03:23)

• Clay on the criticism Trump faces:
  The main criticism now is that Trump is "too focused on world peace" and spending presidential time on conflicts that “don’t directly involve the United States,” which Clay points out is the opposite of older criticisms where Trump was painted as a warmonger.

  “The criticism…is he's too focused on bringing peace to the world. And how does that actually impact America in any kind of significant way?” — Clay (03:37)

• Analysis of the Russia–Ukraine impasse:

  • They both attribute the stalemate in Russia–Ukraine to Putin’s belief in victory and willingness to pay massive casualty costs.
  • Clay notes how Russian cultural identity valorizes large wartime sacrifices, citing WWII as a point of national pride.
  • Buck observes Putin’s lack of humanitarian concern:

    “There's no moral or humanitarian imperative at work with Vladimir Putin at all. It’s pure force.” — Buck (09:41)

  • Trump hoped his relationship with Putin would resolve things faster, but negotiations have stalled.

• On the Nobel Peace Prize:

  • Buck: If Trump accomplishes peace in Ukraine after the Middle East, but doesn’t win the Nobel, the award would be “a total joke.”
  • Clay: The Nobel lost credibility after Obama’s early win—"it had become a participation trophy." (08:37)

Notable Quote

“If he were to end the Russia-Ukraine war too… and didn’t get the Nobel Peace Prize, then it’s a total joke.”
— Buck (08:17)

2. Hostages and Human Cost in the Israel–Gaza Conflict (10:08–11:59)

• Clay and Buck reflect on emotional responses to hostages returning from Gaza:

  • Buck: “A lot of hostages are not going home alive…[Hamas] killed civilians they were holding as hostages.”
  • Clay: “We have to get the hostages, which is what Hamas refused to release...”

• On Trump’s new approach to Russia–Ukraine:

  • Trump has suggested punitive measures against Indian oil deals with Russia and increased Ukraine’s military leverage, though this carries risk of escalation.

Notable Quote

“You have to change incentives with [Putin]. It is like dealing with a rattlesnake. You cannot say, hey, don’t bite me. That’s mean. It has to be you back off or I’m going to take your head.”
— Buck (11:10)

3. James Comey Trial: Lawfare and Accountability (13:04–24:46)

• Update on James Comey’s indictment and plea (13:04–14:06):
  Former FBI Director James Comey has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding.

• Reaction and broader context:

  • Buck criticizes political weaponization of legal systems and argues Democrats used “lawfare” extensively against Trump and his allies.
  • The fact that charges are being brought, even if conviction is unlikely, “sends a message…we are not going to just lie down and accept a two-tiered system of justice.”
  • Buck doubts a conviction would stick due to a favorable jury pool but lauds the principle of seeking accountability.

    “We have to at least establish that we will bring charges against people who have been involved in this lawfare.” — Buck (16:55)

• Reflection on Comey's political evolution:

  • Segment includes Rush Limbaugh audio highlighting that Comey was at one time a self-described communist.

  “Turns out not to be true. Are you aware that James Comey used to be a communist?” — Rush Limbaugh (22:59)

Memorable Moment / Humor

“So much of Comey reminds me of Fauci. Fauci is like the, you know, the Lilliputian version of Comey…It’s the same personality type.”
— Buck (21:46)

4. Letitia James Indictment: Hypocrisy and Legal Standards (24:58–36:43)

• Letitia James's statement on indictment (25:12):
  She denounces the charges as “a continuation of the president's desperate weaponization of our justice system.”

• Clay and Buck’s take:

  • The grand jury’s role means partisan accusations (“Trump going after his adversaries”) don’t hold, especially given the likely political leanings of the grand jury.

  • Clay argues that, as Attorney General, James is held to a higher standard for understanding law.

    “When you are in charge of enforcing the law…you have a higher standard of expectation.” — Clay (27:32)

  • Buck emphasizes that, given James’s prosecution of others for similar mortgage fraud, she should be held to the same standard.

    “Either the elites…live under the laws they use against us, or we are in a tyranny.” — Buck (28:45)

• The issue of James continuing as Attorney General while under indictment:

  • Clay questions how someone charged with felonies can remain the chief law enforcement officer: “That feels to me to be untenable. I think she’s going to have to step down.”
  • Buck speculates that unless there is an explicit law, party loyalty will allow James to “ride this out in office until the trial happens.”

• On political prosecution:

  • Buck plays a clip of James promising to target Trump for political reasons (33:45), labeling this “playing with fire.”

Notable Quotes

“You can't have two primary residences. And Clay, beyond that…if you’re the Attorney General of New York…you should understand the law really better than anybody and should be held to a standard that you’ve held everyday Americans to.”
— Buck (28:45)
“That feels to me to be untenable…you can't prosecute cases that are similar to the ones you are facing from a felon(y) basis.”
— Clay (34:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You have to change incentives with [Putin]. It is like dealing with a rattlesnake. You cannot say, hey, don’t bite me…It has to be you back off or I’m going to take your head.” — Buck (11:10)
• “That is quite a world tour that he has put together.” — Buck (03:23)
• “The criticism…is he's too focused on bringing peace to the world.” — Clay (03:37)
• “Either the elites…live under the laws they use against us, or we are in a tyranny.” — Buck (28:45)
• “If he were to end the Russia–Ukraine war too…and didn’t get the Nobel Peace Prize, then it’s a total joke.” — Buck (08:17)
• “Turns out not to be true. Are you aware that James Comey used to be a communist?” — Rush Limbaugh (22:59)
• “That feels to me to be untenable…you can't prosecute cases that are similar to the ones you are facing from a felon basis.” — Clay (34:55)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Trump as Peacemaker / Global Conflicts List: 00:48–03:37
• Russia–Ukraine Analysis / Nobel Peace Prize Discussion: 05:42–08:37
• Israel–Gaza Hostages / Putin & Escalation: 10:08–11:59
• James Comey Trial & Lawfare: 13:04–24:46
• Letitia James Indictment & Legal Standards: 24:58–36:43

Tone & Final Thoughts

Clay and Buck maintain a conversational, occasionally humorous, but consistently incisive tone as they analyze both international diplomacy and domestic legal drama. They seek to expose double standards in justice, emphasize the importance of accountability for those in power, and highlight the unexpected role-reversal in public criticisms of Trump’s approach to global conflict. The episode foregrounds the shifting political landscape and underscores how legal proceedings are intertwined with American political battles on both state and national levels.