Weekly Review With Clay and Buck H1 - From Drive-Bys to Drone-Bys

Summary

---

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: Weekly Review With Clay and Buck H1 - From Drive-Bys to Drone-Bys
Date: September 6, 2025
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts
Hosts: Clay Travis & Buck Sexton

---

Episode Overview

This episode explores pivotal developments in U.S. politics and security: Trump’s assertive stance on crime intervention in Chicago, a dramatic escalation in anti-cartel operations with a U.S. missile strike on a narco-boat, and shifting public attitudes on crime, law enforcement, and the Second Amendment. With characteristic humor and sharp commentary, Clay and Buck also examine the international front, including Trump’s message to Putin amid the Ukraine war and broader threats from authoritarian regimes and narcoterrorists.

---

Key Topics & Discussion Highlights

1. Trump’s “We’re Going In” Declaration on Chicago Crime

Timestamp: 03:15–10:40

• Backdrop: President Trump announces (again) his intent to use federal resources to address violent crime in Chicago.

• Political Dynamics: Governor Pritzker, eyeing national standing, opposes federal involvement, while Mayor Brandon Johnson pivots blame for crime to gun trafficking from red states.

• Clay’s Analysis:

  “I think this speaks to Trump’s intuitive political gifts to not only do what's correct but also to do things that substantial majorities of Americans agree with.” (07:31 – Clay Travis)

• Key Insight:

  • Fall 2025’s dominant political issue will be Trump’s battle against violent crime, with public sentiment shifting decisively back in favor of law enforcement after the post-2020 “defund the police” period.
  • Emphasis on data and common sense:

    “When you deploy more people to try to stop crime, crime goes down. I mean, this is not a revolutionary idea.” (08:03 – Clay Travis)

2. Gun Crime: Blue City Blame Game vs. Red State Reality

Timestamp: 10:40–16:10

• Mayor Johnson’s Argument:

  “These guns come from red states. ... Chicago will continue to have a violence problem as long as red states continue to have a gun problem.” (11:06 – Mayor Brandon Johnson)

• Buck & Clay’s Response:
  • Both hosts call this a “total deflection” and “frivolous” (11:52 – Buck Sexton), noting that gun prevalence does not equal violent crime (eg. low crime rates in highly armed rural Tennessee).
  • Emphasize personal responsibility over “scapegoating red states.”
  • On personal gun ownership and public safety:

    “Crime has actually started to go down now that we let police officers do their job. So there’s more guns on the street, lower crime.” (12:50 – Clay Travis) “The idea is what he says, stop the illegal flow of guns. ... All that it does is make it impossible for people like you and me ... to lawfully enjoy our Second Amendment rights ... to be a check on tyranny.” (14:44 – Buck Sexton)

3. Drones, Narco-terrorism, and the War on Cartels

Timestamp: 15:53–38:38

• Escalation at Sea:

  • Trump administration authorizes and publicizes a kinetic (missile) strike on a Venezuelan narco-boat, signaling a new level of force against drug traffickers.
  • Trump’s Own Words:

    “Over the last few minutes literally shot out a boat, a drug carrying boat. ... You’ll be seeing that and you’ll be reading about that. ... These came out of Venezuela. ... We took it out.” (25:38 – Donald Trump)

  • Buck: Astounded by the precedent (“first time I’m aware of that this has happened in this way ... escalation against the cartels”). (24:47–26:22)

• Clay’s Two Takeaways:

  1. The strike will change the calculus for narco-terrorists—dealing drugs now carries risk of sudden death, not just prison time (27:03–29:15).
  2. The U.S. must ensure intelligence is accurate to avoid tragic mistakes, drawing a distinction between justified and wrongful drone strikes (29:15–30:30; reference to Biden’s Afghanistan strike).

• Larger Message to Venezuela:

  “I think this is directly connected to Maduro...I think they are letting him know that using Venezuela as a narco terror state is not going to be permitted.” (33:12 – Clay Travis)

  • Discussion on Maduro’s regime as a cartel-state, the dangers of socialist policies, and implications for regional security (34:36–36:14).

4. The Future of Crime & Defense Technology

Timestamp: 37:11–38:38

• From Drive-Bys to Drone-Bys:

  • Clay predicts drones will become tools for targeted criminal acts, just as military tech filters to civilian use.
  • Buck highlights that cartels have been innovators in using consumer drones for attacks (38:14–38:16).

• Notable Prediction:

  “In the next generation, this is going to be something that we really have to have real conversations about.” (37:11 – Clay Travis)

5. Quick Hit Stories & Lighter Moments

Timestamp: 05:46–06:07

• Viral Video Story:
  • Brief detour into a light-hearted viral news item about a five-year-old “breaking out” to get Chick-fil-A, sparking laughter.

    “If I broke out of prison, the first place I’d go probably is to get a Chick-Fil-A sandwich.” (06:07 – Clay Travis)

---

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• “We’re going in. ... I have an obligation. ... This isn’t a political thing.” (06:49 – Donald Trump on sending federal assistance to Chicago)
• “This is a total deflection. It's a ... frivolous argument. ... Trump is saying, let’s do something that is almost certain to work.” (11:52 – Buck Sexton)
• “There’s more guns on the street, lower crime.” (12:50 – Clay Travis)
• “Over the last few minutes literally shot out a boat, a drug carrying boat ... There’s more where that came from.” (25:38 – Donald Trump)
• “This is war tactic. This is not criminal justice tactic.” (32:07 – Buck Sexton on missile strike versus law enforcement arrest)
• “In the next generation, this is going to be something that we really have to have real conversations about.” (37:11 – Clay Travis on drone-enabled crime)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:15–10:40: Trump/Chicago crime intervention; political context.
• 10:40–16:10: Red state vs. blue city crime arguments; defense of lawful gun ownership.
• 24:47–34:36: The escalated strike against Venezuelan narco-boat; strategic message to cartels and Venezuela.
• 37:11–38:38: The future of drone-enabled violence and security implications.

---

Tone and Style

• Language: Direct, colloquial, with humor and occasional playful banter.
• Approach: Sharp critique of progressive crime policies and defense of “tough-on-crime” stances; open skepticism toward deflection tactics and excuses from major city leadership.
• Memorable Metaphors: “From drive-bys to drone-bys,” “law of the jungle,” “check on tyranny.”

---

Final Thoughts

This episode frames the week’s most consequential headlines within a narrative of escalating domestic and international threats—from urban violence and blame-shifting by progressive city leaders to the literal targeting of narco-terrorists by military means. Clay and Buck offer both critique and context, always circling back to their core themes: law and order, practical governance, and skepticism of left-wing messaging wars.

---

Transcript

[iHeartRadio Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Washable Sofas Advertiser]

Time for a sofa upgrade. Visit washablesofas.com and discover Annabe where designer style meets budget friendly prices. With sofas starting at $699, Annabe brings you the ultimate in furniture innovation with a modular design that allows you to rearrange your space effortlessly. Perfect for both small and large spaces, Anime is the only machine washable sofa inside and out. Say goodbye to stains and messes with liquid and stain resistant fabrics that that make cleaning easy. Liquid simply slides right off. Designed for custom comfort, our high resilience foam lets you choose between a sink in feel or a supportive memory foam blend. Plus our pet friendly stain resistant fabrics ensure your sofa stays beautiful for years. Don't compromise quality for price. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your living space today with no risk returns and a 30 day money back guarantee. Get up to 60% off plus free shipping and free returns. Shop now at washablesofas.com Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions. Restrictions may apply.

[NFL Shop Advertiser]

A new NFL season means a fresh start and fresh styles. @nflshop.com you'll find the latest jerseys, hats and sideline gear to rep your team all season long. From rookies making their debut to legends, NFLShop.com has it all. Score exclusive styles you won't find anywhere else and show up ready for every kickoff and big play. Fan like a pro and shop [e-mail].

[Clay Travis]

Now you can stream Fox News live on the Fox One app. Stay on top of breaking news and the biggest stories. Live as they happen. All from the Fox voices you trust, bringing you the coverage you won't find anywhere else.

[Buck Sexton]

Start your seven day free trial today. Offers are subject to change. Go to Fox one for complete terms and conditions. Fox one We Live for live streaming now.

[Propane Advertiser]

The US Electric grid is approaching a breaking point as demand soars from data centers and home energy use. Our aging infrastructure infrastructure can't keep up and the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready. Powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more at.

[Buck Sexton]

Propane.com when was the last time you bragged about your wireless company? Well, when your wireless company is PureTalk, there's a whole lot to brag about. Like a 5G network that is fast, dependable and secure. And with plans from just $25 a month for talk text and 5 gigabytes of data. It's half the cost of the big guys. Time to switch to my wireless company, PureTalk.

[Clay Travis]

Go to PureTalk.com klay and save an additional 50% off your first month Pure talk wireless. Worth bragging about.

[Buck Sexton]

Welcome, everybody. Wednesday edition of the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton show. We started late this week because we had Monday off. I'm glad I got the day right. That's always a challeng when you're used to doing daily radio. So high five to me on that one. Boom. We got, you know what I mean? You got to take the wins where.

[Clay Travis]

You can get, I whiff, I whiff on that, you know, probably every three months or so. So it's a good start.

[Buck Sexton]

Happens to the best of us. But I got it today, so that's good. We got Trump speaking to everybody all across this nation right now from the Oval Office live. He is with the, the premier of Poland and they are Poland, a very staunch US Ally, Great country in Europe. We will bring you anything that is pressing, breaking important from that conversation. We have a few things to talk about today that happened right after the show yesterday. You know, you had Chicago Mayor Johnson. We're going to get to that in a second here. And Trump going back and forth over whether there should be some kind of assistance to deal with crime in the city of Chicago. Trump has said we're going in. He has made this very clear that there is going to be some additional action with law enforcement to try using the federal government's resources to try to bring the crime situation more under control there. This was also interesting, Clay. I think we should talk about it a bit because I believe it's a, a signal of things to come. There was a lethal strike, so a kinetic strike on a Venice out outside of Venezuela in, in the Caribbean. But I think it was a Venezuelan ship was carrying drugs. And we didn't send the Coast Guard or the navy to arrest them. We blew it up. Now, they were designated narco terrorists, so this is under presidential authority, but that is a clear escalation in the war on the cartels and the war on the fentanyl poisoning of the American people. And I think it's just the beginning of what's going to be ramping up considerably. And our sources in D.C. have been telling us to expect this for quite some time. I mean, from this administration. We have been hearing that it's just a matter of time before this becomes a bigger fight. And we're taking A different approach to dealing with these cartels. Going to treat them like true global narco terrorists instead of some kind of Interpol, international law enforcement only issue. So we got a few things to update you on with, with all of that. Oh, and then also a nice video with a happy ending of a boy who went to Chick Fil A. He was five years old. Clay shared this out. It's going viral.

[Clay Travis]

I saw this.

[Buck Sexton]

He went to Chick Fil A. He could not resist those waffle fries. First thing in the morning, five years old, let himself out of his house, unlocked the door. It's okay. He's fine. He's back with his parents. I'm sure he's never gonna do this again, but there's some funny video. We can talk about that in a bit. If you were 5 years old, would Chick Fil a be the fast food place you would break out of your home to get to first thing in the morning? Probably.

[Clay Travis]

I'm 46 years old. If I broke out of prison, the first place I'd go probably is to get a Chick Fil a sandwich. So I empathize with the young intensely.

[Buck Sexton]

Now, let's just update this on Trump and Chicago because the governor, Governor Pritzker, remember, this is a national story for a whole bunch of reasons. Governor Pritzker wants to position himself as a Democrat presidential candidate. Trump and Pritzker are exchanging words in the media. Brandon Johnson, the mayor of Chicago, very much a man of the left, he is going after Donald Trump aggressively on this issue. Here's what Trump says about it. This was just yesterday after we got off air. Play. This is cut 4. Play it on Chicago.

[Donald Trump]

Well, we're going in. I didn't say when we're going in. When you lose. Look, I have an obligation. This isn't a political thing. I have an obligation. When we lose, when 20 people are killed over the last two and a half weeks and 75 are shot with bullets. So let me tell you a little story about a place called D.C. district of Columbia. Right here where we are. It's now a safe zone. We have no crime. We have. It's in such great shape. You can go and actually walk with your children, your wife, your husband. You can walk right down the middle of the street. You're not going to be shot, Peter. You're safe.

[Buck Sexton]

Trump says he's going in. Clay going into Chicago. We don't know when, but he says it's happening. So I take him at his word. What do you make of it?

[Clay Travis]

I think it's the right move. And I think this speaks to Trump's intuitive political gifts to not only do what's correct, but also to do things that substantial majorities of Americans agree, agree with. And we'll talk, I imagine, for the next several months about this, because the fall story so far, and I know we just officially have, have got past Labor Day, and all of you out there that are calendar aficionados who want to say the first official day of fall is not till September 21st.

[Buck Sexton]

Okay.

[Clay Travis]

I think the number one story of the fall is going to be Trump waging war on violent crime. And I think that is a phenomenal battleground for Trump to decide to focus on. We said economy, border crime. I think you're with me. That the economy is starting to fire on all cylinders. And that by the time we get through into next year and the full impact of the tax cuts and the accounting changes and all the other aspects, uh, interest rates coming down starting in September, there's going to be some jet fuel poured into this economic situation. We're gonna be going really well. Borders completely shut down. And Buck, they really haven't been able to turn deportations into a real major issue. I think they made a poor decision to use Kilmar Abreu Garcia as the front facing guy. The other part is crime. And I think the data from DC Is going to increasingly show something that all of you know to be true, which is when you deploy more people to try to stop crime, crime goes down. I mean, this is not a revolutionary idea. There is a big article in the Wall Street Journal editorial page I was reading this morning. Uh, it said, hey, we know how to stop crime. Uh, it's to put more police on the streets. You had a great tweet, which I think is 100% right. Uh, the number of body cams. I think this kid going to the Chick Fil a is a great example of it. We see it through the. The purview of officer on his body cam. They are showing you that the vast, vast majority of police officers every day are phenomenal at their jobs. And most of what they have to deal with is actually people being jerks to them, not them being jerks to people. And so I think you are seeing the police force which for most of American life, we have tended to have a positive view of starting around 2020. The idea was, suddenly you couldn't have Paw Patrol, have a police character. Cops got taken off the air. I think it's worth remembering where we were. We have now cycled back to where we spent most of our time, which is most cops, the vast, vast majority do a phenomenal job making us safer. We should have more of them, not less of them. We should let them do their jobs and we should support them. Not that they're perfect. They are going to be imperfect because they are human. But by and large, they are every single day putting their lives on the line to make us all safer. And I think that's where the nation is, that's where Trump is. And all that's moving in a very positive direction.

[Buck Sexton]

And he said, we're going in. On the other hand of this, you have Mayor Brandon Johnson, and what he wants to talk about is that red states have a violence problem. He wants to make this national and explicitly partisan. This is cut 8. Here is the one of the worst mayors in the country, perhaps the worst mayor. It's tough, there's stiff competition, but here he is. Cut eight. Play it.

[Brandon Johnson]

The vast majority of guns do not come from Chicago. They are not made in Cook County. They are not bought in the state of Illinois. These guns come from red states. They are coming from Indiana. They are coming from Mississippi. They are coming from Louisiana. And that is the harsh reality. Whether Republicans like it or not. Occupying our city will do nothing to solve this problem. No matter how much work we do or how hard we work, none of it will ever be enough until the President decides to end the mass trafficking of guns in our city. For every gun that the Chicago Police Department fights to get off the streets, two or three more new guns come into our city. Chicago will continue to have a violence problem as long as red states continue to have a gun problem.

[Buck Sexton]

This is a total deflection. It's a. It's a frivolous argument. It's absurd. And it just shows you, Clay, that we're not in a two sides arguing about how to get to the same goal situation. We're in a Trump is saying, let's do something that is almost certain to work and perhaps work substantially. I think it would work substantially. And on the other side, you have somebody who says, let's just talk about some alternate reality where there aren't a few hundred million guns already in circulation in this country and criminals will find a way to get them illegally or legally, one way or another.

[Clay Travis]

I live in a red state. I live in one of the reddest counties in the country. Buck, you have been to my neighborhood. I bet the average home in my neighborhood has more guns than by far most homes and communities in America.

[Buck Sexton]

I might be rookie Numbers with my guns here compared to what you got going up there in Franklin County. That's fair.

[Clay Travis]

In Williamson County, Franklin, Tennessee. Do you know what the violent crime rate is here, Buck? Basically zero. So I don't want to hear the argument, oh, red states have too many guns and that's causing crimes. Crimes are caused by people who commit violent crimes. Sometimes they use weapons. Yes, but the idea gun gun ownership has skyrocketed since 2020 in America. There are tons of you out there right now listening to us who may not have been gun people. And when you saw the riots happening and you saw people unable to drive through communities, a lot of you got guns, Buck. I went to Vanderbilt Law School. As many of you know, there are a lot of girls from my class, girls that you would never think are carrying guns that live in red states and in their cute little purses on their way into work every day, they are carrying handguns in their purses. All over red states, the number of guns has skyrocketed. Crime. Crime has actually started to go down now that we let police officers do their job. So there's more guns on the street, lower crime. And look, I really think people like Brandon Johnson should have to really be held their feet to the fire on these awful arguments that they're making because it is not guns that is causing the issue in Chicago. There are tons of people all over southern Illinois listening to us right now who have entire gun safes on their property. Violent crime rate very low in rural Illinois. By and large, it is people who are criminals committing crimes. The way to get criminals to not commit crimes is to put them behind bars. It's not to claim that red state guns are causing crime in Chicago. These arguments are getting embarrassing, frankly.

[Buck Sexton]

Pretty much the brain. What's more likely a focus? If you're the mayor of a city, in this case the city of Chicago, what's more likely? You're going to find a way to address a problem in your city or you're going to wait for the rest of the nation to fundamentally change, including changing the United States Constitution, and then also alter the society you live in in a massive way. I mean, you've got, I don't even the latest numbers, probably 80 to 100 million people who have firearms in this country. So the idea is what he says, stop the illegal flow of guns. It's already, it's if it's illegal to buy the gun, we already have laws and say don't do it. But people who want to shoot people because they want to sell drugs on the south or west side of Chicago, don't care what the law says about guns. And all that it does is make it impossible for people like you and me and your friends from Vanderbilt Law School to lawfully enjoy our second amendment rights to defend ourselves and also to be a check on tyranny. Which I will have this argument with anybody after what we saw from the lib authoritarian democrats during COVID I have never been more set on the need for as many good American citizens as possible to keep and bear arms. I mean I was already Pro2A but now I'm like, I think everybody, I think everybody should, should have at least a firearm that they know how to use in their home. It's a good thing.

[Clay Travis]

Laura Travis is going to have an absolute arsenal. Buck, you're going to be impressed. We're building a house. I think she could overthrow some countries with the amount of weapons that she's going to watch.

[Buck Sexton]

I have no doubt.

[Clay Travis]

Ordering for the house.

[Buck Sexton]

I have no doubt. Speaking of being able to defend yourself, we're talking about firearms but also non lethal is critical because in so many cases that's what the situation calls for. And also there are some people who are more comfortable. My wife is one of the more comfortable with nonlethal self defense like pepper spray for example, or pepper gel or pepper spray launchers. This is where Sabre comes in. Sabre is best in class when, when you look at these products and they're the number one trusted brand for pepper spray by law enforcement. They have safeguarded thousands, hundreds of thousands of people over the years. Sabre's been in business for 50 years, family owned and operated company clan. I know the CEO. They have great products, they're great people and they just want to make sure that you have a way to, to defend yourself with the best non lethals available. So I know a lot of you, you know, got your 2A collection, you're good to go. But some of you should probably stock up on some of a lot of you should stock up on some of your non lethal options here. Go to saberradio.com and you'll save 15% on that website today when you you can also get a mega bundle with extra projectiles, magazines and practice targets for that pepper launcher. Again Sabre Radio S A b r e saberradio.com or call 848-44824 safe. That's 844-824 safe.

[Clay Travis]

Clay Travis and Buck Sexton. Mic drops. That never sounded so good. Find them on the free iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Washable Sofas Advertiser]

Let's be real Life happens, kids spill, pets shed and accidents are inevitable. Find a sofa that can keep keep [e-mail] Starting at just $699, our sofas are fully machine washable inside and out so you can say goodbye to stains and hello to worry free living. Made with liquid and stain resistant fabrics, they're kid proof, pet friendly and built for everyday life. Plus, changeable fabric covers let you refresh your sofa whenever you want. Need flexibility? Our modular design lets you rearrange your sofa anytime to fit your space, whether it's a growing family room or a cozy apartment. Plus, they're earth friendly and trusted by over 200,000 happy customers. It's time to upgrade to a stress free mess proof sofa. Visit washablesofas.com today and save. That's washablesofas.com offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply A new.

[NFL Shop Advertiser]

NFL season means a fresh start and fresh styles. @nflshop.com you'll find the latest jerseys, hats and sideline gear to rep your team all season long. From rookies making their debut to legends, NFLShop.com has it all. Score exclusive styles you won't find anywhere else and show up ready for every kickoff and big play. Fan like a pro and shop [e-mail].

[Propane Advertiser]

The US electric grid is approaching a breaking point as demand soars from data centers and home energy use. Our aging infrastructure can't keep up and the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready, powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn [e-mail] Take a deep dive into.

[Buck Sexton]

The stories making the news headlines across the world.

[Emily Maitlis and John Sopel]

The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the Newsagents Dropping Daily, covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs.

[Buck Sexton]

And the newsagents USA listening to the.

[Emily Maitlis and John Sopel]

Newsagents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents. To start listening, check out Vizio's complete.

[iHeartRadio Announcer]

Lineup of home entertainment. From stunning smart TVs to immersive sound bars, Vizio has you covered. Experience entertainment like never before with Hundreds of built in apps including Watch Free plus for Free Live and On Demand TV all ready to go right out of the box. You can even stream your favorite music, radio and podcasts with the iHeartRadio app available on every Vizio Smart TV. Transform your entertainment with incredible picture quality and next level audio. Visit Vizio.com today.

[Clay Travis]

Welcome back in Clay Travis Buck Sexton show Appreciate all of you hanging out with us. By the way, we're gonna hit you with some of the news that is coming out from the meeting that the president is having right now in the Oval Office with the is it the prime minister of Poland? The president of Poland here he was just asked Trump was his message for Putin and and how things are going in the Ukraine, Russia attempt at peace here was cut 31.

[Buck Sexton]

What is your message to Putin?

[Donald Trump]

I have no message to President Putin. He knows where I stand and he'll make a decision one way or the other. Whatever his decision is, we'll either be happy about it or unhappy. And if we're unhappy about it, you'll see things happen.

[Clay Travis]

I thought you just heard that was legitimately what the president just said last night. Was it last night. I think he sent out a truth message saying in response to the meeting that is going on between North Korea and and China and Russia, hey, basically, look out while you're conspiring against us, we are paying attention and aware of what you are doing there. And I think a lot of people who are in this position of expecting Trump to have gone easy on Russia, we all know the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax. As Trump says, the collusion lies, everything else. Buck, you were in the center of that more than almost anybody. I actually think Trump's public statements to Putin have been pretty darn aggressive and it's been very difficult for anybody to even try to make the argument, oh, this guy's still the Manchurian candidate. Not to say people aren't trying, but it's been very difficult to be able to make that argument legitimately.

[Buck Sexton]

We'll see what we'll see means when he says Putin's going to make a decision here. Look, I think there's some disappointment and frustration from the White House so far. There has to be. Trump really made a good faith effort to try to broker the end of a war that he views as just in everyone's interest. Right. To end this thing and get it done. Putin's a nasty guy and he thinks that he still has the advantage and there's no screws to tighten on him to change things. Right? Now, or at least not. He hasn't seen enough of that. So he's going to continue to try to just chip away at the Ukrainian territory and get, he thinks, a better deal in the end. I mean, eventually this war will end, but as some of us saw from the beginning, it'll cost a trillion dollars. It will take many years, and a lot of people are going to die. And it's just a shame that there's no way to get it done yesterday, so to speak. I wish that Trump was successful and I wish everybody was rooting for him to be successful in this, too. I know that doesn't really matter. All that matters is the end result, Clay. But come on, the people that were hoping Trump would fail was gr.

[Clay Travis]

I mean, a lot of people were hoping Trump was dead over the weekend. We'll talk about that crazy story in and of itself this weekend. If you are a football fan. Well, football's back with the NFL. In fact, it's back tomorrow. And right now you can get $50 when you play $5. We will give you picks tomorrow. Buck will sign up and join us along. He may even learn a few player names. If you like the NFL, if you like college football, if you are a fan of football in general, there's few places more fun than prize picks. You go to prizepix.com, use code clay. You get $50 when you play, $5. You can play in 40 states, 13 million individuals out there. You can play alongside of whether you are in Florida, where Buck is, whether you're in Tennessee, where I am. You can play in Georgia, you can play in California, you can play in Texas, all over the country. Have some fun. Get 50 bucks when you use code clay. That's prizepix.com code clay.

[Buck Sexton]

Welcome back into Clay and Buck. All right, so some, some big things happened yesterday. There was a lot of news to talk about during the show, but then as occasionally goes on, right after we went off the air doing our live three hours of programming, some other stuff went down and this one was notable. And there are visual aids, if you will. There are, there's video of this. It's the first time that I'm aware of that this has happened in this, in this way. I'm, I am. I was expecting there'd be an escalation against the cartels. I'll say that I didn't know it would get to this level this quickly. And here's what we, here's what we have. We've got a boat that, well, here actually Trump announced this. So let's, let's hear from the President. Yeah, cut one play that we just.

[Donald Trump]

Over the last few minutes literally shot out a boat, a drug carrying boat. A lot of drugs in that boat. And you'll be seeing that and you'll be reading about that. It just happened moments ago. And our great general head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who's been so incredible, including what took place in Iran, knocking out potential nuclear power for a long time to come, I think within a month they would have had it. We didn't do what we did, but he gave us a little bit of a briefing and you'll see. And there's more where that came from. We have a lot of drugs pouring into our country coming in for a long time. And we just. These came out of Venezuela and coming out very heavily from Venezuela. A lot of things are coming out of Venezuela. So we took it out.

[Buck Sexton]

Okay, Clay. So they put the video out there. It's now circulating widely on the Internet. And you have essentially a speedboat that is, that is going along. There's a, you can tell there's a bunch of individuals in this boat. Look, I think it's a go fast boat. And then it gets hit with a missile. And it, and it is. Pardon me, that was a different clip. It got hit with a missile. And it is a situation where there is now lethal force being used against the cartels.

[Clay Travis]

Look, I watched this video yesterday afternoon when it came out and there was a. I give credit to New York Times, although it's always a little bit suspect when you're writing a behind the scenes piece on the fentanyl trade. Did you see this piece? This was a few weeks ago. They went and basically rode along with someone bringing fentanyl from Mexico into the United States. The entire process, how they were called ahead, who was bought off, which streets they could go on routes. I mean, it's incredibly organized. And basically the guy that was doing the driving was making the decision, hey, this is life changing money for my family. He was getting tens of thousands of dollars and he decided that he was willing to take the risk that he might get caught. He did not. He got in through the. Got in through the border, drove in through the car. The whole article was about the different ways that they store the drugs, where they put them in cars, how they remake them. I mean, it is a massive undertaking that they have put in place. When I watched us blow up that boat, I had two thoughts. One, every single narco terrorist in America is going to see this footage, every single one of them and it is going to change the calculus in their mind of if I get caught, I'm going to prison for several years to I might get blown up and never know that I am even in danger of getting blown up because of United States technology. That was my first thought. My second thought was boy, we better get this right because nobody talked about it, but we've talked about it on this program. Joe Biden just blew up a dad and his whole family in Afghanistan. After the attack on Abby Gate, the 13 Marines who were killed, they decided, hey, we're going to get back and they found the wrong guy and he was driving home with water in the trunk of his car and they blew up the whole house and killed the whole family.

[Buck Sexton]

Well, they blew up the car, right, so.

[Clay Travis]

But it also killed the family. Like he blew it up when he pulled into the garage or the house in Afghanistan. The.

[Buck Sexton]

The difference that you could argue with that obviously it was a, is a horrible mistake and a number of people died as a result of it. But the difference that you had with that was you had the possibility of imminent threat, meaning they believe that that was a SVB IED suicide vehicle born Improvised Explosive Device. They thought that's. Now they were very wrong and they should have. And the whole thing, Biden and you know, the Pentagon still looking at this now, the withdrawal, it was a mess. We lost Marines. I mean there was clearly a lot that, that went terribly wrong. But from a law of war perspective, it's one thing to say I thought this had an explosive in it and was going to kill our people. Right, that's, that's one.

[Clay Travis]

It's a risk. It is an assessment of that is if it happens is, is awful for.

[Buck Sexton]

The troops under, under rules of engagement. That's an imminent immediate threat situation. The mistake is what made it. If that had been an SVB ied, we'd be saying great work.

[Clay Travis]

Really.

[Buck Sexton]

Yes, it would be brilliant. Nobody would question that A a boat full of drugs. Now I understand people are going to say a few things about this. They're going to say designated narco terrorist for trend Aragua.

[Clay Travis]

Yes.

[Buck Sexton]

They're going to say that the cartels and these are all fair and accurate points to be clear, but I'm just laying this out. They're going to say the cartels are a clear and present danger, like the movie. But the cartels pose a clear and present danger to the American people because of the. I think it went down under a hundred thousand recently. But it's roughly 100,000 people a year dying from drug overdoses. And also to add to this, it's not just the drug overdoses, it's the drug addiction which leads to criminality and shootings and violence. I mean, it is the mass poisoning of society. Yes.

[Clay Travis]

And let me also add this. A lot of people who, and this is awful, are dying of drug overdoses, did not even consent to take drugs that they thought were potentially deadly.

[Buck Sexton]

That's their poisoning. Right.

[Clay Travis]

They're being poisoned because you're thinking, hey, and look, I want everybody's kids to be careful on this. But you're thinking, hey, I'm taking a party drug and it's laced with fentanyl. And the next thing you know, you're dead. You don't, you're not even agreeing to the risk associated. These are not necessarily even drug addicts. So I do think the poisoning element here doesn't get talked about enough.

[Buck Sexton]

One of this has been going on for a while. One of the most stark moments in a conversation I was having the first Trump administration with the then acting attorney general was on this issue Clay at the OJ And I spoke to some of the, just to get a sense of what's going on. Some of the DOJ officials focusing in on this, specifically on the fentanyl and the cartels. Then they said that they were making, they imprint the pills, pills intentionally to look like pharmaceutical pills because they know that the end base customer is going to say, oh, I'm taking like a benzo or some kind of a drug that can produce a high. They don't realize they're taking fentanyl or carfentanil or, or heaven knows what in this pill. And that kills people. Right. This is where the quote, hot batch issue comes up. That's what they call it. Ok. But it's not an imminence, meaning this boat is not about to kill a thousand people in the next few minutes. Yeah, this boat is capable of being arrested and stopped and then the people in it being arrested. But to your point, Trump administration's decided they're designated, they're terrorists, they're killing Americans. Enough is enough. But this is war tactic. This is not criminal justice tactic.

[Clay Travis]

I would also point out this is law of the jungle. Yeah, we off air. I said this is shiving somebody in a line at a prison. You are basically sending a message that is very public by the choice that you're making. Also, I think this is directly connected to Maduro in Venezuela. I think they want Maduro to know you are Potentially next. And I think they are letting him know that using Venezuela as a narco terror state is not going to be permitted. And so ultimately I think that they chose this location to blow up that boat because they want Maduro. Remember again, not talked about a ton. Venezuela seized billions of dollars in American company assets. I think primarily Chevron, if I'm, if I'm remembering my, my on this correctly and took it over for the state and they have. And then this is one of the biggest oil producing states in the world and Maduro is an illegitimate leader and he's taken over huge assets of American companies. I think we want Maduro out and I think we are slowly screwing, tightening the screws on Maduro.

[Buck Sexton]

So Maduro and I always tell people this because I think it really. Maduro himself is considered not just the head of the Venezuelan state. He's a, he's an authoritarian, he's a dictator, but he's the head of a cartel. He's a, he himself. The actual premier, the actual leader of Venezuela is officially by the United States Treasury Department, a designated narco trafficker and running it. And now what you see is that this is, and this is why people talk about Venezuela as a failed state. And so sad because it got to this state, don't ever forget this. It got to this position because of socialism, because of redistribution of wealth, because of envy, because of all these things that unfortunately this virus that continues to make its way, yes, through Latin America, but also into this country at different times where if only, you know, the rich get rinsed more, everything will be better for everybody else. But Clay, this is how the Venezuelan elites, even with all the problems they have, and I mean the true elites, the people running the country are funding their lifestyles and also staying in power because they are generating huge amounts of cash through selling drugs to America that are killing people. You know, this is, it's very Tom Clancy circa 19, you know, 1990. I mean this is a moment where you're seeing the United States government is taking the threat of the cartels as more of a nation state level non or sorry, a nation state level terror sponsored threat. And that is a whole other thing. And we haven't even talked about what this could mean for the cartels in Mexico. We're focused right now on Venezuela.

[Clay Travis]

I totally and I'm curious to hear what people think now. Again, as long as you are 100% certain and I trust Secretary of State Marco Rubio and I trust Pete Hegseth, what you don't want to have Happen here is some families out on a jet boat and the US just rains down holy hell on them. And this is where I think the media deserves fair criticism. You've talked about this before. Buck Obama just took out an American citizen and almost no one even talks.

[Buck Sexton]

About a 16 year old with a drone. And then they said, oh, it's classified, nobody can talk about it. He blew up a 16 year old. It was, it was Al Aulaqi's son. Yeah, but you know, in, in, in D.C. 16 year old murderers can't go to prison for more than five years. But in, in this context under Obama, he just blew him up.

[Clay Travis]

This is where I think a lot of you guys and gals are going to learn. Everybody out there that's like, oh, I'm afraid of the FBI knocking on my door. I think over the next generation, it's not going to be somebody driving by your house and spraying guns in your front window. People are going to start to use drones for targeted criminal hits. And if you look, I mean, look, military technology eventually filters its way down to the general public, often in some context. Look at the way Israel took out all these Iranian scientists. I mean, it's really very remarkable technologically. You'll see the whole building in Tehran still standing and they went in the side of a wall and executed a scientist and the rest of the building was fine. You don't think, and most people don't, hey, one day somebody's just going to set a drone off and try to kill me. I'm telling you, in the next generation, this is going to be something that we really have to have real conversations about.

[Buck Sexton]

You know, the cartels are innovators in this.

[Clay Travis]

Yes.

[Buck Sexton]

Just to be clear, they've been doing this for a while. The cartels have been using very basic commercial drones to drop grenades to drop in and they've been doing it for a decade. So this is going back quite some time. And yeah, I think eventually, Clay, you're right, you will see drive by at some point will turn into drone by. That will happen.

[Clay Travis]

I look out. Look, I'm just saying the technology here is such that, that you're not even going to have people committing violent acts against you physically present. They're going to be using technology to use it against you. And that, that's my thoughts when I watch this video. I guarantee you every drug dealer in America and around the world trying to get drugs to America is going to watch that video. What will be interesting is will it change behavior in any way or is the incentive structure the money they make so significant that they're going to continue to take these risks. And I want to tell you I just came back was it last week? Week before last I was down in Chattanooga and I got to go tour the Legacy Box facilities and it was so cool to be able to walk through the facility and see all of the boxes coming in with everybody's memories and see them take an 8 millimeter films. They have probably the biggest collection of VCRs anywhere. There is video right now that they can play of me taking the tour where you can see this facility and all the old pictures and all the old video cassettes and all the old 8 millimeters. Whatever family memories you have, you can get hooked up with our friends at Legacy Box right now. It goes right to Chattanooga. They have all day shifts. As they get closer, all night long. They're working to preserve your family memories. As we get closer to the holiday season, it gets busier and busier there, but you can get hooked up right now with a great deal. Before the crazy holiday rush begins, you can go to legacybox.com clay and unlock 50% off your order. That's legacybox.com clay today. Get hooked up. Make sure that you are in, making sure that your family memories never fade, that they're digitized, that they are preserved so you can share them with the next generation and generations still to come. Legacybox.com clay that's legacybox.com clay for 50 off want to be in the know when you're on The Go the Team 47 podcast drop highlights from the week Sunday at noon Eastern in the Clay and Buck podcast feed. Find it on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.

[Washable Sofas Advertiser]

There's nothing like sinking into luxury. @washablesofas.com you'll find the Annabe sofa which combines ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price. And get this, it's the only sofa that's fully machine washable from top to bottom. Starting at only $699, the stain resistant performance fabric slipcovers and cloud like frame duvet can go straight into your wash. Perfect for anyone with kids, pets or anyone who loves an easy to clean spotless sofa. With a modular design and changeable slipcovers, you can customize your sofa to fit any space in style. Whether you need a single chair, loveseat or a luxuriously large sectional, Annabe has you covered. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Right now you can shop up to 60% off store wide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop [e-mail] Add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[NFL Shop Advertiser]

A new NFL season means a fresh start and fresh styles. @nflshop.com you'll find the latest jerseys, hats and sideline gear to red your team all season long. From rookies making their debut to legends, NFLShop.com has it all. Score exclusive styles you won't find anywhere else and show up ready for every kickoff and big play. Fan like a pro and shop [e-mail].

[Propane Advertiser]

The US electric grid is approaching a breaking point as demand soars from data centers and home energy use. Our aging infrastructure can't keep up and the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready, powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn [e-mail] Take a deep dive into.

[Buck Sexton]

The stories making the news headlines across the world.

[Emily Maitlis and John Sopel]

The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me, Jon Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the Newsagents Dropping Daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs.

[Buck Sexton]

And the newsagents USA listening to the.

[Emily Maitlis and John Sopel]

Newsagents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening.

[iHeartRadio Announcer]

Check out Vizio's complete lineup of home entertainment. From stunning smart TVs to immersive sound bars, Vizio has you covered. Experience entertainment like never before with hundreds of built in apps including Watch Free plus for Free Live and On Demand TV all ready to go right out of the box. You can even stream your favorite music, radio and podcasts with the iHeartRadio app available on every Vizio Smart TV. Transform your entertainment with incredible picture quality and next level audio. Visit vizio.com today.

[Washable Sofas Advertiser]

There's nothing like sinking into luxury. At washablesofas.com, you'll find the Annabe sofa which combines ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price. And get this, it's the only sofa that's fully machine washable from top to bottom. Starting at only $699. The stain resistant performance fabric, slipcovers and cloud like frame duvet can go straight into your wash. Perfect for anyone with kids, pets or anyone who loves an easy to clean spotless sofa with a modular design and changeable sleeves. You can customize your sofa to fit any space and style. Whether you need a single chair loveseat or a luxuriously large sectional, Annabe has you covered. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Right now you can shop up to 60% off store wide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop [e-mail] Add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[NFL Shop Advertiser]

A new NFL season means a fresh start and fresh styles. @nflshop.com you'll find the latest jerseys, hats and sideline gear to rep your team all season long. From rookies making their debut to legends, NFLShop.com has it all. Score exclusive styles you won't find anywhere else and show up ready for every kickoff and big play fan like a pro and shop [e-mail].

[Clay Travis]

Take a deep dive into the stories making the news.

[Buck Sexton]

Headlines across the world.

[Emily Maitlis and John Sopel]

The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents Dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current.

[Buck Sexton]

Affairs and The News Agents USA listening.

[Emily Maitlis and John Sopel]

To the Newsagents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening.

[iHeartRadio Announcer]

Check out Vizio's complete lineup of home entertainment. From stunning smart TVs to immersive soundbars, Vizio has you covered. Experience entertainment like never before with hundreds of built in apps including Watch Free plus for Free Live and On Demand TV all ready to go right out of the box. You can even stream your favorite music, radio and podcasts with the iHeartRadio app available on every Vizio Smart TV. Transform your entertainment with incredible picture quality and next level audio. Visit Vizio.com today.

[Buck Sexton]

I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the wealthbreak Podcast, a real conversation about finance. Let's be honest, building weft doesn't look.

[Donald Trump]

The same for everyone.

[iHeartRadio Announcer]

I feel like sometimes being broke is a cycle and that we might have.

[Buck Sexton]

To revisit that and we're not stopping at success stories.

[Washable Sofas Advertiser]

What happens when it doesn't go right? How do you cope with it?

[Buck Sexton]

Because wealth isn't just about money, it's about creating a life where you thrive and help others do the same. Listen to the Wealth Break podcast on the iHeartradio app.

[iHeartRadio Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.