Verdict with Ted Cruz — Bonus: Daily Review with Clay and Buck (Feb 27, 2026)

Hosts: Buck Sexton, Clay Travis
Guest: Deborah Leah (political commentator, Fox News contributor)

Episode Overview

In this bonus edition of Verdict with Ted Cruz, Buck Sexton and Clay Travis break down the day’s most urgent political stories, focusing chiefly on the continued fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein files and the political weaponization of the case against Donald Trump. Key topics include the recent depositions of Bill and Hillary Clinton in the Epstein investigation, a candid discussion of "moral panic" and the propagation of conspiracy, and a strategic analysis of shifting dynamics in Cuba and Iran—with timely insight from guest commentator Deborah Leah.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Epstein Files, Clinton Depositions, and Political Fallout

(02:14 – 19:00, 23:44 – 39:25)

• Bill & Hillary Clinton Deposed: Clinton’s current testimony in the Epstein probe is dominating headlines, but both hosts are skeptical that any real legal consequences will emerge.

  • Clay Travis: “Nothing is going to come of this. Bill Clinton is going to answer questions as a smart attorney would, denying… and it's going to be basically impossible to prove that he did anything wrong.” (05:15)

• Weaponization Against Trump: Clay and Buck argue that the Epstein case is now being used as a primary method for Democrats to attack Trump, fueled by selective outrage and conspiracy.

  • Buck Sexton: “This is the primary way that people who hate you and everything that Donald Trump is trying to accomplish for you, is trying to cleave Trump from the base with this as their weapon.” (07:32)
  • They stress Trump’s DOJ charged Epstein (not Obama’s/Biden’s), and the Biden administration sat on the files for years.

• Distinguishing Fact from Panic: The hosts outline a “moral panic” among both left and right, equating the feeding frenzy to aspects of the #MeToo movement, where distinctions are lost and accusations run rampant.

  • Clay Travis: “Howard Lutnick… took his family on a boat… to have lunch with Jeffrey Epstein in the Caribbean. You might not like that, but… the idea that he’s engaged in a nefarious underage sex ring… this, if your name is in there, it’s a feeding frenzy, like the MeToo thing…” (11:47)

• Democrats’ Targeting & Strategy: The hosts warn that deposition of the Clintons simply sets precedent for demands to depose Trump and Melania, predicting a coming political spectacle rather than justice.

  • Clay Travis: “Republicans, I mean, sorry, Democrats are going to start arguing we need to have President Trump and Melania under oath talking about the Epstein files, too. So… Actually, flip it.” (32:45)
  • Play audio from Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA): “That means that Donald Trump needs to come before our committee and explain what he knew about Epstein and explain why we have not had a full release of the documents.” (33:49)

2. Call-In Reactions: Moral Panic, Trust, and Blame

(25:45 – 31:00)

• Listeners vent frustrations about the perception of inaction or cover-up within conservative media regarding Epstein.
  • Caller: “This is the last day I can ever listen to your show because I can't believe you're part of this whole cover up.” (27:13)
  • Hosts’ Response: Buck and Clay forcefully reject the idea that MAGA figures are “pedo protectors,” explaining that there’s no credible evidence implicating Trump or his close allies in Epstein’s crimes and caution against hyperbolic, unfounded attacks.
    • Buck Sexton: “If you think Dan Bongino is protecting pedos, you’re a moron. …You are in the midst of a manufactured delusion.” (16:29)
    • Clay Travis: “Calling random people pedophiles is not a way to actually catch pedophiles. Just like calling people racist is not a way to actually address racism.” (32:39)

3. Media and M&A: Paramount Takes Over Warner Bros

(04:00 – 05:00)

• Brief segment on major media mergers, with Clay introduced as knowledgeable about industry shakeups (but details are light).

4. Cuba: Trump Hints at “Friendly Takeover”

(40:17 – 46:51)

• Trump signals openness to a new U.S. intervention or “friendly takeover” of Cuba, citing the country’s dire economic straits.
  • Trump Quote (via Clay Travis): “They're in a big deal of trouble… maybe we'll have a friendly takeover of Cuba. We could very well end up having a friendly takeover of Cuba after many, many years.” (41:15)
• Discussion of U.S. assets, pending Supreme Court case, and “Don Row extended Monroe Doctrine.”
• Buck and Clay agree “it’s a no brainer” to encourage democracy and capitalism in Cuba, criticizing leftist coddling of old communist regimes.
  • Buck Sexton: “If we can do this with pressure and smart maneuvering, and not a Marine Expeditionary Force landing on the beach, great. …Cuba, it should be a great country. …They’ve run the experiment and it has failed.” (44:02)

5. Iran: Looming U.S. Strikes & Geopolitical Pressure

(55:21 – 68:06; Guest: Deborah Leah)

• Deborah Leah shares insight from recent weeks in Israel and assesses rising U.S. military maneuvers, expecting imminent strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

  • Deborah Leah: “I do think that we will definitely see a strike before [Monday]… it’s more than nuclear weapons or nuclear facilities; this is really in terms of American sovereignty.” (55:53)

• Limits of Military Action: She predicts Trump will act, but regime change remains out of reach; the most probable scenario is limited strikes and “kicking the can down the road.”

  • Deborah Leah: “You cannot bomb your way through regime change. …The most likely outcome is not a good one for America… I don’t think that this is going to be a quick one-strike-and-done situation.” (57:42)

• Iran’s Capabilities: U.S. and Israel face a weakened Iran but should remain watchful of outside intervention via Russia and China.

  • “We should not be afraid of Iran, but we should be cautious about China and Russia who have been selling weapons and certain defense missiles to Iran… But Iran alone does not have the power, they don’t have the capabilities to hurt America.” (67:02)

• Region’s Response: Middle Eastern states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar are likely to remain neutral, choosing “whoever wins” in the regional power struggle.

  • “They don’t want to choose a side because they want to choose whoever wins. And that’s the difference between us and the Islamic world…” (62:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Clay Travis (on moral panic): “Remember when Matt Damon came out and said, hey, you know, there’s a big difference between grabbing some woman’s butt at a party and rape. …And remember, he got ripped to shreds for it.” (15:17)
• Buck Sexton (on manufactured delusion): “If you think Dan Bongino is protecting Pedos, you’re a moron. …You are in the midst of a manufactured delusion.” (16:29)
• Clay Travis (on selective outrage): “President Trump is being attacked by Democrats who are not operating in good faith. …Actually flip it. If Democrats take back control of the House, they’re going to demand that President Trump and Melania testify under oath about Epstein.” (32:45)

Important Timestamps

• 02:14: Buck’s introduction to hot issues: Epstein fallout, Clinton depositions, US Hockey/Trump controversy, NYPD snowball assault, ICE updates, and Paramount-Warner Bros. M&A.
• 05:00: Clinton testifies in Epstein probe; Clay predicts no legal impact.
• 06:32: Buck agrees nothing will come of Clinton/Epstein files; attacks used against Trump.
• 07:45: Discussion of how Trump is being framed by association; call for precision and facts.
• 11:47: Feeding frenzy likened to #MeToo; media’s unwillingness to make important distinctions.
• 16:29: Buck’s “manufactured delusion” rant about “pedo protector” accusations.
• 17:52: Clay lays out why attacks are political, not legal, and why Democrats didn’t pursue action when in power.
• 23:44: Begin of hour two; Texas primary, offer to candidate Jasmine Crockett.
• 25:45: Caller urges real action for the SAVE Act; Buck and Clay discuss legislative realities.
• 27:13: Angry listener: “Stop covering up for pedophiles.” -- Hosts refute.
• 32:45: Clay outlines the precedent-setting purpose of Clinton depositions; warns of similar calls for Trump/Melania.
• 33:49: Ro Khanna audio: “Donald Trump needs to come before our committee and explain what he knew about Epstein.”
• 36:55: Trump (audio): “I don’t like seeing [Clinton] deposed. But they certainly went after me a lot more than that.”
• 41:15: Trump teases “friendly takeover of Cuba.”
• 44:02: Buck on leftist defense of oppressive Cuban regime; future of Cuban liberty.
• 55:21: Deborah Leah joins the show: imminent Iran strike analysis.
• 57:42: Leah explains limits of air strikes, lack of viable regime change.
• 62:30: Regional Muslim governments prefer status quo, won’t support regime change.
• 67:02: Iran no serious threat to US; real concern is Russia/China involvement.

Episode Tone & Language

The conversation is frank, combative in defense of Trump and the conservative movement, and often laced with sarcasm, especially when referencing moral panics and media hypocrisy. There’s a strong emphasis on distinguishing fact from speculation, and the hosts use hyperbolic humor (“If you think Dan Bongino is protecting Pedos, you’re a moron.”) to hammer their points.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking a comprehensive yet accessible walkthrough of the episode’s arguments, political implications, and memorable lines.