Verdict with Ted Cruz

Bonus: Daily Review with Clay and Buck – Jan 6, 2026
Podcast Date: January 6, 2026
Hosts: Clay Travis & Buck Sexton
Notable Guest: Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX)
Length: ~65 minutes (content sections only, excludes ads)

Overview

This episode offers a wide-ranging, provocative discussion of the biggest political stories of the day with a sharp focus on authenticity in American politics, the downfall of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the U.S. action in Venezuela, the ongoing influence of ‘Bud Light syndrome’ in corporate America, and the unraveling of systemic fraud in state welfare systems. Special attention is given to changing perceptions of masculinity, corporate culture post-2024, demographic shifts in political power, and the role of alternative media and social platforms in exposing corruption. Congressman Chip Roy joins for a deep dive into the Minnesota fraud scandal, U.S. actions in Venezuela, and the state of the southern border.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

I. Fallout from Venezuela: U.S. Moves and Global Implications

[01:06–02:44]

Clay and Buck kick off with analysis of the recent U.S. seizure in Venezuela, connecting geopolitical change to domestic political ripples.
Immediate concern and rumors swirl about Americans in Venezuela, including American athletes, given the off-season MLB presence.
Speculative yet pointed discussion about the potential of Venezuela as a U.S. territory, paralleling history with Guam and Puerto Rico.
Calls for a bolder U.S. stance on Cuba, suggesting protectorate status as a way to “return basic freedoms to Cuba.”
Clay Travis: “We should right now, in this year of 2026, end the fact that Cuba is a communist country and return basic freedoms to Cuba.” [14:19]

II. The Downfall of Tim Walz and the Minnesota Fraud Scandal

[01:06–07:59, 49:10–51:41]

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s political collapse linked to the Fraud Feeding scandal—made far more public by his national profile after selection as Kamala Harris’s running mate.
Hosts argue Walz might have survived if he’d stayed local and wasn’t thrust into the national spotlight.
Walz mocked as “fundamentally inauthentic”—contrasted with other politicians in the “masculinity” debate.
Clay theorizes about alternate VP choices: “I think she would have been better off… Gretchen Whitmer is more authentic as a governor than Tim Walz.”
The old tactic of shutting down fraud critique under accusations of racism appears to have lost its power in current media climate.
Walz press conference quote:
Tim Walz: “I’m not going anywhere. And you can make all your requests from me to resign, over my dead body will that happen. I will fight this thing till the very end to make this state better.” [49:28]

III. Masculinity, Authenticity & Democratic Miscalculations

[02:44–08:28, 26:48–27:43]

Extended riff on Democrats misunderstanding what resonates with men—satirically comparing their candidate selection to primatologists studying gorillas.
Clay Travis: “[Democrats] toss out this fundamentally inauthentic guy in Tim Walz… Instead of actually convincing men, I think he actually cost her votes.” [06:36]
Comparison of Ron DeSantis (“a bit of a nerd, but authentic”) versus Tim Walz and the so-called “AI avatar” of masculinity.
Buck argues that men see through performative signals: “If you have a guy… say in earnestness, I’m a male feminist… you instantly think that this guy is a wuss. Instantly.” [27:27]

IV. Corporate Culture and the “Bud Light Effect”

[18:32–25:57]

Recent controversy: Hilton franchisee cancels bookings for ICE employees, quickly leading to Hilton revoking their franchise status.
Analysis posits this as evidence of a “sea change” in corporate America post-Bud Light backlash.
Clay highlights Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods as models for corporate neutrality:
“Michael Jordan had it right, Buck—Republicans buy sneakers too.” [20:59]
Buck Sexton: “The days of half the country sitting back quietly and letting that stuff fly are long since gone.” [20:59]
Brands now aggressively avoid alienating conservatives, in a sharp reversal from the post-2020 “woke capitalism” period.

V. AI & New Media in Politics: Spotlight on Grok and Twitter/X

[12:22–13:15]

Growing importance of rapid, factual data delivery—hosts rave about Grok’s efficiency for research on X (formerly Twitter).
Clay uses Grok to ascertain that approximately 10,000 Americans live in Venezuela, highlighting the changing landscape of real-time information access.

VI. Demographic & Economic Shifts: Urban Flight, State Trades, and COVID Legacies

[33:31–38:26]

Discussion of the exodus from high-tax blue states and the rise of cities like Miami and regions in Texas as new financial and tech centers.
Clay posits that COVID lockdowns broke old location habits for “super successful” professionals, accelerating geographic realignment.
Clay Travis: “Culturally, when David Sacks said Miami might replace New York City as the financial capital… I’m not 100% sold but… the amount of wealth that is relocating is extraordinary.” [36:24]

VII. Who’s Really Driving the Democratic Party?

[41:11–44:53]

Intense critique of the Democratic Party base:
- Unmarried, highly-educated white women are identified as the key demographic behind radical policy.
- Clay Travis: “The most destructive force in America today is white women. Left wing and frankly, unmarried.” [42:39]
- Buck refines: “It’s unmarried women in, in like middle, you know, particularly like late 30s, up until their 50s.” [43:33]
Discussion leans into the refusal of both party leadership and base to acknowledge when their policies misfire, comparing it to the infamous “Sex and the City” character line, “I chose my choice.” [45:41]

VIII. Economic Policy: Tariffs, Debt, and Common Sense

[27:43–29:26, 29:23–30:49]

Buck and Clay revisit Trump-era tariffs, noting recent studies vindicating tariff policy as not meaningfully inflationary.
Lament the academic consensus that “printed money has no downside”—now refuted by experience with inflation.
Calls for “common sense” over groupthink in economic policy.

IX. Interview with Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX)

[52:27–64:19]

Minnesota Fraud & Federal Oversight

Roy credits online investigative work (especially via X) for exposing systemic fraud in Minnesota’s welfare programs:
Chip Roy: “People don’t realize… it’s hard for us [Congress] to go the deep-dive investigative work. So when we’ve got support from the outside—which should have been the media… Now you got people like Nick who did the hard work. This is an important moment.” [58:51]
Roy suggests similar fraud is widespread, abetted by expanded welfare programs and a broken immigration system.
There are now up to a thousand prosecutions in the works; Roy calls for ironclad accountability and more aggressive congressional action.
He points out that the fraud amount—$18 billion—actually outweighs Somalia’s GDP: “GDP is $13 billion, and we’re talking about $18 billion of potential fraud.” [61:12]

U.S.-Venezuela Policy

Defends the Trump administration’s removal of Maduro, comparing it to Noriega’s ouster.
Emphasizes the need for leveraging Venezuela’s oil for Western, not adversarial, use.
Stresses caution to avoid “nation-building” quagmire:
Roy: “This is not… Iraq for 20 years… What we’re dealing with is in our Western Hemisphere… A country that is rich with minerals… we need to stabilize.” [57:31]

Border Security and Codifying Policy

Roy calls for Congressional codification of effective border policy: “If we don’t codify this stuff, a Democrat president will abuse it again.” [62:57]
Notes substantial improvement in Texas safety post-border closing, with even former Democrats now appreciative.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

“I think she would have been better off… Gretchen Whitmer is more authentic as a governor than Tim Walz was. And I think men might respect Gretchen Whitmer even more than they did Tim Walz because he’s so fake.”
– Clay Travis [07:36]
“The days of half the country sitting back quietly and letting that stuff fly are long since gone.”
– Buck Sexton [20:59]
“If you have a guy… say in earnestness, ‘I’m a male feminist and I believe men don’t have an advantage over women in sports,’ you instantly think that this guy is a wuss. Instantly.”
– Buck Sexton [27:27]
“The most destructive force in America today is white women. Left wing and frankly, unmarried.”
– Clay Travis [42:39]
“This is not the nation building of… Iraq for 20 years… What we’re dealing with is in our Western Hemisphere… a country that is rich with minerals… we need to stabilize.”
– Congressman Chip Roy [57:31]
“It’s impressive now what you can allow what a 23-year-old… can do, to bring out truth. Again, this is all about seek truth wherever it may lead. That’s the goal.”
– Congressman Chip Roy [58:51]

Timestamps for Key Segments

[01:06] Opening on Venezuela, Tim Walz scandal setup
[04:28] Buck and Clay: “Democrats don’t understand men”
[12:22] Emergence of AI (‘Grok’) for political research; data on Americans in Venezuela
[18:44] Corporate sea change: Hilton/ICE incident, “Bud Light syndrome”
[33:31] Blue state exodus and the rise of Miami/Texas as new financial/tech hubs
[41:11] Democratic Party driven by urban, unmarried, educated white women
[49:28] Tim Walz press conference: “I’m not going anywhere… over my dead body…”
[52:27] Rep. Chip Roy on fraud, Venezuela, and border security

Memorable Moments

Searing satire on Democrats’ “AI avatar” approach to masculinity, mocking the inauthentic candidate selection process.
Open speculation about U.S. territorial expansion: tongue-in-cheek push for Cuba and Venezuela as new protectorates.
Extended meta-commentary on how the internet and alternative news platforms have dethroned legacy media—“a 23-year-old on YouTube” helping to end a governor’s career.
Savage humor regarding the “woke” demographic: “Every time I say this, white women are like, ‘Not me’. I’m not it. Yeah, okay. But as a percentage…”
Repeated praise for Michael Jordan’s “Republicans buy sneakers too” as the template for modern brands post-Bud Light.

Summary

Clay Travis and Buck Sexton deliver a rapid-fire, irreverent, and highly partisan look at the news of the day, centered on the lessons of authenticity, the unraveling fraud saga in Minnesota, and the ongoing political shakeups post-2024. The episode is peppered with cultural critique (especially toward masculinity and the Democratic base), sharp economic and geopolitical analysis, and a strong narrative on how media and grassroots investigations shape politics. Congressman Chip Roy’s segment brings a Washington insider’s rigor to the stories of welfare fraud and U.S. foreign policy, tying the episode’s many threads into a larger argument about accountability, information, and political change in America.

Verdict with Ted Cruz

Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

I. Fallout from Venezuela: U.S. Moves and Global Implications

[01:06–02:44]

Clay and Buck kick off with analysis of the recent U.S. seizure in Venezuela, connecting geopolitical change to domestic political ripples.
Immediate concern and rumors swirl about Americans in Venezuela, including American athletes, given the off-season MLB presence.
Speculative yet pointed discussion about the potential of Venezuela as a U.S. territory, paralleling history with Guam and Puerto Rico.
Calls for a bolder U.S. stance on Cuba, suggesting protectorate status as a way to “return basic freedoms to Cuba.”
Clay Travis: “We should right now, in this year of 2026, end the fact that Cuba is a communist country and return basic freedoms to Cuba.” [14:19]

II. The Downfall of Tim Walz and the Minnesota Fraud Scandal

[01:06–07:59, 49:10–51:41]

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s political collapse linked to the Fraud Feeding scandal—made far more public by his national profile after selection as Kamala Harris’s running mate.
Hosts argue Walz might have survived if he’d stayed local and wasn’t thrust into the national spotlight.
Walz mocked as “fundamentally inauthentic”—contrasted with other politicians in the “masculinity” debate.
Clay theorizes about alternate VP choices: “I think she would have been better off… Gretchen Whitmer is more authentic as a governor than Tim Walz.”
The old tactic of shutting down fraud critique under accusations of racism appears to have lost its power in current media climate.
Walz press conference quote:
Tim Walz: “I’m not going anywhere. And you can make all your requests from me to resign, over my dead body will that happen. I will fight this thing till the very end to make this state better.” [49:28]

III. Masculinity, Authenticity & Democratic Miscalculations

[02:44–08:28, 26:48–27:43]

Extended riff on Democrats misunderstanding what resonates with men—satirically comparing their candidate selection to primatologists studying gorillas.
Clay Travis: “[Democrats] toss out this fundamentally inauthentic guy in Tim Walz… Instead of actually convincing men, I think he actually cost her votes.” [06:36]
Comparison of Ron DeSantis (“a bit of a nerd, but authentic”) versus Tim Walz and the so-called “AI avatar” of masculinity.
Buck argues that men see through performative signals: “If you have a guy… say in earnestness, I’m a male feminist… you instantly think that this guy is a wuss. Instantly.” [27:27]

IV. Corporate Culture and the “Bud Light Effect”

[18:32–25:57]

Recent controversy: Hilton franchisee cancels bookings for ICE employees, quickly leading to Hilton revoking their franchise status.
Analysis posits this as evidence of a “sea change” in corporate America post-Bud Light backlash.
Clay highlights Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods as models for corporate neutrality:
“Michael Jordan had it right, Buck—Republicans buy sneakers too.” [20:59]
Buck Sexton: “The days of half the country sitting back quietly and letting that stuff fly are long since gone.” [20:59]
Brands now aggressively avoid alienating conservatives, in a sharp reversal from the post-2020 “woke capitalism” period.

V. AI & New Media in Politics: Spotlight on Grok and Twitter/X

[12:22–13:15]

Growing importance of rapid, factual data delivery—hosts rave about Grok’s efficiency for research on X (formerly Twitter).
Clay uses Grok to ascertain that approximately 10,000 Americans live in Venezuela, highlighting the changing landscape of real-time information access.

VI. Demographic & Economic Shifts: Urban Flight, State Trades, and COVID Legacies

[33:31–38:26]

Discussion of the exodus from high-tax blue states and the rise of cities like Miami and regions in Texas as new financial and tech centers.
Clay posits that COVID lockdowns broke old location habits for “super successful” professionals, accelerating geographic realignment.
Clay Travis: “Culturally, when David Sacks said Miami might replace New York City as the financial capital… I’m not 100% sold but… the amount of wealth that is relocating is extraordinary.” [36:24]

VII. Who’s Really Driving the Democratic Party?

[41:11–44:53]

Intense critique of the Democratic Party base:
- Unmarried, highly-educated white women are identified as the key demographic behind radical policy.
- Clay Travis: “The most destructive force in America today is white women. Left wing and frankly, unmarried.” [42:39]
- Buck refines: “It’s unmarried women in, in like middle, you know, particularly like late 30s, up until their 50s.” [43:33]
Discussion leans into the refusal of both party leadership and base to acknowledge when their policies misfire, comparing it to the infamous “Sex and the City” character line, “I chose my choice.” [45:41]

VIII. Economic Policy: Tariffs, Debt, and Common Sense

[27:43–29:26, 29:23–30:49]

Buck and Clay revisit Trump-era tariffs, noting recent studies vindicating tariff policy as not meaningfully inflationary.
Lament the academic consensus that “printed money has no downside”—now refuted by experience with inflation.
Calls for “common sense” over groupthink in economic policy.

IX. Interview with Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX)

[52:27–64:19]

Minnesota Fraud & Federal Oversight

Roy credits online investigative work (especially via X) for exposing systemic fraud in Minnesota’s welfare programs:
Chip Roy: “People don’t realize… it’s hard for us [Congress] to go the deep-dive investigative work. So when we’ve got support from the outside—which should have been the media… Now you got people like Nick who did the hard work. This is an important moment.” [58:51]
Roy suggests similar fraud is widespread, abetted by expanded welfare programs and a broken immigration system.
There are now up to a thousand prosecutions in the works; Roy calls for ironclad accountability and more aggressive congressional action.
He points out that the fraud amount—$18 billion—actually outweighs Somalia’s GDP: “GDP is $13 billion, and we’re talking about $18 billion of potential fraud.” [61:12]

U.S.-Venezuela Policy

Defends the Trump administration’s removal of Maduro, comparing it to Noriega’s ouster.
Emphasizes the need for leveraging Venezuela’s oil for Western, not adversarial, use.
Stresses caution to avoid “nation-building” quagmire:
Roy: “This is not… Iraq for 20 years… What we’re dealing with is in our Western Hemisphere… A country that is rich with minerals… we need to stabilize.” [57:31]

Border Security and Codifying Policy

Roy calls for Congressional codification of effective border policy: “If we don’t codify this stuff, a Democrat president will abuse it again.” [62:57]
Notes substantial improvement in Texas safety post-border closing, with even former Democrats now appreciative.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

“I think she would have been better off… Gretchen Whitmer is more authentic as a governor than Tim Walz was. And I think men might respect Gretchen Whitmer even more than they did Tim Walz because he’s so fake.”
– Clay Travis [07:36]
“The days of half the country sitting back quietly and letting that stuff fly are long since gone.”
– Buck Sexton [20:59]
“If you have a guy… say in earnestness, ‘I’m a male feminist and I believe men don’t have an advantage over women in sports,’ you instantly think that this guy is a wuss. Instantly.”
– Buck Sexton [27:27]
“The most destructive force in America today is white women. Left wing and frankly, unmarried.”
– Clay Travis [42:39]
“This is not the nation building of… Iraq for 20 years… What we’re dealing with is in our Western Hemisphere… a country that is rich with minerals… we need to stabilize.”
– Congressman Chip Roy [57:31]
“It’s impressive now what you can allow what a 23-year-old… can do, to bring out truth. Again, this is all about seek truth wherever it may lead. That’s the goal.”
– Congressman Chip Roy [58:51]

Timestamps for Key Segments

[01:06] Opening on Venezuela, Tim Walz scandal setup
[04:28] Buck and Clay: “Democrats don’t understand men”
[12:22] Emergence of AI (‘Grok’) for political research; data on Americans in Venezuela
[18:44] Corporate sea change: Hilton/ICE incident, “Bud Light syndrome”
[33:31] Blue state exodus and the rise of Miami/Texas as new financial/tech hubs
[41:11] Democratic Party driven by urban, unmarried, educated white women
[49:28] Tim Walz press conference: “I’m not going anywhere… over my dead body…”
[52:27] Rep. Chip Roy on fraud, Venezuela, and border security

Memorable Moments

Searing satire on Democrats’ “AI avatar” approach to masculinity, mocking the inauthentic candidate selection process.
Open speculation about U.S. territorial expansion: tongue-in-cheek push for Cuba and Venezuela as new protectorates.
Extended meta-commentary on how the internet and alternative news platforms have dethroned legacy media—“a 23-year-old on YouTube” helping to end a governor’s career.
Savage humor regarding the “woke” demographic: “Every time I say this, white women are like, ‘Not me’. I’m not it. Yeah, okay. But as a percentage…”
Repeated praise for Michael Jordan’s “Republicans buy sneakers too” as the template for modern brands post-Bud Light.

Bonus: Daily Review with Clay and Buck - Jan 6 2026

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Summary

Verdict with Ted Cruz

Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

I. Fallout from Venezuela: U.S. Moves and Global Implications

II. The Downfall of Tim Walz and the Minnesota Fraud Scandal

III. Masculinity, Authenticity & Democratic Miscalculations

IV. Corporate Culture and the “Bud Light Effect”

V. AI & New Media in Politics: Spotlight on Grok and Twitter/X

VI. Demographic & Economic Shifts: Urban Flight, State Trades, and COVID Legacies

VII. Who’s Really Driving the Democratic Party?

VIII. Economic Policy: Tariffs, Debt, and Common Sense

IX. Interview with Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX)

Minnesota Fraud & Federal Oversight

U.S.-Venezuela Policy

Border Security and Codifying Policy

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

Timestamps for Key Segments

Memorable Moments

Summary

Summary

Verdict with Ted Cruz

Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

I. Fallout from Venezuela: U.S. Moves and Global Implications

II. The Downfall of Tim Walz and the Minnesota Fraud Scandal

III. Masculinity, Authenticity & Democratic Miscalculations

IV. Corporate Culture and the “Bud Light Effect”

V. AI & New Media in Politics: Spotlight on Grok and Twitter/X

VI. Demographic & Economic Shifts: Urban Flight, State Trades, and COVID Legacies

VII. Who’s Really Driving the Democratic Party?

VIII. Economic Policy: Tariffs, Debt, and Common Sense

IX. Interview with Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX)

Minnesota Fraud & Federal Oversight

U.S.-Venezuela Policy

Border Security and Codifying Policy

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

Timestamps for Key Segments

Memorable Moments

Summary