The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Clay Travis breaks down a wild college football weekend, calls out the AP poll and SEC scheduling, and reacts to the biggest NFL storylines. Plus, Sophie Cunningham sounds off on WNBA fans, Chris Rock takes aim at woke culture, and more.

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Are Republicans getting too comfortable ahead of the 2026 midterm elections?

On this episode of Normally, Mary Katharine Ham and Karol Markowicz warn against counting Democrats out as election season heats up. From Maine and Minnesota to Seattle and Los Angeles, they examine the political consequences of progressive policies on taxes, housing, crime, policing, immigration, and education. 

Mary Katharine and Karol discuss Los Angeles' controversial "mansion tax," repeat violent offenders and crime in American cities, and a surprising shift in Seattle as its socialist mayor proposes adding police while avoiding new taxes. 

They also turn to Minnesota politics, Amy Klobuchar, Michelle Tafoya and the battle for voters heading into the midterms, before taking on the immigration debate and media coverage of children facing deportation proceedings under the Trump administration.

Plus, the hosts discuss reports of a possible pneumonic plague outbreak in Russia and signs that parts of the medical establishment may be moving back toward a more traditional approach to medicine after the COVID era. 

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Steve Yates breaks down the major national security and geopolitical stories shaping the week, including new details surrounding the FlyDubai hijacker and troubling questions about radicalization, vetting, and international intelligence sharing.

Steve also examines the departure of U.S. B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford amid security concerns in the United Kingdom and a separate Iran-related spy scandal raising questions about the state of the U.S.-UK alliance.

Plus, Brazil heads toward an October runoff following a major election result as Steve examines the broader political shift taking place across Latin America. And in the United States, an alleged Chinese spy is arrested at LAX amid accusations involving surveillance of the Taiwanese president’s son and communications with Chinese Communist Party handlers.

Steve also previews two upcoming Nation States deep dives: a midterm election checklist one month out and an examination of Pete Hegseth’s State of the Force address and what it could mean for Main Street America.

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Clay Travis and Buck Sexton have an extensive discussion of a thwarted attack aboard Flydubai Flight 1073 and what Clay and Buck describe as a stunning breakdown in international aviation security. They recount reports that pilot Hamam Al-Hamami had previously worked for Oman Air, where authorities became concerned about his interest in radical ideology, prohibited him from flying, placed him in a deradicalization program, and reassigned him to a desk job. Despite those warning signs, he subsequently ended up flying for Flydubai and on a flight bound for Israel. Clay and Buck focus on the apparent failure to share critical background information among Oman, the airline and Israeli authorities, questioning how a pilot previously deemed unsuitable to fly could have returned to a commercial cockpit. They argue that rapid airline expansion and the global pilot shortage may have contributed to gaps in hiring and vetting, while emphasizing what they see as the need for much stronger information sharing between airlines and governments. They also recount the alleged cockpit assault involving an emergency crash ax and discuss the assessment that the aircraft could have been intended for use in a 9/11-style attack on Tel Aviv.

The Cornell Seven investigation and New York Attorney General Letitia James' appointment to review allegations involving seven Cornell students after prosecutors previously declined to bring criminal charges. Clay and Buck examine reports that two students were expelled and others received significant university discipline, while arguing that the existing investigative record, including statements and text messages attributed to the woman involved, supported the original prosecutor's decision not to file criminal charges. They also discuss an argument raised in a Wall Street Journal editorial that James' prior public comments about the case could create a conflict under professional-conduct rules. The hosts predict that at least some of the seven students will ultimately face charges and contend that James' selection by New York Governor Kathy Hochul has politicized what should be an impartial legal review. They emphasize the difference between behavior that people may consider immoral or irresponsible and conduct that actually meets the legal standard for a crime.

Clay and Buck discuss a report that one of the fraternity members involved now claims that he was too intoxicated to consent to sexual activity with the female accuser, creating what the hosts describe as a major complication in the debate over intoxication and consent. They explore whether consent standards should operate identically for men and women when both parties voluntarily consume alcohol or drugs and question what legal or institutional principle would allow intoxication to invalidate one person's consent but not another's. Clay references his understanding of New York law concerning voluntary intoxication while discussing the distinction between criminal liability, campus disciplinary rules and competing allegations. The hosts repeatedly stress that their discussion concerns disputed allegations and the standards by which those allegations should be judged.

Actor, comedian and Marine veteran Rob Riggle drops by for a wide-ranging conversation about the new film Jimmy, the remarkable World War II military service of Hollywood legend Jimmy Stewart, patriotism and sacrifice, as well as the state of modern Hollywood and comedy. The hour then turns to cancel culture and old social media posts, Chris Rock’s critique of “wokeness,” the latest developments in the Cornell Seven controversy, college campus sexual-assault proceedings, consent standards involving alcohol and drugs, potential defamation claims, and the due-process protections afforded to students accused of misconduct.

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Hour 1 of the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show opens with a preview of the fast-moving political and cultural stories shaping the day, including President Donald Trump campaigning in Ohio with the 2026 midterm elections roughly a month away, the latest Cornell allegations and the involvement of New York Attorney General Letitia James, WNBA player Sophie Cunningham, a reported plague case in Russia, and Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito saying he seriously considered retirement before deciding to remain on the Court. Clay and Buck also briefly note Trump's comments about rising gasoline and diesel prices, refinery capacity, California energy policy, and Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries as the midterm campaign enters its final stretch.

The centerpiece of Hour 1 is an extensive discussion of a thwarted attack aboard Flydubai Flight 1073 and what Clay and Buck describe as a stunning breakdown in international aviation security. They recount reports that pilot Hamam Al-Hamami had previously worked for Oman Air, where authorities became concerned about his interest in radical ideology, prohibited him from flying, placed him in a deradicalization program, and reassigned him to a desk job. Despite those warning signs, he subsequently ended up flying for Flydubai and on a flight bound for Israel. Clay and Buck focus on the apparent failure to share critical background information among Oman, the airline and Israeli authorities, questioning how a pilot previously deemed unsuitable to fly could have returned to a commercial cockpit. They argue that rapid airline expansion and the global pilot shortage may have contributed to gaps in hiring and vetting, while emphasizing what they see as the need for much stronger information sharing between airlines and governments. They also recount the alleged cockpit assault involving an emergency crash ax and discuss the assessment that the aircraft could have been intended for use in a 9/11-style attack on Tel Aviv.

That aviation-security story opens a broader conversation about commercial airline safety, pilot vetting, cockpit security and autonomous aircraft. Clay and Buck contrast the stringent passenger security procedures associated with Israeli aviation with the apparent failures surrounding the pilot's background. They examine why emergency axes are carried aboard aircraft and the unusual contradiction of passengers being prohibited from possessing comparatively minor sharp objects while potentially dangerous emergency equipment remains available to flight crews. The hosts then debate how quickly artificial intelligence, autopilot technology and autonomous systems could reduce the role of human pilots. Buck points to his experience riding in a Waymo autonomous vehicle and wonders whether commercial aviation could eventually move toward fully automated flight, while Clay argues that passengers will probably continue wanting trained pilots in the cockpit even if computers eventually handle nearly every phase of flight. Both emphasize that commercial aviation is already extremely safe, making the case for removing pilots less straightforward than the safety argument for autonomous cars.

Listeners with professional aviation experience add perspective throughout Hour 1. A retired airline pilot argues that the United States faces legal and constitutional complications when screening individuals based on beliefs and says the possibility of radicalized people reaching cockpits cannot simply be dismissed. Clay broadens that discussion to pilot-caused disasters involving suicide or other intentional acts, while the hosts distinguish between holding controversial political or religious opinions and actually presenting a security threat. Another caller, a retired military member and defense contractor who frequently flew Flydubai while working around Afghanistan and Iraq, describes the carrier as a low-cost Middle Eastern airline and discusses the security concerns he experienced while traveling in the region.

Vice President JD Vance also enters the conversation through comments played during Hour 1. Vance says authorities should exercise particular care with people coming into the United States and notes that the Flydubai pilot's earlier history should have prevented him from operating an airliner. He says U.S. officials are reviewing domestic procedures designed to keep people who present obvious flight risks out of cockpits, while deferring questions about possible Iranian involvement to intelligence officials including John Ratcliffe. Clay and Buck use those comments to return to what they consider the central lesson of the incident: relevant authorities apparently possessed pieces of information that, taken together, should have prevented the pilot from being in that position.

The discussion then expands into air traffic control, aviation redundancy and human decision-making. A former air traffic controller argues that autonomous systems could struggle with unusual emergencies requiring real-time communication and discusses why two pilots provide redundancy if one becomes incapacitated or otherwise unable to perform his duties. The caller also explains the practice of pilots eating different meals on certain flights to reduce the chance that both could simultaneously be incapacitated by contaminated food. The conversation turns to the Reagan National Airport collision involving a military helicopter and passenger aircraft, with the caller offering his analysis of controller staffing, altitude information and air traffic instructions. Clay and Buck then briefly address the broader problems facing the air traffic control system and the tendency of airlines to blame ATC for delays.

Additional callers discuss El Al security, emergency equipment and the limits of automation. A frequent traveler to Israel describes his preference for El Al because of its security practices and military backgrounds among its pilots, while another retired Air Force aircrew member explains that crash axes are legitimate emergency equipment carried so crews can escape an aircraft if conventional exits become unusable. A chemical engineer with decades of hazard-analysis experience then frames aviation safety through the concept of multiple protective layers, arguing that automation can successfully manage most routine situations but may never replicate the adaptability of experienced pilots confronting rare and unforeseen emergencies. He cites the importance of organizational and administrative decision-making in catastrophic failures and argues that technical systems alone cannot eliminate every source of risk. Clay concludes the extended aviation discussion by emphasizing that flying remains extraordinarily safe precisely because major incidents are intensively investigated and procedures are continually revised to prevent recurrence.

Elsewhere in Hour 1 of the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, the hosts welcome new affiliate KBLU AM 560 in Yuma, Arizona and note the continued expansion of the program's national radio network. They also begin setting up a deeper discussion of the Cornell allegations, which they say have become a national media story after Letitia James was put in charge of the matter. Clay and Buck argue that, based on the information available to them, the original prosecutor was correct not to bring criminal charges, stressing the distinction between conduct that may be criticized socially or morally and conduct that satisfies the legal elements of a crime. They question whether James can approach the investigation impartially in light of her public comments and characterize her involvement as injecting politics into the case. The fuller Cornell discussion is teased for later in the program rather than completed during this portion of Hour 1. Finally, the hosts flag other stories for further attention, including a plague case in Siberia, Justice Samuel Alito's disclosure that he seriously considered leaving the Supreme Court, Sophie Cunningham's criticism of WNBA players complaining about fans, and Clay's continuing $10 million basketball challenge.

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Hour 2 of the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show focuses heavily on the controversy surrounding the so-called Cornell Seven, New York Attorney General Letitia James, campus sexual-assault allegations, prosecutorial discretion and due process, before shifting to Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, the historic leak of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization draft opinion, the attempted assassination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and the importance of Senate control in determining the future composition of the Supreme Court. Clay and Buck also take listener calls weighing in on the Cornell case, possible criminal charges and the political makeup of a potential Ithaca jury pool.

The central discussion in Hour 2 concerns the Cornell Seven investigation and New York Attorney General Letitia James' appointment to review allegations involving seven Cornell students after prosecutors previously declined to bring criminal charges. Clay and Buck examine reports that two students were expelled and others received significant university discipline, while arguing that the existing investigative record, including statements and text messages attributed to the woman involved, supported the original prosecutor's decision not to file criminal charges. They also discuss an argument raised in a Wall Street Journal editorial that James' prior public comments about the case could create a conflict under professional-conduct rules. The hosts predict that at least some of the seven students will ultimately face charges and contend that James' selection by New York Governor Kathy Hochul has politicized what should be an impartial legal review. They emphasize the difference between behavior that people may consider immoral or irresponsible and conduct that actually meets the legal standard for a crime.

Clay and Buck debate the possible outcomes if Letitia James remains in charge, steps aside, files charges that produce acquittals, or obtains convictions. Buck argues that New York Democratic officials could frame virtually every outcome as evidence that they pursued the allegations, while Clay maintains that replacing James would not necessarily alleviate his broader concerns about political pressure surrounding the case. They discuss the implications for due process, prosecutorial independence, presumption of innocence and political influence over the criminal justice system, particularly after the students had already undergone a lengthy investigation. The hosts compare the controversy with other highly publicized sexual-assault cases and allegations, including the Duke lacrosse case and the Tawana Brawley case, as part of a broader discussion about media narratives and public judgment before criminal guilt has been established.

The conversation expands into college culture, sexual consent and personal responsibility. Clay and Buck react to commentary attributing the Cornell controversy to a broader cultural climate associated with President Donald Trump, rejecting that argument and noting that the underlying events occurred during the Biden presidency. The hosts discuss what they regard as contradictions in modern campus culture, arguing that universities have become increasingly permissive toward adult sexual behavior while simultaneously creating complicated disciplinary systems for adjudicating subsequent disputes over consent. Buck recalls sexual-health programs from his own college experience, and both hosts use the Cornell controversy as a springboard for questioning whether elite universities continue to hold the same value as indicators of intellectual merit and academic achievement. They argue that changes in admissions practices, including DEI considerations, have weakened the traditional prestige and signaling power associated with elite college degrees.

Hour 2 of Clay and Buck then turns to the U.S. Supreme Court and Justice Samuel Alito, who said he had considered retirement but concluded that he still had more work to do. Clay emphasizes the political significance of Alito's age and the possibility of future Supreme Court vacancies, framing control of the U.S. Senate as a major issue because senators confirm Supreme Court nominees. The discussion highlights how an unexpected vacancy could dramatically alter the ideological balance of the Court, with Clay invoking the experience of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as an example of why justices cannot necessarily control the timing of their eventual replacements. The hosts connect the issue directly to the stakes surrounding upcoming Senate elections and the future of the Supreme Court.

Alito's comments also launch an extended discussion of the still-unidentified source who leaked the draft Dobbs opinion overturning Roe v. Wade. Alito says he has an opinion about the identity of the leaker but believes the available evidence is insufficient to publicly identify anyone. He describes the leak as a severe breach of institutional trust and connects the episode to threats against the five justices in the Dobbs majority, including the subsequent attempt against Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Clay and Buck debate who could have been responsible: Buck speculates that the leaker may have been a Supreme Court justice, while explicitly acknowledging that he has no proof, whereas Clay argues that a law clerk is the more plausible possibility. They examine the potential professional, legal and reputational consequences that could explain why a hypothetical clerk might never publicly confess, along with the damage a leak by a justice could do to trust and future coalition-building inside the Court.

Listener calls round out much of Hour 2. A caller who says she previously worked at a rape crisis center argues that false sexual-assault allegations can damage genuine victims by undermining public trust in legitimate claims. Another caller from Syracuse challenges Clay's initial assumption that the Cornell students might receive a more politically balanced jury than defendants would in New York City, pointing to Ithaca's heavily liberal political culture and suggesting that the composition of a prospective jury pool could become a significant issue if criminal charges are filed. A New Jersey caller offers an alternative theory that Letitia James might ultimately decline to prosecute in an effort to demonstrate impartiality, but Clay rejects that prediction and reiterates his belief that James was selected because charges are expected.

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Hour 3 of the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show features actor, comedian and Marine veteran Rob Riggle for a wide-ranging conversation about the new film Jimmy, the remarkable World War II military service of Hollywood legend Jimmy Stewart, patriotism and sacrifice, as well as the state of modern Hollywood and comedy. The hour then turns to cancel culture and old social media posts, Chris Rock’s critique of “wokeness,” the latest developments in the Cornell Seven controversy, college campus sexual-assault proceedings, consent standards involving alcohol and drugs, potential defamation claims, and the due-process protections afforded to students accused of misconduct.

In the opening segment of Hour 3, Rob Riggle discusses Jimmy, a biographical film exploring Jimmy Stewart’s service with the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II and the challenges Stewart faced after returning home. Riggle praises Stewart as an American hero who chose service over personal success despite having already won an Academy Award and becoming a major Hollywood star. The conversation expands to the broader tradition of famous Americans putting their careers aside to serve the country, including baseball legend Ted Williams, who served as a military aviator, and NFL player Pat Tillman, who left professional football to join the military. Clay, Buck and Riggle reflect on the extraordinary level of national commitment during World War II and the significance of people voluntarily risking successful careers and their lives in service to the United States.

The Riggle interview then moves into Hollywood, the decline of theatrical comedies and the changing movie business. Clay and Buck contrast the current entertainment landscape with earlier decades, when moviegoers could routinely find comedies, romantic comedies, action movies and thrillers in theaters. Riggle says the mid-budget comedy has largely disappeared as Hollywood increasingly gravitates toward smaller independent films or enormous nine-figure franchise productions. He argues that studios need to return to making more mid-range theatrical movies and that audiences also have a role to play by returning to theaters, since Hollywood tends to replicate projects that demonstrate box-office success. The discussion also touches on consolidation in the movie industry and the challenges confronting studios as they try to find viable theatrical business models.

Clay and Buck also ask Riggle about cancel culture, political correctness and comedy, including whether comedians remain fearful that an offensive joke could damage or end a career. Riggle says he believes the environment is improving and argues that performers cannot live in fear of criticism. The conversation closes on a lighter note with Riggle naming Black Hawk Down as a favorite war movie and True Romance as his favorite movie overall, while citing classics including Ghostbusters, Meatballs, Caddyshack and Dumb and Dumber alongside more recent comedies such as Step Brothers and The Hangover. Riggle recalls Step Brothers as perhaps his most enjoyable filmmaking experience because of the cast's extensive improvisation and the creative atmosphere fostered by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay.

After the interview, Hour 3 of Clay and Buck continues the discussion of cancel culture and social media accountability, focusing on the Portland Trail Blazers firing an employee over offensive social media posts reportedly made when he was 15. Clay and Buck argue that people should not suffer permanent professional consequences as adults for immature comments made as minors, drawing a comparison with the juvenile justice system's recognition that children should often be treated differently from adults. They propose a broader cultural principle that social media posts made before age 18 should not ordinarily be used to destroy someone's adult career. The hosts connect the controversy with Chris Rock’s criticism of “wokeness,” including his comparison of institutionalized woke culture with the Salem witch trials. They argue that although the intensity of cancel culture may have declined, many of the underlying political and cultural beliefs remain influential, touching on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, James Talarico, transgender issues, policing, Kash Patel, the FBI and President Donald Trump.

A major portion of Hour 3 returns to the developing Cornell Seven controversy. Clay and Buck discuss a report that one of the fraternity members involved now claims that he was too intoxicated to consent to sexual activity with the female accuser, creating what the hosts describe as a major complication in the debate over intoxication and consent. They explore whether consent standards should operate identically for men and women when both parties voluntarily consume alcohol or drugs and question what legal or institutional principle would allow intoxication to invalidate one person's consent but not another's. Clay references his understanding of New York law concerning voluntary intoxication while discussing the distinction between criminal liability, campus disciplinary rules and competing allegations. The hosts repeatedly stress that their discussion concerns disputed allegations and the standards by which those allegations should be judged.

That conversation broadens into a debate about gender, sexual consent, personal responsibility and campus Title IX-style disciplinary systems. Clay and Buck criticize what they view as inconsistent cultural expectations for men and women and question whether institutions apply the same concepts of intoxication, agency and responsibility to both sexes. They revisit details from the allegations and the subsequent civil litigation, including the accuser's reported description of her intoxication, the students' claims regarding their own intoxication and the hosts' view of the evidence surrounding the encounters. Clay argues that regret over consensual choices should not automatically transform those choices into criminal conduct, while Buck presses the broader question of what a legally gender-neutral consent standard should mean when both participants claim impairment.

Listeners join the Hour 3 Cornell Seven discussion, with one caller asking why voluntary intoxication could affect responsibility differently for the competing parties. Another asks about possible defamation lawsuits if accusations against the students ultimately prove false and whether New York Attorney General Letitia James could face personal liability. Clay and Buck discuss the difficulty of succeeding with defamation claims involving public figures and reference legal concepts including falsity, knowledge and actual malice. The conversation ultimately centers on the hosts' concern that political officials and university administrators could impose serious reputational and educational consequences even when the underlying evidence may not satisfy the much higher burden required for a criminal conviction.

The final portion of Hour 3 of the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show focuses on due process on college campuses and protections for accused students. A caller asks how parents can protect sons facing serious accusations when university administrators may lack the investigative experience of police, prosecutors and courts. Clay and Buck criticize campus disciplinary proceedings that use a “more likely than not” standard rather than the criminal-law standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and they raise concerns about limitations on cross-examination and the ability of accused students to challenge allegations. Buck compares these issues with the accusations leveled against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation process and criticizes the roles played by Kamala Harris and other Democratic senators. Clay closes by emphasizing the fundamental criminal-law principle that the burden rests on the accuser and prosecution to prove misconduct rather than requiring an accused person to prove that an event did not happen.

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The 2026 midterm elections are just 29 days away—and Ryan Girdusky is looking beyond the polls to the numbers that could actually determine who wins.

On this episode of It’s a Numbers Game, Ryan breaks down two critical indicators heading into Election Day: campaign spending and voter registration. Republicans are pouring money into key Senate, House, and gubernatorial races, while Democrats are showing surprising momentum among newly registered voters in several important states.

Ryan examines the numbers in Texas, Ohio, Kansas, Michigan, Maine, Iowa, Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Nevada and other battlegrounds—and explains where Republicans and Democrats may have reasons to worry.

Then, Ryan dives into the explosive Cornell University sexual assault case that has become a national political controversy. He examines the allegations, competing accounts, Cornell’s response, the reopened investigation, and why politicians including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Kathy Hochul and Letitia James are now weighing in.

Plus, Ryan answers listener questions about why affluent suburban voters have shifted toward Democrats, Bill Maher’s political evolution, and whether party registration matters in American elections

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Former Navy SEAL David Rutherford asks a simple question after last week's Senate hearing with former special counsel Jack Smith: when Congress puts someone in the hot seat, does anyone ever pay? Smith has been referred to the Justice Department over his House testimony, but he has not been charged. David walks through nearly a century of Senate investigations, from the 1934 air mail hearings to Watergate, Iran Contra, Enron and the Church Committee, to show how rarely a hearing ends in a prison sentence, and why the Justice Department, not the Senate, decides who gets charged. Then he turns to what happened at the White House the same day: President Trump and the leaders of six AI companies signed a voluntary accord to police their own technology, and the government launched America.gov. David asks who will watch the watchers. His view is that the rules for the powerful are not the rules for the rest of us, and that your voice still matters. (Recorded September 30, 2026.)

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Timestamps: 

0:00 Cold open

0:54 Intro and the Jack Smith Senate hearing

14:02 Do Senate hearings ever put anyone in jail?

21:15 Watergate, Iran Contra, Enron and the hearings where nobody was charged

30:48 Two sets of rules

33:53 BRCC ad

35:26 The White House AI accord: companies agree to police themselves

44:33 America.gov and online passports

50:07 What you can do

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Tennessee tried to execute death row inmate Christa Pike by lethal injection. She survived. Pike remained hospitalized, unconscious and on a ventilator after receiving two doses of the execution drug, while Governor Bill Lee ordered a review of what went wrong. Buck reacts to the extraordinary failed execution and asks how a state can botch the ultimate punishment this badly. He also takes on the larger death penalty debate, from lethal injection and decades-long appeals to whether executions should be carried out more quickly and transparently. Buck argues that if states are going to maintain the death penalty, the entire system needs a serious rethink.

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