Hour 1 - Remember Operation Chaos?


Author: iHeartPodcasts February 26, 2026 Duration: 36:51
Podcast episode
Hour 1 - Remember Operation Chaos?

Hour 1 of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show opens with a fast‑paced rundown of the day’s biggest political and media stories, centered heavily on 2026 primary politics, Trump‑era investigations, FBI surveillance controversies, and reaction to Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. Clay and Buck set the tone by previewing upcoming guests—FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary—before pivoting directly into the news dominating the political landscape.

One of the major stories examined is Hillary Clinton’s testimony regarding Jeffrey Epstein, with Clay highlighting that she denied ever meeting Epstein or boarding his plane, while Bill Clinton is set to testify next. The hosts then dig into a bombshell report alleging that Susie Wiles—President Donald Trump’s chief of staff and former 2024 campaign manager—was secretly surveilled by the FBI, and that her attorney knew conversations were being monitored while she did not. This leads to a broader discussion of weaponization of the justice system, including Democrat attempts during the 2024 election cycle to keep President Trump tied up in multiple courtrooms across several states.

Buck revisits how Democrats previously pushed to remove Trump from ballots in Colorado and Maine, and how the political establishment normalized efforts to criminally prosecute Trump and even imprison him. They also recount the assassination attempts against Trump during the campaign, reinforcing the high‑stakes political climate surrounding the former and current president.

A major portion of Hour 1 focuses on the reaction to President Trump’s State of the Union address, including CNN data showing a 10‑point surge in voters who believe Trump will move the country in the right direction after watching his speech. Clay emphasizes Trump’s stamina—speaking for nearly two hours at age 80—and contrasts it with Joe Biden’s physical decline, noting feedback he received from older listeners.

The hour then pivots to the 2026 Texas primaries, which become the centerpiece discussion of the segment. Clay and Buck cover the intensifying Senate primary between Ken Paxton, John Cornyn, and Wesley Hunt, and spend substantial time on the rise of Jasmine Crockett, who has become unexpectedly competitive on the Democratic side. This sparks a flood of calls from Texas listeners admitting they engaged in “Operation Chaos”–style crossover voting, inspired by the Rush Limbaugh strategy of entering the opposing party’s primary to influence the outcome. Multiple lifelong Republicans call in to say they voted for Jasmine Crockett to help ensure Republicans face the weakest possible Democratic opponent in November. Clay and Buck analyze open‑primary rules, strategic voting, and party‑loyalty dynamics while callers debate whether gaming the Democratic primary is worth sacrificing votes in key GOP races. Clay also highlights breaking economic news: 30‑year mortgage rates dropping below 6% for the first time since 2022, describing how this could “unfreeze” the housing market after years of stagnation caused by Biden‑era inflation.

The hour closes with lively commentary on political media strategy, including Democrats boosting James Talarico through national exposure, and a humorous retrospective on the Jussie Smollett hoax, tying it into a conversation about fake hate crimes and political fundraising.

Make sure you never miss a second of the show by subscribing to the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton show podcast wherever you get your podcasts! ihr.fm/3InlkL8

 

For the latest updates from Clay & Buck, visit our website https://www.clayandbuck.com/

 

Connect with Clay Travis and Buck Sexton: 

X - https://x.com/clayandbuck

FB - https://www.facebook.com/ClayandBuck/

IG - https://www.instagram.com/clayandbuck/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/clayandbuck

Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/ClayandBuck

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@clayandbuck

Follow Clay & Buck on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/clayandbuck

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


More episodes

Duration: 1:00:35
Conflict Accelerates Tech Clay Travis and Buck Sexton discuss the geopolitical consequences of the ongoing conflict. They examine the paralysis of international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, rising global oil prices,…

Duration: 36:44
Hour 1 of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show delivers an in‑depth analysis of the escalating U.S.‑Iran conflict, global security concerns, and evolving Middle East geopolitics under President Donald Trump. Clay and Buc…

Duration: 36:50
Hour 2 of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show dives deeply into the rapidly shifting dynamics of American politics, with a strong focus on the Texas Senate race, President Trump’s strategic maneuvers, and breaking news…

Duration: 36:31
Hour 3 of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show delivers one of the most fast‑moving, news‑heavy hours of the day, packed with breaking political developments, Senate race analysis, and live reactions to major personnel c…

Duration: 1:01:31
Defanging Iran The rapidly evolving U.S.–Iran conflict, focusing on American and Israeli airpower gaining near‑total control of Iranian airspace. Clay and Buck analyze Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s remarks highlighting…

Duration: 36:48
Hour 1 of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show opens with a deep dive into the rapidly evolving U.S.–Iran conflict, focusing on American and Israeli airpower gaining near‑total control of Iranian airspace. Clay and Buck…

Duration: 36:50
Hour 2 of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show shifts from the Iran conflict coverage of Hour 1 into a rapid-fire mix of geopolitics, U.S. national security, Texas politics, gender ideology debates, Tesla culture wars, a…

Duration: 36:28
Hour 3 of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show delivers a packed rundown of the day’s major political, cultural, and geopolitical stories, with an emphasis on unfolding developments in the Iran conflict, the dramatic out…

Logo
Select station
VOL