Hour 3 - Let Him Cook 


Author: iHeartPodcasts February 23, 2026 Duration: 36:46
Podcast episode
Hour 3 - Let Him Cook 

Hour 3 opens with Buck Sexton solo‑hosting and hitting rapid‑fire headlines before a deeper dive into law, national security, and 2026 election politics. He leads with a patriotic recap of Team USA’s Olympic men’s hockey gold, praising Jack Hughes and the grit of a player who finished the game with a broken front tooth—framing the win as a unifying, USA‑first sports moment. From there, the tone shifts to security: Buck details the armed intruder shot and killed at Mar‑a‑Lago, emphasizing the persistent, elevated threats against President Trump and crediting the Secret Service’s swift response.

Buck then revisits the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling from the prior week, explaining how the Court said the president could not use IEEPA to raise tariff revenue, prompting Trump to pivot immediately to other legal authorities. He outlines Trump’s response: a temporary global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 (10% and then 15%) and continued enforcement via existing Section 232 and Section 301 measures. The discussion highlights Treasury Secretary Scott Besson’s defense of the program—arguing tariffs have helped rebalance trade, reduce the goods deficit, and catalyze factory reshoring—while Buck notes the broader economy’s resilience despite dire predictions from establishment economists.

Staying on national security, Buck tracks breaking developments in the war on cartels. After reviewing the weekend operation that killed a top Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) boss with a $15 million bounty, he reports a same‑day kinetic strike destroying a narco‑terrorist boat in the Caribbean, with no U.S. casualties. He describes CJNG as a hybrid criminal‑terrorist organization driving fentanyl trafficking into U.S. cities and warns that, under Trump, expect more direct and persistent counter‑cartel action—covert and overt—to disrupt supply chains that fuel overdoses, gang violence, and corruption.

On the legal front at home, Buck highlights a win for Trump in the classified documents case: Judge Aileen Cannon blocked public release of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s extensive report, citing grand jury secrecy and the presumption of innocence. Buck frames it as part of a broader pattern where legal efforts aimed at stopping Trump have “backfired,” noting the former president’s durability—from surviving multiple indictments to resuming campaigning after being shot.

The hour turns to 2026 election messaging and culture war dynamics through the lens of Gavin Newsom. Buck critiques Newsom’s appeal to a largely Black audience by calling himself a “960 SAT” guy who “can’t read,” calling it clumsy identity‑politics pandering. He also breaks down Newsom’s CNN comments on trans athletes, where Newsom urges Democrats to be more “culturally normal” and to find “nuance” in competitive sports—Buck argues this hedging won’t resolve the core fairness issue of biological males competing in women’s sports, which he says remains electorally damaging for Democrats. He situates that debate within a larger critique of gender ideology, contending that enforced denial of basic biology becomes a political loyalty test the Left uses to consolidate power.


Throughout, Buck weaves audience engagement and light personal moments—mentioning he’s recovering from a bug, joking about Pedialyte, and closing with a warm story about his dog “Ginger Spice” staying by his side—before previewing Clay’s return tomorrow. In sum, Hour 3 blends tariff policy, Supreme Court fallout, border and cartel warfare, Trump legal battles, election‑year culture fights, and patriotic Olympic victories—a full‑spectrum snapshot of the show’s politics‑plus‑culture formula.

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: 1:37:10
Trump condemns white supremacists in Charlottesville, saying “racism is evil.” Will the Left ever accept Trump at his word? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comFollow Clay & Buck on Yo…

Duration: 1:53:16
Trump is turning up the heat on North Korea, saying that U.S. military solutions are "locked and loaded" should the dictator act unwisely. Will Trump's tough talk work against the rogue nation? Plus, it's Freestyle Frida…

Duration: 1:53:46
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comFollow Clay & Buck on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/clayandbuckSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration: 1:54:24
North Korea ramps up its nuclear fear-mongering today, setting a mid-August deadline for attacking Guam. Should Americans be concerned? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comFollow Clay…

Duration: 1:49:34
President Trump today vowed to meet North Korea with “fire and fury” if the rogue nation threatens the US. After 8 years of the “do nothing” Obama administration, Buck says Trump’s leadership on the world stage is not on…

Duration: 1:50:18
Trump marks his 200th Day in office in the most Trumpian fashion possible! Plus, Buck takes a deep dive into the dangerous world of MS-13 with one of the nation’s leading experts. Learn more about your ad-choices at http…

Duration: 1:50:13
The DOJ is redacting key details about the secret meeting between former AG Loretta Lynch and President Bill Clinton on a tarmac last summer. Buck says this is nothing short of a cover-up! Plus, leave it to Democrats to…

Duration: 1:51:14
Buck unleashes on the deep state leakers who are so devoted to destroying this presidency, that they are willing to go to prison for their criminal behavior. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastn…

Duration: 1:51:03
CNN’s Jim Acosta tried taking the Trump administration to task for its new immigration overhaul, but failed thanks to an epic smackdown by Trump’s senior adviser Stephen Miller. Learn more about your ad-choices at https:…

Duration: 1:42:40
Bryan Suits fills in for Buck Sexton Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comFollow Clay & Buck on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/clayandbuckSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf…

Duration: 1:51:33
Obamacare repeal legislation crashed and burned in the Senate thanks to three Republicans voting 'no.' Is the GOP about to fail in delivering on 7 years' worth of promises to the American people? Buck delivers a scathing…

Duration: 1:52:56
Senate Republicans stare down a potential all-nighter tonight as they debate the so-called “skinny” Obamacare repeal bill. Plus, White House Comms Director Anthony Scaramucci drops a bombshell on Steve Bannon and Reince…

Duration: 1:55:47
Trump’s transgender tweets set off a firestorm on the Left. Plus, the media grapples with Trump’s tough talk on Sessions. Buck asks, is Trump playing Jedi mind tricks on the media? Learn more about your ad-choices at htt…

Duration: 9:22
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comFollow Clay & Buck on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/clayandbuckSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Logo
Select station
VOL