Hour 3 - Operation Absolute Resolve

Hour 3 of The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show kicks off 2026 with explosive analysis and breaking news. The hour begins with a major update from the Wall Street Journal: the CDC is revising its childhood vaccine recommendations, dropping universal guidance for shots like COVID-19, influenza, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, and hepatitis A/B. Clay and Buck frame this as a “win for parental choice,” contrasting it with past mandates and the failures of COVID vaccine policy.

The discussion then pivots back to the biggest geopolitical story of the week: Operation Absolute Resolve, the daring Delta Force raid that captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife. The hosts explain the legal framework behind the arrest, noting that Maduro is being prosecuted under U.S. criminal law in New York City—similar to the Manuel Noriega case—rather than as an enemy combatant. They highlight the strategic significance of this move as a modern application of the Monroe Doctrine, signaling America’s renewed dominance in the Western Hemisphere and a warning to adversaries like China and Russia.

Clay and Buck slam critics who oppose the raid, comparing the Trump administration’s precision and competence to the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal under Biden. They praise Trump’s national security team—Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, JD Vance—for restoring U.S. credibility through tactical brilliance and disciplined execution.

The hour also features an in-depth interview with David Rutherford (aka Rut) former Navy SEAL and host on the Clay & Buck Podcast Network. Rutherford calls the Maduro operation “one of the top five best ops ever,” detailing the complexity, flawless coordination, and elite performance of JSOC units, Delta Force, and the 160th SOAR pilots. He compares the raid’s scale and sophistication to the Osama bin Laden mission, arguing that this operation was even more impressive. Rutherford emphasizes its global implications, warning cartels and hostile regimes that America is “done playing games” and projecting power with precision. He predicts increased operational tempo against Mexican cartels and underscores how this mission reshapes global power dynamics.

Clay and Buck also revisit the Tim Walz Somali daycare fraud scandal, reading Trump’s fiery statement accusing Walz and allies of stealing “tens of billions” in taxpayer funds. They debate whether Walz could face criminal charges and explore how his VP selection under Kamala Harris amplified scrutiny, ultimately ending his political career.

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