A year after the Iran conflict reshaped headlines, shipping lanes, and political debate, Steve Yates reviews what actually happened and what Americans should learn from it. Looking back at each stage of the campaign, he examines military operations, economic pressure, the Strait of Hormuz, information warfare, War Powers debates, and whether a strategy between invasion and appeasement achieved its goals. The focus is on separating perception from results and understanding the challenges that remain.

What lessons should guide U.S. policy going forward? Steve outlines eight key takeaways and the questions every voter should be asking elected leaders as a new Congress prepares to take office. 

Follow Nation States with Yates for clear, common-sense insights where Steve Yates serves as your personal national security advisor, breaking down world events in ways that matter to Main Street, not just Washington. Connect with the show at Feedback@NationStatesYates.com and follow on X @NSWithYates.

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Are America's schools becoming the next battleground for socialism? Lisa Boothe sits down with Defending Education founder and president Nicki Neily to examine the fallout from the 2026 midterm elections and what Democratic victories could mean for parental rights, school choice, and the future of American education.

Neily warns about the growing influence of Democratic Socialists of America in school boards, classrooms, and even early childhood education programs, including initiatives targeting children as young as two. They discuss allegations of political indoctrination, controversial gender policies, DEI programs, teachers unions, and efforts to reshape school curricula without parents' knowledge. Neily also explains why Republican candidates may have missed a major opportunity by failing to emphasize school choice during the midterms.

Plus, the conversation explores President Trump's federal school choice tax credit program, battles over Title IX and girls' sports, and how parents can challenge school policies through greater involvement, public records requests, and legal action.

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Clay Travis and Buck Sexton talk about the falling homicide rates across the United States. Clay cites an Axios report showing murders on pace to drop nearly 20 percent in 2026 compared with 2025, which was already an all-time low. He reads off big declines in Tulsa, Aurora, Newark, Arlington, Raleigh, Sacramento, Suffolk County on Long Island, Prince George’s County, Nashville, and Omaha. Clay credits ICE deportations of violent criminals, while Buck praises the administration’s crime strategy in Washington, D.C. and Memphis and argues that critics have never admitted they were wrong. Buck also gives credit to FBI Director Kash Patel. Clay warns that these gains depend on executive orders Congress has not codified, and says reports of migrant caravans forming in Latin America show how quickly a future Democratic administration could reopen the border.

An interview with Congressman Jim Jordan, the new House Republican leader. Jordan reflects on the midterm losses and says his caucus is committed to a “more freedom, lower taxes, secure border” message. He explains that House Republicans got too focused on holding their majority and failed to deliver enough after passing the big bill. He lays out the lame duck agenda: the college sports bill, government funding, FISA reauthorization before it expires in March, the debt ceiling, and an energy permitting bill. Jordan predicts Democrats will pursue Medicare for All, higher taxes, military cuts, and a third impeachment of President Trump, along with investigations of cabinet members, private sector figures, and potential 2028 Republican candidates, including JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Ron DeSantis, Glenn Youngkin, and Ted Cruz. Clay adds that executives who donated to the White House ballroom project say they have already been warned of subpoenas. Jordan also calls for housing affordability policies, including changes to capital gains taxes, to help young families buy their first home.

Clay and Buck talk with Ben Ferguson, host of The Verdict podcast and a former CNN contributor, who has been reported as a finalist for White House press secretary. Ferguson says he has not spoken with President Trump directly. He argues that Democrats have “declared war” on the president and his cabinet, and that the choice of Stephen Miller as chief of staff signals a war footing. He says he would bring the combative style he learned in his seven years at CNN to the briefing room. He and Clay also discuss falling murder rates, with Clay noting Nashville’s murder rate is down 37.5 percent and Ferguson saying Memphis is down more than 40 percent. Ferguson credits President Trump’s crime policy, deportations, and the National Guard deployment in Memphis, and he describes being a victim of gun crime in Memphis and shooting back.

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Hour 1 of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show for Thursday, November 12, 2026, opens with Clay back at the helm after speaking engagements in Houston, Michigan, Dallas, and Miami. The hosts preview the biggest stories of the day: the sudden exit of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, a sit-down with new House Republican leader Jim Jordan, and a look ahead to a White House press secretary finalist joining in Hour 2. Buck jokes that nobody believed his on-air story about why Clay was out, and the hosts then agree to start the show on a positive note after a rough two weeks for Republicans.

The first major segment covers falling homicide rates across the United States. Clay cites an Axios report showing murders on pace to drop nearly 20 percent in 2026 compared with 2025, which was already an all-time low. He reads off big declines in Tulsa, Aurora, Newark, Arlington, Raleigh, Sacramento, Suffolk County on Long Island, Prince George’s County, Nashville, and Omaha. Clay credits ICE deportations of violent criminals, while Buck praises the administration’s crime strategy in Washington, D.C. and Memphis and argues that critics have never admitted they were wrong. Buck also gives credit to FBI Director Kash Patel. Clay warns that these gains depend on executive orders Congress has not codified, and says reports of migrant caravans forming in Latin America show how quickly a future Democratic administration could reopen the border.

From there the hosts turn to the lame duck session and the post-midterm Senate landscape. They discuss Senate Republican leader John Thune, the push to confirm judges before January, and the prospect that no cabinet nominees get confirmed once Democrats take more seats. They joke about Democrats who said they were stuck in traffic and missed the vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, then discuss how Democrats may try again, and even try to remove him, after taking control of the House. Clay and Buck run through the Senate math, including a Democratic win in Mississippi and a tight, ranked-choice Alaska race between Dan Sullivan and his opponent that could push Democrats to 55 or 56 seats. They also note that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is in New York City doing a Fox News media tour amid early 2028 speculation.

The next segment covers the Nvidia leadership shake-up, which the hosts frame as major news for investors, anyone with a 401(k), and the artificial intelligence industry. According to the hosts, the board forced out Huang over inappropriate relationships, one with an alleged Chinese spy and one with a current employee. Buck raises national security concerns, including the possibility of economic espionage involving advanced AI chips and GPUs, while noting that no proof has been presented. Clay wonders what the board knew, and the hosts note that the stock reportedly lost roughly 30 percent of its value this week. They also mention that Elon Musk posted on X that he would be honored to hire Huang.

The centerpiece of the hour is an interview with Congressman Jim Jordan, the new House Republican leader. Jordan reflects on the midterm losses and says his caucus is committed to a “more freedom, lower taxes, secure border” message. He explains that House Republicans got too focused on holding their majority and failed to deliver enough after passing the big bill. He lays out the lame duck agenda: the college sports bill, government funding, FISA reauthorization before it expires in March, the debt ceiling, and an energy permitting bill. Jordan predicts Democrats will pursue Medicare for All, higher taxes, military cuts, and a third impeachment of President Trump, along with investigations of cabinet members, private sector figures, and potential 2028 Republican candidates, including JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Ron DeSantis, Glenn Youngkin, and Ted Cruz. Clay adds that executives who donated to the White House ballroom project say they have already been warned of subpoenas. Jordan also calls for housing affordability policies, including changes to capital gains taxes, to help young families buy their first home.

The final stretch features listener talkbacks and further debate about Thune’s reelection as Senate Republican leader. Callers express frustration with Senate Republicans, and Clay and Buck respond that a leader can only do what his caucus will support. They describe Thune as a “cat herder” who lacked the votes to end the filibuster. Clay warns that if Democrats win 60 Senate seats, they could pass their agenda without touching the filibuster. A Michigan caller suggests Republicans can campaign in 2028 on the border reopening, and the hosts doubt voters give credit for problems already solved. Hour 1 closes with a quick Alaska Senate update and Buck’s lament about election night.

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Hour 2 of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show for Thursday, November 12, 2026, picks up where the first hour’s political coverage left off. Buck opens by encouraging listeners to follow the show hour by hour through the podcast and on YouTube. He also promotes the Clay and Buck Podcast Network, including Carol Markowitz, David Rutherford, Ryan Girdusky, and Steven Yates. Clay and Buck then trade stories about Buck’s first-ever college football game, an Alabama and Ole Miss matchup in Tuscaloosa in the fall of 2021, which leads into the first main topic.

The main story of Hour 2 is the viral Ole Miss video. Buck lays out the facts as reported: a Ring doorbell camera at an off-campus Oxford, Mississippi apartment captured three white female students walking past on the evening of Friday, November 6th. Two of them made monkey-like noises and chest-beating gestures at the camera, and the apartment is shared by three Black freshmen. The 13-second clip went viral on TikTok with tens of millions of views. Buck and Clay say the students have since withdrawn from the university and that one student’s family has received death threats. They play a clip of a CBS News interview in which the apartment residents say they have mixed feelings about the apology and still found the gestures hurtful. Clay and Buck argue the incident is being blown out of proportion. They point out that the students reportedly did the same thing at four doors, that there was no evidence they knew who lived inside, that the students apologized, and that no crime was committed. They call it an example of online mob culture and “woke” overreach, and Clay draws comparisons to other people who lost their careers over remarks seen as racially insensitive, including a PR executive, a Sacramento Kings announcer, and a tennis commentator.

The hosts use the story to criticize media coverage choices. Buck contrasts the Ole Miss story with the killing of 15-year-old Austin Payne of Albany, Georgia, who was shot to death on Halloween night. Buck says four suspects are in custody and argues the case got little national coverage, including from the New York Times. Clay adds a comparison to a Texas track meet stabbing, arguing it received different treatment from the justice system. The hosts say that what a news organization chooses to cover reveals its motives. Callers weigh in on the Sacramento announcer’s later career, and a South Carolina caller says Austin Payne is already being disparaged on social media.

The hour’s major interview is with Ben Ferguson, host of The Verdict podcast and a former CNN contributor, who has been reported as a finalist for White House press secretary. Ferguson says he has not spoken with President Trump directly. He argues that Democrats have “declared war” on the president and his cabinet, and that the choice of Stephen Miller as chief of staff signals a war footing. He says he would bring the combative style he learned in his seven years at CNN to the briefing room. He and Clay also discuss falling murder rates, with Clay noting Nashville’s murder rate is down 37.5 percent and Ferguson saying Memphis is down more than 40 percent. Ferguson credits President Trump’s crime policy, deportations, and the National Guard deployment in Memphis, and he describes being a victim of gun crime in Memphis and shooting back.

Ferguson also gives his read on the Texas election results. He says Texas remains a conservative state but that Republican voters, frustrated over unmet promises on the border and deportations, along with high diesel prices, tariffs, and fertilizer costs, either voted Democratic or stayed home. He says Republicans lost the governor’s office, the lieutenant governorship, and a Senate seat to James Talarico, and that Senator Ted Cruz has opened an Austin office to help rebuild the party. He talks about waiting for a possible call from the White House, including a funny story about a friend who blocked his number and pranked him by pretending to be the president. Clay says he has told the president Ferguson would be a great press secretary and stresses that the reports of Ferguson’s candidacy come from others.

Hour 2 closes by returning to the Nvidia and Jensen Huang story. Clay asks Buck, a former CIA analyst, whether China could have leaked news of a relationship with an alleged Chinese spy just to cost Huang his job and weaken American AI. Buck says it is possible and fits how China’s Ministry of State Security operates, but stresses there is no reporting to support it yet. He adds that the Nvidia board may know more than the public does, possibly through information from the government. He frames the situation as a high-stakes AI race with China, with trillions of dollars at stake. The hosts joke that top executives will now be wary of potential honeypot schemes, then tee

Hour 3 of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show opens with Clay’s reaction to a lengthy Washington Post investigation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio over his government-funded flights to watch his son play football for the Florida Gators. Clay argues the roughly $1.2 million cost is small next to the federal budget and that Rubio’s security requirements leave him no other way to attend the games. He and Buck say the story is an early sign of how Democrats and the media will target potential 2028 Republican candidates, including Rubio, JD Vance, and Ron DeSantis, now that Democrats are returning to power in Congress.

Clay and Buck then take on the Bulwark, the media outlet founded by former Republicans who have become Democrats, after one of its personalities went after Clay online. Clay says he has always been open about his past Democratic votes and says the attacks show the show’s growing influence, especially with young male listeners. Buck describes the left’s attitude toward conservatives who change their minds as treating them like apostates. The segment turns into a long tangent about Nickelback, Matchbox 20, Creed, the Backstreet Boys, and Clay’s German rocker lookalike.

Next, Lear Capital’s president and CEO joins the show to talk about gold, silver, and protecting savings from inflation. The guest makes the case for a balanced portfolio, compares long-term gold and silver returns with the stock market, and says the national debt, now over $40 trillion, will keep pressuring the dollar. Clay and Buck discuss the compounding effects of inflation, and Buck asks what a pullback in AI investment could mean for precious metals. The guest warns that a retreat in AI spending could trigger a recession and push gold and silver higher.

Breaking news on the Nvidia scandal comes in during the interview, and Clay and Buck dig into it afterward. Reuters reports that a second Nvidia employee allegedly had an affair with ousted CEO Jensen Huang, bringing the total to three women, including the alleged Chinese spy. Buck says the unproven spy allegation is what raised the national security stakes. Clay notes the stock has fallen from about $230 in September to around $163, wiping out roughly $1.5 trillion in value and hurting ordinary investors.

Later in the hour, Clay and Buck warn that “Woke 2.0” is coming. They point to the Ole Miss video controversy as an example of online mob culture and recall their own pile-ons during the COVID era. A caller from Charlotte comes to Clay’s defense against sports commentator Nick Wright, and a retired Army colonel calls in to defend Rubio’s use of government aircraft. The hour ends with the hosts saying the show should expect more attacks as Democrats regain power.

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Who will lead America in 2028? Mary Katharine Ham and Karol Markowicz break down the next presidential election, weighing potential matchups involving JD Vance, Gavin Newsom, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Marco Rubio, and Kelly Ayotte. They also scrutinize Maryland Governor Wes Moore's presidential ambitions, his record on rebuilding Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, and controversies surrounding his military credentials.

Plus, the hosts question why conservatives embraced controversial celebrities like Russell Brand and Andrew Tate, examine concerns about foreign influence in political podcasting, and challenge Dave Smith's claim that Americans need $1 million a year to live a middle-class lifestyle. Finally, they spotlight conservative filmmaking, including Generation COVID, America's Moms, and Ben Shapiro's Confession, while calling out what they see as Hollywood's political double standards.

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Former Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff joins Karol Markowicz to discuss the alarming rise of antisemitism, anti-Israel activism on college campuses, and why he walked away from the Democratic Party. Sarnoff shares how the October 7 Hamas attacks transformed his views on Israel, the influence of TikTok and progressive politics on younger generations, and his efforts to strengthen Catholic-Jewish relations in Florida. Plus, an inside look at Miami politics, Florida universities, and why listening may be the most important skill of all.

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Buck Sexton discusses the failure of the impeachment effort against Pete Hegseth, with Buck discussing the House vote that defeated the impeachment push and arguing that the issue is unlikely to disappear entirely. He examines the broader political environment on Capitol Hill following the midterms and contends that Democrats, now positioned to hold larger majorities in Congress, will continue pursuing aggressive oversight and opposition to Trump administration policies. Buck frames the failed impeachment effort as part of a wider struggle over the administration’s future and the balance of power in Washington.

The focus then shifts toward domestic politics and the political consequences of the 2026 elections, particularly in Texas. Buck expresses concern about the victory of Gina Hinojosa and warns that policies proposed by the incoming administration could dramatically alter the state's traditionally business-friendly environment. He examines proposals involving electricity-rate freezes, fuel tax suspensions, Medicaid expansion, and economic regulation, arguing that such measures conflict with free-market economics and could create long-term financial and infrastructure challenges. The discussion ties broader political trends to shifting voter behavior and the future competitiveness of Texas as a political battleground.

An extended interview with former Navy SEAL David Rutherford, host of the David Rutherford Show. The discussion centers on military readiness, recruiting trends, leadership within the Pentagon, and the ongoing political controversy surrounding Pete Hegseth. Rutherford argues that the military has experienced a significant turnaround in recruitment and morale, citing increased enlistment numbers and a renewed focus on military effectiveness. Both Buck and Rutherford discuss efforts to reduce the influence of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the armed forces and return military culture to what they describe as a merit-based system focused on warfighting and mission readiness.

Military history becomes a centerpiece when Buck welcomes bestselling author Adam Makos. The interview focuses on Makos's latest book, Tidal Wave: The Pilots, The Princess, and The Enemy Ace: A True Story of Courage and Survival in World War II, which recounts the famous World War II bombing raid against Romanian oil fields supplying Nazi Germany. Makos details Operation Tidal Wave, describing it as one of the most daring and costly aerial missions in American military history. The discussion highlights heroism, bomber crews, survival stories, combat aviation, and the sacrifices made by American servicemembers during World War II.

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