Next Up with Mark Halperin

The REAL Story of Why Trump Changed Course on Minnesota, and How Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Took Over After Limbaugh

9 snips
Jan 27, 2026
Buck Sexton, conservative broadcaster and national security commentator, and Clay Travis, sports-media entrepreneur and cultural commentator, join for a wide-ranging conversation. They debate iconic duos and generational divides. They explain how they succeeded in Rush Limbaugh’s old slot and discuss China-Taiwan semiconductor risks, rising cabinet figures, and 2028 GOP dynamics.
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INSIGHT

Narrative Reset Through Personnel Moves

  • Halperin judges the media response to Trump's pivot as largely positive and narrative-resetting.
  • He argues the change let Trump avoid appearing to have caved while reclaiming control of the story.
INSIGHT

TV Images Drive Trump’s Political Sense

  • Television imagery mattered most; Trump dislikes violence and being framed as the cause of chaos.
  • Halperin says TV clips portraying Trump as the villain were the decisive factor in forcing a change.
ANECDOTE

Buck’s Media Origin Story

  • Buck Sexton recalls his path from the CIA and Glenn Beck to media and joining Clay for radio success.
  • He describes early digital writing and guest hosting as crucial training that led to the duo's formation.
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