January 15, 2026 • 12 mins
Is President Trump on the verge of striking Iran? Buck breaks down the escalating crisis, mass protests inside Iran, the regime’s violent crackdown, and what a U.S. response could mean for the region and the world. From Starlink and information warfare to retaliation risks and regime change, this episode examines why this moment could become a major turning point and why President Trump’s next move may decide what happens next.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
You're listening to the Buck Sexton Show podcast, let make
sure you subscribe to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app
or wherever you get your podcasts. As President Trump going
to strike Iran, it's increasingly looking like that's the case.
In fact, some of you may know the answer, because
it could have happened by the time you listen to
(00:33):
this podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
It's of high concern for all of us.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Because, well, this is the sort of situation that can
get out of control very quickly. There's a lot of
concern about possible second order effects. What will Ron do
in response?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Here's what we know.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
The Mullahs are running a theocratic totalitarian theocracy or a
dictatorship and a kleptocracy. Actually so, because they're stealing from
the people all the time. And it's enough people have
decided that the ruination of Iran is in fact not
(01:19):
something that they will sit idly by and allow to continue. Now,
I think that this would be great for the region
if you just had a different government, a democratic government
in Iran, for example. Wouldn't that make such a difference.
Wouldn't that be something that you know, they've had democratic
elections next door in Iraq?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
It is possible.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
We don't want this place to be a constant problem
for the whole region, really for the whole world. They've
got substantial oil supplies, oil reserves, and they've been funding
terrorism with that for a long time. Trump is now saying, look,
if you, meaning Iran, continues with the large scale slaughter
(02:03):
of protesters, you are going to be done. And now
there's also reporting up here of Iranian authorities who are
targeting starlink users Elon Musk. Starlink has been a means
of communication, right because the Iranians don't control those satellites,
they can't just shut it off. But Iran has cut
(02:25):
off public internet access no surprise there. While starlink is
illegal in Iran, there are some starlink terminals that have
been smuggled into the country and they have been able
to slow The government has been able to slow connectivity,
but there are still some people who are able to
(02:46):
get footage out of Iran of what's going on there.
And so if they're actually going to be tracking these
people down and executing them, possibly hanging them, Trump is
saying that he's going to he's going to unleash the
fury on Iran.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
On the Mullas.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Let me just say this could be a huge pivot
point in the history of the twenty first century. And
I will reiterate somewhat what I said earlier when I
was with Clay on radio, and it is I think
that the deciding factor here is Trump and his role
as commander in chief and what he does. I do
(03:23):
not think the Iranian people on their own will be
able to topple this regime. I could be wrong. I
hope I'm wrong, but I don't think that's the case.
I think that it will require assistance from the United States.
You know, we got assistance in our revolution against King
George from the French, pretty substantial assistance.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
We don't need that much, I think in this case.
But we don't need to do that much.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
But there does need to be there has to be
something that helps with this final show. There has to
be some ability to call upon outside resources and help,
just because the people of Tehran and around the country
are quite literally outgunned. And it's another reason why the
(04:10):
way second Amendment we need it. You always have to
have the ability as a populist to fight back against
the tyrannical government. Otherwise you went up in a situation
like this where the government can be fully tyrannical and
execute people and go into their homes and take them
from their family members and torture them and do horrible things,
and you're largely helpless. You're largely helpless. So you have
(04:33):
these protests going on in the streets. I do wish
that you had an arm populace, you don't. I do
wish that you had a better likelihood of success for
the Iranian people to do this on their own, But
I think it's very, very unlikely. So it's really going
to come down to what President Trump thinks, what President
Trump decides here. There are reports that there have been
(04:56):
evacuations of US service members, members of our military from Cutter,
from the airbase there, and this is at least a
precaution in case of a major strike by the United States,
because what is Iran likely to do fire off a
(05:16):
bunch of missiles in retaliation out People have worried about this,
but you know, they said that about that. You know,
Trump was very clear too. Trump said, these are the
claims they made about the nuclear program and it turned
out not to be true, meaning that we struck their
nuclear sites and they did not rain down holy hell
fire upon us.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
They were not able to.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Take out massive US military infrastructure or cause severe casualties
for US, So why would they be able to do
that this time?
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Now?
Speaker 1 (05:47):
The argument would be that this is the survival of
the Iranian regime at stake, and so they will lash
out in ways far beyond what we have seen thus far. Maybe,
But keep in mind, if we, let's say, strike some
strategic targets inside of Iran and just provide further support,
(06:09):
there's a lot of things we can do. Some of
it we would be talking about publicly. Some of it
would be of the covert variety. But if we did
do that kind of stuff, if we did take those
kinds of actions, the Iranians responding by trying to blow
up a lot of Americans, we have a much bigger,
(06:31):
better military than they do.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
We know where they are.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
We can own the sky in a matter of hours
over Iran if we want to. The Israelis are certainly
certainly willing to help out with whatever we are going
to need in terms of intelligence, air strikes, whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
So what exactly is the is the fear.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
I understand the fear of the concern again spoke with
us on radio that we don't want to be in
a nation building exercise. I don't even think that's part
of the part of the conversation here. In fact, I
think that the Iranian regime is so ugly and so
vile and so evil that the notion of something worse
taking over is it's hard to fathom. I think somebody
(07:18):
within that existing mellocracy taking over. If you know, the
head of the IRGC currently or someone like that, who's
already a part of this thing, steps up and becomes
the day factor, well yeah, then it's just a perpetuation
of what we've already had. But if you truly have
a new regime, new power players, new people making decisions
(07:39):
in Iran, I don't see how it could be worse
really than what we have had up to this point.
I just don't think that's a realistic. Of course, it could.
Something can always be worse. I don't think that's a
realistic concern. So I wouldn't put that. I wouldn't waive
at against the benefits of trying to help these Remember
these protesters, really they're not just protesters, I mean they
(08:01):
they are calling for the end of the Iranian regime,
which they should. And this is not the first time
this has happened. Back in two thousand and nine, the
Green Revolution and the Obama administration did nothing.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Was completely useless and.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Not a surprise, but they were really, if anything, I think,
unhelpful because the Iranian people would have expected more.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
But Obama was president.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Well Trump is president this time around, and that could
mean things are very very different in the end. Remember
how many years have we been talking about the nuclear
facilities and are we going to strike them? Should we
strike them? Is isually going to strike them? Trump did it.
I was in the Oval Office with the President the
day he did it. As it turned out, so it
was clay. It's a very historic day. And the Irunian
(08:44):
response was essentially nothing. So they had been working for
all these years, all these decades toward a nuclear capability.
It was blown up and by mostly by the Israelis,
but we also came in to finish it off with
the Bunker Buster, and the Iranians really didn't do anything
in response. I don't think we should overestimate or you
(09:05):
never want to underestimate your opponent, sure, but we also
shouldn't overestimate your opponents. Score I think there's very little
that Iran could do. Now, could they activate some Hesibala,
sell some IRGC KULDS force unit somewhere and have them,
(09:25):
you know, kill a bunch of innocent people. Yeah, of
course that's always a risk, but really any country could
do that if they chose to do that, and if
we trace that back to Iran, I mean, now we're
just going to go on a hunting expedition.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
And blow up all of the leadership of the.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Iranian regime in their homes and in their buildings and
their fortresses, whatever they've got. If they do something like that,
we're just going to treat them like al Qaeda. So again,
is that the direction they want to go in? I
think it's very very unlikely. So my sense here is
that Trump is going to do something, and do something
(10:01):
pretty definitive or pretty substantial. I should say definitive is
a tougher one, but pretty substantial, and it's going to
come very soon.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
But I don't know exactly. I'm not sure.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Anyone knows exactly than the President himself, because it's still
in the air, it's still being decided. But just think
about the chance here that the dictator of Venezuela could
be taken out and within weeks the molocracy of Iran,
which has been a complete nightmare for American foreign policy,
(10:33):
a thorn in our side, an adversary in the Middle East,
just the worst they could be gone to be a
heck of a way to get things kicked off for
this year. And something else you can do to kick
off your year is Birch Gold. They're a sponsor here,
Birch Gold Group.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
My friends.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Look, they have helped a whole lot of you, of
listeners to my radio show, to this podcast, to begin
becoming gold owners, to begin to be long term gold investors,
and they want more. In fact, until January thirtieth, if
your first time gold buyer, Birch Gold's offering a rebate
of up to ten thousand dollars on qualifying purchases. To
(11:11):
start the process and claim eligibility, text my name Buck
to ninety eight ninety eight ninety eight. Birch Gold can
help you roll an existing IRA or four to oh
one k into an IRA in gold and you're still
eligible for a rebate of up a ten thousand dollars.
Make this month your first time buying gold. Take advantage
of a rebate up to ten thousand dollars when you
buy by January thirtieth one more time. Text my name
(11:32):
buck to ninety eight ninety eight ninety eight. Claim your eligibility.
Eligibility today Text buck Buck.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
To ninety eight ninety eight ninety eight Birch Gold Group.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
I hope when you listen to this, we'll already have
an answer to what the actions are under way that
Trump has taken.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Maybe not, but we certainly live in.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Interesting times and I am hoping and praying for the
Iranian people. They deserve a better life than what they've
been given by the Islamo fascist maniacs who have been
running their country for decades and ruining a historically great
and proud people. The Persian people, the Kourds who live
(12:11):
in or on there's many different groups, these Ais, there's
all these different but in that region, the Persians are
the ones that people mostly think of and Farsie speaking
Farsie speaking Iranians, and they deserve something better than what
they have, and I sincerely hope that they're able to
get it, and that would be a sight of true
joy and it would be exhilarating, I think. And of
(12:33):
course our media doesn't want it to happen because Trump
would get credit for it, so they're hoping that it
doesn't happen. All the Democrat aligned media, all the people
who want Gavin Newsom or whomever to be the next president,
they are rooting against this, which is grotesque and pathetic
but true. We're rooting for the Iranian people, whether Trump
does something or not.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
I hope that the Mullas fall shields high
You're listening to the Buck Sexton Show podcast, let make
sure you subscribe to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app
or wherever you get your podcasts. As President Trump going
to strike Iran, it's increasingly looking like that's the case.
In fact, some of you may know the answer, because
it could have happened by the time you listen to
(00:33):
this podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
It's of high concern for all of us.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Because, well, this is the sort of situation that can
get out of control very quickly. There's a lot of
concern about possible second order effects. What will Ron do
in response?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Here's what we know.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
The Mullahs are running a theocratic totalitarian theocracy or a
dictatorship and a kleptocracy. Actually so, because they're stealing from
the people all the time. And it's enough people have
decided that the ruination of Iran is in fact not
(01:19):
something that they will sit idly by and allow to continue. Now,
I think that this would be great for the region
if you just had a different government, a democratic government
in Iran, for example. Wouldn't that make such a difference.
Wouldn't that be something that you know, they've had democratic
elections next door in Iraq?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
It is possible.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
We don't want this place to be a constant problem
for the whole region, really for the whole world. They've
got substantial oil supplies, oil reserves, and they've been funding
terrorism with that for a long time. Trump is now saying, look,
if you, meaning Iran, continues with the large scale slaughter
(02:03):
of protesters, you are going to be done. And now
there's also reporting up here of Iranian authorities who are
targeting starlink users Elon Musk. Starlink has been a means
of communication, right because the Iranians don't control those satellites,
they can't just shut it off. But Iran has cut
(02:25):
off public internet access no surprise there. While starlink is
illegal in Iran, there are some starlink terminals that have
been smuggled into the country and they have been able
to slow The government has been able to slow connectivity,
but there are still some people who are able to
(02:46):
get footage out of Iran of what's going on there.
And so if they're actually going to be tracking these
people down and executing them, possibly hanging them, Trump is
saying that he's going to he's going to unleash the
fury on Iran.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
On the Mullas.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Let me just say this could be a huge pivot
point in the history of the twenty first century. And
I will reiterate somewhat what I said earlier when I
was with Clay on radio, and it is I think
that the deciding factor here is Trump and his role
as commander in chief and what he does. I do
(03:23):
not think the Iranian people on their own will be
able to topple this regime. I could be wrong. I
hope I'm wrong, but I don't think that's the case.
I think that it will require assistance from the United States.
You know, we got assistance in our revolution against King
George from the French, pretty substantial assistance.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
We don't need that much, I think in this case.
But we don't need to do that much.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
But there does need to be there has to be
something that helps with this final show. There has to
be some ability to call upon outside resources and help,
just because the people of Tehran and around the country
are quite literally outgunned. And it's another reason why the
(04:10):
way second Amendment we need it. You always have to
have the ability as a populist to fight back against
the tyrannical government. Otherwise you went up in a situation
like this where the government can be fully tyrannical and
execute people and go into their homes and take them
from their family members and torture them and do horrible things,
and you're largely helpless. You're largely helpless. So you have
(04:33):
these protests going on in the streets. I do wish
that you had an arm populace, you don't. I do
wish that you had a better likelihood of success for
the Iranian people to do this on their own, But
I think it's very, very unlikely. So it's really going
to come down to what President Trump thinks, what President
Trump decides here. There are reports that there have been
(04:56):
evacuations of US service members, members of our military from Cutter,
from the airbase there, and this is at least a
precaution in case of a major strike by the United States,
because what is Iran likely to do fire off a
(05:16):
bunch of missiles in retaliation out People have worried about this,
but you know, they said that about that. You know,
Trump was very clear too. Trump said, these are the
claims they made about the nuclear program and it turned
out not to be true, meaning that we struck their
nuclear sites and they did not rain down holy hell
fire upon us.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
They were not able to.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Take out massive US military infrastructure or cause severe casualties
for US, So why would they be able to do
that this time?
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Now?
Speaker 1 (05:47):
The argument would be that this is the survival of
the Iranian regime at stake, and so they will lash
out in ways far beyond what we have seen thus far. Maybe,
But keep in mind, if we, let's say, strike some
strategic targets inside of Iran and just provide further support,
(06:09):
there's a lot of things we can do. Some of
it we would be talking about publicly. Some of it
would be of the covert variety. But if we did
do that kind of stuff, if we did take those
kinds of actions, the Iranians responding by trying to blow
up a lot of Americans, we have a much bigger,
(06:31):
better military than they do.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
We know where they are.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
We can own the sky in a matter of hours
over Iran if we want to. The Israelis are certainly
certainly willing to help out with whatever we are going
to need in terms of intelligence, air strikes, whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
So what exactly is the is the fear.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
I understand the fear of the concern again spoke with
us on radio that we don't want to be in
a nation building exercise. I don't even think that's part
of the part of the conversation here. In fact, I
think that the Iranian regime is so ugly and so
vile and so evil that the notion of something worse
taking over is it's hard to fathom. I think somebody
(07:18):
within that existing mellocracy taking over. If you know, the
head of the IRGC currently or someone like that, who's
already a part of this thing, steps up and becomes
the day factor, well yeah, then it's just a perpetuation
of what we've already had. But if you truly have
a new regime, new power players, new people making decisions
(07:39):
in Iran, I don't see how it could be worse
really than what we have had up to this point.
I just don't think that's a realistic. Of course, it could.
Something can always be worse. I don't think that's a
realistic concern. So I wouldn't put that. I wouldn't waive
at against the benefits of trying to help these Remember
these protesters, really they're not just protesters, I mean they
(08:01):
they are calling for the end of the Iranian regime,
which they should. And this is not the first time
this has happened. Back in two thousand and nine, the
Green Revolution and the Obama administration did nothing.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Was completely useless and.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Not a surprise, but they were really, if anything, I think,
unhelpful because the Iranian people would have expected more.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
But Obama was president.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Well Trump is president this time around, and that could
mean things are very very different in the end. Remember
how many years have we been talking about the nuclear
facilities and are we going to strike them? Should we
strike them? Is isually going to strike them? Trump did it.
I was in the Oval Office with the President the
day he did it. As it turned out, so it
was clay. It's a very historic day. And the Irunian
(08:44):
response was essentially nothing. So they had been working for
all these years, all these decades toward a nuclear capability.
It was blown up and by mostly by the Israelis,
but we also came in to finish it off with
the Bunker Buster, and the Iranians really didn't do anything
in response. I don't think we should overestimate or you
(09:05):
never want to underestimate your opponent, sure, but we also
shouldn't overestimate your opponents. Score I think there's very little
that Iran could do. Now, could they activate some Hesibala,
sell some IRGC KULDS force unit somewhere and have them,
(09:25):
you know, kill a bunch of innocent people. Yeah, of
course that's always a risk, but really any country could
do that if they chose to do that, and if
we trace that back to Iran, I mean, now we're
just going to go on a hunting expedition.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
And blow up all of the leadership of the.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Iranian regime in their homes and in their buildings and
their fortresses, whatever they've got. If they do something like that,
we're just going to treat them like al Qaeda. So again,
is that the direction they want to go in? I
think it's very very unlikely. So my sense here is
that Trump is going to do something, and do something
(10:01):
pretty definitive or pretty substantial. I should say definitive is
a tougher one, but pretty substantial, and it's going to
come very soon.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
But I don't know exactly. I'm not sure.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Anyone knows exactly than the President himself, because it's still
in the air, it's still being decided. But just think
about the chance here that the dictator of Venezuela could
be taken out and within weeks the molocracy of Iran,
which has been a complete nightmare for American foreign policy,
(10:33):
a thorn in our side, an adversary in the Middle East,
just the worst they could be gone to be a
heck of a way to get things kicked off for
this year. And something else you can do to kick
off your year is Birch Gold. They're a sponsor here,
Birch Gold Group.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
My friends.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Look, they have helped a whole lot of you, of
listeners to my radio show, to this podcast, to begin
becoming gold owners, to begin to be long term gold investors,
and they want more. In fact, until January thirtieth, if
your first time gold buyer, Birch Gold's offering a rebate
of up to ten thousand dollars on qualifying purchases. To
(11:11):
start the process and claim eligibility, text my name Buck
to ninety eight ninety eight ninety eight. Birch Gold can
help you roll an existing IRA or four to oh
one k into an IRA in gold and you're still
eligible for a rebate of up a ten thousand dollars.
Make this month your first time buying gold. Take advantage
of a rebate up to ten thousand dollars when you
buy by January thirtieth one more time. Text my name
(11:32):
buck to ninety eight ninety eight ninety eight. Claim your eligibility.
Eligibility today Text buck Buck.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
To ninety eight ninety eight ninety eight Birch Gold Group.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
I hope when you listen to this, we'll already have
an answer to what the actions are under way that
Trump has taken.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Maybe not, but we certainly live in.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Interesting times and I am hoping and praying for the
Iranian people. They deserve a better life than what they've
been given by the Islamo fascist maniacs who have been
running their country for decades and ruining a historically great
and proud people. The Persian people, the Kourds who live
(12:11):
in or on there's many different groups, these Ais, there's
all these different but in that region, the Persians are
the ones that people mostly think of and Farsie speaking
Farsie speaking Iranians, and they deserve something better than what
they have, and I sincerely hope that they're able to
get it, and that would be a sight of true
joy and it would be exhilarating, I think. And of
(12:33):
course our media doesn't want it to happen because Trump
would get credit for it, so they're hoping that it
doesn't happen. All the Democrat aligned media, all the people
who want Gavin Newsom or whomever to be the next president,
they are rooting against this, which is grotesque and pathetic
but true. We're rooting for the Iranian people, whether Trump
does something or not.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
I hope that the Mullas fall shields high
Host
Buck Sexton
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