BONUS: Daily Review With Clay and Buck - May 20 2025 - Verdict with Ted Cruz

Meet my friends, Clay Travis and Buck Sexton!  If you love Verdict, the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show might also be in your audio wheelhouse. Politics, news analysis, and some pop culture and comedy thrown in too.

 

Here’s a sample episode recapping four takeaways. Give the guys a listen and then follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts: ihr.fm/3InlkL8

 

 Is The Big Beautiful Bill Bloated?

 

The hour kicks off with a detailed discussion of what President Donald Trump has dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” a sweeping piece of legislation currently under debate on Capitol Hill. President Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson, and other GOP leaders are rallying behind the bill, which includes major tax cuts, regulatory rollbacks, and incentives aimed at boosting the U.S. economy. The hosts predict the bill will pass, likening the political theatrics to previous debt ceiling and speaker vote showdowns.

 

Key highlights of the bill include:

Permanent extension of the 2017 Trump tax cuts

Elimination of taxes on tips

Adjustments to SALT (state and local tax) deductions

Phased elimination of EV and green energy tax credits

Increased funding for defense and immigration enforcement

Tightening of SNAP (food stamp) eligibility

A $4 trillion increase in the debt ceiling

 

Buck Sexton shares insights from a recent interview with the head of the National Economic Council, emphasizing that the bill could result in $7,000–$12,000 in annual savings for the average American household. However, both hosts acknowledge conservative criticism over the bill’s lack of deeper spending cuts and its continuation of certain green energy subsidies.

 

Democrats Don't Believe Illegal Immigration is a Crime

 

Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show dive deep into the explosive political and legal controversy surrounding Congresswoman LaMonica McIver’s arrest for allegedly obstructing ICE agents during a detention center visit. Hosts Clay and Buck analyze the implications of her actions, highlighting the irony of her past “no one is above the law” rhetoric—previously aimed at Donald Trump—now being turned against her. They explore the broader theme of political hypocrisy and the consequences of “lawfare,” emphasizing how Democrats are now facing the same legal tactics they once championed.

 

The hour also features a sharp critique of the Democratic Party’s stance on illegal immigration. Clay and Buck argue that Democrats no longer view illegal immigration as a crime, citing McIver’s confrontation with ICE as emblematic of a broader ideological shift. They question why Democratic leaders prioritize the rights of non-citizens over the needs of underserved American communities, particularly Black constituents in urban districts like McIver’s New Jersey 10th, which is nearly 50% Black. The hosts suggest that this disconnect may be driving more minority voters toward the GOP, referencing recent political shifts in cities like New York and Chicago.

 

Tom Homan, former acting ICE director, is featured in a clip reinforcing the legal boundaries McIver allegedly crossed, underscoring the seriousness of interfering with federal law enforcement. The discussion then pivots to the