Hour 3 - Special Message from Space

Hour 3 of The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show closes out the Monday broadcast with a mix of breaking geopolitical developments, midterm election analysis, space exploration news, and an in‑depth policy discussion on financial markets, all while continuing real‑time coverage of President Donald Trump’s extended White House press conference on Iran. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton open the hour noting that Trump is still taking questions more than an hour into his remarks, with markets largely unmoved—signaling that, so far, no unexpected shocks have emerged. They also highlight a widely overlooked but historic achievement: the Artemis II mission has carried astronauts farther from Earth than any humans in recorded history, as the crew prepares to orbit the far side of the Moon. Clay plays a powerful, unscripted Easter message from astronaut Victor Glover, who reflects on faith, humanity, and unity from space—providing a rare moment of optimism amid global tension.

Much of Hour 3 focuses on the political fallout of the Iran conflict and the approaching U.S. midterm elections. Clay and Buck revisit data from CNN analyst Harry Enten showing Democrats in a weaker‑than‑historical position for a midterm year under a Republican president. They analyze new reporting that GOP‑aligned groups plan to spend more than $340 million to protect and expand their Senate majority, breaking down the eight key states expected to determine Senate control. The conversation zeroes in on Ohio, North Carolina, Maine, Iowa, Alaska, Michigan, Georgia, and New Hampshire, with particular attention to the unexpectedly high cost needed to defend Ohio following JD Vance’s elevation to vice president. The hosts argue that Senate control—not the House—is the real strategic prize, especially for confirming judges and maintaining institutional power, and express confidence Republicans will ultimately hold the upper chamber despite an expected “dog fight” in the House.

As President Trump continues speaking, Clay and Buck return repeatedly to new statements emerging from the press conference. Trump formally sets an 8:00 PM Eastern deadline for the Iranian regime to accept terms related to its nuclear program, framing the demand as effectively unconditional and warning that failure will result in escalating strikes on civilian infrastructure. He again urges the Iranian people to rise up against their rulers, citing past mass killings of protesters, and sharply criticizes Democrats—particularly former President Barack Obama—for what Trump describes as choosing Iran over Israel through the 2015 nuclear deal and cash transfers. Clay and Buck contextualize these comments as an intentional pressure campaign aimed at forcing regime capitulation without a ground invasion.

The second half of Hour 3 pivots to a substantive in‑studio interview with Michael Selig, Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Clay and Buck dig into the growing importance of prediction markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi, explaining how Americans can now trade on outcomes ranging from elections and wars to sports and commodity prices. Selig discusses a major Third Circuit Court ruling affirming federal authority over derivatives markets, including prediction contracts, rejecting state efforts to regulate them under gambling laws. He outlines why these markets provide valuable information, often outperforming traditional polling, and why keeping them regulated onshore is critical for innovation, transparency, and U.S. competitiveness. Selig confirms the CFTC is prepared to pursue the issue to the Supreme Court if necessary, positioning federal oversight as essential to market integrity.

Before wrapping up, Clay notes that prediction‑market odds on a potential U.S.–Iran deal have risen sharply, reflecting growing optimism—however tentative—that a ceasefire or agreement may be reached before Trump’s deadline. The hour closes on a lighter note with listener talkbacks reacting to Clay’s birthday, cake preferences, and the ongoing debate over ice‑cream cake versus traditional cake, reinforcing the show’s trademark blend of heavyweight news and relaxed humor.

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