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

How Trump Decides To Reverse Course

  • Mark Halperin explains a repeatable pattern for when Donald Trump changes course based on who advises him and media optics.
  • He argues TV images, friends, Fox commentators, pollsters, family, and elites can collectively push Trump to pivot.
INSIGHT

Who Actually Moves Trump

  • Halperin lists the groups that most influence Trump: Mar-a-Lago friends, Fox hosts, and his pollsters.
  • He emphasizes personal business friends and Fox commentary carry outsized weight in his decisions.
INSIGHT

Fox’s Real-Time Power Over Trump

  • Halperin highlights Fox News hosts like Brian Kilmeade shaping Trump's moves in real time.
  • He notes the president closely watches Fox and reacts when hosts signal a needed change.
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