"It Will KILL the American Dream": Rachel Campos-Duffy Warns of Over-Regulation

Summary

Podcast Summary: "It Will KILL the American Dream": Rachel Campos-Duffy Warns of Over-Regulation

Brian Kilmeade Show | FOX News Podcasts
Date: May 24, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Brian Kilmeade welcomes Rachel Campos-Duffy—“FOX & Friends Weekend” co-host and author—to discuss her new book American Patriotism: Celebrating 250 Years of America Greatness. The conversation centers on the enduring power of the American Dream, personal stories of upward mobility, and the threat posed by government overregulation. Campos-Duffy shares her motivations for the book, talks about its dedication, and passionately defends the uniqueness of American opportunity compared to other countries.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Rachel Campos-Duffy’s Book: Inspiration and Dedication

• [01:36-02:42]

  • Brian asks Rachel about the inspiration for and dedication of her new book.
  • Rachel’s Dedication:
    • She dedicates her book to the President, crediting him for changing the Republican Party and always fighting for America.
    • Quote:

      “I dedicate this to the man who’s taught us all how to love, serve and fight, fight, fight for America. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart.” (Rachel Campos-Duffy, 02:42)

    • Rachel shares that she presented the book personally to the President in the Oval Office.

• [03:30-03:35]

  • Rachel reveals the President enjoyed the book and even filmed a short video endorsing it, intending to share it soon.

  • Book Structure:

    • Features essay chapters from various FOX personalities, each highlighting a personal “American dream” story.
    • The collective work aims to inspire pride and appreciation for America’s tradition of opportunity.

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The Uniqueness and Fragility of the American Dream

• [04:03-04:45]

  • Brian reinforces why America is the top destination for immigrants, and notes that natives may take American opportunities for granted.
    • Quote:

      “There’s only one country people are desperately trying to get in. So why would people try to come here if it was so bad?... If you were born in a mansion, you expect to live in another mansion. But if you started in a shack and earned that mansion, every day, you appreciate it.” (Brian Kilmeade, 04:03–04:45)

• [04:45-05:41]

  • Rachel recounts growing up as a military brat, living in several third-world countries, which gave her a deep appreciation for America’s dynamism.
    • Contrasts American mobility with the class rigidity in Europe and Latin America.
    • Highlights America’s supportive 'go for it' attitude compared to skepticism faced in other societies when starting a new business.
    • Quote:

      "That sort of mobility, that fluidity that we have...is not something that you see so often in Europe. In fact, in Europe...they’ll probably try and talk you out of [starting a business]. You’d say it to a fellow American, they’ll go, go for it." (Rachel Campos-Duffy, 04:45–05:41)

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Over-regulation and Its Threat to Opportunity

• [06:34-08:07]

  • Brian references business stories (like Phil Knight of Nike) to show how extensive regulations would make such entrepreneurship much more difficult today.
    • Quote:

      “If I was to start Nike now, I would have to get a lawyer to go over all the aspects and all the liabilities, and go get insurance. He said, I would not be able to do it...We have gotten so conditioned to all these regulations.” (Brian Kilmeade, 07:06–07:56)

• [08:07-09:06]

  • Rachel shares a conversation with John Menard (founder of Menards), who claims current regulatory environments would have prevented him from starting his now-successful business.
    • Menard donates to pro-economic freedom causes because he believes overregulation suffocates entrepreneurship.
    • Quote:

      “He said exactly what you said. I would have to have the money to hire a team of lawyers. I would have to deal with so much regulation, I couldn’t even have opened the first store. That’s a scary thought. And that’s what will kill the American dream more than anything else.” (Rachel Campos-Duffy, 08:53–09:06)

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Diversity of the American Dream Stories

• [09:06-09:53]
  • Brian asks for more information about the book's contributors.

    • Rachel lists FOX personalities such as Sean Hannity, Will Cain, Charles Payne, Harris Faulkner, Shannon Bream, and Martha MacCallum.

    • Each story is “regional”—reflecting the diversity of American paths, from California and the Northwest to Texas and Hawaii.

    • This regional variety reinforces both the breadth and accessibility of the American Dream.

    • Light-hearted moment: Will Kane “will never stop talking about Hawaii,” highlighting the personal flavor each essay brings.

    • Quote:

      “Every story is different. Every story is regional...the story from Emily Compagno growing up in Northern California and also her move to the Northwest...is different than, say, Will Kane’s story in Texas and Hawaii.” (Rachel Campos-Duffy, 09:13–09:53)

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Dedication to the President:

  “I dedicate this to the man who’s taught us all how to love, serve and fight, fight, fight for America.” (Rachel Campos-Duffy, 02:42)

• Value of American Opportunity:

  “If you were the one who started in a shack and earned that mansion every day, you appreciate it.” (Brian Kilmeade, 04:28)

• America vs. Foreign Class Structures:

  "...That sort of mobility, that fluidity that we have...is not something that you see so often in Europe." (Rachel Campos-Duffy, 05:13)

• Threat of Overregulation:

  “That’s what will kill the American dream more than anything else.” (Rachel Campos-Duffy, 09:06)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:36] — Introduction of Rachel Campos-Duffy; discussion about her book’s dedication
• [02:42] — Rachel explains the dedication and her thoughts on the President’s influence
• [03:35] — Rachel’s account of presenting the book in the Oval Office
• [04:03] — Brian discusses why America remains a beacon for immigrants
• [04:45] — Rachel on the value of American opportunity from a global perspective
• [07:06] — Regulatory hurdles: The Nike/Phil Knight anecdote
• [08:07] — The John Menard story and dangers of overregulation
• [09:13] — Run-down of book contributors and their unique stories

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Episode Tone and Style

The tone throughout the conversation is upbeat, patriotic, and conversational—full of personal anecdotes, affirmations of American exceptionalism, and an undercurrent of concern that overregulation could threaten the upward mobility that defines the American Dream.

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Useful Takeaways

• Rachel’s book aims to reawaken American pride through real stories from recognizable FOX personalities, each exemplifying a unique pathway to success.
• Both Brian and Rachel warn that government overregulation could suffocate entrepreneurship, undermining what makes America special.
• The episode serves as a spirited defense of American opportunity—encouraging gratitude, ambition, and resistance to unnecessary regulatory barriers.

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This episode is highly recommended for listeners interested in contemporary debates about the American Dream, economic freedom, and personal success stories rooted in patriotism.

Transcript

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[Brian Kilmeade]

Josh Krashower coming up in 15 minutes. But right now I want to bring in Rachel Campbell, Stuffy Box and Friends weekend co host, filling in for Angley today and tomorrow. And she has this great book out, American patriotism, celebrating 250 years of America greatness, which is is going to pick up steam leading up to the 4th of July. Rachel, who did you dedicate this book to?

[Rachel Campbell]

Well, before I tell you that, can I tell you one little thing?

[Brian Kilmeade]

Yes.

[Rachel Campbell]

You and I, you and I spent three hours on the couch. I left the studio, I jumped in my car to come home. So I'm having a break before I go and do the Five. I'm hosting the Five tonight. I jump in the car, my husband Sean gives me a call and he says, I, I watched you today at the top of the eight and I'm sorry, honey. Brian and Lawrence are totally right. You're wrong.

[Brian Kilmeade]

Really? About Amazon?

[Rachel Campbell]

Yes.

[Brian Kilmeade]

Yeah.

[Rachel Campbell]

He's like, I get what you're trying to say, but like, no, wait a second.

[Brian Kilmeade]

That took a lot of guts for him to say that. And by the way, I didn't put him up to that. So what you were saying is. Well, I want to go over that, too, but just real first, I just thought, in answer to my question, you dedicated to the President, United States, right?

[Rachel Campbell]

I did. I did. So I dedicated to the president and said, I dedicate this to the man who's taught us all how to love, serve and fight, fight, fight for America. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I think he's changed politics. He's changed conservative, you know, the Conservative Party, the gop. I think maybe forever. And so I, I just, I really love him. I think he loves America, and I think this book is about American dreams. He sort of has a, has an amazing personal life story, but everything he does is he, he really wants to help America and, and make it better and, and make it great. And so I thought, this is, this is the guy I want to dedicate it to. And, and I did. I went and I went in to the Oval Office last week and I presented it to him.

[Brian Kilmeade]

And did he say to you it go, it's going to go into his library?

[Rachel Campbell]

Yes. You know, he said he loved the book. He actually did a little video, which I'm going to post here soon, and said, go out and buy the book. He loved it. And he, he, he loves everybody at our network. He loves so many of the hosts. And as you know, each, each chapter is another chapter by, you know, you have a chapter, Lawrence has a chapter, Ainsley has a chapter, Charlie Griff, so many people in our Fox family, and they all have a different American dream story. And that's what we're trying to promote. It's America 250. Right?

[Brian Kilmeade]

I mean, think about it. If, even if you're listening in our country and are not impressed with our country, or if you're listening in Canada or listening around the country or around the world, there's only one country people are trying, doing, desperately trying to get in. So why would people try to come here if it was so bad? And the problem we have is people born here can't appreciate what they've always had. That's human nature. If you've always had something, if you were born in a mansion, you expect to live in another mansion. You can't. But if you were the one who started in a shack and earned that mansion every day, you appreciate it. And that's just the way it is. So it's hard to appreciate something we've always had. That's why I Tell people travel and if you find someplace better, stay. But they always come back.

[Rachel Campbell]

Travel. Yeah, travel is great, you know, and I grew up as a military brat living in third world countries. So I mean, for me my sense of gratitude is so grounded in having lived in countries like Turkey and Peru. And I lived in Venezuela for a while. I've traveled through India. I mean, go to any of those places. But even if you go to Europe, you know, what's interesting about Europe is that it's still very classless. So is Latin America. It's very classist. There's that, that, that sort of mobility, that fluidity that we have that if you work hard you can rise from poverty to, to, to the middle class in America is not something that you see so often in Europe. In fact, in Europe, if you talk to your neighbor and say I'm thinking about starting a new business, they'll probably try and talk you out of it. They're super neg. You'd say it to a fellow American. They'll go, go for it. And Europeans will tell you all the time that that's the case.

[Brian Kilmeade]

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[Rachel Campbell]

You know, I had a conversation once with a guy named John Menard. John Menard is an amazing guy. Came from poverty, started just to make some extra money building pole barns. And he's now has a store called Menards. That's a chain, that's a competitor with Home Depot. Very popular in Wisconsin. He's a. He's a. He's the richest man in Wisconsin. And I asked him, because he donates a lot of money to. To. To economic freedom causes, to organizations that promote economic freedom. And I asked him, why do you do this? Why do you give away your millions to these kinds of organizations? And he says, because I would not be able to start my company today. I was just a guy with an idea and a thought and a lot of hard work. He said exactly what you said. I would have to have the money to hire a team of lawyers. I would have to deal with so much regulation, I couldn't even have opened the first store. That's a scary thought. And that's what will kill the American dream more than anything else.

[Brian Kilmeade]

All right, so when you talk about who's in your book, can you run down some of the names that we'll all hear from and get their essays?

[Rachel Campbell]

Absolutely. Well, Brian Kilmeade, Ainsley, Charlie Griff. I've got Sean Hannity in there, Will Kane, Charles Payne Harris Faulkner, Shannon Bream, Martha McCallum. I mean, the list goes on and on. Joey Jones, who we know just reenlisted yesterday. The list goes on and on. And it's Every story is different. Every story is regional. You know, like the story from Emily Compagno growing up in Northern California and also her move to the Northwest up in Washington is different than, say, Will Kane's story in Texas and Hawaii will

[Brian Kilmeade]

never stop talks talking about Hawaii. He used to work with us. He loves Rachel Campos Duffy. Congratulations. It's called Celebrating 250 Years of America Greatness.

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