Hour 2 - Larry Kudlow and Rachel Campos-Duffy

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show – Hour 2: Larry Kudlow and Rachel Campos-Duffy

Release Date: April 11, 2025
Host: Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
Guest Speakers: Larry Kudlow and Rachel Campos-Duffy

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Introduction

In the second hour of "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show," hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton delve deep into the intricacies of international trade, focusing particularly on the ongoing trade tensions between the United States and China. Additionally, the episode welcomes Rachel Campos-Duffy, the weekend host of Fox and Friends, who shares personal insights and offers advice for new parents. This episode combines sharp political analysis with personable conversations, providing listeners with both informative content and relatable anecdotes.

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Segment 1: US-China Trade War with Larry Kudlow

[00:28] Clay Travis Opens the Discussion

Clay introduces Larry Kudlow, an esteemed economist and former Director of the National Economic Council, highlighting his expertise in navigating the complexities of economic policies and trade negotiations.

[04:20] The State of the Trade War

Larry Kudlow delves into the current state of the US-China trade war, emphasizing that while discussions between the two nations have intensified, the real battleground remains largely economic rather than political. Clay raises the question of whether the trade war is more of a political spectacle or a substantive economic conflict.

Notable Quote:

• Clay Travis [04:20]: "We're not imagining living under the constant threat of terrorism... but with China, it's a different kind of threat."

[10:04] Strategies and Outcomes

Kudlow outlines the strategic moves taken by the Trump administration to counter China's unfair trading practices, including the imposition of tariffs designed to level the playing field. He argues that these measures were necessary to protect American industries from being undercut by cheaper Chinese goods, which had previously led to significant job losses in sectors like manufacturing and steel.

Notable Quote:

• Larry Kudlow [10:04]: "Trump is waging war and fighting back against unfair trading policies and rules that have been detrimental to our economy for decades."

[14:11] Potential Resolutions and Negotiations

Kudlow discusses the possibilities of renegotiating trade agreements with China, suggesting that while past efforts like the Phase One deal fell short—especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic—there remains room for future negotiations. He emphasizes that any successful trade policy would need to address not only tariffs but also non-tariff barriers such as restrictive regulations that prevent American companies from competing on equal footing.

Notable Quote:

• Clay Travis [14:11]: "The United States is no longer a customer of cheap China goods. Period, full stop."

[18:25] Conclusion of the Trade Segment

Clay and Buck wrap up their discussion with Kudlow by reiterating the importance of maintaining a strong economic stance against China. Kudlow remains cautiously optimistic but underscores the significant challenges that lie ahead in restructuring the trade relationship.

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Segment 2: Personal Updates and Upcoming Interviews

[18:28] Hosts Update on Personal Matters

Clay informs listeners about Buck Sexton and Carrie Sexton’s impending new arrival, sharing that Buck is on parental leave as they prepare to welcome their baby boy. This personal update adds a warm, relatable layer to the show, balancing the intense political discourse.

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Segment 3: Conversation with Rachel Campos-Duffy

[24:32] Introduction of Rachel Campos-Duffy

Rachel Campos-Duffy joins the show, bringing her experience as the weekend host of Fox and Friends. She shares valuable advice for Buck and Clay as they prepare for their weekend hosting duties.

[26:16] Rachel’s Advice for Hosts

Rachel emphasizes the importance of preparation and personal well-being before taking on the role of a weekend host. She advises getting a good night's sleep, being mentally and physically prepared for the marathon four-hour segments, and maintaining a positive and energetic demeanor throughout the broadcast.

Notable Quote:

• Rachel Campos-Duffy [26:16]: "The best prep for this show is sleep. It's a marathon. Your brain has to be firing up, especially when you have amazing co-hosts."

[28:12] Matchmaking Success Story

Rachel proudly shares her role in bringing Buck Sexton and Carrie together, highlighting her knack for matchmaking and the organic development of their relationship. She underscores the value of personal connections over digital matchmaking methods, attributing their successful union to genuine, personality-based introductions.

Notable Quote:

• Rachel Campos-Duffy [28:30]: "I am a perennial hopeless matchmaker... I believe the best relationships these days are not done through apps, but through people who know you and bring you together."

[29:46] Life as a First Lady of the Cabinet

Rachel discusses the challenges and adjustments of being married to Sean Schrader, a member of the Trump Cabinet. She touches on the impact of his Secret Service detail on their personal life, highlighting the struggle to maintain privacy and intimate conversations amid constant public scrutiny.

Notable Quote:

• Rachel Campos-Duffy [29:46]: "We never get alone time... We can't have these open, honest conversations we normally have because people are around."

[35:18] Parenting Advice for New Parents

Rachel offers heartfelt advice to new parents, emphasizing patience and perseverance. She shares that the first child is the hardest but encourages parents to keep pushing through the initial challenges, as subsequent children tend to be easier as parents gain experience and confidence.

Notable Quote:

• Rachel Campos-Duffy [35:18]: "The first one is the hardest. Don't stop because it was hard... Everything's never perfect, but the baby phase gets easier."

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Segment 4: Listener Calls and Additional Insights

[44:04] Listener Greg from Walder Bow

A listener named Greg from Walder Bow (a possible mispronunciation in the transcript) engages with Clay and Buck about the national debt. Clay simplifies the complex issue by comparing the national revenue and spending to a household budget, illustrating the unsustainable nature of the current fiscal policies.

Notable Quote:

• Clay Travis [44:13]: "Take eight zeros off, $4.5 trillion. That's what we take in. So that's $45,000."

[46:05] Final Thoughts on Trump's Economic Strategies

Buck reflects on Trump's persistent stance against China, suggesting that Trump had meticulously planned his tariff policies as a strategic move to address long-standing economic imbalances. He highlights that Trump views the trade war as an opportunity to rectify multiple existential economic threats facing the United States.

Notable Quote:

• Buck Sexton [46:05]: "Trump sees it as his opportunity in the next 18 months to fix three existential crisis in the country."

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Closing Remarks

Clay and Buck conclude the episode by teasing the next hour's highlights, including a discussion on a newly passed bill requiring IDs to vote, and encouraging listeners to stay engaged with both their morning show and upcoming weekend broadcasts. They also share updates on personal projects and sponsor messages, maintaining a balance between content and promotional segments.

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Key Takeaways

1. US-China Trade Dynamics: The hosts and Larry Kudlow provide an in-depth analysis of the trade war, emphasizing the necessity of tariffs to protect American industries and the ongoing challenges in negotiating fair trade agreements with China.

2. Personal Insights from Rachel Campos-Duffy: Rachel offers valuable advice on preparing for weekend hosting duties and shares personal experiences balancing family life with a high-profile public role. Her matchmaking role in Buck and Carrie’s relationship adds a personal touch to the discourse.

3. Economic Simplification: Through listener interactions, Clay effectively breaks down complex economic issues, making them accessible and relatable to the average listener by comparing national debt and revenue to household budgets.

4. Strategic Leadership: The discussion reinforces the notion that strong, strategic leadership—exemplified by figures like Larry Kudlow and Rachel Campos-Duffy—is crucial in navigating both economic policies and personal life challenges in the public eye.

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Quotes to Remember

• Clay Travis: "The United States is no longer a customer of cheap China goods. Period, full stop." [14:13]

• Larry Kudlow: "Trump is waging war and fighting back against unfair trading policies and rules that have been detrimental to our economy for decades." [10:04]

• Rachel Campos-Duffy: "The best prep for this show is sleep. It's a marathon. Your brain has to be firing up, especially when you have amazing co-hosts." [26:16]

• Buck Sexton: "Trump sees it as his opportunity in the next 18 months to fix three existential crises in the country." [46:05]

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Conclusion

In this compelling episode, Clay and Buck effectively blend high-level economic discussions with personal stories and practical advice, delivering a multifaceted listening experience. The inclusion of experts like Larry Kudlow and personalities like Rachel Campos-Duffy enriches the conversation, providing listeners with both depth and relatability. Whether you're interested in the nuances of international trade or seeking insightful parenting tips, this episode offers valuable perspectives that resonate on multiple levels.

Transcript

[Clay Travis]

Ch.

[Buck Sexton]

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[Clay Travis]

Well, Clay, it really is. It's if you're looking for a trade war, I guess it's China, US The Canadian part is pretty quiet right now, in fact.

[Buck Sexton]

Right.

[Clay Travis]

Canada and their new prime minister, what's his name, Mark Carney. I know the guy. He's a central banker. He wants to do a deal with Trump. He wants to do a deal. So that's not the issue. But look, what I think, you know, the major point here is Trump is waging war and fighting back against unfair trading policies and rules over the past many Decades probably have to go into the mid to late 90s. And the key point is, first of all, China was allowed most favored nations. And that meant that, you know, we, we could trade with them without any legal constraints. And then they entered the World Trade Organization, WTO and I believe the year 2000. All right? And so what did they do? They basically had very high tariffs, much higher than ours. Okay? I mean their average tariff rate was 30, 40%, United States, two and a half percent, 2.7%. That disadvantage to us was that, you know, that means we can't sell to them because their tariffs are so high and they price out our goods. But they love to sell to us. And with cheap goods, their government, you know, it's a communist country, their government subsidizes all production and wages. So they keep the wages low, they keep the production low because it's all government subsidized. So they're selling cheap stuff to us. And we have virtually no tariff. We can't. And we can't sell to them because they have high tariffs. All right? And what that did, their cheap goods, which went on for 25 years, did great damage to America's heartland manufacturing and automobiles and steel and, you know, you name it. And the results show that, I mean, we lost hundreds of thousands of factories, closed, we lost jobs. So that had to stop. All right? And the fact is also, you know, it's not just China, for heaven's sakes. You go around the world, you look at the EU high tariffs and you know what Trump calls correctly, non tariff barriers, which means regulations like they can't buy. The European Union won't buy a lot of our, because they have all kinds of crazy regulations on food. Okay? So that's a non tariff barrier. Or for example, right now our social media companies are faced in our, in our techie companies. They're trying to put a, a tax on any Internet service companies, okay? So that, you know, that has to change. It's an, it's a unequal position. It's not a level playing field and it's done damage to our economy. Trump is exactly right here now. It's a hard thing to do. I get that. And I think his shock therapy a week ago or 10 days ago did shock the financial markets and probably shocked a lot of ordinary folks. You know, wake up call. The liberal media is trying to kill him with it. I'm trying to defend him all with a bunch of people. I think he's doing the right thing. And you know, the most recent point yesterday, two days ago, he declared a 90 day pause on the tariffs that we would be charging other countries. He raised those charges, but he did it because 70, 75 countries came to him and Scott Bessant, the Treasury Secretary, and Jameson Greer, the Trade Representative and said, no, we want to do business. We don't want to pay these tariffs. We want to do business. We want to level the playing field. We want to make a deal. All right? And right now there's a bunch of very hot deals on the front burner. Vietnam and Taiwan and South Korea and India, front burnt. Argentina is another one. Even the European Union talked about zero tariffs on all goods that won't be sufficient because of their non tariff barriers. But the point is they came to us. They didn't go to China, they came to us. And so Trump suspended his tariff charges, reciprocal tariff charges. And we're going to make deals and it's a very good thing, not easy to do. You know, maybe it could have been handled a little better, a little, maybe a little more gradual. But I don't really feel like second guessing. And Trump's a very good negotiator after that, you know, after that shock and awe on. What did he call it? Liberation Day. I mean, all these countries came to us, all right? They didn't go to China. They want to deal with us.

[Buck Sexton]

Talking to Larry Kudlow here. You can watch him on Fox Business. I'll be on with him later this evening in the Fox studios. What does a successful trade policy with China look like to you? Let's pretend you were a mediator. I know you're obviously skewed in favor of the United States, but let's pretend you were hired as a mediator. You're very knowledgeable economically and your job was to bring a solution to the United States and China. What does fair trade policy with China actually look like?

[Clay Travis]

If I were a China mediator, I'd probably resign and look for another job. That's what I'd have to do.

[Buck Sexton]

But what does a successful trade package look like in terms of if we could finally get a resolution, what would it look like from your perspective?

[Clay Travis]

I was on the China trade team.

[Buck Sexton]

Yep.

[Clay Travis]

In the first term. Okay. I spent two years. All right. Our team leader was Robert Lighthizer. Bob Lighthizer, who, by the way, is a genius on this stuff. Steve Mnuchin, then the Treasury Secretary, he was handling the financial companies. I was NEC director. Wilbur Ross was Commerce Secretary. Wilbur was on the show last night. He and I handled the commodity section. We had a huge, I Mean, we spent almost two years, we made a deal was, you know, China trade deal phase one and was signed in early January of 2020. And it included provisions to stop intellectual property theft, to allow American companies to operate in China as American run companies, not Chinese run companies, so the forced technology transfer would go away. Anyway. We did this whole deal and they did not implement any of it. And then of course, In January of 2020, China already knew that they were stuck with this Covid disease, this COVID virus, and they tried to cover it up. And we learned in the next. There are always rumors, and we learned literally in the next couple weeks in January that China was suffering from a countrywide virus. And then of course, the rest is history. Now they say they didn't implement the deal because of COVID Okay. But Covid has been gone for a couple of years and China has not come back to the deal. So I'm saying to you, it's always possible that we could go back and work through commodities, financial companies, insurance companies, intellectual property sets, forced transfer of technology, American ownership, lower tariffs, get your tariffs down along with all the non tariff bearers. It's possible we could go back and conduct a China deal, you know, phase two. All right, it's possible. It would look a lot like phase one. They'd have to change their laws, which they never did, by the way. Part of that deal was stop producing the parts for fentanyl and other drugs. They promised they would do that in dinner in Buenos Aires in Argentina. I was there. It's a G20 meeting US China. The first question Trump asked Xi was, will you stop producing fentanyl and would mind you put a capital punishment on people producing fentanyl? And she, without batting an eye, said, yes, we will do that. And of course he lied through his teeth. Right. This was in. This was in, I don't know, probably late, sometime in late 2019. What do you think of 2019?

[Buck Sexton]

No, this is all, all great detail. What do you think we know? Kind of, because you know Trump well, we kind of have a sense how Trump is responding. What do you think Chairman Z's advisors are telling him right now in China? How much do you think they are panicked about where we are right now? How would you assess leverage, negotiating ability here vis a vis US and China?

[Clay Travis]

Look, the reality in the economy is the United States. With a tariff of 145%, the United States is no longer a customer of cheap China goods.

[Buck Sexton]

Yep.

[Clay Travis]

Period, Full stop. Okay? That will ruin an economy that's still reeling from a Real estate collapse, bust that happened a couple years ago, and they still haven't recovered from that. Now, the thing about she is he has economic advisors, by the way. I knew some of them because we worked well and a couple of them were pretty good reformers, I might add. But she doesn't listen to them. You talk to people, as I have, who are still operating, Americans who are still operating in China, particularly the insurance industry, which has a long history in China, American owned, okay? They will tell you that Xi Jinping is not just the head of the Communist Party. He views himself as an emperor. As an emperor. They're running pictures and clips of Mao Tai Tung right now. I don't know if you've seen any of this stuff. One of the, you know, all time great killers in humanity. She thinks he's emperor, all right, and he's running the show. And if you don't do what he wants, you're out. And so I, I think it's almost impossible at this point. They may be brought to their knees on economic ground. They still have a very strong military. They're pouring money into the military, as I'm sure you know. You know, they had military exercises circling Taiwan the minute Pete Hegseth left after his meetings in Taiwan. So the military side is very difficult, and that goes along with the economic side. So I'm not optimistic about this. But the point, here's the point. We don't need them. We don't need them, okay? I know there's supply chains that have to be altered. I get that. But Vietnam, which is a communist country, has become an American ally. They want to make a deal and they can produce the same goods that China did. Malaysia, the same story. Cambodia, the same story. India, the same story. Korea, the same story. Taiwan, the same story. It's not like trans shipping anymore where China would use another country to get around the terror. They're doing it themselves now. They've grown up. Their economies have grown up. So I don't think we need them. And I think that Xi has gotten boxed in. Trump completely outboxed him on this. China has nowhere to turn now. I'm reading in the papers Xi is going to Europe, okay, to try to bring them on his side. They won't because they suffer the same problem. China sends cheap goods, cheap cars, undercutting everybody, Mercedes Benz into Europe, and Europe is sick of it. And Europe is talking about tariffs on China, even Mexico. All right? China used Mexico to tranship. Well, fentanyl for one thing, but also automobile parts and so forth. Mexico is slapping tariffs on China so China can do and go wherever they want. But right now they're at the short end of the stick. Trump knows this right and he will keep tightening the noose around China. You watch, you wait and see.

[Buck Sexton]

Larry Kudlow, I will see you in a little bit in the Fox Business studios. Keep up the good work. Appreciate the time today.

[Clay Travis]

You got it. Anytime. Take care. See you later. Bye bye.

[Buck Sexton]

Yeah, for sure. I will see Larry Kudlow put on Fox Business. You'll see us in the same studio here in a little bit. Here in America, we can't imagine living under the constant threat of terrorism and rocket attacks. In Israel, it's a way of life. Parents taking their kids to school suddenly drop to the ground as sirens blare or they rush to the nearest bomb shelter. In fact, we were over there last December. Residents told us israel safe except for the terrorism. Think about that for a moment. Recently, missile attacks from Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas forces have started up again. That's why we're partnering with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews to help provide life saving aid and security essentials. You're urgent gift today will go towards bomb shelters, flak jackets, bulletproof vests. You can help first responders on the front lines with armored vehicles, ambulances and more. Join us in standing with Israel. Call to make your gift at 888-488-IFCJ. That's 888-488-4325. You can also go online to supportifcj.org to give that website again. Supportifcj.org stories of freedom, stories of America. Inspirational stories that unite us all each day. Spend time with Clay and Buck. Find them on the free iHeartrad radio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, it is Ryan and I was on a flight the other day playing one of my favorite social spin slot games on jumbacasino.com I looked over the person sitting next to me and you know what they were doing. They're also playing Chumba Casino. Everybody's loving having fun with it. Chumba Casino is home to hundreds of casino style games that you can play for free anytime, anywhere. So sign up [e-mail] to claim your free welcome bonus. That's chumbacasino.com and live the Chumba Life. Sponsored by Chumba Casino. No purchase necessary VGW Group void where prohibited by law 21/ terms and conditions apply. You know how we're always talking about what's next. Well, I found it. It's called Formula E. Forget everything you think you know about racing. This isn't just cars going fast. It's like a supercomputer on wheels. The tech is insane and the drivers, they're like chess grandmasters at 200 miles per hour. You've got to see it. Trust me, you'll be hooked. Follow Formula E live on Roku Next Race Miami, April 12 AI is rewriting the business playbook with productivity boosts and faster decision making coming to every industry. If you're not thinking about AI, you can bet your competition is. This is not where you want to drop the ball, but AI requires a lot of compute power and with most.

[Clay Travis]

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[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

All the letters are out to the.

[Buck Sexton]

Folks who were pushed out and we welcome them back as quickly and robustly as possible. That is phenomenal. That is Pete Hegseth. That is promises made, promises kept. Exactly the right result. Speaking of the right result, you can save up to $1,000 a year if your family's a part of Pure Talk. My 14 year old on PureTalk. My 17 year old in a car right now on his way to an out of state school trip. I've been texting with him to make sure that everything's going well. He's on a Pure Talk phone. My 14 year old also on a Pure Talk phone. I trust my family for your Pure Talk. You can too. Using your cell phone you can save up to $1,000 a year. Same phone, same phone number. If you'd like dial £250, say Clay and Buck and you'll save an additional 50% off your first month. Again, £250, say Clay and Buck. To start saving today, Pure Talk Wireless by Americans for America. We are joined now by the weekend host of Fox and Friends, Rachel Compost Duffy. I am going to be on with her for eight hours this weekend. And Rachel, I thought that since I have not been on the show as anything other than a guest before, that you should come on and tell the audience what I should do to avoid unmitigated disaster. And thank you also for coming on with us. You did this show and have done this show for quite some time with Will Kane and Pete Hegseth. And now you've got Charlie Hurt and you've got a rotating collection of guest hosts. So what should I know?

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

Well, first of all, Pete Hegstaff held my hand when I was getting my two legs on the show and Ainsley Earhart sent me really great advice. So I'm gonna. Should I just lay it out?

[Buck Sexton]

Just lay it out. And then, by the way, for people who don't know, to reinforce, if you haven't gotten enough time with me already this week, I'll be on for four hours on Saturday and four hours for Sunday with Rachel and Charlie Hurt. Alright, so what advice did you get?

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

Okay, so, well, here's the deal. First, you got to get a good night's sleep. It took me a long time to figure out that the best prep for this show is sleep. Because it's four hours. It's a marathon. Your brain has to be firing up, especially when you have amazing co hosts like Charlie or when I had Will and Pete. These are sharp people and you got to be ready to go. So sleep well, okay? Take your magnesium, get a good night's sleep, get in there early, get your hair and makeup done. You know how to do that. And then come with an appetite because this weekend we have several awesome food segments.

[Buck Sexton]

Yes.

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

So we eat a lot. We don't think that we eat. We don't just eat. We often order breakfast or then eat what we're doing on the segment. So it's an eating show. So bring your appetite. You're going to get an E packet in the morning which is like, you know, we have these awesome producers that amalgamate all the news of the day and the best stuff that happened the night before in terms of clips. And so you're going to read that? I read it on my way into the office because I have about an hour drive in. In the morning, you'll probably be at a hotel nearby. So take your time, read that, and then just sit down, enjoy the show. You know, Tucker Carlson used to do the Weekend Thoughts and Friends show, and he would often say that, you know, he didn't like to prep. He just liked to see it unfold. And I have done shows like that, and I like it, too. So there's a couple ways. Ways to do it. You can prep for your segments, or you can just watch it unfold before you.

[Buck Sexton]

Okay, we got a bunch. I'm going to dive into this in a sec. But you were instrumental, I believe, in getting Buck and Carrie together. Buck is out right now because Kerry is having their first ever baby. You've had a few babies yourself. Do you want to take a bow for helping them to get together?

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

I absolutely will. I am a perennial hopeless matchmaker, and I often bring up those two when I brag about my, My. My efforts and my success. I believe the best relationships these days are not done through apps, but through people who know you and bring you together and people who advise you on, like, what is a great mate because they have one themselves. And so I did have those conversations with her, and I think that she took my advice and Buck had all the right qualities and she was smart and she jumped on it.

[Buck Sexton]

And now they're having a baby. So, like, you're helping to make the world's population grow in addition to all the kids that you and your husband Sean have brought into the world. Let me ask you about this. What's it like to be married to a member of the Cabinet? How has that been going for you and your family? I actually saw your husband on Air Force One, which is kind of a cool place to run into somebody. He was coming back up for the weekend. But what's that been like? I mean, you guys have done television for a long time. You've done media for a long time. I know he has the background in Congress, too, but what has being a member of the Trump Cabinet been like for you and your family?

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

Well, it is different. You know, when you call your husband, you're like, I need to. There's a leak in the faucet. He's like, I'm about to enter into the Cabinet meeting, and I forget that he's doing that. So there's that. I think one of the hard parts is we never get alone time. And what I mean by that, Clay, is he now has secret. A Secret Service detail. It's not as large as Pete, for example, but he is surrounded at all times, you know, whether he's in the car or, you know, wherever. And so I just feel like we don't. We can't have these open, honest, you know, kind of conversations we normally have because people are around, and we're just used to having our own privacy like that. Every couple does. And so that's really hard for me. I can't. When he gets. And then he comes in the door and I, like, want to grab him, because I'd like 30 things I wanted to tell them. And then the kids also want to grab them and talk to him about what happened. And so it's just. There's just not enough. There's not enough Sean to go around Clay.

[Buck Sexton]

I mean, that's got to be kind of wild, right? Do you text? I remember reading before that people had Secret Service details. They didn't want to disagree necessarily in front of the Secret Service details, so they would like. And this is in the last decade or so as people text message. Do you text message? Like, uh, I think I remember reading that that was the way that they would have a conversation. Because my wife is always like, I, you know, we're traveling or something. She's mad at me about something. She's like, I don't want to get mad because you. Because we're at the airport and somebody's going to see it and everything else. What's it like to have, like, a Secret Service agent kind of around all the time?

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

So I've been in the car with Sean, and I want to tell him something personal. And I'm. We're literally in. Sitting next to each other, texting each other.

[Buck Sexton]

Yes.

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

But also, I'm Latin and really hot. Like, I run hot, you know? And so, like, I will text him stuff, and he'll be like. And this even happened before he was in the Cabinet. And, you know. You know, all of our, you know, you, me, Sean, we are target of, you know, the intelligence agencies under the Biden administration. So Sean would text back, go. Really, Rachel? Is that what you want the FBI to know about us? So text. Fighting. Sometimes I can't resist. And he always gives me that reminder that, you know, there is nothing private anymore, which is really sad. I wish we lived in a world with more privacy.

[Buck Sexton]

No doubt. I mean, I've joked about that with my wife. I'm like, you really want China knowing this?

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

Because I just presume China is biting.

[Buck Sexton]

Well, yeah, that's probably true, too, but I just presume my phone's been Hacked by China for years. So tomorrow we're gonna be live 6 to 10. You talked about the big takeaways for people. I imagine that it's a great question. What percentage of the audience right now has never watched Fox and Friends? I would think almost everybody has watched Fox and Friends weekend that's listening to us right now, but let's pretend they have not. What do you tr. What do you hope that a viewer would get from Fox and Friends Weekend? I'm going to be on the next couple of days. But you've been doing this for a while now. What's Your goal from 6 to 10am what do you hope people take away from the show?

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

Friends. Yeah, I mean, that's the real thing. Like, we are all really friends. And I think people saw that when Pete was going through the transition process, and they were being really mean to him and unnecessarily evil. And Will and I were like. Because we really do love each other. And I feel the same way about Charlie. And you're our friend. And so I think, you know, we're just going to. People will tune in and they'll see Friends hanging out, having coffee, and they just feel like they're. I mean, that's what people say. I feel like I know you. And to me, that's the highest compliment because it means they get up in the morning, they're in their PJs, they're pouring their coffee, they're making their pancakes, and they're with us as we go through the morning. And we do everything. You know, we'll do a really hard, you know, economic segment, you know, on Cherifs. And then, you know, we're eating hot dogs, you know, or we're, you know, there's puppies on the set. And so it's a really fun show that moves, you know, in every single direction.

[Clay Travis]

And.

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

And you're just going to love it. Clay, you're like, the perfect personality for it. We're so excited to have you. So bring your game, bring your sleep, you know, sleep tight. And I think we're just going to go in for a ride. I think people, if you haven't watched it, you should tune in, because it's a great, fun show. You'll get opinion news, you know, tips on your life, tips on what to do with your food segments. It's just got everything. You know, what Will Kane used to call it? Clay? He called it Sabado Gigante. And Will Kane is actually much more Latin than people know. The fact that he had that Reference. That's a Saturday variety show that was also, like, four or five hours long on Telemundo. And so it's a little bit like an English version of Salvador Gigante. So bring your Latin game, too, Clay.

[Buck Sexton]

Ah, man, I'm awful at accents, as everybody who's listening right now well knows. Okay, so last question for you. You just. We talk about the fact that you got Buck and Carrie together. I believe you have seven kids. We have. Obviously, a lot of people not. Oh, my goodness. Well, I'm glad I got that fixed before television. All right, what advice would you have? Because we'll clip this and we'll share it. For Buck and Carrie, you've been through this so many times now. What advice would you have for new parents? I've got three. My wife and I. Obviously, you've got nine. So you've been through this a ton of times. What advice would you have for new parents out there?

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

I always tell new parents that the first one is the hardest, and it is the first one. So don't. Don't stop. Because it was hard. Because the first one is the hardest. It interferes with, like. I mean, it's just your whole, like, freedom thing, like, ends. Right. And that's a hard adjustment. And you're learning how to do things with a baby for the first time and how to figure them out once you get past three. It's so easy. It's great. And, you know, obviously, every kid has challenges. Everything. You know, nothing's ever perfect. But as far as the baby phase, that gets easier. And I would say this. This is the best advice I ever got, Clay. And I give this to every single mom I talk to, and they always want to ask me about how many they should have and how do I have so many? I have a lot because I'm Catholic. I'm Hispanic and Catholic, and Sean is Irish and Catholic, and the number just happens. But the best advice is don't plan how many you want right now. Don't think about, oh, my God, I'm going to go into diapers right now.

[Buck Sexton]

Think.

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

Give yourself a pause and think 20 years forward. How many do you want around the Thanksgiving table?

[Buck Sexton]

That's great advice. That's great. That's how we ended up with three. My wife was like, not. I managed to convince her to go for three. And I think she would say that that's the best decision she's ever made. So I think that is great advice. Rachel, I can't wait to hang out with you for four hours tomorrow and four hours on Sunday. I'm going to do my best to get my sleep and be bright eyed and bushy tailed and it should be a lot of fun.

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

Wear your sleep mask tonight.

[Buck Sexton]

I don't even know what that is, but I think I'm in trouble. No matter what I'm going to be, it's going to be hard to fall asleep because I'm going to be excited. But I can't wait. It's going to be fun.

[Rachel Campos-Duffy]

You got it. All right. Bye Clay.

[Buck Sexton]

Thanks. That is Rachel Compost Duffy. Thanks to her for helping to get Buck and Carrie together. And you'll be able to hang out with us on Saturday and Sunday if you so desire. As you wake up and you have your Crockett coffee in the morning, use code book. You get an autographed copy of my most recent book and go to crockettcoffee.com and we also want you Buck is getting ready to have a new baby. What do you need when you have a new baby? For anybody out there? Energy. It takes a lot to take care of a new baby and Buck has been on chalk and it makes a huge difference for him. And it can make a huge difference for you too so that you have Donald Trump energy and not Joe Biden energy. Male Vitality Stack controls has a leading ingredient that has been proven to increase testosterone by as much as 20% just three months month's time. That's your body's natural source of energy. Over time it naturally reduces. That's what happens. But 20% increase in as little as three months time. The Male Vitality Stack can help to combat energy issues for you. And also they have a female Vitality Stack for the ladies out there. So if you need more energy, maybe you're kicking around watching the Masters this weekend. Maybe you're gonna be waking up early like I am doing Fox and Friends weekend in addition to whatever else you might be doing. Maybe you just got new obligations like I do for the weekend. A little bit extra energy can make a difference. Use my name Clay right now. You can get the best discount and subscription discount for [e-mail] don't be like the Biden administration was get trust me some energy in your life with chalk. Chalk.com My name Clay for the best discount for life Stories of freedom, Stories of America. Inspirational stories that unite us all each day Spirit. Spend time with Clay and Buck. Find them on the free iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast. You know how we're always talking about what's Next. Well, I found it. It's called Formula E. Forget everything you think you know about racing. This isn't just cars going fast. It's like a supercomputer on wheels. The tech is insane and the drivers, they're like chess Grandmasters, boosters at 200 miles per hour. You've got to see it. Trust me, you'll be hooked. Follow Formula E live on Roku next race Miami, Apr 12 Tariff wars, recession fears and stubborn inflation. No wonder gold has been hitting all time highs in volatile markets like right now. Take control and safeguard your savings. That's why so many Americans today are turning to Birch Gold Group. They've helped tens of thousands of people convert an existing IRA or 401k into an IRA and physical gold. Gold is a safe haven in hard economic times. Is it time for you to hedge against inflation and economic instability with gold? To learn how to own physical gold in a tax sheltered account, text my name Buck Do 989898 Birchgold will send you a free no obligation info kit with an A rating with the Better Business Bureau and countless five star reviews. I trust birchgold to help me protect my savings with gold and you can too. It took us decades to get into the tangled mess we're trying to unpack now. How long will it take to get out of it? And at what cost? Text Buck to 989898 today Text B U C K to 989898 today don't get suckered into the same old free phone game by Big Wireless. That comes with a lot of fine print like requiring you to sign up for four lines plus activation fees plus plus plus at the end of the day you've paid for that phone free phone three times over. There's a better way. PureTalk, our sponsor and the wireless carrier we recommend has a much better offer. A free phone with qualifying plans of just $35 a month and you can get the brand new Samsung Galaxy A26. This thing virtually indestructible gorilla glass included. Capture beautiful wide angle photos with next generation camera lenses. All you need to do is switch to PureTalk for just $35 a month. You get unlimited talk, text and 15 gig with mobile hotspot all on America's most dependable 5G network. Go to PureTalk.com buck to claim your free Samsung Galaxy with qualifying plan. PureTalk Wireless by Americans for Americans Grand Canyon University, a private Christian university in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona believes we're endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. GCU believes in equal opportunity and the American Dream starts with purpose. GCU equips you to serve others in ways that promote human flourishing and create a ripple effect of transformation for generations to come. By honoring your career, calling you impact your family, your friends and your community. You can change the world for good by putting others before yourself to glorify God. Whether your pursuit involves a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree, GCU's online, on campus and hybrid learning environments are designed to help you achieve your unique academic, personal and professional goals. With over 340 academic programs as of September 2024, GCU meets you where you are and provides a path to help you fulfill your dreams. The pursuit to serve others is yours. Let it flourish. Find your purpose at Grand Canyon University Private christian affordable visit gcu.edu there's an efficient way to get caught up on a lot of news. It's called the seven from the Washington Post. It's a newsletter and podcast. Whether you're reading or hit play, you get seven stories you need to know and you can consume it all in just a few minutes. The 7 is out every weekday morning by 7:00am Eastern. I'm Hannah Jewell, I'm one of the writers and I host the show. Find the seven podcast wherever you're listening. The newsletter link is waiting for you in the show notes. Welcome back in Clay Travis Buck Sexton show we are going to give you the last hour of the week week next I've got really interesting take here. The House passed a bill that would do something crazy, would require you to have an ID to actually vote. We're going to play that for you at the top of the next hour, but let's dive into some of your questions. A ton of you wanting to weigh in. We try to take calls on Friday to make sure we're on top of it. Greg in Walder Bow I probably misspelled mispronounce that main Greg. I'm not familiar with that town. Appreciate you calling it sounds like he might be there. Greg is gone. Let's go to James down in Gulf Shores, Alabama. I love it down there. People who don't know. I spend a lot of time on the Great Gulf of America established in 2025. James, what you got for us?

[Clay Travis]

It's beautiful. It's a hidden paradise. You know, the trillions of dollars debt.

[Buck Sexton]

That we have and the revenue we have, most of the people don't understand.

[Clay Travis]

What that means, so let's dumb it down all right, let's act like the national revenue coming in and the spending pattern is a household. So take eight zeros off, $4.5 trillion. That's what we take in. So that's 45,000.

[Buck Sexton]

So you're making $45,000 a year, but you spend 6.5 trillion. So let's dumb that down.

[Clay Travis]

Take eight zeros off, that's 65,000. So you spent 20,000 more than you.

[Buck Sexton]

Took in on your household budget.

[Clay Travis]

No worry. Just put it on the credit card. The credit card is $36 trillion. Take eight zeros off, that's $360,000. How many households can live with a budget? Revenue coming in, expenses going out, and then the major debt.

[Buck Sexton]

Nobody can. Thank you for the call. I mean, if you break it down on a family household basis, we're bankrupt, right? Every household in America would be bankrupt. Johnson City, Tennessee. Oh, that's a good place. Good song. What you got for us, Frank?

[Clay Travis]

Well, hi, I'm the longtime listener to.

[Buck Sexton]

Rush and now you and Buck appreciate that.

[Clay Travis]

I was wondering how much weight you put in Trump's tariff policy in China is that he's been after China all along, especially in his first administration. Had a screwed him in his last year with the COVID And knowing Trump, he likes to get back. You know, he will. He. I'm sure he plotted this out and put it all together and he was ready to do it.

[Buck Sexton]

Thanks for the call. I think. I'm not sure how much of it's related to Covid. I've made this argument for a long time. I know Buck would sign off on it as well. The fact that we have allowed China to effectively get away with lying about everything having to do with the origin of COVID and the fact that our tax dollars, through Dr. Fauci, went in some ways to expand the gain of function research that helped to create Covid is indefensible, to say nothing of the way that we responded to Covid. All that's indefensible. But I think based on my interaction with him, based on the time that I've spent with him, Trump sees three existential massive threats that the United States faces. One is the border. He's effectively shut down the southern border. He's trying to deport violent felons. He's on the ball there. Two is the budget. As our last caller before our Johnson City, by the way, Wagon Wheel. Great song. Johnson City, Tennessee. I can't even hear Johnson City without immediately thinking about the line from Wagon Wheel. But as we said, border getting worked on budget is a mess. That's what Elon Musk is doing with Doge, trying to save money there. And then the third thing that is a mess that is unsustainable is our trade imbalance with China and the fact that China is cheating on trade. Trump sees it as his opportunity in the next 18 months to fix three exit existential crisis in the country. We'll talk about that next. You know how we're always talking about what's next? Well, I found it. It's called Formula E. Forget everything you think you know about racing. This isn't just cars going fast. It's like a supercomputer on wheels. The tech is insane and the drivers, they're like chess grandmasters at 200 miles per hour. You got to see it. Trust me, you'll be hooked. Follow Formula E live on Roku Next Race, Miami, April 12 okay, real talk, we're all kind of hooked on our phones. It's full of shiny apps designed to keep your attention captive forever. But there's real life stuff to do other than scrolling, and I'm here to help. I'm Christina Quinn, the host of Try this, a podcast from the Washington Post. The show explores solutions for life's common problems, and this season we're learning to tame the dopamine beast and reclaim our attention in this noisy and distracting world. So let's tame the beast together. Find Try this from the Washington Post Wherever you listen, Deciding on what to listen to is hard. Using Xumo to stream music from iHeart 90s radio is easy or play iHeart country or hip hop beats your choice. All for free. Stream Easy with Xumo Play. Get live and on demand entertainment with no logins, no signups, no accounts, no hassle. This April, binge these classics the Whole Nine Yards starring Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry. Adaptation with Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep and the Fisher King with Robin Williams. All streaming free on Zumo Play. Go to play.zumo.com now. Life is hard. Zumo is easy. For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much. More Thrivent where money means more Connect with [e-mail] Stay connected when it matters most. Be prepared with Rapid Radio's walkie talkies with instant push to talk and LTE nationwide coverage, you can reach family and friends in any emergency. 100% private, no contracts, no hassle, limited time offer. Visit rapidradios.com to save up to 60% and get free UPS shipping from Michigan. Use code RADIO25 for an extra $25 off and a free EMP protection bag. Stay safe. Order now at rapidradios. Com.