I’m Not Sure Who Loves America More

Summary

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The Isabel Brown Show – “I’m Not Sure Who Loves America More”

Date: June 26, 2026
Host: Isabel Brown (The Daily Wire)

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Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Isabel Brown explores an unexpected wave of American patriotism sweeping the country during the World Cup. She highlights how international visitors are discovering and openly adoring U.S. culture, challenging decades of negative stereotyping in the media and academia. The discussion spans the viral phenomenon of foreign fans (especially “Freddie the German”) falling in love with American life, the mainstream media’s mixed and sometimes begrudging response, and the larger implications this has for how Americans view themselves and their culture.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Viral World Cup Patriotism and Foreigners’ Love for America (01:00–05:04)

• International Visitors Surprised by America:

  • Americans and visiting fans are buzzing about the possibility of the U.S. winning the World Cup, defying “every objective against them.”

  • Foreign visitors are “going insanely viral for feeling like they’ve been lied to about America.” Many share astonishment at American friendliness, abundance, and culture—contrary to media portrayals.

    “People who want American who have traveled to the World Cup are realizing they didn’t lie to. We owe America a huge apology because America is nothing think like what the media tells us. Everyone is so frenzy. Everyone is so accommodating. I feel like I’ve been lied to my entire life about America.” (02:00)

• Freddie the German: The Breakout Star

  • Freddie, a German tourist, documents his journey across America, quickly becoming a “national symbol for American pride” on social media. His candid amazement at U.S. life—from music concerts to roadside attractions—has turned him into a “macro influencer.”

  • His rise reflects the welcoming, interconnected, and sometimes extraordinary nature of everyday American culture.

  • The host notes pushback from outlets like The Atlantic, who question these wholesome viral stories as “too good to be true” or criticize the celebration of “American excess” (03:10).

    “Can we not celebrate the fact that a random kid from Germany gets the chance to be backstage with one of the hottest country music artists right now simply because he liked listening to her music and posted on Twitter about it?” (03:35)

• Mainstream Media’s Contradictory Tone:

  • While American influencers routinely accept promotional gifts and experiences, some media outlets seem uncomfortable when foreigners like Freddie gain similar attention for simply expressing joy about the U.S. (03:55)

  • The New York Times apparently frames foreign visitors’ enjoyment of “mundane” spots like Buc-EE’s or Bass Pro Shops as something to gawp at—revealing deep cultural disconnects between media elites and broader America.

    “Tell me you’re a ridiculously out of touch coastal elitist who never leaves the few square miles of Manhattan without telling me.” (05:04)

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2. Culture, Education, and American Self-Perception (05:31–08:59)

• Roots of Negative Stereotypes

  • Isabel argues that disdain for American culture is “strategically taught” through the education system, especially on university campuses which often focus on the country’s flaws while ignoring its virtues.

    “I actually think one of the major reasons that we are strategically taught to hate our country stems from the education system and in particular, college campuses that are just trying to brainwash as many people in our generation to believe our country is inherently evil as possible.” (05:31)

• A Standout University Experience

  • Among rare exceptions, Pepperdine University is praised for its commitment to objective truth and open inquiry, both on its Malibu and D.C. campuses—serving as an example of the kind of institution that fosters patriotic and critical citizenship.
  • Pepperdine’s programs in public policy are described as intellectually rigorous, rooted in history and philosophy, and supportive through scholarships.

• World Cup as a Catalyst for Patriotism

  • The World Cup’s impact is palpable—even in reliably progressive places like Seattle, where thousands gathered to support Team USA.

  • Isabel notes with irony that even here, “Seattle media” chooses to fixate on the supposed discomfort of blending patriotism with sports, often linking it to current or former political scandals instead of embracing a broader celebration.

    “But the Seattle media? Not having it. Not having it. Some Seattle soccer fans have mixed feelings about patriotically backing the United States team during the FIFA Men's World cup, given the actions of, of course, Orange man, bad President Donald Trump. You can't, you can't make this stuff up.” (07:19)

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3. American Determination and a History of Beating the Odds (08:59–10:40)

• Resilience and the American Story

  • Isabel reminds listeners that doubt and improbability have never stopped Americans before, citing everything from the Wright brothers’ first flight to landing on the moon.

    “Is it statistically probable that the United States men's team is going to win the World Cup? No, of course not. But historically, it's when it's the least statistically probable that we do pull through a major international win like this that we do. And don't put it past the United States.” (09:27)

• Recent American Successes

  • The show references the U.S. Olympic hockey team, the Knicks’ unexpected NBA win, and shows of “extreme patriotism” at recent UFC events to reinforce that American pride remains vibrant and surprising.

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4. Freddie’s Ongoing American Adventure & Audience Engagement (10:41–end)

• Freddie’s Exploration Continues

  • Freddie’s travelogue now brings him through upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Amish country—symbolizing a continued, real-time rediscovery of the “real America” for both locals and his global followers.

    “He’s back in the United States on his home 13th state mind you, and now exploring the Northeast, driving through New York, Pennsylvania, even parts of Ohio and exploring stuff like Amish country, the Adirondack Mountains and so much in between.” (10:54)

• Call to Listeners

  • Isabel encourages listeners to suggest hidden gems and must-see places for Freddie’s road trip—closing the episode with an open invitation for Americans to take pride in their ordinary yet extraordinary country.

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Notable Quotes

• On Viral Foreign Appreciation:
  “Decades of anti America propaganda obliterated in one summer.” (02:55)
• On Cultural Disconnect:
  “Whoever wrote this article, the mundane parts of American life are going to the gas station and Bass Pro Shops. What? I don’t know the last time you’ve been to Bass Pro, but it’s anything but mundane.” (05:00)
• On Overcoming Odds:
  “In the span of a few decades, we went from a rickety metal frame that basically was like a giant kite carrying the first two men through the sky to the first man setting forth foot on the moon simply because of American determination and sheer grit.” (09:08)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Content | Timestamp | |--------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|----------------| | Viral foreign fan love | Foreigners fall for America during the World Cup | 01:00–05:04 | | Media responses | The Atlantic & NYT skeptical/negative coverage | 03:10–05:04 | | Education critique | Campus culture, Pepperdine as counterexample | 05:31–06:55 | | World Cup patriotism | Seattle fans, media’s cynicism, patriotism resurgence | 06:55–08:59 | | American determination | Historic wins & cultural resilience | 08:59–10:40 | | Freddie’s journey | North-East trip & listener engagement | 10:41–end |

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Tone and Closing Thoughts

The episode is spirited, unapologetically patriotic, and often tongue-in-cheek, countering cynicism in media and academia with real-life stories of positivity and unity. Isabel invites listeners to reclaim pride in American everyday culture—emphasizing that seeing the nation through new eyes can help rekindle genuine appreciation and hope.

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Transcript

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[Ben Shapiro]

Checking in from Alaska, where, yes, everyone here is still talking about the World Cup. And it just feels like everywhere I travel in our country right now, people are all of a sudden getting really into soccer, making bets that the United States of America could pull through and win it all despite every single objective against them. And everyone from other countries who has come to visit the US Seems to be falling in love with our country with every single passing day or every fast food restaurant and Buc EE's gas station along the way. But for whatever reason, the American and Western mainstream media are piss about so many Europeans and foreign fans coming to America and falling in love with the heart of American culture. Probably because they've been strategically lying to us for so long that Americans just don't have any culture. We do. And foreign fans visiting the US Are going insanely viral for feeling like they've been lied to about America. I mean, the White House even posted this the other day.

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America, it is happening. You see it. People who want American who have traveled to the World cup are realizing they didn't lie to. We owe America a huge apology because America is nothing. Think like what the media tells us. Everyone is so frenzy. Everyone is so accommodating. I feel like I've been lied to my entire life about America. Texas is good. Everything is big. W. I love it. This is so insane. Look at all the American flags. Yeah, Beer and bar. Yeah, that's very. You get red milk and then they're like, this is probably the best story ever. Thank you. Cheers. The best years of America. Wait, what? America. 10 out of 10 have to say this about the World Cup. America has absolutely smashed it.

[Ben Shapiro]

Best to description humanly possible. Decades of anti America propaganda obliterated in one summer. And Americans have fallen in love along the way too. Again with our own country and culture, which we've been strategically in the education system and the entertainment industry and the media. That it doesn't exist or that we should hate ourselves because we're so evil as Americans. But also with seeing our country through fresh eyes. Thanks to people like Freddie the German, who's gone insanely viral on social media over the last few weeks, traveling through the American south and falling in love with the simple things of America. That quickly escalated into opportunities to attend Ella Langley's concert and meet her backstage. And sad experiences of missed flights to the next Germany game in Toronto, where American airlines, other major commercial airliners govern of entire states, and even CEOs of private jet companies stepped in to save the day. At this point, Freddie has become a national symbol for American pride. And quite the macro. I wouldn't even say micro macro influencer on social media. And people in the mainstream media are pissed about it. The Atlantic runs a massive headline last week. The feel good story of the World cup is too good to be true. Some of the people celebrating American excess aren't what they seem. Okay, can we just. Can we not like nice things? Can we not celebrate the fact that a random kid from Germany gets the chance to be backstage with one of the hottest country music artists right now simply because he liked listening to her music and posted on Twitter about it? Can we not rejoice when huge multinational corporations like airline companies that universally have bad PR because everyone's just constantly complaining about them, step in to do something nice and wonderful and feel good because that's the core of American culture, that we take care of each other? I guess not. Largely because at least according to the Atlantic, Freddie is going to be bringing home thousands of dollars worth of free merchandise, as any American influencer would be receiving in PR for something like the World Cup. So it's fine when vapid blonde, ridiculously untalented famous tiktokers in America do all of that. But when a normal person who doesn't even show his face on social media because it's not about him shares his experience of falling in love with America.

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[Ben Shapiro]

Immediately. No. Right to jail. Right to jail. Right away, according to the Atlantic. The New York Times followed all of that up by making it seem like foreigners enjoying Bass pro shops and Buc EE's is somehow impoverished white trash or something.

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[Ben Shapiro]

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[Ben Shapiro]

Get that gator. They ran this headline. World cup Fans in the US are sightseeing seeing at Buc EE's and Bass Pro Shops. Social media dispatches from travelers headed to matches. Appreciate the more mundane parts of American life. They're a hit. Tell me you're a ridiculously out of touch coastal elitist who never leaves the few square miles of Manhattan without telling me. Whoever wrote this article, the mundane parts of American life are going to the gas station and Bass Pro Shops. What? I don't know the last time you've been to Bass Pro, but it's anything but mundane. Okay, okay, okay. I actually think one of the major reasons that we are strategically taught to hate our country stems from the education system and in particular, college campuses that are just trying to brainwash as many people in our generation to believe our country is inherently evil as possible. But traveling the country, I've been so lucky to visit the very, very few college campuses that still have their heads on straight, one of which is our friends at Pepperdine University. And now, living in D.C. i've realized that they don't just have a campus in beautiful Southern California on the coast of Malibu, but also have a huge campus in Washington, D.C. for the Pepperdine School of Public Policy. And if I had known that this program existed when I was looking at grad school initially, I 100% would have applied and attended. Pepperdine's DC campus has programs in public service, government policy, national security, and so, so, so much more. But also they have something that is increasingly rare in the world of higher education, a continued commitment to objective truth and the pursuit of it. You can customize your Masters of Public Policy track in a ton of different ways, from national security to American politics and even local government. And you're challenged to think about the issues that our country is dealing with today through the lens of historical understanding, philosophy, and the history of economic frameworks, so that you can apply the best possible knowledge that we have in the foundation of Western civilization to the problems that we'll face in the future. And if you're worried about cost, Pepperdine School of Public Policy helps cover the cost as well. They provide scholarship support to 90% of students, and they cover more than 70% of tuition. You can check out more about Pepperdine's School of Public Policy right now at Go Pepperdine Edu Dailywire Just last week the US Men's national team was playing in Seattle where they had quite an incredible game, mind you. And people from all over the country were completely bought into the United States winning this game because now we all ridiculously out of left field believe that America is going to take home the World cup for soccer. And yes, the world will be having to call it soccer once we win, by the way, because frankly, there's nothing we can't do when we put our mind to it. And watching the game in Seattle on TV last week blew my mind because there was a sea of thousands of ridiculously patriotic Americans waving American flags in the heart of Seattle. I don't think you understand how much of a big deal that is given the last few years of anti American, antifa related activity we've seen in places like Portland and Seattle and Denver and Minneapolis. But the Seattle media? Not having it. Not having it. Some Seattle soccer fans have mixed feelings about patriotically backing the United States team during the FIFA Men's World cup, given the actions of, of course, Orange man, bad President Donald Trump. You can't, you can't make this stuff up. My other personal favorite from the New York Times, an opinion piece that ran three weeks ago before we were all bought into the patriotism of the World Cup. Why does no one care about the World cup this year? We've missed the plot. How about this one from the conversation? As an American, should you feel guilty about rooting against the US in the World Cup?

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[Ben Shapiro]

But of all the headlines getting it completely wrong, the New York Post at least hit the nail right on the head. World cup tourists swoon over the real America and they're making us fall in love too. As for the fact if America is going to bring home the gold or not, don't put it past us. In the span of a few decades, we went from a rickety metal frame that basically was like a giant kite carrying the first two men through the sky to the first man setting forth foot on the moon simply because of American determination and sheer grit. Is it statistically probable that the United States men's team is going to win the World Cup? No, of course not. But historically, it's when it's the least statistically probable that we do pull through a major international win like this that we do. And don't put it past the United States. This year in particular, on our 250th birthday, we've already seen incredible wins at the United States Olympics, like the hockey team repeating the glory of the 1980s and the the miracle story the Knicks shocked the world by winning the NBA tournament the last couple of weeks and the iconic extreme patriotism that we saw during the UFC fight a couple of weeks ago tells me that you just shouldn't put anything past an American who has determination on their mind. As for Freddie, who is my new favorite content creator on the Internet, every single day I religiously am checking his X speed because I just have to see what he's up to that day. He's back in the United States on his home 13th state mind you, and now exploring the Northeast, driving through New York, Pennsylvania, even parts of Ohio and exploring stuff like Amish country, the Adirondack Mountains and so much in between. So if you could tell Freddy anywhere that he has to visit while he's driving through your neck of the woods in America, what should he add to his bucket list? Let us know in the comments.