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The Riley Gaines Show
Sarah Huckabee Sanders: Inside Trump’s White House & Fixing America’s Schools | The Riley Gaines Show
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- [00:01]
A
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- [00:35]
B
She's gone from White House press secretary under President Trump to being Arkansas's first female governor, all while raising a family. This is role model material. I love her. We are talking today to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. We're going to be talking about how she met President Trump, the time she got the phone call that she was going to be the press secretary. And it was done in true Trump fashion, by the way. We're talking about what it means to be pro life, pro woman, pro family, pro parental rights. We're talking about banning cell phones in schools and what a lot of critics, even conservatives, have to say about this. But why it's working. Listen to all of this. Stay tuned. Well, Governor, thank you for joining the Riley Gaines Show. I am so excited to chat with you. You have been one of those people I have really, really looked up to. I think female leadership, especially in the political realm, is very sparse. So when you see those women modeling the characteristics and the skill sets that you want to model and of course, that you hope your daughter models, you really hold onto them. So have been watching you, following you, amplifying everything that you're doing. So thank you for that. I wanted to ask you, I want to talk about Arkansas and what you guys are doing in your state. But I wanted to ask you first, number one, how did you meet President Trump? I don't think I've ever heard this story. And so I'm curious and I want to know what it was like when you got the call that he was tapping you in for his press secretary.
- [01:56]
C
You know, it's interesting. I first met the president because he was running against my dad. And if you even go back a little further, In 2012, there was a lot of talk about whether or not Donald Trump might run for president. My dad had a show on Fox News and he actually announced he wasn't running on my dad's TV program. And so first got exposed and started following his kind of political growth in those early days of 2012, but then really met him on the campaign trail when I was working for my dad, who was running in 2016. And Donald Trump announces, as everybody knows, he comes down the escalator and immediately sucks all of the oxygen out of the room and just completely dominated the field from the moment he stepped into the race. My dad got out and I was looking at the field and knew growing up in Arkansas, I did not want Hillary Clinton to become president, and I wanted to get behind and help somebody who I thought could best beat her. And so I joined the Trump campaign fairly early, but in a very different role than what I ended up doing. I came on board to help with outreach to women, to conservatives in the south, and kind of the evangelical crowd as a senior advisor. And I got a phone call one day from the campaign team, and they asked if I would be willing to do an interview on CNN the next morning. I said, sure, why not? I didn't know enough to say no. So I did it. They called me that afternoon and they didn't say I was good. They said, you're not that bad. Would you consider doing it again tomorrow? So I did. And for the next week, every day, I was doing daytime news interviews representing the Trump campaign. And I got a phone call with no hello, no greeting, but it was then candidate Donald Trump. And he told me, said, I don't care what they hired you to do. This is what you're supposed to be doing. I want you to go on TV every day and tell people why they should vote for me. And so my role shifted and I ended up becoming a surrogate on the campaign. The president obviously went on to win a historic victory in November. And by December, I was selling my. I'd sold my house in Arkansas and my family and our three kids were moving to D.C. so that I could work in the President's administration and was one of the first wave of staffers that went in right after he took the oath of office.
- [04:37]
A
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- [05:03]
B
You know, that that seems like true Trump fashion based on other conversations we've seen where it really is like no hello, no forewarning. It's like, hey, you're going to be doing this. Next question, please. So that's, that's interesting to hear. Now, Governor, you were in the White House during the most one of the most intense media environments in modern politics. What's your honest take on how the scope of the job as press secretary has changed? And I think more broadly speaking, how just the media and the consumption of media from your everyday American, how do you think that has changed?
- [05:41]
C
Well, I think Donald Trump has literally changed everything in the way that it functions in Washington, from the interactions that you have between the administration and Capitol Hill, certainly the media dynamic. You know, one of the things that this president understood that very few do, is despite the fact that he was and continues to be constantly at war and at battle with the press, he understands the power of it and how to use it and how to use his own platform. This was somebody who decided that he wasn't just going to stick with the traditional types of media, and if they were going to continue to attack him relentlessly, which they have done, he would simply go around them. And he's done that, and he's proven that he can still be successful. He can still get his message out without having to use them as the only tool to do so. And frankly, I think that's one of the things they hated the most, is that he didn't need them. He was able to talk directly to the American people without having to use the media in a way that everybody who had come before him had to. Now, that doesn't mean he doesn't still like to engage with them. I think some of that is just the way he's wired, that he kind of enjoys some of that back and forth. But they know that he doesn't need them, and he knows that. And I think that was one of the things that drove them so crazy in those early days of 2017 and during that first administration. And there was such a visceral anger towards him. Nobody expected him to be there from their side. And so when he showed up and he changed all the rules to the playbook they felt like they owned and had written, it made them pretty mad. But I don't know that it ever goes back. With the access of and through social media and podcasts like yours and all the other platforms that exist, I don't know that the traditional media route will ever be the same or that any other administration will stick to the script the way that they had in previous years. He's, I think, forever changed that landscape.
- [07:52]
B
Yeah, I think so, too. But I think it's his. His delivery and how he communicates. Whether it's like a true social post in the wee hours of the morning in all caps, it's desired by people. Again, you're talking to your common sense, everyday American. I think they appreciate that level of just rawness and realness, and that's what the president delivers. Now, with him back in office, of course he is pushing big changes on, I mean, you name it, the border economy, making America healthy again. How is Arkansas aligning with those efforts? And maybe what advice would you give the administration based on what's working that you've seen in your state?
- [08:36]
C
You know, I think you're exactly right. One of the reasons that the president is so popular and was able to win the presidency and the reason he's been able to get things done is because he is not a scripted robot and he is very raw. He tells you exactly what he's thinking, when he's thinking it. And people appreciate that level of access and authenticity that they get from this president that they've never had to any president before him. And so I think that is one of the big appeals of why he's able to get things done in Arkansas. We're trying to complement a lot of the good work that they're doing, certainly on the economy, in cutting taxes. That was one of the key pieces of one big, beautiful bill. As conservative Republicans, we believe that people can spend their money more wisely than the government can. So let's let them keep more of it. The more that we can do those kind of things, it grows our economy, it strengthens it. We've been able to cut taxes three times in the last three years, knocking 20% off our state income tax. We're on track to do that again here in the next couple of weeks. And we will have returned more than a billion and a half dollars back to Arkansans through tax cuts. So we're trying to follow and support some of those things. Security on the board, public safety is one of the most important responsibilities that the government has. People want to know that they can walk down their streets, live in their communities, raise their families in places that are safe. That's been a huge tenet of what the president campaigned on and what he's delivered on, whether that's through supporting law enforcement, whether that's through securing the border. There are a number of different ways that this president has shown that we are going to prioritize, provide safe communities for our kids to grow up in. And I think that will continue to be something we focus on here in Arkansas and continue to help the help this president enact across the country.
- [10:41]
B
Yeah, and you mentioned the big, beautiful bill. One portion of that was dedicated to defunding Planned Parenthood. Arkansas has been named the most pro life state in America, I think, for what, six years straight. And so I wanted to ask you, I think, especially as a woman and as a mother, what does being unapologetically pro life mean to you? And how, I guess, do you respond to critics who say that conservatives only care about life before, excuse me, before birth.
- [11:12]
C
Yeah, I firmly believe that if we are going to be pro life, which I am proud of, the fact that Arkansas is the most pro life state in the country, that it can't just be about the baby in the womb, but the baby from conception to natural conclusion. That's why in Arkansas we've also focused so heavily on education. That's been my biggest priority since coming into office. I want to make sure every kid growing up in Arkansas, once they're born, has great opportunity to live the highest quality of life and be able to do that right here. That means opening up access to great schools, whether public or private or charter, for every single student in our state makes a difference. We have universal school choice. And that's something I'm really proud of. At the same time, we've invested more in our public schools than we ever have before in state history. And so opening up access and opportunity. We want kids, when they graduate from those schools, to have a place that they can either be employed, enrolled or enlisted. We want kids to have a lot of different success paths. And so we're trying to create those opportunities here. We've also spent a lot of time on maternal health here in our state. Arkansas had some of the worst numbers when it came to maternal health anywhere in the country. So last year we dedicated annually $45 million to help support mothers not just while they're pregnant, but well after and continue to show the types of support that are to going needed so that we can have healthy moms, healthy babies right here in our state. A lot of the things and one of something that I think you would enjoy and probably one of my favorite things that we have, we're trying to lead by example. We started a bring your baby to work program here in the governor's office and it goes across our state agencies. But you can as a mom or a dad up until six months, you can bring your baby into the office with permission of a supervisor. And since then, I think we've had six babies here in the office at various times. And frankly, not only does it help the mom and the dad not have to decide between whether or not they want to start and Raise a family or a career. It helps that. But it also makes our office and our workplace a lot more enjoyable. And it's a great reminder of the work that we're doing here. Why it matters, because we have these permanent reminders that are in our office that are showing us that every decision that we're making will have a direct impact on their lives. And all the kids that are growing up in our state, that's been a great thing. We'd love to see more people follow our lead and adopt a program similar to that.
- [14:01]
B
Yeah, I don't think I'd heard of something like that. And so normalizing babies in public. I love this. And of course, the other things you mentioned, I mean, that's what it means to be pro woman, to be pro child, pro family, pro, pro parental rights. Another thing, in talking about what we've seen in the educational realm as it affects kids, you recently launched the Razorback Ready 2026 Fitness Challenge to bring back the Presidential Fitness test in Arkansas schools. Why is getting kids active and healthy again such a priority for you?
- [14:37]
C
Well, I think there are several reasons. One, something that we've tried to promote pretty heavily here is getting more kids outside and off screens. We have seen the mental health crisis that is plaguing our country. More and more of our students are seeing skyrocketing anxiety, depression, suicide rates directly tied to sitting and looking at a screen all day, to unfettered access on social media. We know that by getting kids outside, outside and off screens, we're raising their quality of life, we're raising their mental health. And so that's incredibly important. There's also a huge financial side. We are seeing our country get more and more unhealthy every day. And we want to help our kids live long, healthy lives, promoting physical activity, promoting good nutrition. And so this is one of the ways we're trying to incentivize kids to get moving. You know, we heard a statistic the other day that our prisoners now spend more time outside than our kids do. Our kids are only spending about seven minutes a day outside and seven hours a day on a screen. That is not good for Arkansans, that's not good for Americans. We have to shift the culture. And we're hoping this will be one additional way to get kids moving, get them outside, and help them to have a much higher quality of life long term.
- [16:10]
B
Okay, you guys, I want to tell you about something that I actually think is really worth your time, especially if you have kids or I guess if you just appreciate A story that makes you think a little bit deeper. My husband and I, we got an early access screening to the new Animal Farm movie. Of course. This is an adaptation of the classic George Orwell story. It's in theaters starting May 1st. It's animated, which I love. I'm a sucker for like the classic Disney films. This is better because it's not Disney. Now, I know a lot of you probably read Animal Farm in school. I know I did. I was a freshman in high school when we had to read this. But this version, it brings the story to life in a way that's actually engaging. And to be honest with you, it's kind of funny. And of course it is eye opening. The storyline of it, it follows this young pig named Lucky and you kind of get to experience everything through his perspective. So that means the hope and the shift in power and how quickly things can change or go off the rails when people stop questioning what they're being told to do. I'll say this, watching it reminded me how important it is not just to go along with things because it's easier not to just go along, to get along. It reminded me the importance of saying what is true, questioning what doesn't make sense, and not being afraid to stand your ground. This movie, it wasn't just entertainment. It actually leaves you thinking. I think it is really helpful in sparking those important conversations. It's something that you could watch with your kids, especially if you have kids in middle school and high school and who can kind of better understand the storyline. You can actually talk about the theme with your kids after the movie, which, let's be honest, most movies don't really allow for that anymore. This was brought to theaters by Angel Studios Guild. So it's one of those projects people genuinely cared enough to make happen, which I always respect. So if you're looking for something different, something with a little substance, I definitely recommend checking it out. Animal Farm is in theaters on May 1st. Tickets are available now. You can go grab yours at the link in the description and I want you guys to let me know what you think after you see it. Yeah. And with that, you sign the bell to bell no sell bill, which basically prevents cell phones in schools during school hours. Talk about that because I see a lot of pushback online, even from conservatives when something like this is mentioned. But just the importance of reclaiming kids attention from screens and social media and maybe what some of the results have been.
- [18:42]
C
Yeah, I mean what we have seen already is pretty amazing. I read Jonathan Hyde's book The anxious generation quite a while back and was so taken by the information and the data that he had that I sent a copy of that book to every governor in the country and every member of our state legislature and then pushed for reforms. But we didn't just want to go with a top down, heavy handed approach and force legislation. So we started with a pilot program where we opened up and asked districts to voluntarily participate in going phone free. And if they did that, the state would cover the cost of the pouches or the lockers or whatever way they chose to implement that. And within the first couple of months of opening up that pilot program, 70% of school districts in our state voluntarily chose to participate. And we tracked the success of the program as it was implemented. We saw a 51% decrease in drug use in schools that went phone free, 57% decrease in behavioral problems in schools that went phone free. And we saw a massive increase in student engagement and participation. All the things that we want to see happening in our schools were happening at a much higher level when we took phones out of the classroom. We have even heard from students. They didn't like it at first, but now that it's been implemented, we've had students that have come up and thanked us for removing the anxiety that comes with, did somebody respond to my text? Did somebody like my post? It gives them some freedom in the day. One of the things that the guy who started the Yonder pouch, he likes to talk about in a great line is that we're not taking anything away, but we're actually giving kids a phone free education, which is something that is so important and something that I think we can do a much better job of. We've now seen, I think nearly 30 states enact similar legislation. I'm not anti technology, I'm not anti social media, but I am against us giving just total and completely open access at all hours of the day to our kids. I think we can do a better job and we want to lead by example in this space. And I think we have.
- [21:02]
B
Heck yeah, that sounds amazing. And in the way that you really rolled it out is really incredible and certainly a model for other states to follow. You know, I'll never forget, I was, I was thinking about this before you joined. I will never forget watching your rebuttal to the State of the Union. I think back in 2023, this was the first State of the Union address that I actually got to attend. And so, you know, I was what, 22, maybe 20. I think I was 22 years old. I was pretty naive to politics in general and how they worked. And I will never forget sitting in the gallery and watching just the theatrics of it all and seeing how performative, performative it was. Of course, this was when President Biden was still president. And I'll never forget the line that you, you gave in this rebuttal where you said, the dividing line in America is no longer between right versus left. The choice is now normal versus crazy. And I so appreciated you saying that because that's how I felt. And again, I was just a 22 year old girl. I didn't know the correct or presidential terms to use. But you summed it up in such a perfect way. And so looking ahead to 2028 and even beyond, what do you think the future of politics, or maybe more specifically the Republican Party, what do you think that looks like for you and maybe especially for women and for moms who are kind of tired of the radical left's agenda?
- [22:25]
C
You know, I think that it is the reason that that line resonated so much is because that's what people are experiencing every day. They see headlines and they see legislation and things that are getting passed. And you think, surely that's a joke, surely that's a headline from the Babylon Bee, that it's total satire. But it's not. It's real life. And these things are actually happening. And we have people that are pushing this crazy ideology and frankly, so many more. I think moms and dads and parents are waking up and engaging and saying, well, I don't want this for my kids. I want something better. I want us to go back to the normal and remove some of the crazy. I think that is why you saw the rise and the win of candidates like Glenn Youngkin in Virginia. He won because you had so many moms that didn't like what they were seeing in their kids schools. I think they. And I'm hopeful that we'll continue to see more and more of that level engagement. I certainly will continue to try to drive that message, try to get more and more people to engage because it matters to our kids, it matters to the future of our country. And I want us to get back and make sure that we're focused on the normal and fighting back against the crazy.
- [23:47]
B
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- [25:34]
C
What.
- [25:34]
B
What does that balance really look like for you?
- [25:38]
C
Yeah, and I think it's different for every person. I mean, for me, finding balance can sometimes be tricky. Having an amazing husband makes a very big difference because I'm not doing it all by myself. I think. So often women make the mistake of thinking they have to do everything on their own and we don't. We are designed to have a partner in this process. I have an amazing one. When I am tired, when I am defeated, he picks up the pieces and helps move our family forward. And that makes a huge difference. I think also not feeling like we have to be all things to all people makes a big difference. I learned a long time ago I was never going to win on the quantity side. I wasn't going to be the mom that got to come to every sports practice or every class party or president of the, the pta. So I had to win on the quality side. I have to be really intentional about the time that I have with my kids. If that means, you know, putting my phone aside at night and really focusing. Even if I only have 15, 20 minutes, let that be 15 or 20 minutes that matter. Let it be doing something that my kids really want to do. There are so many days I'm totally exhausted at the end and all I want to do is like be in pajamas and you know, check out. But my middle, my 12 year old wants me to come play basketball in the driveway for 15 minutes. You got to dig deep, do those things that matter. Try to look for those intentional moments that your kids know and feel that they are a priority. I don't think you have to choose, but I do think that finding out what works for your family makes a big difference. Having a good partner has been critical for our family. And I think that I'm a better governor because I'm a mom, because my kids are so good at helping me live and see what I'm dealing with. And the legislation that we're passing, I know is going to impact my own family. And that's not something I take lightly. It's something I really try to think about whenever we're doing something. How will this impact my kids as well as every kid growing up in my state. And so for me, I think it makes me better at both. And I love the fact that I get to be a mom and be a governor. Being a mom is the coolest, best job, probably the hardest thing I will ever do, but also the most rewarding.
- [28:11]
B
That's, that's honestly inspiring. And to hear you say that about your husband too, I could not agree more. Having kind of that support wheel around you to pick up the pieces, to be a shoulder to cry on, all really important, at least what I have found in our relationship. And so thank you, Governor for coming on, for chatting and for your service and for being a model for other states to follow and Even what Washington D.C. can look back to for some good tips and direction, movement moving forward. Very, very grateful for you.
- [28:46]
C
Absolutely. Thank you so much for what you're doing and for continuing to be such a strong voice and somebody that I think girls across the country can look up to. So thank you for being so bold in your faith and your conviction and really appreciate the great friendship as well.
- [29:02]
B
Onwards. You rock.
- [29:04]
C
Thanks.
- [29:07]
B
Thank you guys for watching today's episode of the Riley Gaines show. I hope you loved it. And if you did, make sure you subscribe. You can do that right here so you never miss an episode. We'll see you guys next week. Hey, Mama.
- [29:27]
C
Thanks for making all my favorite recipes. Hi, Ma.
- [29:31]
B
Thanks for your unfiltered advice. Hi, Mom. Thanks for always being by the phone.
- [29:37]
C
Hey, Mom. Happy Mother's Day. When you ship UPS Air at the UPS Store, your items arrive on time or your money back. Guaranteed at no extra cost. Exclusively at the UPS Store US Retail locations. Visit theupsstore. Com Airshipping for full details. Terms and conditions apply. Send your Mother's Day gifts at the UPS Store, and we'll get your gratitude there on time.