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OutKick host Riley Gaines says her new children’s book, “1, 2, 3, We Are Free!,” was born out of motherhood, telling Digital that the arrival of her daughter reshaped her sense of purpose and deepened her desire to teach the next generation about what makes America “the greatest nation in the world.”
“Getting pregnant, it shifted my perspective a little, but I will never forget holding my daughter in my hands for the first time,” Gaines told Digital. “My perspective shifted at that point to understanding like it is no longer about me … You subconsciously shift your perspective into wanting a safer, more fair, more righteous, more just, more moral country for your daughter to inherit.”
Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer and women’s sports activist, welcomed her daughter, Margot, in October. She recently released the new board book in partnership with Brave Books to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
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Riley Gaines continues to support President Donald Trump in August 2025. (Ivan Apfel/Getty Images)
Gaines said the book is aimed at families with very young children and is designed to teach kids how to count while also introducing them to themes of “faith, family and freedom.”
“The intent is to teach them about America’s history, American exceptionalism and all the things that make America great,” she added.
She believes that message is more important now than ever at a time when patriotism is declining and political violence is on the rise.
According to a June 2025 Gallup poll, only 41% of adults say they are extremely proud to be an American, while 17% are very proud to be an American, a nine-point drop from the year prior.
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Political activist Riley Gaines is pictured with her husband, Louis Barker, and their newborn daughter, Margot. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“It’s really concerning to me, even look at the events of this past weekend where the wannabe Trump assassin, the third wannabe Trump assassin, was a school teacher. Think about that,” Gaines said.
At the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Saturday, a gunman rushed through security at the Washington Hilton Hotel and opened fire before being subdued by the Secret Service. The suspect, Cole Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, was a tutor at a college prep center.
According to law enforcement, Allen shared a manifesto and social media posts outlining his intent to target President Donald Trump and other administration officials.
After dozens of educators across the country faced consequences for celebrating the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last fall, Gaines suspects there’s a “concerning” percentage of teachers who also agree with the act of violence against the administration.
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Cole Allen lies face down on the floor as law enforcement officers detain him following an alleged shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., on April 25, 2026. (@realDonaldTrump via Truth Social)
“They agree that at least in some way, shape, or form, it’s justified,” Gaines warned. “Those are the people who are entrusted with educating and shaping the minds of the youth, the most vulnerable, the most impressionable, the people who will dictate the future of this country for many, many generations.”
“That is why I care. We have to be able to provide an alternative to that,” she continued.
“Teachers, I think specifically, who are teaching kids to hate America, about America’s roots and how it’s evil and how it’s deeply oppressive when the reality is, we are the most inclusive, the most diverse, the most opportunistic nation this world has ever seen as it currently stands,” Gaines said. “So that’s the message that we want to be able to communicate to my daughter and her generation.”
Gaines’ book is currently being sold as part of a Brave Books bundle alongside new titles from Kirk Cameron and Dr. Ben Carson centered on America’s founding and values.
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Author, athlete, activist and podcast host Riley Gaines spoke to Digital about her new patriotic children’s book and why she believes instilling a love for America is especially important now. (Brave Books)
Gaines is no stranger to experiencing political violence.
In 2023, she said she was assaulted by protesters at a Turning Point USA event where she spoke to students at San Francisco State University about her experience in her senior year of college competing against male swimmer Lia Thomas.
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No arrests were made after the incident and the San Francisco Police Department said it had suspended the investigation in February 2024.
‘ Brooke Singman and Joshua Nelson contributed to this report.
