2028 will start in church
The Brand Brief 3.31.26: JD Vance, Tiger Woods, UFOs, Charles Barkley, Jamie Dimon, Nikki Haley, Mike Johnson, and SCOTUS
Actionable media intel: The Brand Brief delivers a daily snapshot of the conservative media ecosystem - FOX News, podcasts, and more. | Brought to you by On Brand Strategies | Written by Carly Moran and Nathan Brand
📣 Driving the Conversation…
1,553 words | 7 minute read | Written to be skimmable (12+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: Vance book tour
New Media Voices: Tiger Woods, UFOs, and Charles Barkley
Leading FOX: Abdul El-Sayed, Jamie Dimon, and Nikki Haley
Trending: SAVE America Act
What the Right is Writing: ICE, Iran, and No Kings
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…
We’ve noted that 2028 Democrats are generating attention with new books and media tours, but now it’s the Republicans’ turn.
Vice President JD Vance will release a book on his Catholic faith on June 16. As faith increasingly drives conservative media, his conversion story is a natural fit. I anticipate other 2028 Republican aspirants will follow suit by leaning on book tours and personal testimonies. - NRB
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🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Megyn Kelly Show - 3/30
President Trump posts on Truth Social claiming “great progress” toward a “new and more reasonable regime,” while threatening to obliterate Iran’s electric plants, oil wells, and desalination plants
Guest Professor Robert Pape describes an “escalation trap” with three stages: initial bombing, Iranian retaliation and now nearing irreversible ground operations by special forces and infantry
They cite a poll of a second-term low of 33% overall, with only 29% approving his Iran handling, guest radio producer Stu Burguiere argues the conflict distracts from Trump’s core agenda
Kelly criticizes Sen. Lindsey Graham for vacationing at Disney World during the DHS shutdown with a bubble wand while pushing for ground troops
She also covers “No Kings” protests featuring celebrities like Bruce Springsteen and Jane Fonda, as well as golfer Tiger Woods’ repeated DUIs
The Ben Shapiro Show - 3/30
Shapiro asserts the “No Kings” protests are out of touch and fueled by a mysterious $3 billion in funding, some of it coming from overseas
He exposes Neville Roy Singham, an American communist living in China, as a key funder of over $278 million in propaganda
Shapiro looks at Trump’s explicit threats via Truth Social to obliterate Iran’s critical infrastructure
He tries to defend Israel’s actions regarding restrictions on a Palm Sunday mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, saying it was a police blunder
The Michael Knowles Show - 3/30
Knowles feels vindicated after VP JD Vance’s assertion that UFOs are likely demons, defending belief in spiritual reality against skepticism
He criticizes the Israeli government for initially barring Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzabella from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre during Holy Week
Knowles condemns Jimmy Kimmel’s elitist attack on blue-collar workers, referencing his attack on DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin for starting life as a plumber
He critiques Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s support for mass migration, in light of Somali fraud and the housing crisis
Knowles concludes with a full defense of Jesus Christ, referencing numerous intelligent men to counter modern skepticism
After Party with Emily Jashinsky - 3/30
Jashinsky introduces guests Shelby Talcott and Jason Willick, outlining discussions on Iran, a MAHA poll, DHS issues, and mainstream journalists transitioning to Substack
She analyzes Canadian New Democratic Party convention clips, positing that identity-based politics serve as a “cope” for suffering,
A Politico poll indicated widespread dissatisfaction among MAHA voters regarding Donald Trump’s health policy implementation
They reference Charles Barkley’s immigration comments in light of Sheridan Gorman’s recent murder by an illegal
Talcott presents her Semafor reporting, suggesting Donald Trump’s Iran strategy strongly indicates a likelihood of ground troop deployments
Willick connects the Iran conflict to the US Senate filibuster debate, asserting “maximal escalation” diminishes deterrence
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS
The Five
CENTCOM confirms 11,000 targets hit, Trump gives Iran a one-week ultimatum
Boomers and animal costumes dominate “No Kings” protests
Democrats demand reparations for illegal immigrants, fume at using ICE in airports and claim Trump is paying TSA agents illegally
Democrat strategists have been caught saying their 2028 candidate has to be a straight, white man
Words like “moreover” are giving away students’ AI usage
FOX & Friends
Kurds prepare for ground fighting, Trump gives a one-week ultimatum to Iran, four IDF soldiers killed by Hezbollah
Delta Airlines suspends its congressional travel perks during the DHS shutdown, TSA lines finally speed up as agents receive backpay
The FBI confirms the Michigan synagogue terrorist had family ties to Hezbollah
Captain Butch Wilmore, the astronaut that was stuck in space for almost a year, is interviewed ahead of the Artemis II launch tomorrow
Democrat Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed said he didn’t speak out about the death of the Ayatollah because “many were sad” about it
Speaker Mike Johnson is interviewed in-studio, says the Republicans will have to do the “heavy lifting” of reopening the government
Sec. of War Pete Hegseth gives updates from the Pentagon, says they’ve taken out more than 150 Iranian navy ships
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon is interviewed in-studio on housing shortages, college grad unemployment
FOX Newsroom
Sec. of War Pete Hegseth confirms we’ve dropped bunker buster bombs on Iran’s ammo depot, Nikki Haley reacts
Delinquent teens take over a Wisconsin mall, the streets of LA
“More Perfect Union” founder Faiz Shakir says Democrats are looking to rework their messaging for 2026 midterms
Airport wait times ease up as TSA receives backpay, ICE assists
Podcaster Isabel Brown encourages American Christian women to have more babies, as the country’s marriage rate dropped to its lowest level in 2019
Illegal alien Israel Flores-Ortiz is accused of groping underage classmates at his Fairfax County, VA high school
Washington imposes a 9.9% “millionaires tax,” JPMorgan CEO says there is a blue state exodus taking place
The Supreme Court rules against Colorado’s conversion therapy ban, hears President Trump’s birthright citizenship case
California is under fire for hospice fraud
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today…
Nearly six-in-ten Americans say the SAVE America Act should be passed into law before the midterm elections. [X, Rapid Response 47]
Sec. War Pete Hegseth: “You don’t have much of an alliance if you have countries that are not willing to stand with you when you need them!” [X, Daugherty]
Jaden Ivey says there is nothing good in the world besides following Jesus Christ after he was waived by the Bulls after he called out the NBA for promoting Pride Month [X, Rugg]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
FOX News Digital
Outrage grows as ICE detainer ignored in connection to killing of 24-year-old mother [FOX News]
President Trump shares video showing massive military strike in Iran at night [FOX News]
Teen mob storms neighborhood mall as viral ‘takeover’ erupts in total chaos [FOX News]
Breitbart
Desperate Iran Sprays Missiles Across Middle East as Trump Threatens Oil Hub [Breitbart]
Report: Trump Weighs Military Op to Seize Iran’s Enriched Uranium [Breitbart]
San Antonio Leftists Hit Streets for Another ‘No Kings’ Rally [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
Charlie Ergen, SpaceX and Trump [WSJ Ed]
Trump’s Iran Target List, Good and Bad [WSJ Ed]
Iran’s Regime Says: Lebanon Is Ours [WSJ Ed]
Beasley Allen Gets the Legal Boot [WSJ Ed]
New York Post
Trump puts Iran on notice, reveals to The Post his one-week ultimatum for new speaker after Tehran’s attack on Israeli oil refinery [NYP]
Washington Free Beacon
Michigan’s El-Sayed Says Free Beacon ‘May Have Illegally and Unethically Obtained Recording’ and Employs Diversion Tactic Discussed in Campaign Strategy Call [WFB]
Washington Reporter
NRSC unveils ad backing Sen. Bill Cassidy, touts his support for Trump agenda [Reporter]
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