Finding delight in their disarray
The Brand Brief 11.13.25: John Fetterman, Neil Gorsuch, illegal truck drivers, Rod Dreher, Stephen A. Smith, and Seattle’s new mayor
Actionable media intel to cut through the noise and keep you ahead: The Brand Brief delivers a daily snapshot of trending stories in 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…
1,506 words | 6 minute read | Written to be skimmable (12+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: Democrat divisions driving conservative media
New Media Voices: Epstein Files, H-1B Visas, Democrat infighting
Leading FOX: Illegal immigrant truck drivers and affordability messaging
Trending and Pouncing: Hasan Piker, Abdul El-Sayed, Seattle’s new mayor
What the Right is Writing: Shutdown ends, Dems infighting ensues
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…
The left’s identity crisis remains a favorite genre for the conservative media ecosystem. A few examples this week that give us glee:
The DNC employee union fighting against a new return-to-office policy.
Democrat Senator John Fetterman calling out the left for being violent and embracing socialism. “We’re cheering for your next stroke.”
Left-wing new media voices like Jennifer Welch and Hasan Piker urging Dems to embrace the socialist label, CCP, and violence aimed at conservatives (Shapiro discusses today).
The fight trickles into 2026 primaries, with the establishment in Maine warning that the Nazi-tatted renegade candidate will cost them the race.
Biden loyalists vs the world playing out with Kamala’s media tour, KJP’s book, 2024 autopsy reports, and events like CrookedCon.
2028 jockeying is in full gear as Chris Murphy travels to NH to lambast fellow Democrats, and Pritzker and Newsom drive headlines.
The right’s debate over the future of the movement and crisis of character continues, but the ecosystem definitely find more joy poking at the left’s issues than dwelling on our own. - NRB
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🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Megyn Kelly Show - 11/12
Democrats release Epstein-related documents, but redact Virginia Giuffre’s statements denying Trump’s involvement
Kelly discusses how Giuffre does have a history of backtracking or contradicting her testimony, as in the case against Alan Dershowitz
Guest Batya Ungar-Sargon, a NewsNation anchor, discusses party infighting as Trump calls for H-1B visas, Chinese exchange students
Tish Hyman, a lesbian kicked out of a Gold’s Gym for calling out a man identifying as female in the women’s locker room, is an example of the failed policies San Francisco politician Scott Wiener is promoting
CNN anchor Abby Phillip claims she’s fighting against right-wing conspiracies, despite spreading misinformation on Biden
The Benny Show - 11/13
Senator Corey Booker says the Democrats need to see major changes after failing to negotiate effectively on the shutdown
Virginia Giuffre confirmed in court Trump never touched her, was always a gentleman, and Johnson questions if she died by suicide
Kevin Spacey confirmed on Piers Morgan that there were little girls on Clinton’s Epstein flight, Johnson jokes about the Clinton body count
Guest Viva Frei’s theory is that admin members told Trump he could be falsely implicated by evidence in the Epstein files
Johnson expresses concern about the policy direction of the Trump Admin without Charlie Kirk, says a voice advocating against war with Iran
Guest Texas AG Ken Paxton talks about the increased cost of living due to mass immigration
The Ben Shapiro Show - 11/12
The shutdown is just another example of Democrats eating their own, days after “The Squad” and moderates fought over Mamdani
Shapiro compares Trump’s Veterans’ Day Address to far-left commentator Hasan Piker visiting Tiananmen Square
Shapiro expresses concerns over federal reserve rate cuts, 50-year mortgages, while encouraging deregulation as a solution
Trump faces backlash for supporting H-1B visas in an interview with FOX’s Laura Ingraham, since they take jobs from skilled Americans
A recent Vogue article calling boyfriends “embarrassing,” while a pastor advocates for “polygyny” are used as examples of a suffering national view of romance
Allie Beth Stuckey’s “Relatable” - 11/12
Stuckey begins the episode by advocating for her sister-in-law’s pro-life charity Hope 139
Stuckey acknowledges Candace Owens’ videos on Charlie Kirk’s death could be seen as truth-seeking, she warns they are filled with unsubstantiated claims
Owens has falsely implicated specific people close to Kirk in his death, including Mikey McCoy, Seth Dillon, and Josh Hammer
Stuckey concludes by calling for prayer over the people falsely implicated, aligning herself with Ben Shapiro and Alex Clark
After Party with Emily Jashinsky - 11/12
New Epstein emails released by House Democrats suggest Trump knew about Epstein’s activities but encouraged Ghislaine Maxwell to stop
Jashinsky and her guest Michael Malice discuss left-wing streamer Hasan Piker’s recent video denouncing America in Tiananmen Square
MSNBC’s rebranding to MS Now includes a racial justice-themed ad, while Nancy Pelosi shifts away from woke language in her retirement video
The hosts understand concerns over Trump’s calls for 50-year mortgages and H-1B visas, but say his second term is far more effective than his first
Jashinsky says Rod Dreher’s claim that up to 40% of DC conservatives are Groypers (Nick Fuentes fans) is vastly overstated, likely at 8%
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS
A look inside the FOX editorial decision-making…
The Five
Democrat infighting ensues after some senators cross party lines to vote to reopen the government
While the shutdown is over, it will take more time for air travel, SNAP and other government programs to return to normal
CNN anchor Abby Phillip says “conservatives are living in an entirely different information world” an interview with Joy Reid
Trump gives Laura Ingraham a tour of his White House decorations
A San Francisco passenger train reaches 50 mph after the conductor falls asleep
FOX & Friends
Trump signs government funding bill, major airport flight reductions linger thanks to longest government shutdown in history
Shutdown exposes divided Democrat Party leadership
The White House prioritizing cost of living as stats show Americans struggling to live on one income, and inability to buy a home
James Comey and Letitia James in court today over fraud cases, and MLB stars facing gambling allegations, legal expert Andy McCarthy discusses
Florida suing California over illegal immigrant trucker licenses following the death of a Florida resident
Justice Neil Gorsuch interviewed about new children’s book Heroes of 1776, the need for civic education, and America’s founding fathers
FOX Newsroom
Trump signs government funding bill last night as shutdown deal exposes division within the Democrat Party, Kayleigh McEnany and Guy Benson discuss
ICE announces results of new illegal immigrant crackdown operation in Florida
The White House pushes affordability messaging, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett interviewed about economic initiatives, and Fed policy
Flight delays linger as government shutdown ends, FAA working to resume normal flight volume.
Department of Transportation cracks down on illegal immigrant truckers
New UC San Diego study shows increase in college freshman needing remedial math
ABC Australia and BBC accused of deceptively editing Trump’s 2021 speech
AI threatens entry-level jobs and complicates Gen Z’s future, influencers Isabel Brown and Xaviaer Durousseau discuss
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today: highlights from the conversation on the right and what conservatives are “pouncing” on…
Hasan Piker sits down with Chinese Communist Party state media in Beijing to condemn “Western lies about China.” [X, Pavlou]
The D.N.C. Ordered Workers Back to the Office. Its Union Isn’t Pleased. [X, Goldmacher]
NEW: Stephen A. Smith *GOES OFF* on Democrats over Shutdown strategy [X, Cohen]
Seattle’s new mayor Katie Wilson: “We will not allow grocery chains to close stores at will” [X, End Wokeness]
Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Deleted Post Calling Border Patrol ‘White Supremacists’ and Blaming US for Illegal Immigration [Free Beacon]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
Leading FOX News Digital
Trump signs bill ending longest government shutdown in US history [FOX News]
Johnson says shutdown was ‘never’ about healthcare for Dems [FOX News]
New video shows Charlotte train stabbing suspect [FOX News]
Top of Breitbart
Trump Signs Bill to Reopen Government After 43 Days of Democrat Shutdown [Breitbart]
Zohran Mamdani to Call Trump: Relationship ‘Critical to the Success’ of NYC [Breitbart]
Trump: Democrats Deflecting to Epstein Hoax to Distract from Their Shutdown [Breitbart]
Newsom Shames Democrats Who Caved in Shutdown Battle: ‘Pathetic’ [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
Trump vs. Vance on Legal Immigration [WSJ Ed]
Erdogan’s Multi-Millennia Revenge in Turkey [WSJ Ed]
Rent Control as a Constitutional Taking [WSJ Ed]
What Powers Union Politics? Dues Money [WSJ Ed]
SAY HELLO
Nathan (@NathanBrandWA on X or Nathan@OnBrandStrategies.com) and Carly (@realCarlyMoran on X or Carly@OnBrandStrategies.com).
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