How to hack the news cycle
The Brand Brief 11.24.25: Zohran Mamdani, Nicki Minaj, Pope Leo, Theo Von, Elissa Slotkin, Matthew McConaughey, Jimmy Cliff, and Slender Man
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…
1,468 words | 6 minute read | Written to be skimmable (20+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: An ode to the clippers
New Media Voices: Dillon, Tucker, and Rogan
Leading FOX: Pardoned Turkeys, Mamdani, Pope Leo, Nicki Minaj
Trending and Pouncing: Bill Maher, Tim Walz, and TN Democrat
What the Right is Writing: The kids, Thanksgiving, and Slotkin
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…
From cutting out newspaper articles to emailing links or editing interviews, “clipping” has always been a media staple. In fact, compiling clips and breaking news is a rite of passage for any young communicator or journalist.
Today, being a clipper is a full-time gig, and they live upstream of the discussion. Whether they are influencers or partisans (The Left’s Rupar and Acyn, and the Right’s Daugherty and LibsOfTikTok), or foreign actors, they drive much of the conservative media ecosystem by aggregating viral moments on X.
The news cycle cheat code? Follow the clippers. The Brand Brief highlights the best of the right’s clippers daily in the Trending and Pouncing section. If you see it in the Trending section one day, you are likely to see it in the New Media and FOX sections the next. Who feeds the clippers? That’s a conversation for another day. - NRB
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🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
Long-form podcast Mondays…
The Joe Rogan Experience
Podcaster Theo Von talks about the end of the CBD loophole by Congress, government slush funds, and AI surveillance
Comedian Brian Simpson discusses recent MMA fights, and government failures with Epstein, Waco, Tulsa, the homeless, and insider trading
Comedian Adam Ray explains his live comedy strategies, shares childhood stories, religion as “moral scaffolding”
“Age of Disclosure” director and producer Dan Farah claims the U.S. government reverse-engineered UFOs, used remote viewing
This Past Weekend with Theo Von
Matthew McConaughey shares his new book Poems and Prayers, his love of Austin and SEC football, and his time living off the grid
The Tucker Carlson Show
Dr. Daniel Amen argues the mentally destructive components of marijuana can be used to control young men
Nikki Haley’s son Nalin explains why Gen Z is attracted to figures like Nick Fuentes, disinterested in older conservatives like Ted Cruz
Kristen Breitweiser, wife of a 9/11 victim, argues there’s been an organized coverup of what truly happened that day
Alex Clark’s Culture Apothecary
Young couple Kyler and Britt Nixon explain from a Christian perspective how to have a successful first year of marriage
Shark attack survivor Bethany Hamilton shares her love of surfing, how that has translated to motherhood, women’s sports advocacy, and diet
The Tim Dillon Show
Dillon discusses Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to Syria and Russia, American foreign policy in the early 2000s, and Trump’s relationship with reporters
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS
A look inside the FOX editorial decision-making…
FOX & Friends
AAA notes an increase in air and car travel this year for Thanksgiving, the best times to drive to your family, a drop in gas and rental car prices
Sec. of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announces $1 billion upgrades in TSA equipment
Mayor Johnson blames the Chicago tree lighting shooting on young children attending “unauthorized events,” not the gunman
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene will resign from Congress January 5th
The DNC takes on a $15 million loan, while the RNC reports $91 million in October
Melania Trump welcomes the White House Christmas tree today
Forward Party founder Andrew Yang, a New Yorker, shares his hopeful thoughts on the meeting between mayor-elect Mamdani and Trump
A surge of students across the country look to attend SEC universities
“Biohacker” influencer Dave Asprey shares longevity tips
Sec. of State Marco Rubio says he feels optimistic about a Ukraine peace plan following his Geneva meeting
Pope Leo and Nicki Minaj urge awareness, action against the genocide of Nigerian Christians
Carnival cruise guest Anna Kepner likely died of asphyxiation, stayed in the same room as her stepbrother, the prime suspect
As farmers’ net income is expected to decline, guest Sec. of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says farm relief will be announced in early December
The military is expected to launch new boat attacks on Venezuelan drug lords this week
The Trump administration announces its intent to lower housing costs in 2025
Fox “interviews” Trump’s pardoned turkey at the Willard Hotel
FOX Newsroom
Sec. of State Marco Rubio shares potential progress on Ukraine-Russia negotiations as the Thanksgiving deadline approaches
Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke this morning on the phone about the Ukraine-Russia peace deal
The U.S. military increases its forces near Trinidad and Tobago in the fight against the Venezuelan drug cartel
General Jack Keane says the Democrat’s video calling for disobeying “illegal orders” is an offense against the military’s intelligence
Some members of Congress are calling for a new FBI investigation of Butler shooter
Sec. of Homeland Security Kristi Noem awards bonus checks, announces $1 billion in TSA equipment upgrades
A New York Post poll reports 1 in 3 Americans expect to fall into debt this holiday season
The “Slender Man Stabber” Morgan Geyser has been caught after escaping, cutting off her ankle monitor
NYC mayor-elect Mamdani connects with younger voters for his focus on affordability, Trump’s meeting addresses cost of living solutions
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announces her resignation in January
SEC universities are seeing a surge in out-of-state students for their low cost, politically moderate education, and fun campus culture
AAA reports 6 million Americans expect to fly this Thanksgiving
1 dead, 8 injured at a Chicago Christmas tree lighting ceremony just days after a woman was lit on fire on the L Train
A hearing will be held in Brooklyn, NY today on the NBA poker scheme
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has ceased operations in the strip
Reggae singer Jimmy Cliff has died at 81 years old
A new Wall Street Journal op-ed says only 11% of American rank family as their top value, “wellness” now ranks higher
Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor confirms they will continue the tasks of DOGE following the department’s dissolution
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today: highlights from the conversation on the right and what conservatives are “pouncing” on…
Tennessee Democrat candidate Aftyn Behn refuses to denounce her previous calls for abolishing the Nashville PD [X, Daily Wire]
Former Antifa Member: “They don’t kill you because you’re a fascist. They call you a fascist so they can kill you... How is this different than a group like ISIS?” [X, Libs of TikTok]
Democrat Senator Slotkin (D-MI) says no unlawful military orders have been given but says US service members could be prosecuted like Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg [X, Brand]
Aftyn Behn: I get away with a lot because I’m white [X, RNC Research]
Lara Trump spars with Bill Maher over the media treatment of the Trump family [X, Cohen]
Tim Walz’s Minnesota failed to pass security checks to determine SNAP recipients [X, Daugherty]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
Leading FOX News Digital
Chicago public schools blow millions on travel expenses while students can’t read at grade level [FOX News]
Trump fires back at ‘lowlifes’ as GOP faces fallout from MTG’s sudden exit [FOX News]
Nationwide manhunt for ‘Slender Man’ stabber ends after out-of-state capture [FOX News]
Top of Breitbart
Australian Lawmaker Suspended for Burqa Protest [Breitbart]
Elissa Slotkin Admits Trump Has Not Issued Illegal Orders to U.S. Military [Breitbart]
Holiday Joy: Thanksgiving Meal Costs Decline To Lowest In Four Years [Breitbart]
Rep. Erin Houchin: Protecting Children While Keeping AI Innovation on Track [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
RFK Jr. Turns the CDC Against Vaccines [WSJ Ed]
The Meaning of Marjorie Taylor Greene [WSJ Ed]
Suspicious Drones Over Europe [WSJ Ed]
Another Week in the Wild West Bank [WSJ Ed]
DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THE NEWS?
On Brand Strategies would love to help you craft your message, drive a news cycle, or navigate the world of new media and conservative press. Learn more at OnBrandStrategies.com.
Say hello by reaching out to Nathan (@NathanBrandWA on X or Nathan@OnBrandStrategies.com) and Carly (@realCarlyMoran on X or Carly@OnBrandStrategies.com).
