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The Brand Brief 5.19.26: Nate Bargatze, Graham Platner, Erika Kirk, Chelsea Handler, Spencer Pratt, and Luigi Mangione
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…
1,604 words | 7 minute read | Written to be skimmable (12+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: Daily Wire still standing
New Media Voices: Cuba, Mamdani, Platner, and DINKs
Leading FOX: San Diego shooting, Charlie Kirk’s shooter and Mangione in court
Trending: Mike Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries, and fixing the parks
What the Right is Writing: Trains, shootings, and porta-potties
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…
The left, legacy media, and rival podcasters pounced on recent news of layoffs at The Daily Wire.
While workforce reductions have become the norm in a rapidly shifting media landscape, The Daily Wire’s core lineup continues to dominate. Apart from FOX News, no conservative media group matches the Spotify, Apple, and Amazon chart dominance of The Daily Wire’s flagship shows.
Ben Shapiro shot back at critics Friday in a must-watch video addressing the state of both The Daily Wire and conservative media. They’re not dead yet! - NRB
What do you think of The Brand Brief? Let us know.
🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Megyn Kelly Show - 5/18
Kelly expresses skepticism over alleged Cuban drone threats, arguing their infrastructure collapse makes high-level military actions impossible, podcaster Ryan Grim and Curt Mills of The American Conservative warn action in Cuba could create a migrant crisis
She criticizes Axios for publishing leaked, unverified government documents, says the intelligence community uses it to create pretext for war
Kelly and podcaster Mark Halperin discuss how President Trump continues to influence elections despite low polling, as seen with Sen. Bill Cassidy’s and Rep. Thomas Massie’s primaries
Guest Jonathan Alpert, author of Therapy Nation, explains how “Trump Derangement Syndrome” can become an actual mental illness
The Ben Shapiro Show - 5/18
Shapiro argues Democrats’ reliance on woke ideology in response to political setbacks signals escalation if they regain control
He uses examples like Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner and socialist NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani
Shapiro cites the UK’s trajectory toward socialized medicine and open borders, Iran’s alliance with China and Russia, and Cuba’s growing threat as warning signals for America to step up on the global stage
Arguing national security isn’t just about the military budget, Shapiro encourages American investment in AI to beat China’s advancements
He reflects on comedian Bill Maher’s recent monologue on growing antisemitism among Democrats
The Matt Walsh Show - 5/18
Walsh criticizes CNN for lack of practical insight into a unanimous Supreme Court decision on freight broker negligence, compared to a truck driver’s common sense assessment
He asserts this ruling has led to freight brokers refusing “red flag” carriers, disproportionately impacting foreign truckers linked to higher fatalities and road rage incidents
Walsh argues that the new demand for English-speaking, competent drivers is increasing freight costs and exacerbating economic hardships
He exposes the Biden admin for expanding the Federal Housing Administration program to non-citizens, including illegal aliens, which forces American citizens to subsidize their homes and drives up housing prices
Louder with Crowder - 5/18
Crowder references a viral video of a DINK couple using paid promotions to highlight travel over having kids, expressing alarm over America’s record-low birth rate and cultural shift
He critiques government initiatives to study biological fertility factors, arguing pervasive societal programming is the primary driver of declining birth rates
Crowder argues increased female workforce participation post-1970 led to wage depression, and has ironically resulted in decreased happiness
He emphasizes that raising a family ironically provides more choice in life, and creates deeper memories than travel or luxury products
The Liz Wheeler Show - 5/18
Wheeler asserts Rep. Ilhan Omar played a central role in the $250 million Feeding Our Future Somali fraud scheme by introducing the MEALS Act, which removed oversight for food programs during COVID
She links the convictions of Aimee Bock and Salim Said to Omar’s alleged actions, gives a summary of the congresswoman’s suspicious net worth adjustment and nonexistent winery
Wheeler raises questions about Omar’s U.S. citizenship, citing alleged fraudulent asylum claims by her father and marriage to her brother
She defends Erika Kirk against Candace Owens, comparing her videos to “leftist formulas” of making salacious claims without evidence
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS
The Five
San Diego law enforcement provides live updates on a mosque shooting, three victims killed alongside both shooters
Kamala Harris claims the GOP push to redistrict southern states is “backdooring racism”
Actress Chelsea Handler claims Spencer Pratt is an illegitimate “straight white male” running for office, meanwhile incumbent mayor Karen Bass claims solar panels lights could fix copper theft
The parents of teenagers who fought each other in a DC Navy Yard Chipotle could face charges for letting their kids destroy property
Chinese-born American actress Poppy Liu rages against capitalism, the very system that made her famous
FOX & Friends
Three adults killed along with two teen shooters in San Diego mosque shooting, mother reported missing firearms hours before attack
President Trump delays attacks on Iran for “two or three days”
DC mayoral candidates say they’d refuse to prosecute teen violence, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro reacts
Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin is due in court today
Luigi Mangione supporters appear outside court, saying United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson deserved to be murdered
Convicted fraudster Aimee Bock says Rep. Ilhan Omar, other Minnesota leaders knew about Feeding Our Future scam
LA mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt releases a viral campaign ad spoofing The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
A California woman has been charged with paying homeless people to register to vote
AG Todd Blanche will testify on Capitol Hill for the first time since his appointment
More than 131 are dead from an Ebola outbreak in Africa, one American evacuated to be quarantined in Germany
Rep. Nancy Pelosi endorses Connie Chan as her successor
Coach Bill Belichick receives support from President Trump and Tom Brady over NFL Hall of Fame snub
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani announces a second city-run grocery store
Steve visits the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY
MTA strikes ended after unions reached an agreement with NY Gov. Kathy Hochul
Nate Bargatze talks about creating comedy the entire family can enjoy
Taiwan invests $250B in American semiconductor chip production
FOX Newsroom
U.S. cancels Iran attacks, Israel and surrounding region on high alert
Charlie Kirk’s accused assassin is due in court today
A fire in Simi Valley, CA threatens thousands of homes little more than a year after the Palisades disaster
The San Diego police are investigating the deadly mosque shooting as a hate crime, mother of one of the shooters reported firearms missing from home hours before tragedy
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro threatens to prosecute the parents of DC teens repeatedly destroying businesses, inciting violence in streets
Zohran Mamdani agrees to meet with NYC CEOs amidst tax the rich controversy
Tonight’s Kentucky race against incumbent Thomas Massie is the most expensive House primary in history, early voting begins in Texas runoff primary between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Ken Paxton
Rep. Ilhan Omar is under a new investigation, not for her brother or winery, but now due to ties to COVID fraud, guest Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy explains his plan to combat Medicaid fraud
Acting AG Todd Blanche testifies live before the Senate
President Trump takes live questions on DC monument restorations, White House ballroom construction
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today…
MSNBC host ridiculously asks: Is this Mike Johnson putting God above the Declaration of Independence? [X, Price]
Democrat House Leader Hakeem Jeffries says he wants to “break the spirit” of voters who support President Trump. [X, RNCResearch]
Democrats are in utter shock after learning how easily and quickly President Trump fixed and beautified the dilapidated fountains at Meridian Hill Park in DC. [X, Daugherty]
Michigan State Rep. Mai Xiong (D) who was born in Thailand, calls USA “garbage,” mocks Erika Kirk and the English language, and ridicules Americans. [X, LibsofTikTok]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
FOX News Digital
Unearthed posts show Dem Senate hopeful praising vulgar graffiti, making crude porta potty admission [FOX News]
‘Very big discussions’ with Iran underway, Trump says [FOX News]
Mom called police before deadly mosque shooting [FOX News]
Breitbart
Trump Admin Creates $1.7 Billion Fund to Compensate Allies Prosecuted Under Biden [Breitbart]
Spanish Socialists Suffer Historic Election Defeat in Andalucía Vote [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
The Proxy Advisers Strike Back [WSJ Ed]
The Railroad Union’s New York Blackmail [WSJ Ed]
Trump Bugs Out on Poland [WSJ Ed]
Why Colleges Are Slashing MBA Prices [WSJ Ed]
New York Post
Heroic security guard named as ‘protector’ after dying in San Diego Islamic Center shooting [NYP]
Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson to wed over Memorial Day [NYP]
Washington Free Beacon
‘Some Things Are Just Not Forgivable’: Hamawy Is Denounced by 1993 World Trade Center Bombing Survivors Who Are Appalled a Friend of the Blind Sheikh May Soon Be in Congress [WFB]
Washington Reporter
Trump’s AI framework wins broad bipartisan support, poll shows [Reporter]
NEED HELP NAVIGATING CONSERVATIVE MEDIA?
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