Six conservative media predictions for 2026

The Brand Brief 12.18.25: ChatGPT, Nick Reiner, Cardinal Dolan, Brown University, President Trump, Kamala Harris, Wes Moore, and gas prices

Freedom 250 events coming in 2026

Actionable media intel to keep you ahead: 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

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📣 Driving the Conversation…

1,473 words | 6 minute read | Written to be skimmable (12+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)

1. What Matters: Looking ahead to 2026

2. New Media Voices: Investigation updates and white men

3. Leading FOX: Trump touts economic progress

4. Trending and Pouncing: Kamala Harris and UFC

5. What the Right is Writing: ‘Warrior Dividend’ and Wes Moore

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✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…

Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…

Six conservative media predictions for 2026…

1. Clippers: Breaking news will increasingly originate more often with clippers and influencers rather than traditional media

2. Future of the movement: Conversations about the future of the conservative movement in 2025 will seem tame compared to what’s coming in 2026

3. 2028 Dems: Conservative media will discuss 2028 Democrat candidates more than 2028 GOP contenders

4. The Reach Rolodex: Influencer rolodexes will matter even more as access will be defined by reach

5. Owned-media pivot: Republican politicians (finally) will embrace new and owned media (Following the lead of Trump and Sen. Markwayne Mullin)

6. Future of podcasts: Someone will start a political show that is not in the traditional seated podcast style (not sure who, but I feel there is an opening here)

Let me know what you think. - NRB

I would love to hear your feedback - survey here. Thank you!

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🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES

The Megyn Kelly Show - 12/17

• Guest legal analysts Arthur Idala and Matt Murphy agree with Kelly that the heavy evidence against Tyler Robinson will prove him guilty

• New video evidence shows Nick Reiner appearing calm before and after killing his parents, guests doubt an insanity plea will work

• As the Brown University shooting investigation continues to go nowhere, guests question if the false person of interest has a viable defamation suit against Providence PD

• Guest Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer discusses re-enlisting in the Marine Corps at 37, supports Trump’s actions against Venezuela

The Ben Shapiro Show - 12/17

• Referencing the Compact Magazine article, Shapiro uncovers how DEI, beginning around 2014, led to systemic discrimination against white men

• Trump defends White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’ interview with Vanity Fair, plans to reclassify marijuana to Schedule III for research, expands travel bans, launches an AI development program

• Republicans propose alternatives to lower healthcare costs as Obamacare subsidies expire soon, risking doubling premiums

• Shapiro reflects on last weekend’s violence with the Reiner murders, Brown University shooting, and terror attack in Australia

After Party with Emily Jashinsky - 12/17

• While Tucker Carlson falsely claimed Trump would declare war on Venezuela in his address, it was a reflection on this year’s achievements

• Pollster Tom Bevan praises VP Vance’s empathetic economic messaging, encourages Trump to do similar to improve approval rating

• Fulton County DA Fani Willis testified defiantly in a Georgia Senate hearing on financial fraud allegations, called Trump a criminal

• FCC Chairman Brendan Carr clashed with Sen. Jackie Rosen over investigating ABC for alleged distortions under public interest rules

• Jillian Michaels was called a “white nationalist” by Wajahat Ali on Piers Morgan Uncensored, VP Vance shared an article on DEI discrimination, and Jashinsky questions transparency on Venezuela

The Brett Cooper Show - 12/17

• While Brown University still hasn’t found a gunman nearly a week after the shooting, online sleuths have suggested multiple viable suspects

• Law enforcement’s slow response, poor-quality camera footage, videos of FBI agents searching snow patches, and conflicting press conferences have all driven public mockery

• Public frustration grows after a podcast teaser highlights an interview with FBI Director Kash Patel and his girlfriend, called tone-deaf

The Matt Walsh Show - 12/17

• Walsh discusses Jacob Savage’s Compact Magazine article on systemic discrimination against white men, arguing their purposeful exclusion has led to societal deterioration in tech, arts, and leadership

• Walsh criticizes Republicans for participating in the statue unveiling of 1951 school segregation strike leader Barbara Rose Johns, replacing Robert E. Lee

• Kamala Harris weighs a 2028 run with book tours, engaging donors, and hinting in interviews, much to the mockery of Republicans

• Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara misuses the Nativity story to defend illegal immigration

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📺 LEADING FOX NEWS

The Five

• On her podcast tour, Kamala Harris says Democrats have an issue with speaking authentically

• As the liberal media eats up the Vanity Fair interview, the Trump Admin rallies around Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in response

• The Brown University shooting manhunt Day 5 ends with no results

• CNN anchor Jake Tapper raises questions about Trump’s age despite remaining silent on Biden’s dementia

• Adult kids are now letting their parents run their dating app profile

FOX & Friends

• Trump addressed the nation last night on fiscal wins, says wages are now increasing higher than inflation, all job growth goes toward Americans in the private sector

• U.S. Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley outlines Trump’s plans for America250, which include the Great State Fair, the UFC White House fight, and the Patriot Games

• Charlie Kirk’s TPUSA AmericaFest begins today

• The Providence PD reports there were no cameras inside the classroom, don’t know which students were there, are now searching door-to-door and identifying a second suspect

• Following Cardinal Dolan’s resignation, Pope Leo appoints Illinois Bishop Ronald Hicks

• Seven men tied to another terror plot were arrested on their way to Bondi Beach, a funeral was held today for last week’s shooting’s youngest victim

• Nick Reiner’s siblings issued a statement following the murder of their parents

• Trump orders a naval blockade of all Venezuelan oil tankers

• November inflation slows more than expected based on last month’s CPI report

FOX Newsroom

• Trump touts economic progress in his national address last night

• Providence PD are asking for help identifying a second person, no cameras at Brown caught the shooter, DNA evidence found on ammo

• Pope Leo accepts Cardinal Dolan’s resignation, appoints 58-year-old Bishop Ronald Hicks

• Nick Reiner made his first court appearance in a suicide-prevention smock, arraignment scheduled for Jan 7th

• November’s CPI index shows inflation has cooled to 2.7%

• Kamala Harris dodges questions about running in 2028 during her podcast interview with “At Our Table with Jaime Harrison”

• Rep. Jim Jordan is interviewed on Biden DOJ official Jack Smith testifying behind closed doors in a congressional hearing

• Trump demands Venezuela return all seized U.S. assets

• After being found guilty of murdering his wife, Brian Walshe has been sentenced to life with no parole

• A Japanese woman married ChatGPT

• Adrien Nunez is interviewed on his journey from playing college basketball to becoming a country singer

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🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING

Tomorrow’s news today…

• President Trump has a packed slate of America250 events, including the White House UFC fight in June and a “spectacular national celebration” on July 4th [X, Daugherty]

• Kamala confirms she drank a lot after losing the election [X, Elliott]

• Ms. Jeanie Beeman speaks out after being harassed over her Charlie Kirk shirt at Target and says she does not want her attacker fired. [X, Harris]

• DEI Providence Police Chief reveals that 5 days after the Brown University mass shooting…they have not interviewed the student eye-witnesses for a description of the shooter. [X, Detective]

• Kamala gushes over Ketanji Brown Jackson: “I encourage everyone to read her dissents. They are brilliant.” [X, Lensman]

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🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING

Leading FOX News Digital

• Trump launches massive ‘Freedom 250’ push [FOX News]

• Trump drops receipts on US savings since Biden’s exit [FOX News]

• Military troops to get special Christmas gift from Trump [FOX News]

Top of Breitbart

• Trump: More than 1 Million U.S. Military Service Members to Receive ‘Warrior Dividend’ [Breitbart]

• Christmas Day Gas Prices Expected to Drop to Lowest Level in 5 Years [Breitbart]

• Golden Age: All Net Job Growth Going to Americans So Far This Year [Breitbart]

Wall Street Journal Editorials

• A ‘Nonsensical’ GOP House Revolt [WSJ Ed]

• California’s Stranded Solar Assets [WSJ Ed]

• A Reparations Loan for Ukraine? [WSJ Ed]

• Don’t Stop at a Single Oil Tanker [WSJ Ed]

New York Post Exclusives

• Bill Clinton brought Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell to Moroccan king’s wedding — after ex-prez asked to add pervy pals [NYP]

• Trump admin probes Colorado after 221 dead people received federal housing assistance [NYP]

• Biden WH coordinated on raid of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago then took convo ‘offline’: ex-DOJ official [NYP]

Washington Free Beacon

• Wes Moore Filmed Campaign Ad Praising Maryland Public Schools Inside His Kids’ Elite Private School [WFB]

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NEED HELP NAVIGATING CONSERVATIVE MEDIA?

On Brand Strategies would love to help you navigate the conservative media ecosystem. Learn more at OnBrandStrategies.com, or connect with Nathan (Nathan@OnBrandStrategies.com) and Carly (Carly@OnBrandStrategies.com).

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