Viral clips guaranteed
The Brand Brief 10.16.25: Honoring Charlie, Mamdani and AOC on cable, group chats, and Democrat-run city violence
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…
1,542 words | 7 minute read (11+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: Viral clip opportunities
New Media Voices: Honoring Charlie, “both-sideism”
Leading FOX: Democrat-run cities, TPUSA events, debate previews
Trending and Pouncing: Mamdani, AOC, Bernie appear on cable
What the Right is Writing: U.S. Supreme Court and redistricting
You’re receiving an early access version of The Brand Brief. I would love to hear your feedback. Thank you! - NRB
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…
Political debates are the closest that politics gets to sports. Expect tonight’s off-year debate night clashes to produce viral clips that will drive the conservative media ecosystem. Two stages to watch:
Keep an eye on clips from Mamdani and Jones as they will likely be featured prominently in the Friday and weekend conservative media news cycles. -NRB
🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Megyn Kelly Show - 10/15
President Trump awarded Charlie Kirk a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom, his birthday is now a National Day of Remembrance
The ceremony united traditional media figures with online influencers, and current FOX hosts (Hannity, Ingraham) with old ones (Kelly, Carlson)
Since his assassination, TPUSA has grown to 122,000+ campus chapters and Christianity has grown in active practice again
Kelly shames MSNBC for denying live coverage, says Young Republicans text scandal is a timed smear story to take away coverage from Kirk
Guest Ana Kasparian critiques Katie Porter’s temper, Harris’s book tour rants, and Michelle Obama’s podcast jabs at Barack
The Benny Show - 10/15
Charlie Kirk’s Presidential Medal of Freedom is the first to feature a Christian cross engraved on the back, emblematic of his legacy
Trump described Kirk as an “unstoppable visionary” who transformed TPUSA into the largest conservative youth organization
Johnson interviews Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna from the San Francisco Bay Area, finding common ground on political violence
Both agreed to disavow both Jay Jones’ death threat texts and the attack on Paul Pelosi, rejecting “whataboutism”
Khanna and Johnson advocate for Lincoln-Douglas-style debates in arenas on policies like affordable housing, healthcare, war
After Party with Emily Jashinsky - 10/15
Jashinsky says Mamdani was clever to focus on cost of living on his FOX News interview rather than social issues like many Democrats
The NYT and Washington Post’s limited shutdown news could be a means of preventing bad coverage of Democrats
Guest Walter Kern criticizes The View’s dismissal of RFK’s abilities, treatment of his wife Cheryl Hines
The hosts question the ethics of AI, as it produces erotica, invalid medical diagnostics, and outpaces human-written articles
US-India expert Ashley Tellis has been arrested for spying for China
The Glenn Beck Program: Hour One - 10/16
The Supreme Court is reviewing a Louisiana congressional map, which features a gerrymandered district to include Black voters
Beck condemns race-based districts as modern-day segregation, asserting the Voting Rights Act cannot override discrimination laws
A study shows LGBTQ identification among American youth has rapidly declined since its peak in 2023, linked to improved mental health
Guest Megyn Kelly celebrates Trump’s end to DEI and transgender surgery funding, says it could end children transitioning
The Charlie Kirk Show: VP JD Vance - 10/15
Guest VP Vance recalls how he and Usha helped Erika Kirk in the days following Charlie Kirk’s assassination, such as transporting him home
Vance reveals he will join Erika Kirk at Ole Miss on Oct. 26 for the TPUSA campus tour
Vance and Kirk’s podcast hosts discuss the narrow balance between finding space to grieve while continuing Charlie’s mission
The vice president condemns “both-sideism,” citing the sharp difference in left-wing violence compared to on the right
Compares the Young Republican text group chat scandal as minor compares to Virginia AG candidate Jay Jones’ death threats
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS TODAY
A look inside the FOX editorial decision-making…
The Five
City of Los Angeles gives bailouts to illegal immigrants
Rioters hurl rocks at ICE agents in Chicago, Illinois Gov. Pritzker threatens prosecutions against Trump Admin
Trump says there are “beautiful black women” walking around Chicago with MAGA hats, San Francisco may be next National Guard mission
The Democrats face a low 34% approval rating, CA Gov. Newsom claims Trump has “California Derangement Syndrome”
Joy Behar claims Republican women are afraid of coming on The View, just after RFK Jr’s wife Cheryl Hines was berated by hosts
Actor Alec Baldwin claims he had to swerve into a tree to avoid a garbage truck
CA Democrat Gov. candidate Katie Porter hints there will be more psychotic video leaks
FOX & Friends
Middletown, Pennsylvania airport speaker hacked with Free Palestine message
Mamdani doubles down on wanting Israeli PM Netanyahu arrested, expanding taxes on NYC millionaires
Democrats storm Congress demanding Adelita Grijalva gets sworn in during the shutdown
Trump confirms the FBI has been authorized to investigate Venezuelan drug cartels
U.S. demands Hamas return all remaining deceased hostages, including 2 American citizens
Guest Dr. Oz confirms illegal immigrants received more than $1 billion in Medicaid
NJ Gov. candidate Mikie Sherrill’s former classmate calls out her cheating in college
TPUSA to host Oklahoma State University event tonight, Erika Kirk and VP Vance to speak at Ole Miss event on Oct. 26
Virginia AG debate tonight expected to mention Jay Jones text scandal
FOX Newsroom
FBI Director Kash Patel says Operation Summer Heat resulted in an increase in arrests by 250%, and a drop in violent crime by 20%
Trump considers sending National Guard to San Francisco next, threatens Boston with moving the World Cup
Teens who attacked ex-DOGE staffer “Big Balls” released on parole
Quinnipiac Poll shows Republican NJ governor candidate Ciattarelli has gained 2 points in the past month
Mamdani speaks to camera during FOX interview, addressing President Trump saying he’s “ready to talk”
Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa says he was offered $10M to drop out of the NYC mayor race
Mamdani, Cuomo, and Sliwa will face off in a debate tonight
Anti-Trump messaging blasts through hacked Pennsylvania airport speakers
VP Vance to guest host a TPUSA event at Ole Miss on Oct. 26
AOC and Bernie Sanders speak over each other on CNN Townhall when asked about future in the Senate, primarying Chuck Schumer
SCOTUS to address case on race-based congressional maps
Speaker Johnson delivered limited updates on Day 16 of the shutdown, members expected to fly home for the weekend soon
The Virginia AG debate tonight is expected to focus on Jay Jones’ text scandal
Thousands gathered in Jerusalem for the funeral of a deceased Israeli hostage
Trump continues strikes on Venezuelan drug cartel boats
Los Angeles gives taxpayer aid to illegal immigrants in response to ICE enforcement
Illinois ramps up legal resistance to ICE facilities and arrests
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today: highlights from the conversation on the right and what conservatives are “pouncing” on…
AOC: “Air that is drinkable.” [X, Cheung]
Mamdani won’t criticize Hamas [X, Price]
Communists sponsoring NYC “No Kings” March [X, Ngo]
Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner called himself a “communist,” said “all” police are bastards, that rural White Americans are racist [X, Pershing]
Speaker Johnson identifies AOC and Sanders as the real leaders of the Democrat Party [X, Daugherty]
Trump and Bessent to use the IRS to dismantle left-wing funding networks of Antifa [X, Daugherty]
Chris Cuomo: “AOC has done nothing meaningful in Congress. She’s done it all on social media.” [X, Cohen]
Minnesota AG Keith Ellison refuses to clap for veterans on Honor Flight [X, RNC Research]
How my dad, Steve Witkoff, turned pain into purpose [NYP]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
Leading FOX News Digital
‘Squad’ member asked whether illegal immigrants should get free healthcare [FOX News]
Christian student exposes college textbook calling her a ‘white supremacist’ [FOX News]
Senate Dems poised to reject military pay bill as shutdown battle intensifies [FOX News]
Top of Breitbart
U.N. to Vote on First-Ever Global Tax Trade Punishing Shipping Emissions [Breitbart]
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Refers to Black Americans as ‘Disabled’ During Supreme Court Hearing [Breitbart]
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker Suggests Democrats May Try to Prosecute ICE Agents, DHS Officials [Breitbart]
U.N. to Vote on First-Ever Global Tax Trade Punishing Shipping Emissions [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
Trump’s Gaza Lessons for Ukraine [WSJ Ed]
Nobody Is ‘Gutting’ the Voting Rights Act [WSJ Ed]
Great News: a Proxy Adviser Retreats [WSJ Ed]
Who’s Afraid of American LNG? [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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