War! What is it good for? Hot takes.
The Brand Brief 3.3.26: Marco Rubio, Hillary Clinton, Friedrich Merz, Kristi Noem, Tom Cotton, Kamala Harris, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Jasmine Crockett
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…
1,419 words | 6 minute read | Written to be skimmable (14+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: Right-wing media split
New Media Voices: Differing opinions on Iran strikes
Leading FOX: Iran, Germany, Noem, and Election in Texas
Trending: Noem, Crockett, and Clinton
What the Right is Writing: Iran in focus
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…
For as united as conservatives have been following the murder of Charlie Kirk and throughout the Trump presidency, foreign intervention remains a dividing line on the right.
While congressional Republicans and new media voices like Ben Shapiro and Dan Bongino have supported the strikes on Iran, Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson, and Matt Walsh have voiced skepticism.
Responding to those new-media skeptics, President Donald Trump offered a blunt explanation in comments to Rachel Bade: “I have to do what’s right, number one — and you can’t have Iran getting a nuclear weapon.” Emily Brooks at The Hill and Rob Crilly at The Washington Examiner both have new pieces today examining how the debate is playing out across right-leaning new media. - NRB
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🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Megyn Kelly Show - 3/2
Kelly expresses concern about the rationale behind President Trump’s military actions, noting many believe they primarily serve Israeli interests, references dead American soldiers
Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene shares her opposition to the war, arguing Americans are more concerned with domestic issues like healthcare and debt rather than conflicts overseas
Gust Sohrab Ahmari, Iranian columnist for First Things magazine, discusses the complexities of regime change in Iran
Guests Rich Lowry and Charles Cooke of National Review discuss celebrations around the world after the toppling of the Ayatollah
The Ben Shapiro Show - 3/2
Shapiro discusses President Trump’s military operation in Iran, lauding it as decisive action against state-sponsored terrorism
He outlines several historical conflicts involving Iran and the United States, outlining the casualties and provocations that led to today
Shapiro mentions Trump’s strategy of swift and limited military intervention as opposed to prolonged conflicts seen in Iraq, Afghanistan
He criticizes responses from various political commentators, saying they’re counterproductive or sympathetic to Iranian interests
The Matt Walsh Show - 3/2
Walsh questions the wisdom of the U.S. military attack on Iran, expressing skepticism about regime change wars
He discusses the need for the admin to be transparent, asking the country not to repeat past mistakes made in the Iraq War
Walsh says it could shift the midterm elections further in favor of Democrats, questions the endgame in Iran and likelihood of pro-Western leadership emerging
He reacts to the NAACP Awards from this past weekend
Allie Beth Stuckey’s “Relatable” - 3/2
Stuckey discusses the recent events surrounding Christian nationalism and how it is mischaracterized by media outlets like CNN
She responds to theologian John Piper’s tweet on immigration policy
Stuckey defends the role of classical Christian education and the need for Christians to participate in politics to reflect their values in law, and warns against bringing in radical Islam to the U.S.
She also touches on misconceptions about submission in marriage and traditional gender roles as portrayed in contemporary media narratives
After Party with Emily Jashinsky - 3/2
Jashinsky mourns the loss of American troops, emphasizes the importance of raising critical questions during volatile times such as the with Iran
Guest Racket News publisher Matt Taibbi reflects on how Trump has been seen as an Iran hawk while also claiming he would not start any new wars, compares to propaganda used in Iraq War
Jashinsky and Taibbi argue current war powers are often manipulated to justify military actions
New evidence shows Meta may be meddling in Hungarian elections
Jashinsky reacts to the newly released deposition videos of Bill and Hillary Clinton
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS
The Five
On TRUTH Social, Trump says if he hadn’t ended Obama’s JCPOA deal, Iran would have had a nuke three years ago
CENTCOM reports six Americans dead, 1,250 targets Iranian hit and that war may only last a few weeks, sirens sound off in Tel Aviv
The Washington Post is condemned for describing the dead Ayatollah as having a “bushy white beard and easy smile”
Looking to 2028, Kamala Harris and California Gov. Gavin Newsom slam Operation Epic Fury
FOX & Friends
US destroyed all of Iran’s navy ships in Gulf of Oman and hit more than 1,250 targets
43% of Americans polled are against the strikes in Iran, but President Trump says they’re ahead of schedule on Operation Epic Fury
Guest Sen. Tom Cotton explains Iran’s missile arsenal is why they had to enact the operation now, estimates suggest their missiles could reach as far as Germany or China
Contenders to replace Khamenei includes his son and the former president
President Trump hosts German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House today
Hillary Clinton fumed during her Jeffrey Epstein deposition about the leaked photo of herself
DHS Sec. Kristi Noem will testify before Congress over her department’s funding
In the Texas primaries today, Democrat candidates include Jasmine Corckett, James Talarico, and Ahmad Hassan, while Republicans include John Cornyn, Ken Paxton, and Wesley Hunt
FOX Newsroom
DHS Sec. Kristi Noem testifies live before Congress on the shutdown
FOX visits a missile impact site in Bnei Brak, Israel
Guest Dan Senor, former Bush advisor, reports the IDF hit a meeting of remaining Iranian leaders, CENTCOM struck all 11 Iranian naval vessels
President Trump meets with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz this afternoon
The Dow plunges following Iran strikes
The FBI is looking into the Austin shooting as an act of terror: shooter wore an Iranian flag and “property of Allah” sweatshirt
While Democrats disavow Operation Epic Fury, footage from 2011 shows Nancy Pelosi saying Obama didn’t need congressional approval on air strikes, Sen. Sean Fetterman says he’ll side with Republicans on a War Powers vote
Sen. John Cornyn addresses high-stakes Texas primaries today
The State Department issues a global travel alert for 14 Middle East countries
China faces an oil squeeze as they import 1.4 million barrels from Iran per day
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today…
A deranged anti-ICE leftist just went haywire on DHS Sec. Kristi Noem and was forcibly removed [X, Daugherty]
Jasmine Crockett is now getting endorsements from…criminal illegal aliens. [X, Libs of TikTok]
Former President Bill Clinton explains the photos of himself in a hot tub and pool that was discovered in the Epstein files. The former president explained that he was unaware that someone was taking a photo of him. [X, Rugg]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
FOX News Digital
State Department adds another country to evacuation list [FOX News]
Vance says Iran nuclear talks didn’t ‘pass the smell test’ before Trump launched strikes [FOX News]
Netanyahu insists US and Israel’s strikes on Iran won’t lead to ‘endless war’ [FOX News]
Breitbart
Rubio Tells Americans to Evacuate Multiple MidEast Countries, U.S. Embassy in Riyadh Targeted by Iranian Drones [Breitbart]
Livewire: Operation Epic Fury Day Four [Breitbart]
Jane Fonda Blasts Trump Bombing Iran at L.A. Protest: ‘Dangerous and Insane’ [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
U.S. LNG Exports to the World’s Rescue [WSJ Ed]
Why is Europe Beating the FDA? [WSJ Ed]
A Climate Manual Bait and Switch [WSJ Ed]
Iran Expands the Trump War Coalition [WSJ Ed]
New York Post
The pathetic reason illegal migrant who ‘hacked mom to death’ in lefty DC suburb was free — despite 30 arrests [NYP]
Mamdani admin admits 7 other NYers died indoors from cold — as grim tally reaches 29 [NYP]
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs lands early prison release as he fights to appeal 4-year sentence [NYP]
Austin mass shooter Ndiaga Diagne once plowed into woman in NYC while driving recklessly, disabling her for life: lawsuit [NYP]
Washington Free Beacon
New York Judge Says Columbia Cannot Expel or Discipline Students Who Stormed and Occupied Campus Building [WFB]
Washington Reporter
Interview: President Donald Trump wants Iranian people to “wait a little bit longer” before toppling the remaining regime [Reporter]
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