What keeps forcing the right back to this conversation
The Brand Brief 12.4.25: Political Violence, Halle Berry, Ellen DeGeneres, Gavin Newsom, Pam Bondi, Prince Harry, and Ilhan Omar
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
📣 Driving the Conversation…
1,748 words | 8 minute read | Written to be skimmable (12+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: Pipe bombs and left-wing violence
New Media Voices: Somali immigrants
Leading FOX: Luigi Mangione’s trial and J6 pipe bomb news
Trending and Pouncing: Omar, Merkley, and Newsom
What the Right is Writing: J6 pipe bomb arrest
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…
With the news about the J6 pipe bomber arrest, we are reminded of the ongoing conversation in the conservative media ecosystem about left-wing political violence.
The assassination of Charlie Kirk dominated coverage in September. In October, Democrat Jay Jones’ texts about murdering children consumed the right. November brought unhinged left-wing podcasters calling for more violence. Out-of-hand anti-ICE protests are not slowing down, and the world was stunned last week by the killing of a National Guardsman in DC. Add to that the assassination attempts on Trump, Kavanaugh, and Scalise, and the picture is unmistakable: as long as violent left-wing rhetoric and action persist, this will remain a major focus on the right. - NRB
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🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Megyn Kelly Show - 12/3
Kelly argues while Matt Van Epps won in Nashville, the GOP underperformed in a red district despite a weak opponent
Guest Chamath Palihapitiya, co-host of the All In podcast, says the government should reduce the cost of healthcare, reform student loans
Nicole Shanahan argues affluent “tech wives” are manipulated into promoting social justice and climate change initiatives
Kelly reports on potential FDA black-box warnings for mRNA COVID vaccines for children, Palihapitiya reminds viewers of permanent learning deficits from lockdown
Other news includes Trump’s felony dismissal, a potential defamation suit on J6 pipe bomb reporting, a suit against Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Luigi Mangione’s failed evidence suppression, and the NYU student assault
The Benny Show - 12/4
The FBI arrests the J6 pipe bomb suspect by determining their height via video footage, while Johnson hopes for further DNA proof
Guest Steven Sund, DC police chief, says he was denied support the day of J6, hopes the suspect arrest will lead to others investigated
Guest and co-founder of The Federalist Sean Davis discusses Nancy Pelosi’s potential abetting of J6, who said “I’ve been waiting for this”
Guest Rep. Wesley Hunt, Texas senate candidate, says Sen. John Cornyn is out of touch for comparing J6 to 9/11, as a veteran himself
Guest Julie Kelly, Russian collusion hoax reporter, says the anarchist pipe bomb suspect may have Antifa ties
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro accuses Kamala Harris of lying about him in her campaign tell-all 107 Days
The Michael Knowles Show - 12/4
Australian left-wing journalist Landon Germanotta-Mills has been charged with leading an international child sex abuse ring
Knowles applauds a NYC man for stepping up against a subway predator, says it’s about picking your battles wisely
Knowles uses Aristotle to distinguish between intellectual and moral virtue (knowledge vs. habit), comparing the journalist and subway defender
MSNBC anchors describe Trump’s mass deportations as ethnic cleansing, implying Democrats’ mass migration is also racially motivated
The Minneapolis police pledge support for Somalians over aiding ICE
After Party with Emily Jashinsky - 12/3
Guest Bridget Phetasy, host of Dumpster Fire, shares her journey of freelancing from writing for Playboy, The Federalist, Spectator, and Substack, to podcasting and posting on X
Phetasy and Jashinsky read Olivia Nuzzi’s American Canto, where she accuses her ex of revenge porn, and limits any criticism of RFK, Jr.
A FIRE poll shows nearly 50% of students view “words as violence” even after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, while more than 20% of Harvard students have disability accommodations to get ahead
Ellen DeGeneres is returning to the U.S., Sabrina Carpenter addresses backlash, and Ariana Grande denies eating disorder concerns
Keir Starmer secretly funded efforts through the Center for Countering Digital Hate to demonetize outlets like Breitbart and The Federalist
The Matt Walsh Show - 12/3
Matt Walsh says air traffic controllers on Reddit express threats to sabotage Air Force One, intentionally cause delays out of spite
Republican Matt Van Epps won the special congressional election by about 9 points, too narrow a win for a deep-red Nashville district
Trump says Somali immigrants contribute nothing due to their high welfare usage, Walsh says U.S. citizenship is not a charity operation
Walsh says his favorite films include No Country for Old Men and Master and Commander, in response to Quentin Tarantino’s lackluster list
A Waymo in Los Angeles drove through a police standoff, which Walsh says highlights AI’s limitations
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS
A look inside the FOX editorial decision-making…
The Five
Obama encourages military resistance to the Trump Admin following the Venezuelan strikes, despite his years of unauthorized drone strikes
The Treasury begins an investigation into Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz following Somali $1 billion fraud scheme
As Hollywood elites back Newsom for 2028, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro says Kamala’s book tries to “cover her *ss” against him
Sabrina Carpenter calls the White House’s usage of her song in a deportation video “evil”
College students are now livestreaming their dates on KupidLive
FOX & Friends
Luigi Mangione’s trial takes place one year after the UnitedHealth CEO assassination
Guest Ford CEO Jim Farley says Trump’s bill to allow for Japanese-style vehicles will offer drivers choice, cheaper and smaller options
Guest DEA Administrator Derek Maltz says between February and September, 55 cartel leaders were extradited from Mexico
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is under fire for turning a blind eye to a $1 billion Somali fraud scheme
The CDC will vote to change the age babies receive a Hepatitis B vaccination
The U.S. delegation leaves Russia with no peace deal after Putin remains stubborn
Guest Kellyanne Conway, former counselor to Trump, talks about Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ripping into Kamala Harris
Actress Halle Berry discourages her fans from supporting Gov. Newsom for president because he vetoed her menopause research bill
Guest Sen. Jim Banks expresses his support of Admiral Frank Bradley for “double-tapping” the Venezuelan drug boats
Guest FIFA President Gianni Infantino gives a preview of the World Cup bracket
57% of young American voters say the country is on the wrong path
A dog was rescued at sea using an airtag to track her location
Guest Michael Dell explains his donation of $6 billion toward Trump Accounts, which teaches kids investing with $250 at birth
More than 20 illegal migrants have been arrested in Louisiana’s Operation Catahoula Crunch
FOX Newsroom
Trump announces gas prices have significantly dropped since the Biden era, says new fuel standards will make cars affordable, Ford CEO interviewed
The FBI arrests a key suspect in the 2021 DC pipe bomb case
The Dell Family gives $6 billion toward the Trump Accounts initiative that helps American children start investing in stocks at birth
The House Oversight Committee launches a probe into the Minnesota fraud case, ICE plans to deploy to the Twin Cities in response
Rep. Ilhan Omar says Trump is a bigot, defends Somali community in the face of fraud allegations
The CDC panel will vote on Hepatitis B vaccine recommendations for newborns
Retired NYPD inspector Paul Mauro analyzes Miranda Rights challenges in the ongoing Luigi Mangione case in NYC
Fox News rides alongside Border Patrol in the New Orleans Operation Catahoula Crunch
Melania Trump is leading the effort to reunite Ukrainian children with their families
Navy Admiral Frank Bradley is under fire by Democrats for hitting a Venezuelan drug boat with a second drone strike
California AG Rob Bonta is under fire for launching an ICE reporting portal
Google searches in 2025 for Charlie Kirk bypass KPop Demon Hunters, labubus, the iPhone 17, and the One Big Beautiful Bill
Trump’s tariffs on imported cabinets boost small businesses in Alabama
Prince Harry jokes about Trump being America’s king on his Stephen Colbert guest appearance
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today: highlights from the conversation on the right and what conservatives are “pouncing” on…
CBS’ Bari Weiss will moderate a townhall with Erika Kirk in her first special with the network on Dec. 13 [X, Silverio]
Governor Newsom told a room full of CEOs to stand up to Donald Trump [X, Cocchiarella]
Nola City Council meeting gets overrun by anti-ICE protestors [X, Scooter]
Rep. Ilhan Omar threatens Trump allies, saying they will “pay a costly price” [X, Dixon]
Democrat Sen. Jeff Merkley: These narco-terrorists were “two helpless men…” [X, RNC Research]
Halle Berry on Gavin Newsom: “With the way he’s overlooked women, half the population, by devaluing us in midlife, he probably should not be our next president either!” [X, Daugherty]
The average Somali contributes less than a thousand dollars in taxes, while over half of Somalis are on public assistance. [X, Wold]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
Leading FOX News Digital
Judge orders refunds for Jan. 6 defendants pardoned during Trump’s second term [FOX News]
Erika Kirk dismantles liberal talking point in response to her husband’s assassination [FOX News]
Trump’s Venezuela gamble leaves Russia and China puzzled as tools to pressure Maduro dwindle [FOX News]
Top of Breitbart
Five Years Later: FBI Makes J6 Pipe Bomb Arrest [Breitbart]
Warner: ‘Uniformed Military May Help Save Us from This President’ [Breitbart]
Matt Van Epps: TN Special Election Critical for Balance of Power [Breitbart]
Maddow Claims Republicans Will Call for Hegseth Resignation [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
Dr. Prasad’s Children’s Vaccine Crusade [WSJ Ed]
The Republican Clock Is Ticking [WSJ Ed]
Putin Says Nyet Again to Trump [WSJ Ed]
Germany’s Young Pension Rebels [WSJ Ed]
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Say hello by reaching out to Nathan (@NathanBrandWA on X or Nathan@OnBrandStrategies.com) and Carly (@realCarlyMoran on X or Carly@OnBrandStrategies.com).
