Why we march
The Brand Brief 1.23.26: JD Vance, Fernando Mendoza, Michelle Obama, Barron Trump, Jack Smith, Keith Ellison, Gavin Newsom, and more Greenland
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…
1,579 words | 7 minute read | Written to be skimmable (12+ hours of media covered in The Brand Brief)
What Matters: The 53rd March for Life
New Media Voices: Don Lemon and Davos
Leading FOX: Newsom, Vance, and Rubio
Trending and Pouncing: Ellison and more Minneapolis fallout
What the Right is Writing: Read out from Jack Smith hearing
✍️ WHAT MATTERS AND WHERE WE’RE GOING…
Nathan’s quick take on where we’re headed…
As hundreds of thousands gather in Washington, DC today for the 53rd March for Life, we’re reminded of the unique role conservative media plays in covering the issue of abortion.
Legacy media has largely failed to cover the pro-life movement, either ignoring it altogether or covering it through a lens of open bias. The same outlets that sprint to violent protests or left-wing gatherings suddenly lose interest when it’s thousands of pro-lifers singing hymns and advocating for unborn children.
I’m grateful for those marching today, and the conservative outlets and reporters committed to covering the issue with objectivity and truth. - NRB
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🎙️ NEW MEDIA VOICES
The Megyn Kelly Show - 1/22
The FBI arrests Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Allen, and William Kelly in connection with the anti-ICE church disruption
Armstrong allegedly took over $1 million in nonprofit salary, grifting off of activism, while Don Lemon participated by filming and “encouraging trauma”
Guests Allie Beth Stuckey, Rob Henderson, and Phil Holloway praise the shift in law enforcement under the Trump administration, criticizing corporate media’s soft approach toward the protesters
The Ben Shapiro Show - 1/22
During his World Economic Forum speech, President Trump criticized Europe’s soft-on-immigration tactics, their green energy failures, overregulation, and loss of culture, encouraging them to “rediscover” their spirit of achievement
Trump has reached a framework agreement on Greenland with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, designating certain areas as U.S. sovereign bases
California Gov. Gavin Newsom met with Alex Soros, repeatedly joked about giving European leaders kneepads for supposedly submitting to Trump, while Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent fired back, calling Newsom “Patrick Bateman meets Sparkle Beach Ken”
Trump announces the Board of Peace agreement to rebuild Gaza, considers how to resolve the Iran regime crisis
The National Institute of Health has fully banned government-sponsored research on fetal tissue derived from abortions
The Michael Knowles Show - 1/22
President Trump announces a framework agreement on Greenland that gives the U.S. military access to the island without making it a state
The new Board of Peace looks to rebuild Gaza, describes itself as an alternative to the inefficiencies of the UN
California Gov. Gavin Newsom mocked European leaders at Davos for yielding to Trump on Greenland, using crude sexual metaphors
The UK’s National Health Service is now downplaying the risk of cousin marriage, saying it benefits “collective social capital,” Knowles says this is to appease the rise of Islam across England
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza gave all glory to God after his big win, Knowles praises this as evangelization and reminds viewers that faith is interwoven in all aspects of life
The C.J. Pearson Show - 1/22
Pearson says anti-ICE protests would never happen to the same extreme in the South because they “love God and glocks”
Don Lemon called rapper Nicki Minaj a “racist homophobe,” Pearson says Lemon is trying to appease white liberals and condemns his participation in the St. Paul church protest
Michelle Obama says she deliberately avoids white-owned clothing brands, Pearson says this is a privileged take
The View co-host Sunny Hostin claims voter ID laws suppress Black Americans and women, Pearson calls this low-expectation bigotry, saying even the homeless can manage to get IDs
📺 LEADING FOX NEWS
The Five
As California Gov. Gavin Newsom whined at Davos, President Trump accomplished a Greenland framework and established the Board of Peace
Arrested anti-ICE protester Nekima Levy Armstrong claims on CNN that she didn’t “rush into the church,” VP J.D. Vance responds to the chaos with a visit to Minneapolis
Michelle Obama says on the Call Her Daddy podcast “eight years is enough” for her husband’s presidency, discourages women from quitting their careers to have children
Talk show host Stephen Colbert hosts Sen. Bernie Sanders for the 19th time, Sanders claims socialists can win in every state
People are looking up their romantic interests on LinkedIn
FOX & Friends
Guest National Weather Service Director Ken Graham says a winter storm is expected to slam 40 states with inches of snow in the double-digits, airports are already seeing mass cancellations
On Dan Bongino’s return to podcasting, he says the mainstream media never gives Trump enough credit
Both Luigi Mangione and the Ohio double homicide suspect will appear in court today
Prince Harry sides with British actress Liz Hurley, who claims tabloids bugged her landline phones
The U.S. and China finalize a TikTok deal, while a Chinese-owned company has taken over Nathan’s Hotdogs
Live footage of preparations for today’s annual March for Life in Washington, D.C.
VP JD Vance blames local officials for anti-ICE protests, guest House Majority Whip Tom Emmer reacts to a statewide “Day of Action” and Rep. Ilhan Omar’s $30 million net worth shift
Actor Justin Baldoni encourages the courts to throw away his case against Blake Lively
Lawyers claims ICE detained a five-year-old boy, while ICE Director Todd Lyons says the agency was protecting him after his dad ran from law enforcement
Trump says Sec. of State Marco Rubio has a new job coordinating a Miami Expo in 2035
The Kremlin says gaining Ukrainian territory would be necessary to achieve a peace deal
Financial Group CEO Todd Burkhalter admits to a $380 million Ponzi scheme
A U.S. tennis pro rejects a journalist’s bait to get her to criticize America
FOX Newsroom
A historic ice storm is threatening more than 40 eastern states, a Duke Energy spokesperson warns of power outages and flight cancelations
President Trump celebrates a Greenland deal and the creation of a Board of Peace during the World Economic Forum, while California Gov. Gavin Newsom complained in the audience the entire week
Minneapolis plans a day of work walkouts and anti-ICE protests after three activists were arrested for breaking into a church
VP JD Vance confirms a five-year-old boy was not detained by ICE, instead was being protected after his dad ran away from agents
Chief of Staff Susie Wiles confirms Trump will “campaign like it’s 2024” to maintain a Republican trifecta after midterms
Cancer death rates are decreasing among people under 50, despite a dramatic rise in colon cancer rates nationwide
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza brought back his Heisman trophy to church
Banks are weighing following Trump’s order to place interest rate caps on credit cards
Nine out of ten states with the highest electric bills are run by Democrats
Ex-Olympian drug trafficker Ryan Wedding has been captured
A reporter attempted to get a young tennis player to condemn Trump’s politics
Barron Trump called the police after witnessing a friend facing assault by her ex-boyfriend
🍿 TRENDING AND POUNCING
Tomorrow’s news today…
Libs in Minneapolis are currently standing outside a hotel in -15 degree weather banging pots and playing instruments to keep JD Vance from sleeping inside his hotel. Little do they know, JD Vance landed back in D.C. 5 hours ago. [X, Johnny MAGA]
AG Keith Ellison “met with Somali fraudsters under investigation by the FBI.” He met with them for campaign donations. [X, Wall Street Apes]
Trump: Record Cold Wave expected to hit 40 States. Rarely seen anything like it before. Could the Environmental Insurrectionists please explain — WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING??? [X, Daugherty]
“Being Somali is more than bananas & rice, it’s a lot, it’s uh.. it’s kind of like bananas & rice.” [X, End Wokeness]
🗞️ WHAT THE RIGHT IS WRITING
FOX News Digital
Trump revokes Canada’s spot on ‘Board of Peace’ [FOX News]
Five takeaways from former special counsel Jack Smith’s Capitol Hill testimony [FOX News]
Historic winter storm hours away from 2,000 mile path tearing through 40 states [FOX News]
Breitbart
Mexico Created ‘Migrant TV’ to Coordinate Ethnic Political Action Inside America [Breitbart]
Trump Lays Out Vision for ‘Strong and Unified West’ at World Economic Forum [Breitbart]
Federal Judge Refuses to Sign Complaint Against Don Lemon for Church Riot [Breitbart]
Wall Street Journal Editorials
Donald Trump, Not Unchained [WSJ Ed]
Jack Smith Regrets Nothing [WSJ Ed]
Measles as a ‘Cost of Doing Business’ [WSJ Ed]
Trump Reverses Himself on Student Debt [WSJ Ed]
New York Post
The Post exposes price gougers targeting shoppers ahead of Winter Storm Fern [NYP]
Melania Trump goes Hollywood: Full details on debut of First Lady’s Amazon movie [NYP]
Washington Free Beacon
New York Times Fact-Checker Needs a Fact-Check [WFB]
Washington Reporter
Tim Scott backs Trump crackdown on ESG financial policies [Washington Reporter]
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