Why Trump banned CNN and MS Now, UN leaders can't agree & Ella Langley dethrones Mariah Carey | Ep. 87
In this week's Brief: Conner is joined by Josh Miller, CEO of Denison Ministries to discuss President Trump's ban on CNN, Politico and MS Now from the White House. We break down the lawsuit, the rare show of solidarity from rival networks (even Fox News!), and the comical, silent helipad ribbon-cutting that followed. Then we tackle a bigger question: What do we do when we doubt God?
From there, we dive into the UN General Assembly, where world leaders from Brazil, France and Jordan — plus President Trump — all say they want peace but can't agree on how to get there. It serves as an illustration of pursuing unity in the body of Christ, even across dividing lines.
Plus, the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger clears a major hurdle (with CNN in the mix), Ella Langley's "Choosing Texas" dethrones Mariah Carey for the longest-running No. 1 in Billboard Hot 100 history, and the office fantasy football standings are totally upside down.
Topics
- (0:00) Introduction
- (0:49) Trump bans media outlets
- (5:03) Networks boycott pool coverage
- (7:44) Helipad moment backfires
- (10:13) Legal precedent and Acosta
- (18:11) Doubt, God, and lament
- (22:42) UN General Debate begins
- (24:21) Guterres warns of fault lines
- (24:53) AI replaces nukes
- (25:37) Lula slams UN
- (27:43) Trump-Iran tension
- (34:58) Church unity call
- (40:18) Grace over judgment
- (43:24) Pray for leaders
- (44:05) Media merger news
- (46:57) Conclusion
Resources
- Send us your thoughts, questions, and topic ideas: culturebrief@denisonforum.org
- Culture Brief Instagram
- Watch on Youtube
- Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe
Articles on this week’s top headlines:
- WH bars pool reporters, Fox and other networks push back
- Politico: Access denied
- Trump seizes press passes
- President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post on banning news outlets
- Major TV Networks Suspend White House Pool Coverage of Trump in Protest of His CNN Ban
- Sophia Cai’s post on X about no audio at the WH
- Aaron Rupar’s post on X about no audio at the WH
- White House media bans have been tried before. They rarely hold up in court.
- United Nations General Assembly High-level Week 2026
- The Secretary-General -- Address To The Opening Of The General Debate Of The 81st Session Of The General Assembly
- Leia na íntegra discurso de Lula na Assembleia Geral da ONU
- United Nations His Excellency Emmanuel Macron President
- King delivers Jordan’s address at 81st UNGA
- United Nations United States of America His Excellency Donald Trump President
About Conner Jones
Conner Jones is the Managing Editor for Denison Forum at Denison Ministries and Co-Hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 with a degree in Business Management. Conner passionately follows politics, sports, pop-culture, entertainment, and current events. He enjoys fishing, movie-going, and traveling the world with his wife and son.
About Josh Miller
Josh Miller is the Chief Executive Officer at Denison Ministries. He is also a disciple of Jesus, husband, and father. A Christian leader, author, and songwriter, Josh brings over 20 years of ministry experience—from global worship tours to pastoral leadership. He lives in Plano, Texas with his wife and two sons, fueled by faith, craft coffee, and a love for tacos.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.
All episodes are produced by Sound of a Rose. For more information, you can visit soundofarose.com.
