VINCE | Episode 255: “Trump Runs Circles Around the Media”
Host: Vince Coglianese
Guest: David Bozell, President of the Media Research Center
Date: March 27, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of VINCE centers on the latest maneuverings in Washington, with host Vince Coglianese dissecting how President Trump outmaneuvered Democrats amid a major Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding crisis affecting TSA and ICE. Vince critiques the media’s role in shaping and distorting the public narrative, explores the Trump administration’s use of emergency powers, celebrates moments of ICE heroism, and features an in-depth analysis with media critic David Bozell. The episode’s overall tone is combative, sarcastic, and infused with a sense of urgency and conservative populism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The TSA Funding Crisis and Trump’s “Masterstroke”

[04:13 - 19:40]

• Background: Ongoing chaos at U.S. airports due to TSA understaffing and high call-out rates (claim: up to 50% at some locations).
• Democratic Strategy (per Vince): Allegedly fostering “chaos” to demoralize voters and force Republicans to compromise on immigration, aiming for “judicial warrants for every illegal alien” to slow the deportation system.
• Trump’s Move: Trump invokes emergency powers to fund TSA without legislative approval, bypassing Democratic leverage.
  • Vince: “He took the chaos off the table. He brought relief to America’s airports. … The chaos we were trying to create for the American people is suddenly disappearing.” [13:56]
• Markwayne Mullin (new DHS Secretary) Response: Publicly thanks Trump, blames Democrats for “punishing our employees and holding DHS hostage.”
  • Mullin: “I want to thank President Trump for his leadership ... this chaos at the airports was caused solely by the Democrats and their reckless DHS shutdown.” [10:49]
• Senate Action: Overnight, Senate passes a clean funding bill (unanimous consent) to restore TSA funding—without restrictions on ICE. Civilians with ICE/Border Patrol are still unpaid.
  • Vince: “The second the misery ends for the average American, Democrats finally concede, and they're like, okay, fine, we'll pass some funding. That’s what happened overnight.” [15:45]
• Process Notes: Obstacles remain in the GOP-controlled House due to procedural rules; full DHS funding may be delayed till Monday.
• Critique of Democratic Tactics: Vince asserts Democrats “want to watch the world burn” [05:33] for their own power.
• Reconciliation and Lindsey Graham: Vince calls Graham’s promise to pass election reforms via reconciliation “BS,” with no chance of meaningful reform.
  • Vince: “Lindsey Graham is lying to you. There is no meaningful way to get elements of the SAVE act through reconciliation.” [19:06]

2. Heroism at JFK: ICE Agent Saves a Child

[19:40 – 25:49]

• Incident: An ICE agent performing TSA duties at JFK saves a one-year-old boy who went limp (choking or medical emergency), administering the Heimlich and reviving him before emergency medical assistance arrived.
• Vince’s Commentary: Lauds the ICE officer’s training and actions, using this as evidence ICE agents are “doing everything, actually … the Marco Rubios of federal law enforcement right now.” [24:29]
• Contextualizes: Links ICE’s direct public service at airports to positive PR, countering negative media narratives.

3. Trump’s Media Persona & Notable Interview Moments

[25:49 – 32:14]

• Fox Interview Highlights: Trump refers to “YMCA” as the “gay national anthem” and boasts about his support from the LGBTQ community, while denouncing “Gays for Palestine” as illogical due to persecution of gays in Palestinian territories.
  • Trump: “I even played the gay national anthem as my walk off, okay? ... No Republican’s ever gotten the gay vote like I did. … Think of it: Gays for Palestine, but they kill gays in Palestine.” [26:30 – 28:01]
• Vince’s Reaction: Calls the interview hilarious and lauds Trump’s media-savvy style.
  • Vince: "That's really funny. … It's okay to pause for a moment and marinate in how fun this is. … You're going to look back on them fondly someday." [28:01 - 28:54]

4. Media Distortion & Anti-ICE Narrative – Interview with David Bozell

[32:14 – 57:51]

• Media’s Role: David Bozell details Media Research Center’s findings: 97% of ICE coverage is negative (“nearly universally negative”). [33:07]
  • Example: Minnesota Star Tribune headline “ICE shoots man in leg,” omitting pertinent facts about the deportation and ensuing altercation. [33:33]
  • Impact: “Headline scrolling” by the public amplifies negative impressions.
• Distribution Bias:
  • Bozell: “Polling can get affected ... it's just this anti ICE all the time, anti Trump all the time.” [34:15]
  • Bozell: "When Apple takes it [Politico’s headline] and, and broadcast it to its reportedly 125 million users a day, that is an ecosystem with which the Republican Party ... can't really compete with at that kind of a rapid pace." [35:51]
• Apple News/Politico Misinformation: Example of Politico image falsely blaming Republicans for TSA funding block—"a perfect inversion of the truth." [37:30]
• Republican Response: Lack of GOP unified message and energy to counteract media disinformation.
  • Bozell: “The conservative movement has come an awesome long way ... but 125 million at the blink of an eye is tough to compete with.” [39:37]
• Election Influence: Discussion of how suppression of the Hunter Biden laptop story and other stories (e.g., transgender policy in the Olympics) could have swung the 2020 election.
  • Bozell: “It would have resulted in a 9.4% swing, according to our poll. ... President Trump would have won in a landslide.” [40:38]
• Transgender Athletes & Policy: IOC bans men from competing in women’s sports; media frames this as “trans women athletes banned from Olympics”—misleading, says Vince.
  • Bozell: “That headline is a lie. ... All kudos and credit to the president on this one.” [43:17]
• Local Crime, Media Coverage & Virginia Politics:
  • Praise for local reporter Nick Minock for aggressive reporting on local crime and election issues in Virginia. Bozell hints MRC will honor him with an award. [49:41]
  • Critique of DC-area affiliates for lack of aggressive local coverage.
  • Vince: “This is the kind of crap the Trump administration was elected to fix.” [43:49]
• Virginia Election Manipulation: Democratic efforts to rig the state’s congressional map via misleading referendums and media campaigns featuring Obama ads.
  • Vince: “…the entire United States House of Representatives is on the verge of being stolen, basically.” [54:15]
  • Bozell calls for more GOP donor and leadership involvement and energy, likening the needed unity to Democrats during controversial legislative pushes (e.g., Obamacare, Clinton impeachment). [54:52]

5. Final Thoughts: The Trump Factor & Republican Energy

[56:01 - 57:51]

• Vince and Bozell agree: Only Trump’s unique political force and aggressive, media-savvy campaigning can energize the Republican base for the 2026 midterms.
  • Bozell: “He would do four speeches a day. None of these other guys can seem to be able to do that. ... That's the kind of energy that needs to be brought to the table.” [56:01]
  • Vince: “If anybody can make the midterms a big success, it’s going to be him.” [56:12]
• Messaging Strategy: “Common sense vs. crazy" as the defining contrast for the cycle.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s TSA Move:
  • “He took the chaos off the table. He brought relief to America’s airports. … The chaos we were trying to create for the American people is suddenly disappearing.” (Vince, 13:56)
• On ICE’s Media Image:
  • “They're doing everything, actually. ICE agents are the Marco Rubios of federal law enforcement right now. They do every job the President could possibly ask. God bless him for it, including saving lives.” (Vince, 24:29)
• On Political Messaging & Media:
  • “Polling can get affected ... it's just this anti ICE all the time, anti Trump all the time.” (Bozell, 34:15)
  • “That headline is a lie. ... All kudos and credit to the president on this one. No one carried this message further and wider of no men in women's sports than the President, United States.” (Bozell, 43:17)
• On GOP Tactics:
  • “...there’s not a ton of aggression in so far as I've seen their involvement.” (Vince, 54:00)
  • “The alternative is open borders, crime at your bus stops, accused rapists in your schools. That is the alternative.” (Bozell, 57:20)
• Trump’s Pop Culture Moment:
  • “I even played the gay national anthem as my walk off, okay? ... No Republican’s ever gotten the gay vote like I did. … Think of it: Gays for Palestine, but they kill gays in Palestine.” (Trump via Fox interview, 26:30 – 28:01)

Timestamps for Influential Segments

• TSA Funding Crisis & Trump’s Move: 04:13 – 19:40
• ICE Agent Heroism at JFK: 19:40 – 25:49
• Trump’s Notable Fox Interview: 25:49 – 32:14
• David Bozell on Media Distortion/ICE: 32:14 – 57:51
• Local Crime Reporting & VA Election Rigs: 48:39 – 54:43
• Final Thoughts, Trump & Midterms Messaging: 56:01 – 57:51

Summary Takeaways

• Trump’s Emergency Funding is framed as a bold, effective action exposing Democratic tactics and forcing the Senate’s hand, with significant praise from both Vince and Markwayne Mullin.
• Media Critique: The episode delivers a comprehensive indictment of tech news aggregators (Apple, Google), mainstream outlets, and their power to shape public opinion against conservatives and ICE.
• Heroic ICE Actions are positioned as a PR coup and real-life counterargument to negative press.
• Culture & Politics: The podcast leans heavily on culture war topics—transgender athletes, LGBTQ issues, and local crime—linking these to both electoral strategy and media treatment.
• Republican Party Leadership is critiqued as lacking unity and urgency, contrasted with Trump’s unique political energy.
• Call to Action: Both hosts push for aggressive, unapologetic defense of conservative values, more robust Republican response, and grassroots activism.

For listeners seeking condensed, opinionated analysis of the day’s major stories, and an inside look at conservative messaging strategy, this episode delivers headline news with trademark “VINCE” bravado and wit.