Join hosts Conner Jones and Micah Tomasella for an insightful episode of Culture Brief. This week, they discuss some of the most pressing news topics with spiritual insight: The impact of new tariffs announced by President Trump and their potential effects on the US economy, stock market, and everyday prices. Get the latest sports updates, including a recap of March Madness, Alex Ovechkin's record-breaking goal in the NHL, and the excitement surrounding The Masters golf tournament and a related hot take.  Topics(00:16): Economic chaos and tariffs(02:13): Impact of tariffs on everyday life(04:09): Market reactions and public sentiment(11:00): China and the trade war(12:51): Faith over fear: Finding peace in uncertainty(19:44): Sports update with Micah(22:42): Gretzky and Ovechkin: Celebrating hockey legends(23:46): Masters week: The pinnacle of golf(31:23): The spiritual side of sports fandom(34:56): Hot take: Wearing Masters apparel(41:15): Check-in section: Updates and newsResourcesMailbag: culturebrief@denisonforum.orgDenisonForum.org/subscribeCulture Brief on InstagramStocks fall, soar on “fake news,” then fall againTrump announces sweeping new tariffs to promote US manufacturing, risking inflation and trade wars | AP NewsVolkswagen’s Audi freezing all US imports due to Trump’s 25% autos tariffJaguar Land Rover pauses shipments to US as Trump says impact of tariffs ‘won’t be easy’ – as it happenedHow a false X post about pausing tariffs led to multitrillion-dollar market swingsTreasury Secretary Bessent says China's escalation was 'big mistake,' country playing with 'losing hand'2025 Masters: Tee times, groupings announced for Rounds 1-2 - PGA TOURPutin hails Ovechkin as 'legendary master' of ice hockey after he breaks NHL goal record | ReutersFlorida roar back to break Houston hearts and capture third NCAA title | NCAA Tournament 2025 | The GuardianHouston Falls To Florida In The 2025 NCAA Championship, 65-63How to watch 2025 Masters: TV schedule, streaming, tee timesWhat watching sports says about our souls About Micah TomasellaMicah Tomasella is the Advancement Officer at Denison Ministries and co-hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. A graduate of Dallas Baptist University, Micah is married to Emily, and together they are the proud parents of two daughters. With an extensive background in nonprofit work, finance, and real estate, Micah also brings experience from his years in pastoral church ministry. About Conner JonesConner Jones is the Director of Performance Marketing 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 Denison ForumDenison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.

Join hosts Conner Jones and Micah Tomasella in this week's episode of Culture Brief, where they discuss hot topics from a Christian perspective. This week, they talk about the complex issues surrounding the deportation of immigrants under the Trump administration and the dismantling of the US Department of Education. Additionally, they discuss the innovative “torpedo” bats used by the New York Yankees, Senator Cory Booker's record-breaking Senate speech, the death of American icon Val Kilmer, and the latest developments in US-Iran tensions. Don't miss the listener mailbag segment and a teaser for the upcoming Masters week. Engage with today's top stories across politics, sports, pop culture, and technology, all while reflecting on how these issues intersect with faith and values. Topics(00:41): Senator Cory Booker's record-breaking speech(02:27): Remembering Val Kilmer(03:13): Immigration controversies and deportations(19:10): Dismantling the Department of Education(26:47): Pros and cons of dismantling the US Department of Education(32:09): Shoutout to educators and Abbott Elementary(32:53): Listener mailbag: Fun stories and opinions(38:21): US-Iran tensions and nuclear deal(39:43): Trump's tariffs and Liberation Day(41:10): Trump's third term tease(42:06): TikTok deadline and March Madness(43:45): “Torpedo” bats in baseball(46:02): Masters Week and conclusionResourcesMailbag: culturebrief@denisonforum.orgDenisonForum.org/subscribeCulture Brief on InstagramAmericans want Trump's focus more on prices, not tariffs; most approve of deportation efforts — CBS News pollForeign-born population highest since 1890 — shock new figures show how much Biden changed AmericaBorder czar Tom Homan says he will visit Rochester cops who were blasted by their own city for helping ICEUS Undocumented Population Increased to 11.7 Million in July 2023: Provisional CMS Estimates Derived from CPS Data - The Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS)Joe Rogan calls the possibility of non-criminals being deported with violent gang members 'horrific'Exclusive: How the White House ignored a judge's order to turn back deportation flightsHow the Trump administration is using tattoos to lock up immigrants in El Salvador | The IndependentWhat to know about the wartime authority Trump invoked for mass deportationsPalestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil will remain in ICE detention in Louisiana after first court hearing | CNNShould we support deportation?Who is Mahmoud Khalil and why is Trump trying to deport him?What to know about the wartime authority Trump invoked for mass deportationsPalestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil will remain in ICE detention in Louisiana after first court hearing | CNNDamning nationwide test shows US kids’ reading levels plummeted to lowest level in 32-year history — and Republicans are blaming ‘woke’ educationNAEP Long-Term Trend Assessment Results: Reading and MathematicsA Half Century of Student Progress Nationwide - Education NextTrump signs executive order to dismantle US Department of Education | Trump administration | The GuardianThe cases for and against dismantling the Department of EducationHow Dismantling the Department of Education Would Harm Students | NEAUS Education Department closure imperils law school finances, deans say | ReutersCoalition Sues Trump Administration For Dismantling Department of Education, Hurting All StudentsVal Kilmer, Top Gun and Batman actor, dies at 65 About Micah TomasellaMicah Tomasella is the Advancement Officer at Denison Ministries and co-hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. A graduate of Dallas Baptist University, Micah is married to Emily, and together they are the proud parents of two daughters. With an extensive background in nonprofit work, finance, and real estate, Micah also brings experience from his years in pastoral church ministry. About Conner JonesConner Jones is the Director of Performance Marketing 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 Denison ForumDenison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.

Join Conner Jones and Micah Tomasella in this episode of Culture Brief as they discuss the biggest stories of the week, starting with the significant security breach involving a Trump administration Signal group chat leak, its political fallout, and the comparisons to the Hillary Clinton email scandal. They also explore the cultural and political controversies surrounding the new Snow White movie and its box office performance. They share their own favorite Disney movies. Additionally, they highlight the start of the Major League Baseball season and the upcoming weekend of March Madness games. Tune in for insightful analysis and a Christian perspective on this week’s hot topics. Topics(01:27): The Signal group chat leak(04:59): Political fallout and double standards(13:34): Snow White box office bomb(20:40): Controversy surrounding Disney's latest movie(22:46): Biblical perspective on the controversy(27:04): Favorite Disney movies discussion(29:07): Upcoming movie remakes(32:44): MLB Opening Day(35:27): March Madness and other sports updates(37:23): Conclusion and listener engagementResourcesMailbag: culturebrief@denisonforum.orgDenisonForum.org/subscribeCulture Brief on InstagramThe Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans - The AtlanticHere Are the Attack Plans That Trump’s Advisers Shared on Signal - The AtlanticFirst Thing: White House texts secret Yemen airstrike plans to reporter | JD Vance | The GuardianPete Hegseth claims ‘nobody was texting war plans’ in first comments since Yemen strike group text scandal'Sounds like a huge screwup': Top officials react to report about US leaders texting war plans in a Signal group chatTrump’s top team rips into Europe in leaked war texts group chat - raging they ‘loathe’ having to bail out freeloaders’ | The SunMaybe J.D. Vance Isn’t Trump’s PuppetTop officials inadvertently shared war plans with Atlantic editorInside Disney’s ‘Snow White’ Fiasco: Death Threats, Beefed-Up Security and a Social Media Guru for Rachel ZeglerAfter poisonous PR, ‘Snow White’ has ‘heigh-ho’pes for a fairy tale ending at the box office | CNNRachel Zegler celebrates ‘Snow White’ being ‘#1 movie in the world’ despite sleepy box office debut About Micah TomasellaMicah Tomasella is the Advancement Officer at Denison Ministries and co-hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. A graduate of Dallas Baptist University, Micah is married to Emily, and together they are the proud parents of two daughters. With an extensive background in nonprofit work, finance, and real estate, Micah also brings experience from his years in pastoral church ministry. About Conner JonesConner Jones is the Director of Performance Marketing 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 Denison ForumDenison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.