[Newsletter] 2.12.26 | “ICE agents aren’t Disney villains.”
February 11, 2026
It might be the month of love, but these communication fails were not sweet in the slightest. A vivid description from Senator Mullin, some denials from the government and the Grammys, an apology from Kanye West… again, a double feature from the DOJ and some good examples and food for thought.
For those who might be new readers of the newsletter this year, You Don’t Say… features quotes from current headlines that break our #1 rule in media training: do not repeat or deny a negative word. Audiences tend to hear the opposite of what the speaker is trying to say, and those denials more often than not become the story. This month, if you see someone break this rule, send it in, and you might just make the winning comment!
WINNER
Following the death of Minnesota resident Renee Good at the hands of ICE agents, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) took to Instagram with a video touting that the agents were doing their job and assaults against ICE agents were up 1,300%. However, the first line of the accompanying caption read, “ICE agents aren’t Disney villains.” Wherever you stand on this issue, by using that language we can’t get the image of Jafar or Scar out of our heads.
@senmullin via Instagram, January 8, 2026
THE RUNNERS-UP
Following the Department of Justice’s release of over 3 million documents from the Epstein Files, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche did the Sunday morning news rounds and touted twice that “we have nothing to hide.” Angry citizens and lawmakers alike have taken to social media, emphasizing the fact that millions of documents have yet to be released in defiance of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Not to mention pages upon pages are redacted to the point of being indecipherable. But they have nothing to hide, right?
ABC News, “Deputy AG Blanche on Epstein Files:’We have nothing to hide’” February 2, 2026
“They are not manufactured,” said Stuart Worden, principal of The BRIT School, Britain’s leading performing and creative arts school. In an interview with The Guardian, Worden applauded the recent success of school alumni at the Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist Olivia Dean, Lola Young and FKA twigs. Worden emphasized the idea that the BRIT School nurtures young people to find their own voices. “They are themselves, and that’s powerful,” he said. This goes to show that even in an overwhelmingly positive article, negative claims, whether intended to be negative or not, will always be the star of the show.
The Guardian, “‘They are not manufactured’: how Brit school stars took over the Grammys” February 2, 2026
“We can’t trust the government anymore,” interrupted Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in a resurfaced interview with CNN’s Dana Bash, who quickly reminded Secretary Noem of her role, replying, “You are the government.” Noem promptly agreed, saying, “Yes, that’s what I’m saying.”
@nowthisimpact via Tiktok, January 12, 2026
THE RUNNERS-UP
This isn’t Ye’s first time to be featured in You Don’t Say… and we are fairly certain it won’t be the last. Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, recently took out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal sharing hardships he’s been through and apologizing for his erratic behavior. The otherwise well-crafted and seemingly authentic apology—packed with remorse, responsibility and reparations—was overshadowed by one simple sentence. “I am not a Nazi or an antisemite,” he said. Of course, this became the headline.
USA Today, “Ye apologizes, says he’s not ‘an antisemite’ in full-page newspaper ad” January 26, 2026
STATISTICS
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche made his second appearance in this month’s newsletter in an example of how not to use statistics. After giving an impassioned plea that every time the DOJ has heard from a victim or a victim’s lawyer that their sensitive information wasn’t properly redacted, they immediately rectified the mistake. Unfortunately, in an attempt to use numbers to prove his point, he stated that “only 0.001%” of victims had been revealed. Comforting, unless you are one of the 0.001 percent. And while we’re doing the math, how many victims does that mean are in the files? Sounds like a lot.
ABC News, “Deputy AG Blanche on Epstein Files: ‘We have nothing to hide’” February 2, 2026
YOU DO SAY
Vital Farms, the egg company whose mission is to bring ethical food to the table, found itself in the midst of controversy when a third-party lab in collaboration with Michigan State University shared that Vital Farms eggs had high levels of linoleic acid in their eggs due to corn and soy feed. While the reputational damage from social media will take time to repair, the company is responding in ways we would certainly recommend—focusing on their good words and following through on those claims. Take a look at their video and hear how many positive headlines they packed into it.
@vitalfarms via Tiktok, January 17, 2026
Promoting the upcoming and final season of “Queer Eye,” the cast appeared on the TODAY show, but one member was notably missing. Karamo Brown’s assistant had emailed the hosts, explaining that Brown had felt mentally and emotionally abused for years and had been advised by his therapist to protect himself and his peace by not attending. This seemed to take the rest of the cast by surprise, but each member was equipped with good words in their back pocket. Another great example of packing in the good headlines.
@jennasheinelle via Tiktok, January 20, 2026
AI ROUNDTABLE
In this time of rapid technological advancement, this virtual roundtable of A.I. experts is an interesting, informative and possibly predictive read.
The New York Times, “Where is A.I. Taking Us?” February 2, 2026
“You Don’t Say” is a reminder not to repeat and deny a negative word because of how the listener hears words. When you repeat and deny a negative word, the listener is likely to overlook the denial and hear the opposite of what the speaker is trying to say.