Loading...
Loading...

It's Tuesday the 31st of March. We've made it through another month, would you look
at that? Welcome to the PDB afternoon bulletin. I'm Mike Baker from your eyes and ears on
the world stage. Alright, let's get briefed.
Next up, New Reporting, reveals President Trump is willing to end the war with Iran without
reopening the Strait of Hormuz, raising serious questions about what victory actually
looks like and who might be left to deal with the fallout. Later in the show, Israel
suspends a battalion after its troops detained a CNN crew in the West Bank, as the IDF
faces scrutiny over the incident. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. We're getting
a clearer picture of how the Trump administration may be thinking about the end game in the war
with Iran, and it raises a fundamental question. What does victory actually look like? According
to New Reporting from Wall Street Journal, President Trump has told AIDS that he's willing to wind
down the military campaign, even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed. Now, that's a
significant shift, and one that could, obviously, redefine how this conflict ends. Because after Iran
began choking off the Strait, reopening it was widely seen as a central objective. But behind
the scenes, administration officials have concluded that actually forcing it open would likely push
the conflict well beyond the president's preferred timeline of four to six weeks. In that timeline,
appears to be driving the strategy. On one hand, US and Israeli operations have already achieved
several key military objectives, destroying Iran's naval capabilities, degrading its missile
stockpiles, and putting sustained pressure on the regime's ability to project force beyond its
borders. But reopening Hormuz, well, that's a different kind of fight entirely. We're talking about
clearing naval mines that can be deployed quickly and cheaply, countering swarms of fast attack
boats operating close to Iran's coastline, protecting commercial tankers with escort vessels and
air cover, and maintaining a constant visible security presence in what's now the most contested
waterway on the planet. This would not be a short-term operation, obviously, and it's only
effective in keeping the Strait open for as long as the operation is maintained. Once stopped,
it would take very little for the existing Iranian regime to restart the chaos and shut down
the waterway again. So instead, what appears to be emerging, that least according to the journal,
is a two-phase approach. Phase one, achieve military objectives, weaken Iran's capabilities,
and create the conditions to claim success. Phase two, well, shift the burden of securing
the Strait onto allies, particularly in Europe and the Gulf, while increasing diplomatic pressure
on Tehran to allow shipping to resume. Now, the White House has already begun signaling exactly
that, publicly calling on other nations to step up and take control of the waterway themselves,
and that introduces a new layer of uncertainty. Because while Washington views the
Strait as far less critical to its own energy needs, the US actually imports only a small share of
its oil and virtually no liquefied natural gas through the Strait of Hormuz, it remains essential
to global markets, particularly for countries in Europe and Asia that depend heavily on Gulf
energy flows. And as long as Iran retains the ability to disrupt that flow, even intermittently,
it maintains a powerful form of leverage over the global economy. We're already seeing the effects,
oil prices have surged well past $100 a barrel, and disruptions to shipping are beginning to
ripple through supply chains, tied to everything from fuel to fertilizer to industrial gases used
in manufacturing. So, even if the US winds down military operations, the economic consequences
of a constrained or shut down Hormuz could continue to escalate. Now, there are many folks who
argue that the US shouldn't have to take the lead or be engaged in working to reopen the Strait,
the argument being that Europe and Asia depend far more on that waterway for their energy needs.
But again, nothing happens in a bubble in this world that's a very interconnected place.
And the best example of that is the rising cost of gas at the pumps in the US. The national
average for a gallon of gas is now over $4. The US may not depend on the Strait for oil,
but a closed or severely restricted Strait will mean increasing prices at the pump for US voters,
and the White House is well aware of that. And then there's the contradiction in posture.
Even as the administration discusses wrapping up the current phase of the war,
additional US forces are still moving into the region, including elements of the 82nd Airborne
Division and marine expeditionary units operating from ships like the US has triply.
And that raises an obvious question, if the conflict is potentially nearing an end,
why are more troops arriving? Well, it may be that Washington is hedging,
preparing options if diplomacy fails or Iran escalates further. Or it could signal a transition
to a different kind of mission, one focused less on large-scale strikes and more on deterrence,
presence or limited operations tied to securing key terrain or assets.
So here's where we appear to be. The US may be preparing to conclude the war on its own terms,
achieving its primary military objectives declaring victory and moving on, hoping to avoid
voter backlash from a sustained conflict, while leaving the most complex and time-consuming
challenge unresolved. Because ending the war without reopening the Strait of Hormuz is a
serious problem, not just for Europe and the Gulf States and Asia, but also for the US.
The current Iranian regime, as it stands, is still the Islamic Republic. It's not a new regime,
it's the same regime staffed by new faces, many of whom are reportedly more hard-line.
It's the same regime, but now further, under the control of the security apparatus,
primarily the Revolutionary Guard Corps. And if that regime continues to exert influence
over the Strait, either through threats to commercial shipping or extorting tolls from vessels
for safe passage, and if US allies and regional partners are unable or unwilling to engage in
what would be a long-term effort to reopen and secure the Strait, well, this will be a long-term
problem that everyone will eventually pay for. All right, coming up next, Israel sidelines a
battalion of troops after it reportedly held a CNN crew for hours in the West Bank,
putting the Israeli Defense Forces the IDF under fresh scrutiny. I'll be right back.
Hey, Mike Baker here. Let me ask you a question. Have you ever left the doctor s office feeling like,
well, like you got nothing out of it? You just standard instructions to eat right and exercise,
so we'll thank you for that advice. Well, that's why I want to tell you about Superpower.
It's a tremendous app that can help you stay on top of your health. One lab draw tracks over 100
biomarkers. Their app provides detailed information on your heart, your liver, your thyroid,
your hormones, your metabolism, even your true biological age, hopefully it's younger.
They send a license professional to your home or you can visit a nearby lab. You can essentially
access high-end concierge-level care for only $179 using our special PDB discount.
Make this the year that you stop guessing about your health with Superpower. Not only did
Superpower reduce their price to just $199, but for a limited time, our listeners get an additional
$20 off when you head on over to superpower.com slash PDB and use the code PDB. Again,
that's superpower.com slash PDB and use the code PDB at checkout for $20 off your membership.
After you sign up, well, they'll ask how you heard about Superpower. Do me a favor. Tell them the
PDB sent you. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, whether you're in a one or a two-income household,
if you're a breadwinner, you're carrying a lot of responsibility. Come on, you know that.
Mortgage payments to wish and utility bills every day bills that don't just disappear should
something happen to you or your partner. But thinking about that, thinking about the what ifs in
life, well, that can be overwhelming. But I'm here to tell you that taking steps to protect your
family financially is now a lot easier than it used to be. It's why I recommend Ethos Life
Insurance. That's E-T-H-O-S Ethos. It's fast, easy, and it's 100% online. You get a quote in
seconds. You apply in minutes and you get same day coverage up to $3 million. And some policies
are as low as $30 a month. Business Insider named Ethos the number one no medical exam instant
life insurance provider. And they've got 4.8 out of five stars on Trust Pilot. Protect your
family with life insurance through Ethos. Get your free quote in minutes at ethos.com slash PDB.
That's ethos.com slash PDB. Once again, ethos.com slash PDB. Application times and rates may vary.
Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, did you know that fast growing trees is America's largest and most
trusted online nursery? Did you know that? They've got thousands of trees and plants and over
2 million happy customers. Come on, seriously, 2 million satisfied customers. They have all the
plants in your yard or home needs, including fruit trees and privacy trees, flowering trees,
shrubs, and don't forget your shrubs and house plants all grown with care and guaranteed to arrive
on your doorstep healthy. Whatever you're looking for, fast growing trees helps you find options
that actually work for your climate, for your space, for your lifestyle. Right now, they have
great deals on spring planting essentials up to half off on select plants. And listeners
to the PDB get 20% off their first purchase when using the code PDB at checkout. That's an additional
20% off for better plants and better growing at fastgrowingtrees.com using the code PDB at checkout.
That's fastgrowingtrees.com code PDB. Now is the perfect time to plant and use code PDB to save
today. Offers valid for a limited time, terms and conditions may apply.
Hey podcast listeners, Jillian Michaels here. If the world is feeling unstable right now,
and the noise and the chaos is overwhelming, if you're looking for clarity and truth good or bad,
I invite you to check out my podcast keeping it real with Jillian Michaels. Twice a week,
I break down the biggest issues shaping our lives and I sit down with bold guests for fearless,
honest conversations. There are no talking points, there's no agenda,
just real discussions, the challenge assumptions and demand clarity.
Subscribe to Keeping It Real with Jillian Michaels today, anywhere you get your podcasts.
Welcome back to the PDB afternoon bulletin. By now, you've likely seen the headlines
about the Israeli defense forces detaining a CNN crew in the West Bank.
But the response from Israel's military is what's drawing new attention with the IDF,
now taking the unusual step of suspending the battalion at the center of it.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with what occurred last week, well, here's a recap.
This unfolded in the village of Tiasir, where a CNN crew, led by Jerusalem correspondent Jeremy
Diamond, was on the ground reporting on attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.
At some point during that reporting, soldiers from the IDF's Netza Yahuda battalion stepped in.
According to CNN's account, the crew was detained for roughly two hours.
One of the soldiers placed photojournalist Cyril Theophilus in a chokehold forced him to
the ground and damaged his camera. Again, the CNN crew was released after a couple of hours.
The situation gained attention quickly, though, both inside Israel and internationally.
What stands out is what happened next. Because in the days that followed,
the IDF moved quickly and very publicly. The Israeli military first condemned the incident,
then made the decision to suspend the battalion's operational deployment altogether,
while launching a formal military police investigation.
An IDF spokesman said, quote, it was a bad incident that shouldn't have happened.
It doesn't represent how our soldiers should act, end quote.
And the response from Jerusalem didn't stop there. In a formal statement,
the IDF said the battalion would remain in reserve service while undergoing a process
aimed at reinforcing its, quote, professional and ethical foundations,
with the full findings of the inquiry expected to be released in the near future.
We're also starting to see accountability at the individual level, with one soldier dismissed,
others reprimanded, and the soldier involved in the altercation now under formal military police
investigation. According to CNN's Jeremy Diamond, the incident, quote, laid bare the settler
ideology, motivating many of the soldiers who operate in the West Bank, with some troops in
his account, asserting that all Palestinians are terrorists.
If you look further into the Netzaehuda unit, also known as the 97th battalion of the
Kaffir Infantry Brigade, it's an ultra-Orthodox unit that has faced scrutiny for years over
alleged abuses in the West Bank. It's drawn criticism, not just within Israel,
but also from US officials. In fact, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken
had been weighing sanctions against the unit, something that would have been unprecedented,
before ultimately deciding not to move forward. But Israeli President Isaac Herzog
did, in fact, weigh in, condemning violence by what he described as IDF, quote,
extremist elements in the West Bank, writing that those actions stand, quote,
in stark contradiction to the values upon which Israel was founded, end quote.
And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon Bulletin for Tuesday, the 31st of March.
Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com.
And of course, to listen to the show ad-free, that is a very simple thing to do.
Just become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBpremium.com.
I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.
Hey, Mike Baker here with a message for dog lovers, and who's not a dog lover? Come on.
If you're like me, dogs are an important part of the family, right? We've got two. Our golden
retriever, Hendrix, he's a good old boy now, hidden his 14th year, and Monty are cute, but somewhat
dim-witted King Charles Spaniel. Now, as you probably know, when it comes to your dog food,
well, there always seems to be a compromise. It's either fresh and healthy, or it's easy to store
and serve. And that's why we love Sundays for dogs. Because with the Sundays for dogs brand,
you can get both, right? Fresh and healthy dog food. That's easy to store and serve.
It's founded by veterinarian Dr. Tory Waxman. Sundays is created with air-dried real food made in
a human food-grade kitchen. Using the same ingredients you'd use to cook for your family.
Everybody is clean, it's packed with real meat, fruit, and veggies. There's no weird,
unpronounceable ingredients, there's no fillers. Compared to other brands, Sundays invests 50 times
more in its ingredients for true premium quality. There's no cost-cutting here. Just scoop and serve
no freezer, no thawing, no prep, no mess, no fuss, no muss. Make the switch to Sundays. Go
right now to sundaysfordogs.com slash PDB50 and get 50% off your first order. Or you can use
code PDB50 to check out. That's 50% off your first order at sundaysfordogs.com slash PDB50.
Sundaysfordogs.com slash PDB50 or use code PDB50 to check out.
The President's Daily Brief
