The President's Daily Brief

Host: Mike Baker
Episode: December 18, 2025: China Accused of Accessing Sensitive U.S. Nuclear Research & A European Ukraine Force
Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

Former CIA Operations Officer Mike Baker delivers a brisk, intelligence-focused summary of the morning’s most significant global security stories. In this episode, Baker covers explosive findings about Chinese access to U.S. taxpayer-funded nuclear research, emerging debates over Western military commitments to Ukraine post-ceasefire, a potential international plot behind a prominent MIT scientist’s murder, and investigative updates on the Brown University shooting. The episode is punchy, direct, and laced with Baker’s characteristic dry wit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. China’s Access to Sensitive U.S. Nuclear Research

(00:51 – 09:40)

• Revelation:
  A new congressional investigation finds Beijing exploiting partnerships with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-funded researchers to obtain sensitive nuclear and advanced technology.

• Scope:
  Over 4,000 academic papers published in the past year involve DOE-funded U.S. scientists collaborating with Chinese researchers, with about half tied directly to Chinese military or defense institutions.

• National Security Alarm:

  • DOE supports key technologies at 17 national laboratories, including nuclear energy, weapons stewardship, quantum computing, and material science.
  • Federal funds were found flowing to joint projects with Chinese state-owned labs and universities working directly with the PLA (People’s Liberation Army).
  • Some collaborating Chinese entities are listed in a Pentagon database of military-linked companies operating in the U.S.

• Systemic Policy Gaps:

  • No standardized system existed within DOE for assessing national security risks of foreign collaborations.
  • Oversight and information-sharing across agencies were inadequate.
  • Much collaboration occurred openly, not secretly, through approved academic partnerships.

• Broader Context & Irony:
  Baker alludes to the previous controversy over U.S. funding for Chinese labs involved in gain-of-function research, suggesting a pattern of insufficient oversight (“there should be no surprise that the US taxpayer is also paying to upgrade the Chinese military.” – 07:23).

• Capitol Hill Response:

  • Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) sponsored legislation to block federal funding for research with foreign adversaries; it passed in the House but was stripped from the annual defense package.

• Academic Backlash:

  • Over 750 faculty and university leaders warn that broad bans would chill collaboration and drive top scientific talent away, calling for targeted, risk-based safeguards.

• Main Takeaway:
  America must focus as much on securing its research ecosystem as it does on calling out China’s behavior.

  Notable Quote:

  “Because when it comes to sensitive research tied to national security, well, openness without safeguards equals vulnerability. And I believe that's a well known scientific equation.”
  — Mike Baker (09:20)

2. Europe’s Vision for a Ukraine Security Force

(09:45 – 15:45)

• Multinational Force Concept:

  • EU leaders and 10 European countries propose a framework for multinational forces to ensure Ukraine’s security after a ceasefire.
  • The envisioned Ukrainian military could reach up to 800,000 personnel.

• Ceasefire & Enforcement:

  • The plan includes a U.S.-led monitoring mechanism and would allow Western forces to carry out missions in Ukraine if necessary, even repelling renewed Russian incursions.

• Political Complications:

  • German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz signals readiness for Western troops to act as peacekeepers and respond to Russian ceasefire violations.
  • Mertz notes a U.S. shift in stance, suggesting America would “protect Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire as if it were NATO territory.”

• Broader Commitments:

  • Long-term rebuilding aid for Ukraine, European Union accession prospects, and pressure for Russia to compensate for war damages.
  • Europe is exploring indefinite freezing and potential use of Russian assets for Ukrainian reparations, though consensus remains uncertain (“Mertz said there is a 50-50 chance…” – 14:33).

• Challenges:

  • All plans are contingent on achieving a ceasefire, which Russia currently rejects, and the Kremlin claims any Western troops would be illegitimate occupiers.

  Notable Quote:

  “[Mertz] called that a ‘remarkable new position for the US in light of President Trump’s America First ideology.’”
  — Mike Baker, quoting Chancellor Mertz (13:09)

3. High-Profile MIT Professor Murder – Possible Iranian Connection

(15:46 – 19:58)

• Incident Summary:

  • Dr. Nuno Loureiro, head of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, was shot and killed in his Brookline, MA home.
  • The case is now being treated as potentially connected to international interests.

• Investigation Details:

  • Scene included shell casings, bullets embedded in walls, but no clear suspect or vehicle.
  • Loureiro led a large, advanced fusion research team – a field with sensitive strategic implications.

• Potential Foreign Motive:

  • Israeli officials are reviewing unverified intelligence suggesting an Iranian link, citing Loureiro’s support for Israel and his leadership in nuclear fusion research.
  • No confirmations yet; all possibilities remain open.

  Notable Quote:

  “The rare convergence of advanced scientific research, international intelligence interests, and an unsolved killing now has left a growing sense that this case may not be a straightforward local homicide.”
  — Mike Baker (19:09)

4. Back of the Brief: Brown University Shooting Investigation Updates

(19:59 – 24:17)

• Investigation Update:

  • Additional surveillance images released by Providence Police show a secondary figure of interest tied to the December 13th campus shooting (two dead, nine injured).
  • The main suspect is still unidentified; FBI offers $50,000 reward.
  • Video shows the suspect near the scene shortly before, and after, the attack; a new person with a blue jacket and beige hoodie seen near the main suspect.

• Challenges:

  • Contradictory vehicle descriptions, lack of building camera footage, and proliferating misinformation complicate the investigation.

• Law Enforcement Coordination:

  • Multi-agency effort: Providence PD, Rhode Island State Police, RI Attorney General, FBI, and others.
  • Community urged to remain vigilant; no current known ongoing threat to campus.

  Notable Quote:

  “While authorities admit the new images and footage do little to clarify the suspect's identity, they say it has helped investigators narrow the timeline as the manhunt continues.”
  — Mike Baker (22:38)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On U.S.–China Research Vulnerabilities:

  “In other words, American taxpayers may have been funding research that directly benefited the military buildup of the US's primary strategic competitor.”
  – Mike Baker (06:31)

• On Institutional Negligence:

  “There was no standardized system for assessing national security risks, limiting information sharing with other government agencies. ... Well, I cannot spot the lie in that statement.”
  – Mike Baker (08:54, referencing report text)

• On EU Security Planning for Ukraine:

  “European leaders say they would help stand up multinational forces coordinated by European partners with American support... Those forces would not be confined to operating outside Ukraine and could also carry out missions inside the country.”
  – Mike Baker (11:32)

• On MIT Professor’s Death:

  “It's that stature and nature of his research that has drawn attention beyond the US. Israeli officials are now examining intelligence suggesting a possible Iranian connection to the killing, though they have stressed that the assessment remains preliminary and unverified.”
  – Mike Baker (17:37)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Start | End | |-----------------------------------|---------|---------| | China’s Exploitation of U.S. DOE | 00:51 | 09:40 | | EU & Western Ukraine Force Plans | 09:45 | 15:45 | | MIT Professor Murder (Iran link) | 15:46 | 19:58 | | Brown University Shooting Update | 19:59 | 24:17 |

Episode Tone

Direct, lightly sardonic, concerned with strategic and policy implications, peppered with dry humor and skepticism towards Washington’s institutional competence.

This summary provides a full arc of the episode’s most consequential threads, offers context and clarity on the global stakes, and encapsulates the tone and urgency of Mike Baker’s briefing.