The President's Daily Brief

Episode: January 9, 2026 | Host: Mike Baker

Key Themes: US-Colombia Diplomatic Tensions, Russia’s Peace Rejection in Ukraine, Unrest and Crackdown in Iran, Trump's Defense Spending Proposal

Episode Overview

In this episode, Mike Baker delivers the day’s top international security stories, focusing on US-Colombia frictions in the wake of Venezuela’s regime collapse, Russia’s predictable rejection of Ukraine peace initiatives, mounting protest and repression in Iran, and President Trump’s dramatic push for increased defense spending—alongside proposed limits on defense contractor profits.

1. US-Colombia Tensions: From Escalation to Engagement

[00:13 – 09:32]

Background

• Recent regime change in Venezuela has sent shockwaves through South America.
• The Trump administration is moving to “reassert US influence in South America.”
• A public spat erupted after Trump criticized Colombian President Gustavo Petro, even flirting with the idea of US military action against Colombia.

Key Points

• Escalation: Trump’s criticism and suggestions of possible US military action against Colombia jolted relations; “After days of heated rhetoric and even talk of military action, tensions … appear to be easing” (Mike Baker, 00:19).
• Direct Contact: A phone call between Trump and Petro quickly cooled tensions. Trump, via Truth Social, praised the conversation and announced plans for a White House meeting, coordinated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
  • “It was a great honor speak with Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro.” — Donald Trump, quoted by Baker [~3:45]
• Symbolism: Petro responded with a social media post sharing an AI image of “an eagle and a jaguar in close embrace”—reflecting US-Colombia relations (the eagle for the US, jaguar for Colombia).

The Drug Trade Context

• Main Issue: Colombia, the world’s largest cocaine producer, remains central to global trafficking and US national security concerns.
  • “The short answer, as you might have guessed, is drugs.” (Baker, 05:20)
• History of Partnership: “Colombia has also been one of America’s closest and most reliable counternarcotics partners for decades,” thanks largely to Plan Colombia.
• Policy Clashes: President Petro, a former guerrilla, has shifted Colombia away from eradication toward negotiated solutions. The Trump administration sees this as correlated with increased coca cultivation.

Current Status & Future Outlook

• Tensions now subdued, but the core disagreement—how to fight the drug trade—remains “unresolved.”
• “Cooperation, however tense, is still preferable to open confrontation.”
• Baker observes this rapid cycle from pressure to diplomacy may be the new normal: “Sharp pressure, rapid escalation and sudden resets, especially when national security priorities collide with long standing partnerships.” (09:12)

2. Russia Rejects Ukraine Peace Proposal

[10:45 – 14:45]

Key Points

• Russia’s Stance: Moscow outright rejected the Coalition of the Willing’s peace proposal for Ukraine, stating any Western peacekeeping troop deployment would be “treated as a military target.”
  • “[Russia] warned that any such deployment would be treated as a military target … it’s almost, as I’ve said many times, like Putin isn’t interested in peace.” — Baker (10:58)
• Coalition Plan: Western troops would underwrite Ukraine’s security guarantees post-ceasefire, with the UK and France ready to deploy forces once fighting stops.
• Russia’s Core Demands: Kremlin demands Ukrainian neutrality, effectively vetoing Ukraine’s security alliances.
  • “It gives Russia veto power over Ukraine’s future security choices. And yes, that is just as bizarre as it sounds.” — Baker (13:48)
• Future Prospects: As long as Russia is at war, actual peace remains remote. The US may be accepting the reality that “Russia is the problem here,” as per new sanctions legislation.

3. Iran’s Nationwide Internet Blackout Amid Protests

[14:45 – 18:09]

Key Points

• Government Response: With protests now stretching into their 12th day, Iranian authorities enacted a nationwide Internet and phone blackout to stifle organization and communication.
  • “The regime has reached for one of its most familiar repressive tactics, cutting Internet access and plunging the country into a nationwide digital blackout.” — Baker (14:54)
• Catalyst: Outages began after exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi urged Iranians to chant from their windows at 8pm—a protest tactic harder to suppress than street demonstrations.
• Public Sentiment: Significant crowds reportedly answered Pahlavi’s call—“pro Pahlavi crowds are prevailing”—but movement remains decentralized with diverse grievances.
• Escalation and Brutality: Security forces have killed several dozen, including minors, and detained more than 2,000, targeting journalists, students, and relatives of protesters.
  • “It’s a blunt instrument used when other methods have failed.” (Baker 17:20)
• Analysis: The blackout indicates regime fear. Disconnecting the country is a sign that protests might represent a more real threat than in previous years.

4. “Back of the Brief”: Trump’s 66% Defense Spending Hike Proposal

[19:45 – 22:30]

Proposal Overview

• Trump requests Congress raise defense spending to $1.5 trillion for 2027—a 66% increase from the current level.
  • “The scale of what Trump is proposing is striking … our military budget for the year 2027 should not be 1 trillion, but rather 1.5 trillion.” — Baker, quoting Trump (20:36)
• Funding Rationale: Trump cites extensive tariff revenues as justification, saying higher tariffs make the hike feasible without “unchecked borrowing.”
  • “If it weren’t for the tremendous numbers being produced by tariffs from other countries, I would stay at the 1 trillion dollar mark.” — Trump, via Baker (21:12)
• Planned Purchases: Funding is intended for ambitions like the Golden Dome missile defense system, the Golden Fleet, and new “Trump class” warships.
• Industry Warning: Unusually, Trump pairs his pitch with a stern warning to defense contractors to halt buybacks, cap executive pay, and reinvest in capacity.
  • “Defense contractors are currently issuing massive dividends to their shareholders and massive stock buyback at the expense and detriment of investing in plants and equipment. This situation will no longer be allowed.” — Trump, via Baker (22:00)
  • Specific criticism targets Raytheon and its CEO’s compensation.

Notable Quotes and Moments

• On US-Colombia tensions:
  • “Just days after President Trump publicly blasted Colombia’s president and suggested that US military action against the country. Sounds good. That was a quote, sounds good.” — Baker (02:55)
• On Russia and Ukraine:
  • “I mean, at what point does anyone call bullshit on Putin? Just a thought.” — Baker (12:48)
• On Iran’s blackout:
  • “I’m sure that was just a coincidence.” — Baker, wryly remarking on timing of Internet outage coinciding with protests (15:20)
• On defense spending:
  • “More money is coming, but business as usual perhaps is not.” — Baker (21:33)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:13 – Intro and headline preview
• 02:45 – US-Colombia: Trump-Petro tension and call
• 05:20 – Colombia-US drugs policy context
• 09:32 – Analysis: new normal for US foreign policy tactics
• 10:45 – Russia rejects Ukraine peace plan
• 12:48 – Russia’s demands and Western responses
• 14:45 – Iran: Internet blackout and protest escalation
• 17:20 – Regime repression tactics and context
• 19:45 – Trump’s defense budget proposal and industry criticism
• 22:00 – Targeted criticism of defense contractors, especially Raytheon

Summary for New Listeners

This fast-paced episode offers essential context on several major global flashpoints and how US policy is adapting. Diplomatic brinksmanship with Colombia de-escalates after a blunt call from the US president, but the drug war policy schism remains. Moscow’s blunt rejection of peace initiatives in Ukraine sets up a “new normal” of military standoff, while Iran’s surging street protests push the regime into digital lockdown and violent crackdowns. Meanwhile, President Trump’s massive defense spending ambitions come with warnings to the defense industry—a sign that the fiscal and strategic shape of US power may be in for rapid, unpredictable shifts.