← The President's Daily Brief
The President's Daily Brief
July 10th, 2025: Running on Empty: America’s Missile Stockpile Problem & FBI Probes Into Brennan and Comey
00:26:41
Loading summary
Transcript6 lines
- [00:01]
Advertiser
This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations.
- [00:28]
Mike Baker
Looking to diversify and protect your hard earned assets? Well, schedule a free consultation with the Birch Gold Group. They're the precious metals specialists. Just text PDB to the number 989898 and you'll receive a free no obligation information kit and you'll learn how to convert an existing IRA or a 401k into a gold IRA. Again, it's very simple. Just text PDB to the number 989 898. It's Thursday, the 10th of July. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. And yes, apparently I'm still on the road and apparently I may be losing my voice, so I apologize if I sound a bit croaky. And while we're just rambling, yes, I am wearing a cardigan. I'm really working hard to bring the cardigan back. It's, it's a very functional piece of clothing that I think fell out of favor. So I'm really working to, to make it happen again. But. All right, here we go. Before we get started, a quick apology for not being able to upload the afternoon bulletin yesterday. It was a day full of delayed flights, and by the time I was finally finished with travel, yesterday afternoon's bulletin would have ended up being yesterday's very late night bulletin. But fear not, we're back on our regular schedule. And I will continue to try to ensure that my where is Waldo Travel routine doesn't negatively impact our daily programming. All right, enough with the preamble. Let's get briefed. First up, President Trump has greenlit Patriot missile deliveries to Ukraine. But there's a bit of a problem. The US Is running dangerously low on Interceptors, with StockPiles at just 25% of what the Pentagon believes it needs. Later in the show, a Greek cargo ship has been sunk in the Red Sea by Houthi militants. They're at it again. Four crew members are dead, 15 are still missing, and it's the second ship that the rebels have taken down in just days. Plus, the FBI has launched criminal investigations into former CIA director John Brennan and ex FBI director James Comey. At issue, their role in the 2016 Trump Russia probe. You remember that and the question of whether Brennan may have lied to Congress. And in today's Back of the brief, Germany says China targeted one of its aircraft with a military grade laser during an EU mission in the Red Sea. The Chinese regime, of course, denies doing anything wrong, ever. But first, today's PDB Spotlight. We'll begin today with a look at President Trump's plans to send more defensive weapons to Ukraine in the wake of Russia's escalating aerial attacks. As we've previously discussed, President Trump vowed on Monday to restart arms shipments to Ukraine, including sending Kyiv highly coveted Patriot missile interceptors. But there's one problem. U.S. stockpiles of interceptors and other munitions are reportedly running short, raising the critical question of where exactly these weapons will come from. Just last month, the Trump administration halted deliveries of Patriot interceptors, AIM120 missiles, Stinger Defense missiles and other critical munitions that were already scheduled to go to Ukraine, blindsiding officials in Kyiv and European allies. But according to a report from the Guardian, the freeze wasn't related to Trump's position on the war. It was tied to an ongoing review of US Armaments. Meaning are the shelves full, half full, or nearly empty? Specifically, the decision to press pause was based on the Pentagon's Global Munitions Tracker, which is used to determine the minimum level of weapons required to carry out the Pentagon's operations. Four people directly familiar with the matter told the Guardian that America's weapons stockpiles have been well below their baseline readiness standard for several years due to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. For example, the US has sent roughly 2,000 Stinger missiles to Ukraine since that war began, which is equivalent to roughly two and a half years of production. Those missiles are increasingly needed to defend against drone attacks in the Middle east and can't be quickly replaced. But the situation regarding Patriot missile interceptors is reportedly the most critical. Currently, the US only has roughly 25% of the interceptors needed to meet the Pentagon's needs. A good portion of the existing stockpiles were burned through during the campaigns against the Houthis and Iran. Following the bombing of Iran's nuclear sites, the US Was forced to fire its largest ever Patriot missile salvo to defend US Troops in Qatar from Iran's, well, largely performative retaliation, but using nearly 30 interceptors. To put things into perspective, American military contractors only produce roughly 600 of these interceptors each year. Now, while that may sound like more than enough, if the ceasefire between Israel and Iran were to break down, the US May need to defend against Iranian ballistic missile attacks. The mullahs have more than 1,000 ballistic missiles remaining in their arsenal that they could theoretically launch. And any gap in America's stores could leave US Bases dangerously vulnerable. One anonymous Trump advisor told Axios, quote, getting a Patriot missile isn't like going to Walmart and picking 10 off the shelf and going home, end quote. Oh, well, thanks for that. Hopefully the advice that this particular anonymous advisor slings around the White House is a little more sophisticated than that particular gem. So, with all that in mind, how does President Trump plan to get around this problem? According to a report from Axios, Trump intends to partially source the interceptors and other munitions through other countries with existing stockpiles. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has reportedly identified available Patriot missile batteries in Germany and Greece, which Trump would prefer to transfer to Ukraine rather than further deplete America's reserves. But European nations, well, they're also reluctant to part ways with their stockpiles, given NATO's own dwindling armaments and the threat of Russia expanding their war beyond Ukraine's borders. Sources say conversations about the transfers are ongoing with the Germans and that Trump has proposed splitting the cost of moving these systems with European allies. Still, a final agreement on how to get Kyiv the desperately needed air defenses hasn't been reached, but President Trump appears determined to follow through. His reversal on the issue of arming Ukraine followed what Trump described as a, quote, very disappointing call with Vladimir Putin last Thursday. Trump appears to have lost any remaining patience with Putin, while his once frosty relationship with Ukrainian President Zelensky has seemingly thawed significantly. The pair spoke last Friday in what both sides described as their friendliest and most productive discussion since Trump returned to the White House. Trump told Zelensky that the weapons freeze was necessary to review US Readiness, but assured him that the US Is committed to helping Ukraine defend itself. Despite the shortage, Trump pledged to immediately send Ukraine 10 Patriot interceptors. While that was less than what was promised prior to the freeze, Trump vowed to help Kyiv find other means of supply. One administration source said that Putin gravely miscalculated during his phone call with Trump. The source told Axios that Putin was a jerk and his attitude towards peace is what ultimately convinced Trump to reevaluate his support for Ukraine. While the question of how America will arm Ukraine remains complex, the source stressed that when it comes to U.S. support, quote, Ukrainians should feel better than they have at any point during this Trump presidency. End quote. All right, up next, a Greek cargo ship is sunk in the Red Sea by Houthi militants, and the FBI opens criminal investigations into both John Brennan and James Comey over their roles in the Trump Russia probe. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Did you know that July is National Grilling Month? It's true. So in honor of that fact, let me tell you about a great company producing some of the finest beef in the country. Right? Because in a world full of corporate meat factories and shrink wrapped average beef, you need to know where to find the good stuff for that grill. And of course I'm talking about trails beef. Look, Tri Tails is a fifth generation family run Texas ranch raising Black Angus cattle the right way, right? Pasture, raised grain, finished. It's great tasting beef. It's delivered straight from their ranch to your doorstep. That's it. It's that simple. And for National Grilling month, they're giving PDP listeners something special. Go to tribe beef.com PDB and you'll get two free flat iron steaks with your order just for stocking your freezer with great tasting American beef. No grocery store games, no feed lot fillers, just real beef from folks who still believe in doing things the right way. Go to tribe.compdb that's tribe.compdb.
- [09:59]
Miranda Devine
Power, politics and the People behind the Headlines I'm Miranda Devine, New York Post columnist and the host of the brand new podcast Pod Force One. Every week I'll sit down for candid conversations with Washington's most powerful disruptors, lawmakers, newsmakers and even the President of the United States. These are the leaders shaping the future of America and the world. Listen to Podforce One with me, Miranda Devine every week, week on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcast. You don't want to miss an episode.
- [10:42]
Mike Baker
Welcome back to the pdb. After months of relative calm in the Red Sea, the Houthis have resumed their maritime attacks launching back to back assaults on bulk carrier vessels that left four sailors dead and 15 others missing. The first strike came Sunday when the Liberian flagged Greek owned Magic Seas and was hit by a mix of drones, gunfire and rocket propelled grenades roughly 60 miles southwest of Hodeida. That's a port city under Houthi control. All 22 crew members were rescued by UAE operated Abu Dhabi port vessels before the Iran backed terror group claimed credit for the attack and announced that the ship had sunk. Less than 24 hours later a second Greek owned Liberian flagged bulk carrier the Eternity Sea came under sustained attack in that same stretch of water. The vessel bound for the Suez Canal was targeted with small arms fire, drones and grenades on both Monday and Tuesday. Its security detail reportedly returned fire in the initial assault, but was ultimately overwhelmed. A final drone strike dealt a fatal blow to the hull, forcing the crew of 25 to abandon ship. The Eternity Sea later sank early Wednesday. Rescuers pulled six sailors from the water after a day of drifting, according to maritime security firms Ambrae and Operation Atalanta. The rest remain unaccounted for, with 15 missing and four confirmed dead. Security officials have not ruled out the possibility of abduction, warning that the Houthis may have captured some of the missing sailors. The two maritime security firms report that the crew included 21 Filipinos, one Russian, and three armed guards. The ship had not requested a military escort into the Suez Canal. The renewed attacks and a fragile stretch of tenuous peace in the region. In a pause that followed a hefty US Airstrike campaign and a narrow ceasefire deal brokered by the Trump administration back in May. That agreement, as we've reported here on the pdb, required the Iranian backed Houthis to stand down only against US Flagged vessels, and in exchange, Washington would suspend airstrikes. But the deal didn't apply to foreign ships. The Houthis have claimed more than 100 maritime strikes since late 2023, part of what they describe as solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel's war with Hamas. Shipping data reviewed by Reuters shows that the vessels from both the Magic Seas and Eternity Sea fleets had previously docked in Israeli ports. That alone may have made them targets. But this week's resurgence also comes on the heels of fresh Israeli strikes on Houthi controlled territory, fueling speculation that the terror group is once again looking to escalate. Now, the Houthis haven't yet officially claimed responsibility for the Eternity Sea strike and sinking, but their media arm acknowledged the incident. And the terror group does have a habit of delaying formal responsibility, sometimes for days. Yemen's internationally recognized government, headquartered in the southern part of Aden, quickly condemned the attacks, accusing the Houthis, who still control the northern capital of Sana', a, of a, quote, deliberate escalation that threatens international shipping. End quote. Okay. Turning to the U.S. the FBI has opened a criminal investigation into former CIA director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey over their roles in the Trump Russia probe, including allegations that Brennan may have lied to Congress. According to a Fox News exclusive report. Justice Department sources say investigators are treating the pair's actions as part of a potential, quote, conspiracy, a term that could open the door to charges including the making of false statements. The development marks a turn in the years Long controversy over how U.S. intelligence agencies were weaponized during Trump's 2016 campaign. The Brennan investigation stems from a criminal referral by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who flagged evidence of misconduct in Brennan's push to include the now discredited Steele dossier. For those unfamiliar, the dossier was compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele and funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee as part of the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment. So, right off the bat, given the provenance of the report or the dossier, there should have been significant vetting of the report, sourcing in intel, but, well, that wasn't the case. That document, brushed out just before Trump's first inauguration, concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit the president. But a newly declassified Lessons Learned review revealed the process was riddled with procedural anomalies and political pressure. Chiefly Brennan's insistence on including the dossier over objections of senior CIA analysts. According to a December 2016 email from Brennan's then deputy, including the Steele dossier jeopardized, quote, the credibility of the entire paper. But Brennan reportedly dismissed those concerns. The CIA review stated, quote, despite these objections, Brennan showed a preference for narrative consistency over analytical soundness. Two CIA Mission center leaders challenged the validity of Steel's claims, but Brennan doubled down. In writing, he stated, quote, my bottom line is that I believe that the information warrants inclusion and in the report. And yet, in sworn testimony to Congress back in May of 2023, Brennan told the House Judiciary Committee the exact opposite, claiming, quote, the CIA was very opposed to having any reference or inclusion of the Steele dossier in the intelligence community assessment. The dossier, filled with largely unverified allegations against Trump, helped justify Foreign Intelligence Surveillance act warrants against a former Trump Aiden. Despite the FBI acknowledging as early as 2016 that Steele's sources could not verify much of what was in it. Well, that would be because it was essentially page after page of unverified hearsay speculation and unvetted comments. If the report had been subjected to unbiased operational standards for producing an intel report, it would never have passed muster. Comey's role in all this is also under active investigation, DOJ sources confirmed. While details remain under wraps, both Comey and Brennan attended a July 2016 White House briefing where Brennan informed then President Obama that Hillary Clinton's campaign had approved a plan to tie Trump to Russian election interference. The plan allegedly was designed to distract from Clinton's own email server scandal. Huh. Brennan recorded the meeting via handwritten notes. Oh. That were later declassified by Ratcliffe in 2020. Those writings were followed by a CIA memo to the FBI warning that the Clinton plan could be political disinformation. You think that memo, marked Crossfire Hurricane, was addressed to Comey? Now the FBI, ignoring the red flags, went on to launch a counterintelligence investigation into Trump's campaign that was later inherited by special counsel Robert Mueller. Remember him? After two years, Mueller concluded that there was no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia. Then came special counsel John Durham, whose investigation found that the FBI, quote, failed to act on what should have been a clear warning sign that the FBI might then be the target of an effort to manipulate or influence the law enforcement process for political purposes, end quote. Durham concluded that the Clinton campaign's fingerprints were all over the origin of the Trump Russia hoax and that the FBI ignored its own protocols to launch a politically motivated probe. Comey's FBI, Durham found, treated the Steele dossier as gospel, despite knowing it had partisan origins and was full of crap. But whether this latest investigation leads to accountability remains an open question. The Justice Department has a history of letting high profile misconduct quietly fade. After all, Laquashna D.C. is where investigations go to die. Just look at the current headlines surrounding the deceased, Jeffrey Epstein. This week the DOJ and FBI issued a two page memo concluding that Epstein had no so called client list and no blackmail material against high profile individuals allegedly tied to the disgraced financiers sex trafficking network. So nothing to see here. The memo lands with all the finality of a government rubber stamp reading case closed. The Epstein files, like the Russian hoax, ended not with transparency and justice, but with, well, with shrugs and redactions and denials. Okay, up next, in the back of the brief, a German surveillance plane gets lit up by a Chinese military laser. China is calling it nonsense, but the diplomatic fallout is already underway. Stay with us. Hey, Mike Baker here. I want to take just a few moments to talk about your online security. Look, right now the headlines are chock full of data breaches and regulatory rollbacks, making us all vulnerable. But here's the thing, you can do something about it. So I want to tell you about a great business out there working to protect you. It's called Deleteme. Deleteme is here to make it easy, quick and safe to remove your personal data online. Delete me constantly monitors and removes your personal information from data broker sites, sending regular reports so you know exactly what's been found and deleted. Take control of your data and keep your private life private by signing up for Deleteme. And now at a special discount for our PDB listeners, get 20% off your Delete Me plan when you go to DeleteMe.combrief. that's B R I E F and use promo code brief at checkout. Again, the only way you'd get that 20% off is to go to deleteme.combrief and enter the code brief at checkout. That's deleteme.combrief code brief.
- [20:59]
Bill O'Reilly
Hey, Bill O'Reilly here, host of the no Spin News corporate media programs. They're often lazy and dishonest. You know that the podcast world filled with misleading bomb throwers masking important issues that directly impact you. The no Spin News is here to counteract that we are a fact based, honest and unaffiliated broadcast. Our purpose is to inform you and give the best assessment of the situation, whether it's political or cultural. Please listen to the no Spend news with me, Bill O'Reilly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever podcasts are found. Remember, trust is earned.
- [21:49]
Mike Baker
In today's Back of the Brief, we turn to a diplomatic flare up between Berlin and Beijing stemming from an alarming encounter between a Chinese warship and a German military aircraft. On Tuesday, Germany accused the communist regime of attempting to disrupt one of its aircraft earlier this month while it was taking part in European Union led operations in the Red Sea, which are, of course aimed at protecting ships from missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi militants. The German reconnaissance plane was allegedly targeted with a laser fired from the Chinese warship which was said to be conducting its own operations in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia. That's according to a report from the BBC. Due to the laser targeting, the German aircraft was forced to abandon its mission and return to a nearby military base, leaving officials in Berlin, of course, furious. German leaders accused China of, quote, endangering German personnel and disrupting the operation. In a statement, Germany's Foreign Ministry criticized China over the encounter, calling it unacceptable and adding, quote, by using the laser, the warship put at risk the safety of personnel and material. While the incident may sound, well, relatively benign, perhaps laser targeting an aircraft presents considerable dangers as it can be used by an enemy to blind pilots. But rather predictably, China is playing dumb over the incident. China's Foreign Ministry said that Germany's accusations were totally inconsistent with the facts known by the Chinese side, end quote. Honestly, you, you do have to admire the Chinese Communist Party's willingness to deny everything, regardless of what the actual evidence may say. They claimed their warship was carrying out escort operations in the Gulf of Aden at the time of the encounter and did not target the German aircraft. Instead, their spokesman lashed out and lectured Berlin, saying German officials should, quote, take a fact based attitude and strengthen communication in a timely manner to avoid misunderstanding and misjudgment. End quote. Now, the US has previously accused China of using lasers to target American planes conducting patrols in the Pacific, but encounters between China and European NATO members are far more rare. Germany summoned the Chinese ambassador to the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday to answer for the incident. Well, that should do it. Perhaps a strongly worded memoir maybe combined with a harsh disapproving look. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief, Thursday, 10 July. Now if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@the first tv.com and to listen to the show ad free. Well, it's simple. Just become a premium member of the President's Daily brief by visiting PDB premium.com I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.