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The President's Daily Brief
May 5th, 2025: China’s Silent Retreat: Beijing Backpedals On U.S. Tariffs & U.S. Approves Ukraine F-16 Deal
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It's Monday, the 5th of May. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. We'll start things off today in Beijing, where new reporting reveals the true scale of China's quiet backtrack in the trade war with the over $40 billion in American goods are now exempt from tariffs, clear evidence that Beijing's well, feeling the squeeze. Later in the show, a missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels lands near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, the most sensitive target hit since the group began its campaign against the Jewish state. Plus, in the latest sign of growing cooperation between the Trump administration and Kyiv, the US has now approved a $310 million package to support Ukraine's F16 program. And in today's Back of the Brief, British authorities arrest five Iranian nationals in a counter terror operation, accusing them of plotting a terror attack on UK Soil. But first, today's PDB spotlight. Last week we reported that the communist regime in Beijing had created a secret whitelist of US made products, exempting them from China's 125% tariffs, retaliatory tariffs, might I add, and quietly notifying companies of this shift in policy. Now we're getting more clarity on the scale of those exemptions and what they reveal about the mounting strain on China's economy. According to new reporting from Bloomberg, China has already started allowing businesses to import U.S. goods from a list of 131 products without paying these steep tariffs. The estimated value of these exempted goods is roughly $40 billion. To put that in perspective, that's nearly a quarter of all Chinese imports from the US this year. So this is not a minor tweak to China's trade policies. The exemptions cover a wide range of goods, from pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals to aircraft leasing and critical inputs for electronic manufacturing. Analysts now believe this move was a deliberate mirror of US Exemptions on certain Chinese products rather than A goodwill gesture, Beijing is deliberately keeping the move quiet, likely to avoid the appearance of backing down. The list has not been published, and Chinese officials still haven't publicly acknowledged the exemptions. Still, at least half a dozen companies have already taken advantage, importing US Goods tariff free in recent days. Behind the scenes, Chinese officials reportedly began reaching out to foreign companies in early April, asking them to identify which US Imports were essential and difficult to replace. That feedback helped shape the white list, which Bloomberg says will be continuously updated based on domestic needs and supply pressures. A notable example is ethane. That's a type of natural gas used to make plastic. The US Is the world's top supplier, and China doesn't have an easy alternative. Two major Chinese plastic manufacturers have already been granted exemptions so that they can keep buying ethane from the US It's a clear reminder that as reliant as the US Is on China for manufacturing, China still depends on the US for key materials. And its retaliatory tariffs are starting to do more harm than good at home. And the damage is piling up. Factory activity in China has now slipped into its sharpest contraction since late 2023. Major global banks, including Goldman Sachs and UBS, have cut China's full year growth forecast to around 4%, well below Beijing's official target. This all might be why on Thursday of last week, the Chinese Commerce Ministry publicly stated it's now open to resuming trade talks with the US following several recent outreach attempts from American officials. But Beijing also made clear that any negotiation would require the US to first remove all unilateral tariffs, calling them a sign of bad faith. That, quote, further compromise, mutual trust, end quote. Bottom line, China is feeling the squeeze. Quiet exemptions, hidden lists and economic backchannels all point to a regime that wants to avoid a collapse in critical sectors, while of course trying not to lose face in a very public trade war. Alright, coming up after the break, a Houthi missile lands near Israel's main airport in one of the group's boldest strikes yet. And the Trump administration deepens its military support for Ukraine with a $310 million F16 aid package. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Well, you know all about the tariffs probably by now, and the, the trade wars. And I suspect you also know that all of that has thrown the global economy into some chaos. Potential widespread inflation tied to massive supply chain disruptions. Well, it's weighing heavily on everybody. But I'm here to tell you that there's a silver and a gold lining that I think a lot of people have missed. And by that, what I mean is President Trump specifically exempted gold and silver bullion from the sweeping tariffs. Now, while the new policies are certainly triggering significant financial chaos, the administration preserved your ability to diversify into precious metals. So if you're concerned about your savings, I encourage you to have a free consultation with a Birch Gold precious metals specialist. The first step is simple. Just text PDB to 989-898 and receive your free no obligation information kit on gold. Learn how to hold gold and silver in a tax sheltered account. Birch Gold will help you convert an existing IRA or a 401k into a gold IRA for no money out of pocket. Find out why so many Americans trust Birch Gold to help protect their savings with gold with an A plus rating. With a Better Business Bureau and thousands of thankful customers, just text PDB to the number 989898. Again, text PDB 989898 to claim your free information kit right now. Hey, Mike Baker here. 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The offer is valid for a limited time. Terms and conditions may apply. Welcome back to the pdb. A missile fired by Yemen's Iran backed Houthi rebels slammed into the grounds of Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday morning, wounding six and prompting immediate vows of retaliation from Prime Minister Netanyahu. According to Israeli authorities, the missile, launched from Houthi controlled territory, landed just outside Terminal 3 of Israel's busiest airport. It's a stone's throw from downtown Tel Aviv. Four civilians were injured in the blast while two Others were hurt, scrambling for shelter as air raid sirens wailed across central Israel. In a televised address hours later, Houthi spokesman Yahya Sari warned, quote, the Israeli airport is no longer safe for air travel and promised more strikes to come. Netanyahu, in a video statement posted to social media, pledged immediate retaliation, declaring, quote, we attacked in the past, we will attack in the future. Footage posted online, although still unverified, shows cars pulling over and drivers ducking for cover as a missile streaks across the sky, culminating in a plume of black smoke. For several tense hours, all flights were grounded. Lufthansa, Delta and other major carriers canceled operations for the day. Service eventually resumed. But the symbolism of the strike, well, it was hard to miss. It marked the first successful Houthi hit on major Israeli civilian infrastructure since the terror group began launching missiles in what it describes as support for Hamas amid the war in Gaza. While dozens of previous projectiles were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome, this one got through. It's a glaring lapse in what's considered one of the world's most sophisticated air defense systems. The Israeli Air Force said it's investigating how that happened. Defense officials have acknowledged that the breach was both rare and deeply concerning. On the ground, a senior police commander surveyed the blast site, pointing reporters to a crater, quote, tens of meters wide and deep in a parking area near the terminal. He said, quote, there was no significant damage, though the psychological impact was unmistakable. Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a blunt warning later that day stating, quote, anyone who hits us, we will hit them seven times stronger. Netanyahu convened his defense cabinet and top military leaders Sunday afternoon to discuss potential retaliatory options. The timing of the attack is no coincidence. The strike comes as the US Continues hammering Houthi positions in Yemen, part of a broader effort to dismantle the Iran backed group's missile and drone capabilities following a months long campaign of harassment targeting Red Sea shipping. As we've been reporting here on the pdb, British forces joined those operations just last week. Now, with the Houthis hitting an airport just outside Tel Aviv, Israel appears poised to ramp up its own operations. All right, switching to the Ukraine Russia conflict, the Trump administration is doubling down on military aid to Ukraine, green lighting up to $310 million in F16 training and support services. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency confirmed the proposed sale over the weekend, outlining a package that includes aircraft upgrades, spare parts, and extensive instruction for Ukrainian pilots and maintenance crews. Congressional approval is still required before the deal is finalized. The move follows the March delivery of F16s to Ukraine, with another shipment slated for later this spring. It's part of a broader multinational effort to modernize Ukraine's air force. Belgium, Denmark and Norway are among the NATO allies contributing jets and training. The New York Times also reports that a Patriot air defense system currently stationed in Israel will be transferred to Ukraine after refurbishment. Additional Patriot systems from Germany and Greece are under discussion. Zelensky, meanwhile, told CBS News that Ukraine is prepared to purchase 10 Patriot systems for a total of approximately $15 billion, saying, quote, we will find the money and pay for everything. Trump initially dismissed Zelensky's plea, accusing him of, quote, always looking to purchase missiles and warning that new shipments would only prolong the war. But after a face to face meeting with Zelensky at Pope Francis's funeral, Trump's tone shifted in the days that followed. Moscow, meanwhile, is escalating its rhetoric in a new state produced film marking his 25 years in power. Has it only been 25 years? Seems like just yesterday Putin said the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, get this quote, has not been necessary but left the option open. He cited Russia's updated 2024 nuclear doctrine, which allows for nuclear retaliation in response to conventional attacks by nuclear backed states. Did you get that? He added that Russia retains the means to bring the war to a, quote, logical conclusion. Well, Zelensky isn't convinced. At a joint press conference with the Czech president, he said Ukraine had offered a 30 day ceasefire but Moscow continues to ignore the U. S backed proposal that's been on the table for over 50 days. He also rejected Russia's offer of a 72 hour truce tied to Russia's Victory Day commemorations, calling it a PR stunt and accusing the Kremlin of launching hundreds of attacks while talking peace. Overnight, Russian forces launched an aerial onslaught of 165 drones and two ballistic missiles. Ukraine's air defenses said they shot down 69 of those drones and jammed another 80. A drone strike on Kyiv wounded 11. Two more civilians were killed by guided bombs in Ukraine's northern and southern regions. Now, whether Moscow's interest in a logical conclusion is genuine or just posturing remains to be seen. Here's a hint, it's just posturing. But Washington's F16 training and support services, well, that could help shape not just the battlefield, but the terms of whatever comes next. All right, coming up next in the back of the brief, UK Counterterrorism police arrest five Iranian nationals suspected of plotting an attack, raising new concerns about Tehran linked activity on British soil. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike. Baker here now. Eating smart, eating right, eating healthy. It means staying ahead of what's happening in the food world. And if you're still buying your beef from a big box store, well, you're already behind. We've seen food shortages, inflation, and now the world of mass food production is pushing lab grown meat and fake protein. If you don't take control of your food supply, someone else will. Start with where you get your beef tritails. Beef is a real Texas ranch. 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I have a podcast called Politics by Faith. I was just talking to a friend of mine who said he hasn't been able to follow the news lately. It's been too much. It's too crazy. It's driving him crazy and he's just checked out. If you feel that way sometimes too, I think you'll really like our podcast Politics by Faith. We take the main story of the day and we run it through the Bible. What does the Bible say about this? It's amazing, but it's all there. And then God tells us what to do. We don't even have to figure it out. The answers are right there. He gives us the answers. Politics by Faith. Please join us over there. You can listen to it wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. Politics by Faith.
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In today's Back of the Brief, British counterterrorism officers arrested five men, four of them Iranian nationals, in one of the UK's most sweeping security operations in recent memory over an alleged Islamic regime linked plot to carry out an attack on UK soil. The suspects were detained Saturday under the Terrorism act on suspicion of preparing an attack. Authorities say the plot targeted a single undisclosed location in the uk. Now, the site has not been named, quote, for operational reasons, but officials confirmed it is now under heightened protection and receiving, quote, advice and support from authorities. The raids, coordinated across London, Swindon in in western England and Greater Manchester, unfolded with the deployment of heavily armed units and were followed by sweeping property searches. None of the five men have been charged yet, but all remain in custody as questioning continues. The nationality of the fifth man is still being determined. At one home in Greater Manchester, forensic teams were seen scouring the property after one suspect was taken into custody. A neighbor told Sky News that he, quote, heard a massive bang before 20 or 30 police with guns stormed the house to later drag a man out. Commander Dominique Murphy of the Metropolitan Police's Counterterrorism Command said the investigation remains active and that authorities are still assessing, quote, whether there may be any further risk to the public. But that wasn't the end of it. In a separate operation described as unrelated but equally urgent, three more Iranian nationals were arrested in London for suspected breaches of the UK's national security laws. They also remain in custody. British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper didn't mince words. She called the arrests, quote, two major operations that reflect some of the biggest counter state threat and counterterrorism operations that we have seen in recent years, end quote. She confirmed that officials are probing whether any of the men were acting on behalf of the Iranian regiment. Tehran has yet to respond. The developments come as British intelligence grows increasingly concerned about the Iranian regime's escalatory behavior on UK soil. Last October, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum revealed that British agencies had disrupted 20 Iran linked plots since 2022, with many targeting exiled dissidents and critics of the Islamic regime. At the time, McCallum warned that rising tensions in the Middle east could translate into, quote, an increase in or broadening of Iranian state aggression in the uk. Well, now that warning appears to be materializing. As of now, the UK's terror threat level remains at, quote, substantial. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily brief for Monday 5th May. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@the firsttv.com and I hope you had a chance over the weekend to check out our latest episode of the PDB Situation Report. As always, you can catch the latest and past episodes on our YouTube channel. You can find our YouTube channel at President's Daily Brief, as well as all the podcast platforms in podcast land. I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.