← The President's Daily Brief
The President's Daily Brief
November 28th, 2025: Putin Speaks Out On Trump’s Ukraine Peace Plan & Taiwan’s $40B Defense Plan
00:23:11
Loading summary
Transcript1 lines
- [00:00]
A
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, text PDB to the number 989898. Foreign 28th November welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. And yes, I am on the road. All right, let's get briefed. First up, Moscow is drawing a hard line announcing it won't offer significant concessions in any Ukraine peace deal. Now there should be a total of, let's see, zero people who are surprised at Moscow's position. I'll have the details later in the show. Taiwan rolls out a $40 billion defense package with a new island wide air defense network responding to US Pressure to strengthen its posture against China. Plus, soldiers in Guinea Bissau announced that they've seized control of the government, adding to the number of coups sweeping across West Africa. And in today's back of the brief, a victory for President Trump as one of his highest profile legal battles comes to an end in Geor. But first, today's pdb. Russian President Vladimir Putin is drawing a red line around the emerging peace plan for Ukraine. The Kremlin says it will not make what it calls big concessions under any circumstances. That statement came from a senior Russian diplomat in Moscow and is the firmest public signal yet of where Russia stands regarding the current efforts by the US And Ukraine to hammer out a peace plan. For weeks now, Washington and Kyiv have been working through a revised version of the U. S backed peace proposal. Ukrainian officials have said the new draft resolves some, but not all of their concerns about earlier language that was much more favorable to Russia. American officials, meanwhile, have been pushing for direct talks between the White House and the Kremlin, believing that leader to leader contact could help break the deadlock. Okay, well, here's a pro tip for Steve Witkoff and the White House's negotiating team. Putin isn't looking to break some imaginary deadlock. Unless Putin feels more pain from sanctions and, and he sees his economy collapsing. He doesn't care what the US And Ukraine put together unless of course, it, it gives him what he wants. Russia's message this week makes it clear that no matter how many draft agreements circulate, Moscow does not intend to step back from its core territorial demands. When asked whether Russia was prepared to make significant concessions, the diplomat simply said, quote, no, adding that Moscow expects any final agreement to reflect what it calls, quote, the realities on the ground. In other words, the land that Russia currently occupies and more. That stance is not new. Putin hasn't strayed from his maximalist demands since almost the beginning of his war against Ukraine. But the timing is notable. It comes just as the US Is launching a new round of diplomatic outreach to both Ukraine and Russia, and just as expectations have been rising, mostly because of a narrative from the White House that some kind of framework could be established in the coming weeks. It also arrives as President Trump prepares to send his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Moscow for meetings with senior Russian officials, including, potentially, Putin himself. And speaking of Steve Witkoff, that leads us to the other major development in this peace process, a leaked transcript of a phone call between Witkoff and one of Putin's top aides, published this week by Bloomberg and verified by the Associated Press. In that recording, Witkoff is heard coaching the Russian official on how to frame the peace plan in a way that he believed would resonate most with President Trump. He suggested that Putin call Trump directly, praise him for his recent diplomatic efforts in the Middle east, and present the Russian proposal as something that would strengthen Trump's reputation as a man of peace or, well, frankly, a man of appeasement if Putin has his way. Sorry to sound cynical. Witkoff also walked the official through elements of the draft proposal, making tactical suggestions about what to highlight and how to present Moscow's position. The transcript does not show Wyckoff agreeing with Russia's demands, but it does show him advising the Kremlin on how to pitch the plan effectively, something the critics say undermines the idea that the US Is acting as a neutral broker. The leak has set off reactions on all sides. In Moscow, the Kremlin called the disclosure unacceptable. Oh, sorry about that. And said the timing appeared designed to sabotage the diplomatic track. One senior aide suggested the recording itself was a form of hybrid warfare meant to disrupt the new round of talks. Russia says that Witkoff and the official who was recorded remain in contact and will meet again when the US Envoy arrives in Moscow next week. In Washington, President Trump is openly defending his envoy. Speaking aboard Air Force One, he said Steve Witkoff had been meeting with both Russian and Ukrainian officials as part of the administration's broader effort to end the conflict. Asked about the leaked conversation, Trump said he had not listened to the recording, but described the call as, quote, a standard thing, adding, that's What a dealmaker does. He also confirmed that Witkoff will return to Moscow for another round of talks with President Putin. As for Ukraine, officials have not addressed the leak directly, but they have made clear they will not accept a plan that freezes Russia's gains or locks in the current front lines. Ukrainian negotiators have repeatedly stated that they're willing to discuss sequencing and timelines, but not permanent territorial concessions. And that's the core tension driving this entire process. Russia is signaling that it expects to keep much of what it has taken, while Ukraine says that outcome is unacceptable. So you ask, where does that leave the peace effort? On one hand, the US Continues pushing for progress and talking optimistically with envoy level talks scheduled in Moscow and additional meetings planned with Ukrainian officials in the coming days. On the other hand, Russia's firm rejection of concessions and the fallout from the Wytkov leak introduced new complications at a moment when the diplomatic track was beginning, apparently to gain momentum. Okay, to be fair, it wasn't really gaining momentum. It was a series of discussions between Ukraine and the US Nothing really matters here unless they can get Putin to the table to actually compromise and negotiate in good faith. Over the next week, we'll be watching three things closely. How Moscow frames its position once Witkoff arrives, how Ukraine responds to Russia's public refusal to compromise, and whether the US can keep the process moving in any meaningful way. Now, I realize I've said this numerous times during the past three years, but if all you're looking to do here is obtain a ceasefire and something resembling peace, well, that's fairly simple, as long as you're willing to give Putin what he wants. But if your goal is something other than appeasement, you've got to create an environment where Putin feels that his grip on power is threatened. To do that, you need to squeeze his economy effectively. The White House appeared to be on that track recently when they placed sanctions on the oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil, further constricting the Kremlin's ability, of course, to make bank on their energy sector and continue to fuel their war machine. And then it seems something happened and the White House began pushing their 28 point peace plan that heavily favored Putin's demands. So the question is, what caused the change in strategy? All right, coming up next, Taiwan unveils a $40 billion defense package with a new island wide air defense system. And soldiers in Guinea Bissau claim they've seized power in the latest coup to hit West Africa. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, PDB regulars know that I am on the road constantly, right? So I want to take a moment to talk about something that I think I know a lot about. And that would be luggage, right? And specifically about a company out there designing and great luggage. And that would be Noble Travel. N O B L Noble Travel. Look, their products are smart, thoughtfully engineered and secure. And when I say secure, I'll give you an example. Now, I suspect most of you have rollerboards or suitcases with zippers. And maybe you use a luggage lock, which is nice, but the problem is those zippers are the weak link. They can be breached in seconds, even with a simple ballpoint pen. And just like that, then your stuff is gone. And that's why so many experienced travelers and frequent flyers travel with the Noble all in One. The Zero zippers. It doesn't use zippers. The bags use latches. Secure and impossible to pry open. And the Noble all in One has everything you need. It's got a charger, a cup holder, front laptop pocket. It's got 360 degree wheels. Look, over 12,000 pilots and crew carry it. And it's number one rated on Trustpilot with a lifetime warranty. Think about that. And their biggest sale ever is now live. Listen to this. Up to 58% off site wide. Go to nobletravel.com that's Noble N O B L nobletravel.com and when they ask who sent you, let them know it was the pdb. Hey, Mike Baker here. Let me take just a moment to talk about your security, specifically your online security. And I want to tell you about a great company out there that's working hard to keep you protected. Of course, I'm talking about ExpressVPN. Now, going online without ExpressVPN is like driving without car insurance. You might be careful, but it only takes one reckless driver or hacker, in this case, to cause real damage every time you connect to an unencrypted network. Whether you're at a cafe, a hotel, an airport, your data, of course, is not secure. Hackers can steal passwords, bank logins, and credit card info using just cheap hardware and readily available software tools. Look, your personal data is valuable. And hackers can make $1,000 or more per victim selling personal details on the dark web. ExpressVPN protects you by creating a secure, encrypted tunnel between your device and the Internet. It's easy to use. Just open the app and tap one button. It couldn't be simpler. And it works across all your devices. That's important. So you're always protected. I know I can count on ExpressVPN to create a safe and secure online experience. So take a few minutes and check them out. Your privacy and security are worth it. Secure your online data today by visiting expressvpn.com baker that's B A K E R. That's expressvpn.com baker to find out how you can get up to four extra months of service. Again. Expressvpn.com baker welcome back to the PDB Taiwan is finally making the kind of move that Washington has spent years nudging it toward. Taiwanese President Lai Ching Te just rolled out a sweeping $40 billion defense buildup, the Democratic island's biggest in years. As China's military pressure continues to build, it seems that China is giving Taipei little choice. The People's Liberation army isn't just probing Taiwan's defense anymore, it's normalizing the pressure. Warplanes and naval patrols and drones skimming the Taiwan Strait, all of it now happens so routinely that Taiwan's military barely has time to reset before the next wave hits. And it's not just Taiwan. Beijing's gray zone playbook is hitting US Allies like Japan and the Philippines the same way. So when Lai says China's threats to Taiwan in the Indo Pacific region are escalating, well, it isn't just diplomatic posturing. It's the lived reality for every government in the first island chain. The new funding package spread across eight years from 2026 to 2033 will kick start construction of what's being called the Taiwan Dome. That's modeled after Israel's Iron Dome, but built for the longer range strike environment that China may be Preparing for now. Taiwan's defense minister described the $40 billion as a ceiling for the supplemental program, with the bulk going toward precision strike missiles and joint Taiwan U. S development of key systems. Washington sees that collaboration as essential to keeping Beijing in check. Lai said the buildup reflects Taiwan's role as the anchor of the first island chain, the defensive arc that Washington considers central to containing China's aggressive expansionism. Taiwan, he said, must demonstrate our determination and take on a greater responsibility towards self defense, and Taipei is moving in that direction. The democratic government has already set its regular 2026 defense budget at more than $31 billion, which is roughly 3% of the GDP, and Lai has pledged to raise that share to 5% by 2030. President Trump has urged Taiwan to go even further, advising defense spending, quote, as high as 10% of GDP to match what he calls the true scale of the threat from Beijing. Now, Washington did welcome the new budget without hesitation. The State Department said the US quote supports Taiwan's acquisition of critical defense capabilities commensurate with the threat that it faces, and praised Lai's commitment to lift spending toward 5% GDP as evidence of resolve to strengthen Taiwan's self defense. But the challenge isn't just military hardware. Lai warned that China is ramping up its psychological warfare, too, from coordinated disinformation campaigns to deeper influence operations aimed at weakening public unity, especially during elections. Lai said his government will expand monitoring and public awareness programs to blunt Beijing's interference. For Washington, the takeaway is clear. China is appearing increasingly aggressive and Taiwan is finally matching the scale of the threat. Okay, shifting gears the countdown to Guinea Bissau's provisional election results was interrupted in a big way Wednesday when army officers jumped on state television claiming that they ousted the president. That's a move that sent the nation long scarred by coups, back into the turmoil that the country is unfortunately very familiar with. The officers, speaking through their spokesman who delivered their announcement, said that they seized power and formed a governing junta that they called the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order, enabling them to suspend the electoral process, seal the country's borders and impose a nationwide curfew. Hours later, President Umaro Mbalo confirmed to France24 that he had been deposed. The junta officers in their state television address offered no details on if the president had been detained and and Namballo's whereabouts remain unknown. Gunfire had already rattled the capitol earlier in the day. Long before the junta went on television, shots rang out near the Electoral Commission, the presidential palace and the Interior ministry, the kind of scattered bursts that Bissau's residents have learned to read as a warning sign. Witnesses said the volleys lasted about an hour. By the time the shooting ended, residents were unsure whether the day's violence was a skirmish or or the start of something far larger. The army officers insisted that the gunfire was not a power grab, but instead a rescue mission, claiming they stepped in to stop a destabilization plot involving national politicians and well known drug barons. Now, the West African country has long been used as a cocaine corridor to Europe, and politics and drug trafficking have overlapped for years. A report last year by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime warned that profits from the trade were hitting new highs. That report was backed up near the end of 2024, when local police seized more than two and a half tons of cocaine from a plane arriving from Venezuela. Well, would you look at that? Mbalo meanwhile had been seeking a second term after winning a disputed 2019 runoff. He faced challenger Fernando Diaz in last weekend's first round of voting, and both camps claimed victory even before any numbers were released. A spokesman for Ambalo accused our men linked to Diaz of attacking the election commission to block the announcement of vote tallies, though he provided no evidence. Allies of Diaz pushed back, saying the candidate was in a meeting with election observers at the time and had no connection to the gunman. Guinea Bissau's political history is a case study in turmoil and coup plotting. The country has endured at least nine coups or attempted coups since gaining independence in 1974 from Portugal. Mbalo has said he survived three coup attempts, though critics argue he exaggerates threats and uses them to justify his grip on power. Last December, violence prompted Mbalo to dissolve parliament, leaving the country without a functioning legislature. Still to this day, and then in late October, authorities arrested several senior officers accused of plotting to topple the government. That's a move that opposition groups say fed public frustration and heightened tensions ahead of last weekend's vote. Now, with the military in open revolt and the electoral process frozen in place, Guinea Bissau enters yet another stretch of uncertainty. All right, coming up in the back of the brief a victory for President Trump after Georgia formally drops its 2020 election interference case. I'll have those details when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here with a message from my friends that Try Tails Beef. All right, here's the deal. Tri Tails Premium Beef, a terrific fifth generation Texas ranching family is running their biggest Black Friday event of the year. Now you've got to check out Tri Tails. I'm serious about this. They're great folks and they're all about raising cattle the right way and delivering delicious beef straight to your door. Look, I love their steaks and roast. The quality is amazing. So here's the deal. With every qualifying purchase, you're getting a gift added to your order, right? No gimmicks, no run around. Just spend and get rewarded. And it's about putting the best tasting beef you ever had on the table. Ribeyes, fillets, roast steaks. And you're getting something extra while you're at it. If you've been waiting to stock up, well, now's the time. Feed your family and grab your Black Friday gift before it's gone. Head on over to try beef.com PDB Again, that's tribe.com PDB Limu and Doug, here we have the limu emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug. Uh, Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us? Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you need@libertymutual.com Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Savings Ferry Unwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and affiliates excludes Massachusetts At Capella University, learning online doesn't mean learning alone. You'll get support from people who care about your success, like your enrollment specialist who gets to know you and the goals you'd like to achieve. You'll also get a designated academic coach who's with you throughout your entire program. Plus, career coaches are available to help you navigate your professional goals. A different future is closer than you think with Capella University. Learn more at Capella Eduardo in today's Back of the brief Georgia has officially moved to drop the 2020 election interference case against President Trump, bringing one of the most high profile legal battles of the past five years to an abrupt end. A Fulton county judge signed off on the state's request, dismissing the charges against Trump and every remaining co defendant. The move came after Georgia's prosecutors filed a motion saying they could no longer pursue the case. According to the filing, the state determined that continuing the prosecution would not serve the interests of justice. That conclusion followed months of internal complications inside the district attorney's office, dramatic personnel shifts and the disqualification of the original lead prosecutor earlier in the year. At the heart of the case were accusations that Trump and several allies worked to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. Prosecutors had charged the group under the state's racketeering law, alleging a coordinated effort to pressure state officials, submit false electors and push claims of widespread election fraud. The charges produced some of the most memorable images of Trump's legal entanglements, including his now infamous mugshot taken during his 2023 surrender in Fulton County. But the case never made it to trial. Key witnesses were expected to challenge the state's legal theories. Several of the alleged co conspirators cut early plea deals. Others signaled they were prepared to fight the charges through appeals. And then came the disqualification of the special prosecutor, which led to a wholesale reassessment of the evidence and the strategy. By the time the new prosecutor reviewed the file, the state determined it could no longer meet the standard required to move forward. The judge agreed in a brief ruling delivered from the bench. He dismissed the case in full, clearing Trump and the remaining defendants. It marks a major legal and political victory for the president, who consistently argued that the Georgia case was a politically motivated prosecution. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily brief for Friday, 29th November. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me@pdbhefirsttv.com and remember, if you get the chance, please check out our YouTube channel. Whenever you get the opportunity, you can find it on, of course, YouTube. That makes sense. At President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. Shoe shopping should be fun and full of surprises. DSW has never ending options for every style, mood and occasion, all at really great prices. From sneakers to boots and everything in between, DSW makes it easy to discover the styles you love and maybe even a few you didn't expect. Whether you're shopping in store or online, you'll always find fresh looks at prices that make sense. Find the shoes that get you at prices that get your budget at DSW stores or dsw.com.