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The President's Daily Brief
November 5th, 2025: U.S. Revives Abandoned Base Just Miles from Venezuela & Ukraine Hits Deep Inside Russia
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Plus, new long range Ukrainian drone strikes hit an industrial plant deep inside Russia while heavy fighting continues for control of the city of Pokrovsk in eastern Donetsk. And in today's back of the brief, former Vice President Dick Cheney, a man who helped shape decades of U.S. foreign policy, has died at the age of 84. But first, today's PDB spotlight. New satellite images and on the ground reporting reveal a major US Military development in the Caribbean, one that could signal preparations for sustained operations related to Venezuela. According to an exclusive Reuters investigation, the US has quietly begun upgrading a long abandoned Cold War era naval base in Puerto Rico. The base is known as Roosevelt Roads. It was once a key hub for US naval operations in the region before closing in 2004. Now, nearly 20 years later, it's coming back to life. Satellite photos show freshly paved taxiways and cleared runways. Construction began around mid September of this year and activity has steadily increased since. The facility sits on Puerto Rico's southeastern coast, just a few hundred miles from Venezuela. At the same time, work is also underway at nearby civilian airports in both Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, including St. Croix. Each location offers space for refueling, logistics and staging of personnel. Together, they form what appears to be a new Forward operating network, one positioned roughly 500 miles from Caracas. Now officially, U.S. officials describe these projects as part of a logistics and counternarcotics effort. But the scale, the timing and proximity does leave one wondering. Analysts who spoke with Reuters say this looks like preparation for sustained operations, not some quick exercise. And that's significant because Roosevelt Roads isn't just any base. It was once the largest US Naval facility outside the continental US during the Cold War, it supported anti submarine patrols, intelligence flights, and regional interventions. Reopening it now with modern upgrades gives Washington a powerful tool, the ability to project force across northern South America at a moment's notice. Of course, the timing, as you might imagine, isn't random. The Trump administration has made no secret of its frustration with Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro. For months, Washington has accused his regime of allowing drug cartels and criminal networks and Iranian proxy groups to operate freely on Venezuelan soil. Building up new operational capacity in the Caribbean gives the US Government options. Logistically, it shortens the response time for maritime patrols and special operations and humanitarian missions. Politically, it sends a message to Maduro, to Moscow and to Beijing that the US still holds the strategic high ground in its own hemisphere. Still, this kind of move isn't without risk. Regional allies might see it as a deterrent, but others could view it as provocation. Venezuela, backed by Russia and China, to some degree, could interpret the building as yet another step toward intervention and respond by mobilizing forces or conducting aggressive naval patrols of its own. There's also the diplomatic angle. For decades, Latin American leaders have bristled at signs of renewed US Militarization in the region. To many, a built Roosevelt Roads base is a throwback to the Cold War, when Washington often acted unilaterally in what is called its backyard. But even if the optics are sensitive, the military logic is hard to ignore. A Caribbean staging ground gives the US Enormous flexibility, not just for Venezuela, but for counter narcotics missions and even disaster relief. It's a forward operating platform that can be activated for multiple reasons. Now fueling speculation about possible intervention. President Trump the other day directly linked the buildup to Venezuela's leadership. He told reporters that, quote, nicolas Maduro's days are numbered once again describing the Venezuelan government as a criminal enterprise that's funneling drugs and violent offenders and mentally unstable migrants toward the US border. At the same time, he confirmed that the US Is now overseeing its largest military presence in the Caribbean in more than 35 years. That includes the carrier groups, surveillance aircraft, and a nuclear powered submarine, all of which we've been watching here on the pdb. For Maduro, those comments are just the latest warning shot for everyone else watching the region. They possibly turn a logistics and construction project into something much louder, a statement of intent. After all, when a long shuttered base starts humming again and the President says a dictator's days are numbered, well, those are signals that the world tends to notice. Alright, coming up next, the US pushes for a UN backed Gaza security force. And Ukraine and Russian forces fight a fierce battle over a key city in Donetsk. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here, PDB host and of course, fashion icon. So let me tell you about a great clothing company. They're called True Classic. Now, True Classic started with a simple goal, right? Make premium comfortable clothing accessible. Because looking great shouldn't mean paying a designer price. I think we can all agree on that. Well, it's clearly working, let me tell you. With over 25 million shirts sold, that's 25 million and 5 million customers and 200,000 plus 5 star reviews. True Classic has earned its spot in closets everywhere. But the brand is about more than just fabric and fit. It's about confidence. It's about showing up feeling polished without the effort. And that's why True Classic makes the perfect holiday gift. 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Welcome back to the pdb. It's the next step in a plan that we've been following closely. Washington has now moved from concept to action, submitting a draft resolution to UN Security Council members that would establish a Muslim and Arab led force to stabilize Gaza through 2027. According to a copy obtained by Axios, the proposal is more ambitious than many expected, labeled quote, sensitive but unclassified. Okay, so not really sensitive. The resolution sketches out the International Stabilization Force, or isf, with Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Egypt and Turkey signaling their readiness to deploy troops to the Strip. As we've previously discussed, the framework first envisioned In Trump administration's 20 point peace plan would give the ISF broad authority to restore order, rebuild governance, secure Gaza's borders and maintain security as Israel begins its full withdrawal from the Strip. A senior US official stressed that the ISF is an enforcement force, not a peacekeeping force, emphasizing it would operate outside the UN's blue helmet system to avoid setting a precedent for what could appear to Palestinians as foreign Western troops in the enclave. The plan explicitly empowers the force to use the phrase all necessary measures consistent with international and humanitarian law, language that effectively authorizes combat operations against hostiles if required. And the ISF's job won't just stop with policing the draft tasks the force with overseeing Gaza's demilitarization, dismantling Hamas's tunnels, destroying Iran backed rocket supplies and preventing the formation of terror groups. The draft allows the force to take on additional tasks as necessary in support of stabilization, giving ISF commanders the flexibility to respond to any new threats as they emerge. The resolution envisions the force deploying under a unified command approved by the Board of Peace, a transitional body chaired personally by President Trump and working in close coordination with Israel and Egypt. The first troops are expected to arrive as early as January in phases that would mirror Israel's gradual withdrawal from the remaining half of Gaza that it still controls. As for any U.S. renewal or modification of the draft that would require consultation with Israel, Egypt and the UN Security Council. It is a safeguard designed to keep regional players directly involved in the mission's evolution. When it comes to governance and reconstruction, that would fall to the Board of Peace. The board's role is far reaching, teaching, directing Gaza's civil administration, coordinating aid, and guiding the shift toward a reformed Palestinian Authority capable of taking over long term governance. The board will also oversee a technocratic Palestinian Committee responsible for managing day to day services, effectively replacing Hamas with an apolitical local authority. Humanitarian aid will flow through vetted groups like the UN and the Red Cross, but with strict oversight. Any organization caught diverting or misusing aid will be permanently banned from participating, according to U.S. officials. The board of Peace could begin operating even before the Palestinian committee is fully formed, ensuring that reconstruction and aid distribution begin without delay. Officials in Israel who have reviewed the draft says it closely aligns with Jerusalem's position. It places Hamas's demilitarization at the heart of the mission, which has been a core Israeli demand since ceasefire talks first sparked many months ago. Negotiations at the UN are expected to unfold over the coming weeks, with Washington aiming for a Security Council vote before year's end. If approved, the ISF would mark the first major international deployment under Trump's Gaza framework in a pivotal moment in reshaping the strip's post war order. Now not to pour cold water on talk of peace and stability, but if I could just point out a real fact here, this ISF plan doesn't amount to anything unless Hamas agrees to follow through on the commitments to disarm and to give up a governance role in Gaza. Unless they do that, all of this is, well, frankly, meaningless. Okay? Shifting to the war in Ukraine, the fierce fighting between the two sides continues in the ruins of Pokrovsk. That's a city that Moscow has spent more than a year trying to capture. Its fall would cut off supply routes sustaining Kyiv's eastern front and open the road from Moscow to Ukraine's last major strongholds in Donetsk. Ukrainian commanders say the fight has turned into a street by street grind. Kyiv's reinforcements have poured in, special forces among them, in an attempt to hold the line across the battlefield. Russia claims it's tightening the noose, boasting that troops have cleared dozens of buildings of Ukrainian troops and are closing in. But Ukraine counters that claim, insisting the city's defenses are holding even as Russian artillery continues to pound the city. Amid these conflicting accounts, it's important to point out that Reuters, for an example, was unable to independently verify the battle reports from either side. Now, if Moscow does manage to take Pokrovsk, it would get something it hasn't had in months, and that would be momentum. The city sits on the road to the last two major cities in Donetsk. That's a region that the Kremlin wants to capture in its entirety. But since capturing avdika in early 2024 and for all the Kremlin's talk of frontline gains, Russia hasn't seized another major cities since then, its offensive instead looks more like a crawl than a breakthrough, trading bodies for Mere inches of territory in what has all the appearances of a World War I stalemate. Satellite mapping from Ukraine's Deep State Project shows Russian units pressing deeper into the city's outskirts. But large sections remain gray zones. In other words, uncaptured ground. Even Russian military bloggers are cautious of reports from the front line there. In Pokrovsk Rybar, one of the most prominent admitted that while Moscow's control is expanding slowly, a complete clearing of the city is still far off. Ukrainian President Zelensky conceded that Pokrovsk is under severe pressure, but said his troops remain in control of all districts. He visited soldiers about 20 miles north of the front, where Ukrainian forces are mounting a counteroffensive of their own, a reminder that even on the defensive, Kyiv is still capable of striking back. And that's evident far from the front lines as Ukraine continues its campaign of bringing the fight deep into Russian territory. On Tuesday, two long range drones slammed into an industrial site in a region north of Kazakhstan, nearly 800 miles from the battlefield. Local Russian officials said both drones were shot down. But hours later, the city's petrochemical plant, a facility that produces rubber and aviation fuel for the Kremlin's war machine, reported an explosion that collapsed part of its water treatment unit. Notably, this was the first time that the plant had been targeted by Ukrainian forces. The strike was the latest in Ukraine's sustained campaign to choke off Russia's war supply chain, hitting oil refineries, defense plants and technical hubs that feed Moscow's military effort. Each strike has the ability to chip away at Putin's industrial base and also to rattle civilians who once believed that the war was just something far away from home. Alright, coming up in the back of the brief, an era in American politics comes to a close. Dick Cheney, the vice president who defined much of US policy after 9 11, has died at the age of 84. I'll have those details when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Well, you may have noticed it's now November. And that means, of course, you got to get ready for Thanksgiving. Am I right? Look, the nice thing about Thanksgiving, one of the great things about Thanksgiving is that it's one of the few times of the year when we can all slow down just a bit, right? Gather as families and remind ourselves of what we're actually thankful for. And remember, look, here's. Here's a pro tip. Don't talk about pop politics or religion or taxes around the Thanksgiving table, because it's all about gratitude. Not just for the past, but for the future and the excellent team at Tritails Premium Beef. They understand that you have to check them out. There are fifth generation ranching family in Texas raising cattle the right way and shipping it straight to your door. The best tasting steaks and beef you're ever going to have and in time for the holidays. Their thankful box was built just for this season. Delicious beef to feed your family and create the kinds of comforting meals that build a leg. And let's be honest, no one, and I mean no one, is going to be upset if there's a little less turkey on the Thanksgiving table and a little more beef. So find it now@tribe.com PDB Again that's tribe.com PDB Vrbo's last minute deals make chasing fresh mountain powder incredibly easy. With thousands of homes close to the slopes, you can get epic pow freshies, first tracks and more. Find Last minute deals with the last minute filter on the app. Book a private vacation rental now@vrbo.com Gaines Super Flings are here to take your laundry to the next level. Talking about Gain Super Flings Super Sized Laundry packs. These things are huge. Super Fresh Super Clean Gain Super Flings Gain Super Flings Laundry packs have four times the Oxy Cleaning power and three times the Febreze Freshness versus Gain Original Liquid Super Fresh Super Clean Gain Super Flings Gain Super Flings for Next Level Laundry in today's Back of the Brief Former Vice President Dick Cheney passed away on Monday at the age of 84, closing the book on one of the most influential and controversial public service careers in modern US Politics. Cheney, who served as vice president under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009, died from complications of pneumonia compounded by cardiac and vascular disease. That's according to a statement from his family. He's survived by his wife, Lynn, and daughters Liz and Mary. And he leaves behind a legacy that redefined the vice presidency, American foreign policy, and the role of the executive branch in the post 911 era. Cheney's lifelong career in public service spanned decades, beginning in earnest with his early work in the Nixon administration, where he first served under Donald Rumsfeld at the Office of Economic Opportunity. Following Nixon's resignation, he held various roles in the administration of President Gerald Ford, eventually ascending to the position of White House chief of staff in 1975 at the age of just 34, making him the youngest person ever to hold that title. Imagine being the White House chief of Staff at the age of 34. He then went on to serve for a decade as a U.S. congressional representative for Wyoming before returning to the White House in 1989 as Secretary of Defense under President George H.W. bush. During this time, Cheney led the U.S. military during the first Gulf War, overseeing operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, which successfully expelled Iraqi forces from Kuwait after Saddam Hussein invaded the country back in 1990. Following his stint as Secretary of defense, it appeared Cheney's life of public service had come to an end. From 1995 to the year 2000, he was the CEO and chairman of Halliburton, one of the world's largest energy service companies, specializing, of course, in oil and natural gas. But when George W. Bush asked him to join his presidential ticket in the summer of 2000, Cheney answered the call. And it was in this role as Vice president where Cheney left his most enduring mark. Cheney transformed the position from a largely ceremonial role into a strategic power center, driving national intelligence, defense policy and the post 911 war effort. In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, Cheney became the architect of a new American posture marked by preemptive action, expansive intelligence authority, aggressive surveillance, and robust military engagement abroad. He was a driving force behind the decision to invade Iraq and topple the repressive regime of Saddam hussein back in 2003, and unapologetically championed controversial tactics like enhanced interrogation programs and expanded intelligence surveillance during the ensuing global war on terror. Cheney's strategies proved intensely controversial with the American public. To many of his supporters, Cheney was a model of steely resolve who never shied away from making hard choices at a time when America faced an unprecedented array of threats from Islamic terrorism. For critics, he became a symbol of unchecked executive overreach that fractured the norms of American democracy. But Cheney never wavered in his stance, arguing that he and President Bush did what was necessary in the wake of 91111 to defend the homeland and keep Americans safe. After leaving office, Cheney received a heart transplant but stayed reasonably active in American politics, often warning that American leaders should not forget the lessons of 911 and remain vigilant to foreign threats. Tributes have poured in following the news of his passing, with his family remembering him as a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country and and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness and fly fishing. President Bush also honored his former vp, calling Cheney's death a loss to the nation and describing his second in command as the one that I needed. Laura and I will remember Dick Cheney for the decent, honorable man that he was. History will remember him as among the finest public servants of his generation, a patriot who brought integrity, high intelligence and seriousness of purpose to every position he held. End quote. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily brief for Wednesday 5th November. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@the firsttv.com and of course, if you'd like to listen to the show ad free. Well, you know, you can do that. It's very 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.