The President's Daily Brief – Afternoon Bulletin | August 18th, 2025

Host: Mike Baker (Former CIA Operations Officer)
Podcast: The President’s Daily Brief (The First TV)
Episode: Afternoon Bulletin – August 18th, 2025
Duration: ~13 minutes content
Main Theme:
A focused briefing on two pressing international security threats:

1. U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham’s threat to label Russia a state sponsor of terrorism due to the abduction of Ukrainian children
2. Iran’s sophisticated campaign to recruit Israeli citizens for sabotage and assassination plots inside Israel

Episode Overview

In this episode, Mike Baker examines legislative and intelligence developments that reflect key challenges to global security and U.S. interests. The briefing highlights Congressional moves to increase pressure on Russia over war crimes and the disturbing escalation of Iranian subversion within Israel’s borders.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Graham Threatens Russia with 'State Sponsor of Terrorism' Label

(Segment begins at 00:36)

• Issue:
  U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) vows bipartisan legislation to designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism unless it returns tens of thousands of abducted Ukrainian children.

• Background:

  • Kyiv has officially confirmed over 19,500 Ukrainian children have been abducted since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, with unofficial tallies as high as 150,000.
  • Reports (cited from The New York Post) highlight systematic forced adoption efforts, assimilation campaigns, and a state-run online database—described as “indistinguishable from a slave catalog” (Mykola Kuleba, Save Ukraine CEO, ~03:00–03:30).

• Graham’s Stance:

  • “I intend to push the return of these children until I can’t push anymore. If they do not return these children to Ukraine, the 19,000, then I’m going to push legislation to make Russia a state sponsor of terrorism under US Law.”
    (Lindsey Graham, quoted at 01:44)
  • “Such a move would make Russia, quote, radioactive in the international community.”
    (Graham, 02:24)

• Additional Context:

  • The White House, UN, EU, and human rights groups have all condemned Russia’s actions.
  • President Zelensky insists on child repatriation as a “non-negotiable pillar” for any peace deal.
  • Graham: “They should be a state sponsor of terrorism until they return the children. So any peace deal must include the return of the kidnapped children by Russia to Ukraine. If you don’t, that’s not a just end of the war.”
    (Graham, quoted at 05:05)

• Legislative Details:

  • Graham and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are leading the Senate effort.
  • The bill would give Russia 60 days to provide proof of the children’s return and reintegration; failure would mean mandatory designation for Russia and Belarus as state sponsors of terrorism under Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

2. Iran’s Sabotage and Recruitment Plot Inside Israel

(Segment resumes at 08:43)

• Overview:
  Iran is employing sophisticated online recruitment tactics to enlist ordinary Israelis—including teens, retirees, and immigrants—for sabotage, vandalism, and assassination.

• Case Example – Vladislav Viktorson:

  • Recruited via Telegram with the promise of “easy money.”

  • Escalated from graffiti (anti-government slogans) to car torchings, sabotaging power boxes with sulfuric acid, and constructing crude bombs (~09:30).

  • Was offered $100,000 to assassinate an Israeli professor.

  • Prosecutors say Victorson and partner Anya Bernstein negotiated over the price of a sniper rifle and accepted assignments, though sometimes hesitated or faked efforts.

  • “Court records show he occasionally balked at assignments, at one point sending stock image photos when tasked with capturing protest pictures or refusing acid sabotage for fear of injury. But prosecutors insist he crossed the line into terror.” (Baker, 10:36)

• Broader Trend:

  • Over 25 similar plots have been disrupted by Israeli security services (Shin Bet) in the past year.
  • More than 40 Israelis, ranging widely in background, have been implicated since 2023.
  • Incidents range from surveillance of military sites and defense officials’ homes, to weapons and explosives smuggling.
  • A 72-year-old businessman received a 10-year sentence after being smuggled into Iran to plot assassinations face-to-face with Iranian agents.

• Iran’s Incentives:

  • Financial rewards are “just a few thousand in cryptocurrency.”
  • Sometimes promising debt relief or relocation abroad for completed missions.

• Strategic Implications:

  • Iran’s internal destabilization campaign is part of a broader shadow war, with its focus shifting from traditional cross-border attacks to recruiting locals for covert operations.
  • “It all underscores how layered Iran’s shadow war on Israel has become.” (Baker, 12:07)
  • Acceleration noted post-October 7, 2023 terror attacks.

• Official Response:

  • Israel has launched a public awareness campaign warning citizens: “easy money can carry a heavy price of years behind bars.”
    (Baker, 12:50)
  • Iran denies involvement, dismissing allegations as Israeli fabrications.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Russia’s War Crimes:

  • “You would think after invading another country three years ago and being responsible for over a million casualties on both sides, not to mention their transfer of key weapons technology to rogue states... you’d think they’d already be radioactive, but I guess I’m just being churlish.”
    (Mike Baker, 02:35)

• On Iranian Recruitment:

  • “Iran is reaching into Israeli suburbs, attempting to turn ordinary citizens into foot soldiers of sabotage and terror.”
    (Baker, 08:44)
  • “The money wasn’t life changing, usually just a few thousand in cryptocurrency. But the risks obviously were immense.”
    (Baker, 11:30)

• On Broader Geopolitical Significance:

  • “...the Kremlin is also using the children to prop up plummeting population numbers… engaging in child trafficking in the 21st century.”
    (Summarizing Kuleba’s remarks and the NGO Save Ukraine’s findings, 03:25–04:05)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:36: Episode start / Graham’s push against Russia
• 01:44: Lindsey Graham’s threat and quote
• 03:05: Save Ukraine CEO Kuleba on online child database
• 05:05: Graham on peace deal requirements
• 08:43: Iran’s recruitment scheme inside Israel begins
• 09:30: Details of Vladislav Viktorson’s progression from graffiti to targeted violence
• 10:36: On limits and escalation in Iranian recruitment cases
• 12:07: The strategic implications of Iran’s shadow war
• 12:50: Israel’s public awareness campaign

Tone & Style

• Direct, analytic, and serious, with occasional dry humor and pointed commentary (especially by Mike Baker).
• Language is informative, security-focused, and accessible to lay listeners, but retains urgency about humanitarian and national security stakes.
• Balanced with direct quotes from policymakers and affected officials.

Summary Takeaways

• Russia’s forced abduction and assimilation of Ukrainian children is driving significant U.S. legislative backlash, with the potential for designation as a state sponsor of terrorism—contingent on child repatriation.
• Iranian intelligence is aggressively leveraging digital platforms to radicalize and recruit Israelis for internal sabotage, presenting a potent new front in the Tehran-Jerusalem shadow war.
• Both issues carry grave implications for international law, regional stability, and U.S. foreign policy.

For Further Information

• Contact/Feedback: pdb@thefirsttv.com
• Listen ad-free at: pdbpremium.com