PDB Afternoon Bulletin | March 24th, 2025: Trump Rushes Additional Destroyers To The Border & Key Houthi Leaders Killed In U.S. Airstrikes

Summary

Podcast Summary: The President's Daily Brief – PDB Afternoon Bulletin | March 24th, 2025

Host: Mike Baker
Release Date: March 24, 2025
Duration: 20 minutes

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Introduction

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief (PDB) Afternoon Bulletin, hosted by former CIA Operations Officer Mike Baker, listeners are presented with two critical national security issues: the Trump Administration's strategic deployment of additional naval destroyers to the U.S.-Mexico border and the ongoing U.S. airstrike campaign against Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen. Baker provides an in-depth analysis of these developments, their implications for national security, and the broader geopolitical landscape.

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Section 1: Deployment of Additional U.S. Warships to the Mexico Border

Overview: The Trump Administration has intensified efforts to secure the U.S.-Mexico border by deploying a second Navy destroyer, the USS Spruance, to patrol the waters off America's western coast. This move marks a significant tactical shift from traditional Coast Guard operations, emphasizing a robust military presence aimed at curbing illegal migration and drug smuggling.

Key Points:

• USS Spruance Deployment:

  • Vessel Details: The USS Spruance is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer equipped with 96 vertical launch system cells, advanced naval guns, and sophisticated electronic warfare capabilities.
  • Mission: Initially deployed in the Middle East for five months to defend against Houthi missile attacks, the USS Spruance was reassigned to support interdiction efforts along the U.S. Mexico border following an executive order declaring a national emergency.
  • Accompanying Ships: The deployment follows the USS Gravely missile destroyer, sent to the Gulf of America, signaling a sustained naval presence in the region.

• Strategic Objectives:

  • All-Domain Dominance: According to the Navy, the deployment aims to establish "all domain dominance" in the region, addressing maritime terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction, and illegal seaborne migration.
  • Enhanced Capabilities: The presence of such heavily armed vessels serves as a deterrent to cartels and demonstrates the U.S.' commitment to maintaining border integrity.

• Statements and Reactions:

  • Gen. Gregory Guillot (U.S. Northern Commander): “[...] the deployment demonstrates our resolve to achieve operational control of the border.” (00:45)
  • Analytical Insight: Baker notes that while historically maritime border operations fall under the Coast Guard's jurisdiction, the Navy's involvement is likely as much about sending a powerful message to criminal enterprises as it is about operational necessity.

• Current Situation:

  • Migrant Encounters: The Coast Guard has reported hundreds of migrant boat encounters near the San Diego coast over the past 90 days, with an increase in sea-based smuggling routes in response to tightened land border security.
  • Operational Impact: Since deploying thousands of troops on day one under the national emergency, migrant encounters on land have decreased to record lows, shifting the focus to maritime control.

Notable Quote:

“This move demonstrates our resolve to achieve operational control of the border.”
— Gen. Gregory Guillot, U.S. Northern Commander (00:45)

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Section 2: U.S. Airstrikes Eliminate Key Houthi Leadership in Yemen

Overview: The U.S. has intensified its military campaign against the Houthi militants in Yemen, marking its second week of sustained airstrikes targeting Iranian-backed forces. These operations have reportedly decimated key leadership figures within the Houthi organization, aiming to degrade their operational capabilities and reduce Iranian influence in the region.

Key Points:

• Airstrike Campaign:

  • Targeted Individuals: U.S. officials claim the elimination of key Houthi leaders, including the group's "head rocket man" or missileer. (03:15)
  • Infrastructure Strikes: The strikes have targeted Houthi headquarters, command centers, communication nodes, weapons depots, and drone manufacturing facilities.

• Operational Impact:

  • Houthis’ Response: The Houthi group has neither confirmed the losses nor acknowledged any setbacks, maintaining their typical rhetoric of resilience and continued operations.
  • Casualties and Damage: An apparent strike on Sunday resulted in the destruction of a building in western Sanaa, with at least one reported death and thirteen injuries. Video evidence suggests the use of lower-yield munitions to minimize collateral damage. (06:10)

• Strategic Context:

  • Broader Campaign Goals: The airstrikes are part of the Trump administration's strategy to suppress Houthi aggression, safeguard Red Sea transit routes vital for international commerce, and counter Iranian influence in the Arabian Peninsula.
  • Historical Actions: Since November of the previous year, the Houthi have launched over 100 attacks on commercial ships, sunk two vessels, and targeted American naval assets, including an unsuccessful strike on the USS Harry S. Truman carrier group.

• Statements and Reactions:

  • Mike Waltz (National Security Advisor): “The strikes have taken out key Houthi leadership, including their head missileer.” (05:00)
  • Baker’s Analysis: Emphasizes that despite substantial losses, the Houthi maintain a broad definition of their targets, complicating U.S. efforts to neutralize them entirely.

Notable Quote:

“The strikes have taken out key Houthi leadership, including their head missileer.”
— Mike Waltz, National Security Advisor (05:00)

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Conclusion

Mike Baker wraps up the bulletin by highlighting the significance of these two major security developments: the strategic reinforcement of the U.S. military presence at the southern border and the aggressive dismantling of Houthi leadership in Yemen. He underscores the administration's commitment to tackling both domestic and international threats through decisive military action. Baker also invites listener engagement and promotes the premium membership for ad-free content, emphasizing the importance of staying informed amidst rapidly evolving global challenges.

Closing Quote:

“Stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.”
— Mike Baker (19:50)

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Additional Notes

• Advertisements and Non-Content Segments: The episode includes advertisements for Birch Gold Group, Stash Investments, Fast Growing Trees, and the podcast Politics by Faith. These segments are omitted from the summary as per user instructions.

• Podcast Structure: The bulletin maintains a professional and informative tone, seamlessly transitioning between topics while providing critical insights and authoritative quotes to enhance credibility and listener engagement.

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For more detailed insights and daily updates on national security and global affairs, listeners are encouraged to subscribe to The President's Daily Brief and consider premium membership options for an uninterrupted experience.

Transcript

[Mike Baker]

It's Monday, the 24th of March. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First, the Trump Administration deploys a second U.S. warship to patrol the waters around the U. S. Mexico border in a bid to further curb illegal migration and drug smuggling. And later in the show, as the American bombing campaign against the Iranian backed Houthi militants of Yemen continues into its second week, US Officials reveal that they have taken out key Houthi leadership, including the terror group's head rocket man. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. The Trump administration is intensifying their efforts to tighten American military control of the U. S. Mexico border, deploying a Navy warship to the region for the second time in less than a week. Now, officials with the Navy said that the USS Spruance, that's an Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer, departed Naval Base San Diego on Saturday with the task of supporting interdiction efforts aimed at curbing illegal migration and drug smuggling. Until recently, the vessel had been on a five month deployment in the Middle east defending against Houthi missile attacks, but will now patrol the waters off of America's western coast. That's according to a report from Fox News. Its deployment follows that of the USS Gravely missile destroyer which was sent last week to the Gulf of America. Of course, that's the body of water formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico. On a similar mission. According to a statement from the Navy, the ships will help the U.S. military establish, quote, all domain dominance in the region and restore territorial integrity at the US Southern border. Specifically, the Pentagon said that the sprons will assist in coordinating a robust response to maritime related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction and illegal seaborne migration. Gen. Gregory Guillot, the commander of U.S. northern commander, said the deployment comes as a response to President Trump's executive order declaring a national emergency at the US Southern border, which ordered the Department of Defense to provide resources and troops to support the activities of U.S. customs and Border Protection agents. Guillot said the move, quote, demonstrates our resolve to achieve operational control of the border. Now, as we discussed on last week's pdb, such deployments mark a significant tactical shift in in how the US Combats criminal activity along the southern border. As historically border related maritime operations fall under the US Coast Guard's jurisdiction, the presence of US Naval warships in these waters since an unprecedented move appears to be more about optics. The ship is bristling with 96 vertical launch system cells carrying surface to air and land attack missiles as well as advanced naval guns. It also features sophisticated electronic warfare capabilities. And it's intended as a powerful message, of course to the cartels that the US Is no longer playing around when it comes to the integrity of the southern border. Like the USS Gravely, it will be accompanied by a US Coast Guard law enforcement detachment that specializes in maritime military operations such as counter piracy, drug interdictions, anti immigration and combat missions. It arrives as officials with the Coast Guard report hundreds of migrant boat encounters near the San Diego coast over the past 90 days, with smugglers increasingly turning to sea based routes due to the Trump administration's tightened security measures along the U. S. Mexico land border following Trump's national emergency declaration. On day one in office, the Pentagon deployed thousands of troops to assist border agents and migrant encounters on land have since dropped to a record low. The administration is also turning up the heat directly against the cartels, using spy planes and drones equipped with advanced radar and infrared sensors in partnership with the Mexican government to track cartel operations. Whether the naval destroyers will function as a deterrence or play a more active and aggressive role in combating the Mexican drug lord's criminal enterprises, well, that remains to be seen. Coming up next, U.S. officials reveal that they've taken out, quote, key Houthi leadership, including the terror group's head rocket man or missileer, which is different than a mouseketeer. As the U. S Bombing campaign against the Iranian backed militants enters its second week. I'll have those details when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Well, let's take a look at what's happening in the world. Tariff wars, recession fears, stubborn inflation. Yeah, no wonder gold has been routinely hitting all time highs. Right? Look, in volatile markets like, well, right now, don't just sit on the sidelines with your head in the sand. Take control and safeguard your savings. It's really why so many Americans today are turning to Birch Gold Group. Now look, they've helped tens of thousands convert an existing IRA or 401k into an IRA in physical gold. So ask yourself this, is it time for you to hedge against inflation and economic instability with gold? 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[Josh Hammer]

Bull in a china shop. Donald Trump came in to drain the swamp in Washington D.C. but with his bold reform and rejuvenation agenda comes so many legal questions nationwide. Injunctions. Are they constitutional?

[Mike Baker]

What?

[Josh Hammer]

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[Mike Baker]

Welcome back to the afternoon bulletin. U.S. airstrikes targeting Houthi strongholds in Yemen entered their 10th consecutive day with President Trump's national security adviser claiming that the campaign eliminated the terror group's top leadership over the weekend. The strikes, now a sustained component of the Trump administration's broader pressure campaign on Iran, showed no signs of abating on Monday. The U.S. military effort is aimed squarely at degrading the capabilities of the Tehran backed Houthis, whose attacks have disrupted global shipping, threatened Israel and targeted American warships. Appearing on CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said the strikes have, quote, taken out key Houthi leadership, including their head missileer. When was the last time you heard that title, missileer? The Houthis, for their part, have neither confirmed the loss nor acknowledged any setbacks, though the terror group has a history of minimizing damage while overstating its offensive capabilities. Waltz added that the strikes have, quote, hit their headquarters, including command centers, communication nodes, weapons depots and drone manufacturing facilities. Now, these are the backbone of the Houthis terror infrastructure and their destruction is likely to degrade the group's operational tempo. An apparent US Strike on Sunday reportedly leveled a building in western Sanaa, killing at least one and injuring 13. That's according to the Houthi Run Sabah News Agency, which cited local health officials. Video from the scene released by the Houthis, though it's unverified, showed a collapsed structure surrounded by bloody debris. Notably, the adjacent building remained intact, suggesting the use of a lower yield US Munition, possibly to limit collateral damage. As we've been discussing here on the PDB, the AIR campaign began on the 15th of March after the Houthis threatened to resume missile and drone attacks on vessels linked to Israel in what they claimed was retaliation for the ongoing blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza. It's important to point out that the terror group maintains a deliberately vague definition of what constitutes, quote, Israeli linked maritime traffic. It's a tactic that has widened their scope of targets. Their actions prompted direct American military intervention to secure Red Sea transit routes vital to international commerce. Since November of last year, the terror group has launched strikes on more than 100 commercial ships, sunk two of them and killed four sailors. They've also targeted and claimed to have struck the USS Harry S. Truman carrier, though in reality, it has not been hit. The Houthis and their attacks on the carrier group have missed by over 100 miles. At times, the Houthis claim additional US strikes have hit Sada, their longtime stronghold, as well as the Red Sea port of Hodeida, an energy rich Mahreb province and still held by Yemen's internationally recognized government. The broader campaign represents Washington's latest effort to both suppress Houthi belligerence and dial back Iranian influence across the Arabian Peninsula. The initial waves of airstrikes killed at least 53 people. Despite the sustained US strikes, the terror group insists that its operations will continue. And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin for Monday 24th March. Now, if you have any questions or comments, and I hope you do, please reach out to [e-mail] and in case you missed the announcement during the morning press briefing, if you're jonesing to listen to the show ad free, well, you can do that. 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 tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.

[Mike Slater]

Hey, I'm Mike Slater. I have a podcast called Politics by Faith. We have a very simple mission. We take the news of the day and we filter it through a biblical worldview. So here's the big story of the day. What does the Bible say about it and how can we apply it? It's amazing. There's nothing new under the sun. The Bible has something to say about everything that's going on today. So basically we thump the Bible over on Politics by Faith. I think we got to keep MAGA going. And I think the way to take it beyond just a political victory into a true rebuilding and awakening and revival in America is to make sure that this is all grounded in biblical principles. And that's what we do on the podcast Politics by Faith. And you can subscribe to Politics by Faith wherever you're listening to the show right now.