The President's Daily Brief: Afternoon Bulletin

Episode Title: Xi Rages as Japan Deploys Missiles Near Taiwan & Russian Tracker Found Off U.K. Coast
Date: November 24, 2025
Host: Mike Baker (Former CIA Operations Officer)
Podcast: The President’s Daily Brief (The First TV)

Episode Overview

In this Afternoon Bulletin, Mike Baker delivers concise, intelligence-oriented updates on two pressing international developments:

• Japan’s decision to deploy advanced missiles close to Taiwan, escalating tensions with China.
• The discovery of a suspected Russian surveillance device off the coast of Wales, reflecting ongoing undersea security concerns for the UK and Europe.

Baker breaks down the strategic implications, immediate diplomatic fallout, and regional security stakes, blending expert analysis with a down-to-earth, no-nonsense delivery.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Japan Deploys Missiles Near Taiwan: Tensions with China Escalate

(00:35 – 08:24)

• Background & Diplomatic Context

  • Recent tensions have mounted following a pointed statement by Japan’s new Prime Minister, Mitsunae Takeichi:

    “A Chinese blockade of Taiwan would threaten Japan’s survival.”
    (~00:50)

  • This explicit linkage between Japan’s security and Taiwan’s fate is the "clearest public link" made by Tokyo—a historic shift away from careful ambiguity.

• Details of the Missile Deployment

  • Japan announced plans to station a surface-to-air missile unit on Yonaguni, a small island just 68 miles from Taiwan.
    • Mike Baker:

      “That’s close enough that on a clear day you could actually see Taiwan’s mountains from the shoreline. It’s kind of like seeing Russia from Alaska.”
      (01:41)

  • The official rationale: strengthen defenses in Japan’s vulnerable southwest, providing early detection and interception of hostile aircraft or drones.

• China’s Dramatic Response

  • Immediate and forceful condemnation from Beijing, labeling the move “extremely dangerous” and accusing Japan of “stirring up confrontation.”
  • State media ramped up rhetoric with militaristic visuals, including rocket launchers and warships, accompanied by ominous voiceovers:
    • Mike Baker (quoting Chinese media):

      “If war breaks out today, this is my response.”
      (03:35)

  • Additional measures from Beijing:
    • Travel warnings for Chinese citizens visiting Japan.
    • Moves to slow/block Japanese entertainment imports.
    • Claims that Japan is joining a “containment ring” with the US and Taiwan.

• Reaction from Taiwan

  • A senior Taiwanese official (paraphrased by Baker):

    “Japan has every right to defend its territory and that stronger defenses in the region help maintain stability. That’s diplomatic language for ‘good, please do more of this.’”
    (04:31)

• Regional Security Implications

  • Japan is moving away from a traditionally cautious stance, now taking concrete steps:
    • The deployment marks a "turning point": the strategic gap between Japan and Taiwan is shrinking.

      • “The distance between Japan and Taiwan isn’t just geographical anymore, it’s strategic.”
        (07:24)

    • Anticipation of China’s further military pressure: more patrols, air incursions, and drone flights.
    • Possible broader deployment by Japan to other nearby islands.
    • Quiet expansion of US-Japan intelligence sharing, especially for early-warning systems.

• Broader Stakes

  • If conflict erupts over Taiwan, Japan might be involved immediately—given the proximity of its territory, citizens, and now military assets to a potential war zone.
  • China senses “the regional map may be shifting under its feet.”
    (08:00)

2. Russian Surveillance Device Discovered off Welsh Coast

(10:19 – 16:30)

• Discovery Details

  • Volunteer divers from “Neptune’s Army of Rubbish Cleaners” (NARC) stumbled on a suspicious metal cylinder off the Welsh coast during a routine cleanup.
    • Mike Baker:

      “Is there an acronym? There sure is. It’s NARC.”
      (10:40)

  • The device, initially mistaken for industrial scrap, was found to have purposeful wiring and design.

• Identification as a Russian Sonobuoy

  • Defense analysts identified the four-foot, 30-pound object as a Russian hydroacoustic sonobuoy, likely deployed recently given its condition.

    • “Its wiring wasn’t random…the interior layout wasn’t the usual jumble of marine debris. It was engineered.”
      (11:30)

  • Similar Russian devices have been found off the UK, Ireland, Lithuania, and even in Russia’s own regions—suggesting an ongoing pattern.

• Strategic Context

  • Comes amid increased Russian naval activity near British waters.
    • Reference to the Russian vessel “Yantar” operating just outside British territorial waters.

      “And while Moscow says Yantar is merely a research vessel, nothing to see here. Western governments have long pointed to its advanced undersea capabilities…”
      (13:36)

  • The Russian Embassy insisted there’s “no interest” in British underwater communications—Baker dryly notes the irony as more Russian devices continue to appear.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Yonaguni Missile Deployment:

  • “It’s kind of like seeing Russia from Alaska.”
    • Mike Baker, 01:41
  • “Japan’s decision does represent something of a turning point. The distance between Japan and Taiwan isn’t just geographical anymore—it’s strategic.”
    • Mike Baker, 07:24
  • “Beijing is reacting like a country that understands that the regional map may be shifting under its feet.”
    • Mike Baker, 08:00

• On the Russian Sonobuoy Incident:

  • “Instead of the usual plastic bottles and lost tackle…volunteers spotted a metal cylinder wedged deep into a rocky gully.”
    • Mike Baker, 11:08
  • “Independent defense experts say they’re confident that the object is a Russian hydroacoustic sonobuoy—the same type typically deployed by Russia’s Tu142M long range maritime patrol aircraft. Say that two times fast.”
    • Mike Baker, 12:08
  • “Of course [the Russians are] not [interested]. No interest whatsoever. Even as Russian surveillance hardware continues appearing along European coastlines…But the Russians have no interest in…all that communications information. None whatsoever.”
    • Mike Baker, 15:16 (sarcastic tone)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |--------------------------------------------|-----------------| | Intro to headlines | 00:35 | | Japan’s missile deployment & China’s rage | 00:35 – 08:24 | | Start of Russian device segment | 10:19 | | Discovery of the sonobuoy | 10:19 – 13:00 | | Strategic context & implications | 13:01 – 15:45 | | End of briefing & signoff | 16:30 |

Tone and Style

Baker maintains a brisk, analytical, and slightly wry delivery—mixing authoritative intelligence insights with occasional dry humor. He avoids sensationalism while making clear the stakes for US and allied interests, emphasizing actionable knowledge for listeners wanting to stay informed on global security threats.

Conclusion

In this episode, Mike Baker dissects two flashpoints in global security: Japan’s bold military moves near Taiwan—the most direct challenge yet to China’s ambitions—and the discovery of a Russian surveillance device on the UK’s doorstep, a not-so-subtle reminder of the persistent contest beneath and above the waves. Both stories underscore a new era of strategic friction—one listeners should follow closely.