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PDB Afternoon Bulletin | November 12th, 2025: Is the U.S. Planning a MASSIVE Base Next to Gaza? & Kyiv Rocked by Major Corruption Scandal
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Investigators have raided the homes of senior officials and one of President Zelensky's former business partners, uncovering what could be the country's biggest wartime scandal yet. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. The Israeli media is reporting that the U.S. plans to build a major military base near the Gaza border. The story was first published by an investigative outlet called Shomrim and then picked up by ynet. The reporting claims that Washington has agreed to fund and construct a new facility in southern Israel that would be used to house several thousand international troops tasked with enforcing the Gaza ceasefire. According to the report, the base would sit just a few miles from the Gaza strip, cost roughly $500 million, and operate under an international mandate to maintain stability inside the Gaza Strip. Israeli sources quoted by Shamram describe the facility as part of a broader plan to anchor international forces in the region, a sort of forward operating hub, if you will, for a peacekeeping mission meant to prevent Hamas or other armed groups from establishing control or re establishing control. In Hamas's case, that's the. That's the claim anyway. But US Officials are pushing back on the report. Central Command, which oversees all American military operations in the Middle east, issued a statement calling the Israeli reports inaccurate. CENTCOM said flatly, no US Troops will be deployed into Gaza. In other words, according to Washington, there are no current plans for an American base on the Gaza border, at least not one involving US Personnel. Still, that denial does leave room for interpretation. Centcom's language focuses narrowly on what the US Military itself will do. It doesn't rule out the possibility of the US Funding or helping construct facilities that could be used by other nations or by an international stabilization force. Nor does it rule out a base on Israeli soil. Outside Gaza proper. And that distinction matters, as we've been discussing here on the pdb. Under the terms of the current ceasefire, there's growing talk both in Jerusalem and Washington of deploying an international peacekeeping force to oversee reconstruction and security inside Gaza. The Trump administration has reportedly discussed models ranging from a UN authorized mission to a coalition led by Arab states such as Egypt or Jordan, backed by Western logistics and funding. If such a force does materialize, it would need infrastructure, of course. Housing, command centers, medical facilities, maintenance depots, all of which could be built in Israel and supported by the US without technically contradicting centcom's statement. In fact, there's already precedent. The US military currently operates the Civil Military Coordination center in the Israeli city of Kiryat Ghat, about 20 miles from Gaza. That site hosts around 200American personnel who coordinate humanitarian deliveries and regional logistics. Expanding that footprint or establishing a new, larger version closer to the border could serve as a staging ground for any future mission. So while centcom's denial shuts down talk of American boots in Gaza, it doesn't necessarily close the door on American built bases near Gaza. Still, both Washington and Jerusalem appear to be treading carefully. For the us, the optics of a new Middle east base, especially one tied to Gaza, could be politically explosive. For Israel, the presence of a large international force operating from within its territory raises questions about sovereignty and control along one of its most sensitive borders. It's also unclear who exactly would staff this proposed mission. Most US allies in Europe have shown little appetite for sending troops into post war Gaza. Arab states have also expressed reluctance, saying they won't send peacekeepers unless there's a clear political framework that includes a pathway to Palestinian statehood. So for now, the base remains an unconfirmed idea caught between competing narratives, Israeli outlets describing an ambitious US backed project meant to anchor a future peacekeeping force, and US officials insisting that no such plan exists, at least not in the form being reported. That leaves one final possibility, that the base isn't a plan so much as a proposal, floated quietly in back channel talks as part of the post war planning process, then surfacing prematurely in the Israeli press. Either way, the story does show how complicated this ceasefire really is. Behind the public denials and press leaks, Washington and Jerusalem are clearly gaming out what comes next and how to prevent Gaza from sliding back into chaos. Oh, and did I mention that there's still no indication from Hamas that they intend to disarm or to give up a governing role in Gaza? So yes, that could also be considered a sticking point. Alright, coming up after the break. Ukraine's wartime government faces a growing scandal. Investigators are targeting senior officials and one of President Zelensky's former associates. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here with an important message that could help your personal finances. Now, let me ask you a question. Do you owe $10,000 or more in credit card debt or personal loans? With credit card debt at all time highs, the folks at Debt Relief Advocates are notifying consumers of debt relief that's now available and is now designed to aid consumers with with out of control credit card debt. Those who qualify and enroll for this relief program may only have to pay back a fraction of what they owe. Look, it's not bankruptcy or a debt consolidation loan. 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Hey, it's Sean Spicer reminding you to tune into the Sean Spicer show every weeknight right here. You're not going to want to miss our analysis, whether it's the media, politics, campaigns, the upcoming midterms, Supreme Court rulings, or. We've got it all covered for you with the best guests in politics, the pundits, the pollsters, members of the House of Representatives, members of the Senate, candidates running for both, and key members of President Trump's administration. You're not going to want to miss it.
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Welcome back to the afternoon bulletin. Ukraine, of course, is no stranger to corruption. But this time it's different. A 100 million dollar kickback scheme inside the country's energy sector has rocked the government, exploding into one of its biggest wartime scandals since Russia's invasion, reaching uncomfortably close to President Zelensky. It began with raids across Kiev this week. Anti corruption agents from Ukraine's National Anti Corruption Bureau. And you ask yourself, does that have an acronym? And you are right, it does. That would be known as naboo, knocking on doors tied to the country's most powerful ministries. What those agents say is that they've uncovered a vast web of inflated contracts and phantom construction projects inside Ukraine's state nuclear company. Prosecutors allege energy officials and contractors were skimming millions from projects meant to fortify the nation's power grid against Russian strikes, the very infrastructure keeping the country functioning as targeted drone and missile attacks from Russia intensify. For a nation living by candlelight for hours or even days at a time. In some regions, that discovery of the potential scandal struck a nerve. It wasn't just about stolen money. It's about stolen defenses. Siphoned from a system that can't afford another weak link. According to Naboo, confirmed by ABC News, five people have been detained so far, with seven others named as suspects, among them a former deputy prime minister and a one time advisor to the energy minister. But at the center of it all is a businessman, Timur Mindich, a media mogul and former co owner of Zelensky's production company, which the president founded during his acting career and which he later gave up upon entering politics. When agents arrived at Mindich's home Monday, he was gone. Ukrainian media says he fled the country before the raid, fueling speculation that he'd been tipped off. The FBI is now reportedly investigating his overseas financial activities. Prosecutors told a Kiev court that Mindich texted Zelensky just minutes before the president spoke with former Energy Minister Herman Golashenko, inquiring about the scandal, a call they allege Mindich was trying to sway. Galushenko, now Ukraine's justice minister, has also been pulled into the scandal. The government confirmed he was suspended this week after investigators searched his home. In a Facebook post, he backed the decision, writing that the suspension was, quote, a civilized and correct scenario and vowed to defend himself in, quote, the legal arena. So far, prosecutors have not accused Zelensky of any wrongdoing, but the optics are dangerous. Mindich wasn't just an oligarch. He was an old friend and former business partner. Anti corruption activists say Zelensky can't afford to look like he's protecting allies. It's a shaky moment for the Ukrainian president. Just months ago, he tried to bring Ukraine's anti corruption agencies under closer government control, a move that triggered street protests and drew rebukes from European allies, forcing him to back down. Now those same agencies are leading this investigation. Zelensky addressed the controversy head on in his nightly video message on Monday saying, quote, everyone who has built corrupt schemes must face a clear procedural response. There must be convictions, end quote. The timing, though, couldn't be worse. Like I mentioned, Ukraine's power grid is under siege from Russian attacks, leaving cities and rolling blackouts. Zelensky has been pleading for billions in Western aid to rebuild the nation's grid and strengthen defenses. But those appeals now risk being drowned out by headlines of graft and corruption. And the ripple effects may not stop there. The episode could reopen old wounds with President Trump, whose allies have long accused Zelensky of turning a blind eye to corruption. And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin for Wednesday 12th November. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please Reach out to me at pdb@the first tv.com and of course to listen to the show ad free. 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 tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now let me take just a moment to talk about health. Right? Nothing more important. And specifically, let's talk about maintaining your health as you get older. Oh, it's the old aging talk. Look, you and I know this getting older does sneak up on you, right? Stiff joints after workouts, maybe your hair is thinning out, changes in a variety of ways. 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