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The President's Daily Brief
PDB Afternoon Bulletin | October 31st, 2025: REPORT: U.S. Military Attack On Venezuela Is Imminent & FBI Foils ISIS-Inspired Halloween Terror Attack
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Later in the show, the FBI foils an alleged plot to carry out an ISIS inspired terror attack targeting Halloween weekend in Michigan. I'll have those details. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. The US Is reportedly preparing to launch military actions inside Venezuela. Sources within the Trump administration told the Miami Herald that President Trump has approved strikes targeting the country's military installations. The next stage in the White House's campaign to dismantle the so called Cartel of the Suns, a sprawling narcotics network that U.S. officials say is run directly by Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro and his associates. According to multiple senior sources. Of course, none of whom are authorized to open their pieholes and share this information, the strike could come within a matter of days or even hours. The plan, which was allegedly drawn up by the Pentagon and approved in principle by Trump, would hit key Venezuelan military facilities tied to drug operations with the aim of decapitating the cartel's leadership structure. Now, before we go any further, I should note that the White House is pushing back on these reports. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly issued a statement Friday afternoon saying, quote, unnamed sources don't know what they're talking about. Any announcements regarding Venezuela policy would come directly from the President, end quote. But if the reports prove accurate, the operation would obviously mark a sharp escalation in what the Trump administration has already framed as a, quote, armed conflict with Latin America's narco terrorist networks. The White House says the Maduro regime and its allies now move roughly 500 tons of cocaine each year. That's a lot of coke, with roughly half going to the US and the rest to Europe. When asked if Maduro himself is a target, officials declined to say. But one source close to the operation told the Miami Herald that the dictator's time is running out. The official said Maduro is about to find himself trapped and might soon discover that he can't flee the country even if he decided to. What's worse for him, there's now more than one general willing to capture and hand him over, end quote. Now again, I stress that these reports and comments are coming from anonymous sources not authorized to discuss details of any impending operation. So they may well be full of shit or they could be well informed. That's the thing about anonymous sources. So take it with a grain of salt. As our regular listeners will know, back in August, the Trump administration doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro's capture to $50 million. Now that's the highest bounty ever offered by the US government. Additional 25 million dollar rewards remain in place for Interior Minister Diostado Cabello, believed to be the guy who oversees cartel operations, and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, another top regime figure facing US Federal drug trafficking indictments. When the increased bounty was first announced, U.S. attorney General Pam Bondi described Maduro as, quote, one of the world's largest drug traffickers and a threat to our national security. The White House says Maduro uses the cartel of the Suns to move cocaine in coordination with Mexico's Sinaloa cartel and the Venezuelan gang Trendiloagua. As we've been tracking on the pdb, news of potential land strikes inside Venezuela come amid the US Military's massive buildup of off the Venezuelan coast. Since August, a joint task force of destroyers, amphibious assault ships and reconnaissance aircraft have been operating in the southern Caribbean. That force was recently reinforced with 10 F35 fighters and MQ9 Reaper drones stationed in Puerto Rico. Aircraft that are obviously capable of precision strikes deep inside Venezuelan territory. Earlier this month, Trump also authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela. And then late last week, the Pentagon made another move, deploying the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's most advanced aircraft carrier, along with its full strike group, including cruisers and destroyers and nearly 90 combat aircraft with more than 4,000 sailors and marines aboard. Defense analysts described the Ford's arrival as the final phase of a campaign to neutralize the Maduro regime's military power and the cartel networks that it protects. So far, US Forces have focused on maritime strikes targeting suspected narco boats, which have killed more than 60 suspected traffickers to date. But as the strikes intensify, Pentagon Officials say that traffickers have started abandoning sea routes for land based operations. This shift in tactics reportedly prompted the Pentagon to shift the mission's focus to inland operations. I want to stress that analysts say this buildup isn't sufficient for a full scale invasion as the current force lacks the combat power for ground occupation. But as one defense expert put it, there is plenty for air or missile strikes against the cartels or the Maduro regime. Trump's broader goal, sources say, is to cripple the cartel of the Suns through targeted operations, much like the 2020 strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani or the bombing campaign on Iran's nuclear facilities earlier this year. Still, there are major risks to consider, and for that I award myself today's PDB statement of the obvious award. Any American strike inside Venezuela could spark regional backlash from Latin American governments and strong condemnation, of course, from Russia and China, both of which have economic and military ties to Caracas regarding Moscow's interests. It's important to note that a Russian transport aircraft with links to the Wagner mercenary group reportedly landed in Caracas last Sunday, suggesting that the Putin regime may be providing support to Maduro, which should shock a total of zero people. But it appears the Trump administration may be willing to take a gamble, betting that precision strikes and a show of overwhelming force will fracture the regime without dragging America into another long term conflict. Coming up next, federal agents foiled an alleged ISIS inspired terror plot in Michigan set to unfold over Halloween weekend. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Well, no doubt you've noticed fall has arrived, right? 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Welcome back to the Afternoon Bulletin. The FBI says it stopped what could have been a deadly Halloween weekend terror attack in Michigan inspired by ISIS Agents with the bureau's Detroit field office, in coordination with a Joint Terrorism Task Force, conducted simultaneous raids in Dearborn and Inkster, Michigan on Friday morning, arresting five people between the ages of 16 and 20. While details of the plot are still murky, according to a report from CBS News, the suspects had discussed carrying out a terror attack around Halloween, what they referred to as, quote, pumpkin Day, prompting the FBI to intervene. A source on the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force said they'd been monitoring an online ISIS chat room where at least two of the teenagers were discussing a potential attack. Authorities say the group was inspired by a former member of the Michigan Army National Guard, 19 year old Amar said, who was arrested in May of this year for plotting a mass shooting at a U.S. military base on behalf of ISIS. Sources told CBS News that one or more of the young men arrested on Friday may have known Saeed, though details of the alleged ties were not provided. While officials said it was not clear if the suspects had decided on a specific time and location for the attack, they stressed that the suspects did have access to guns. Well, it's, it's America, so yeah, they, they probably had access to guns. FBI Director Cash Patel said Friday, quote, this morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple suspects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend, end quote. Patel credited the swift action of FBI agents working in tandem with local law enforcement partners for disrupting the plot. He added, quote, the vigilance of this FBI prevented what could have been a tragic attack. And thanks to their dedication, Michigan will have a safe and happy Halloween. Now, it's not clear what charges the suspects face, but as court documents are still sealed, officials said the investigation is ongoing, of course, and they're probing whether the group was self radicalized or had broader ties to organized terror groups like isis. But law enforcement officials said that there's no ongoing threat to the public. And unfortunately, it is just the latest in a string of domestic terrorism cases tied to ISIS sympathizers. As I mentioned earlier, in May, federal agents arrested the former member of the Michigan Army National Guard who was in the process of planning a mass shooting on behalf of ISIS at a military facility near Detroit. Saeed was apprehended on the day of the planned attack shortly after launching a drone near the Army Tank Automotive and Armaments Command in suburban Detroit. That's a facility that oversees the Army's tank supply chain. And in early August, the FBI arrested a man in Long Beach, California for allegedly wiring funds to ISIS and pledging allegiance to the terror group. Over the course of five months, the suspect allegedly sent 12 payments totaling more than $1,600 to two ISIS intermediaries overseas. Authorities also discovered what appeared to be a homemade bomb in his bedroom when they raided his Long beach home. Well, he sounds like a real peach. And that, my Friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin for Friday, 31st October. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at the first tv. And remember, if you can catch this weekend's episode of our PDB Situation Report, we've got great guests this weekend as, as always. And you can tune in and learn stuff while you sit on the sofa and sort out your Halloween candy stash. So it'll be tasty and informative. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back over the weekend with the PDB Situation Report. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.