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The President's Daily Brief
PDB Afternoon Bulletin | September 29th, 2025: REPORT: Russia Training Chinese Forces To Invade Taiwan & Michigan Church Attack
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29 September 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 up, a new report says Russia is quietly training and equipping Chinese forces for a possible airborne assault on Taiwan. We'll explain how Moscow's playbook from Ukraine is could be used to help Beijing seize the island. Later in the show, we'll have the latest on that attack on a Mormon church in Michigan. But first, today's afternoon spotlight, a startling report from the Royal United Services Institute, that's a respected think tank based in London, says Russia is quietly helping China prepare for the potential invasion of Taiwan because, of course, that's what the world needs, another belligerent power invading another country. A little background here to put things in context. Analysts believe that a Chinese assault on Taiwan would be among the most difficult and risky military operations in modern history. Amphibious landings are limited to just a handful of beaches, most of which are narrow, shallow and very well defended. Taiwan's military knows exactly where China's landing craft would have to go, and they are prepared to crater those beaches with artillery and missile fire. And while seizing airfields could offer China a way to bring in reinforcements, runways are, after all, easily destroyed. Russia learned that the hard way when it tried and failed to hold Hostomel Airport in Ukraine back in 2022. So Beijing has been searching for alternatives. And according to this new report from the think tank, Moscow is delivering. Leaked contracts obtained by a hacktivist group and verified by independent experts show that Russia agreed in 2023 to supply China with an entire battalion's worth of air droppable armored vehicles. Russia is quietly handing over airdrop armor, anti tank firepower, command and control kits and drones, basically everything you need to parachute fighting power onto firm ground near ports and airfields. If true, Beijing could bypass Taiwan's beaches for the most part and seize critical infrastructure. But it's not just the hardware that Moscow is providing. The deal requires Russian instructors to train Chinese paratroopers in how to use the vehicles, both at Russian facilities and later at training grounds inside China. The contracts Even include a technical support hub to be built on Chinese soil with full documentation provided so Beijing can eventually localize production and modernize the designs. And here's why this all because it gives a People's Liberation army, the pla, a potential way to bypass Taiwan's greatest defensive advantage. Instead of focusing solely on risky amphibious assaults, Chinese airborne units could parachute armored vehicles into open ground places like golf courses or sports fields or farmlands near ports and airfields. Once on the ground, of course, those lightly armored but mobile forces could seize key terrain, disrupt Taiwanese defenses, and open corridors for follow on forces. Think about the difference here. Lightly armed infantry parachuted in. Well, they're vulnerable. That's what doomed Russia's air assault outside Kyiv. But paratroopers with armored vehicles and mobile firepower are a far tougher opponent. It would force Taiwan to spread its defenses more thinly and complicate American and allied planning to help reinforce the island. And it's not just Taiwan. The report says Russia is also equipping Chinese special forces with advanced parachute systems that allow operators to jump from as high as 32,000ft and glide up to 80 kilometers undetected. That means covert infiltration missions not only against Taiwan, but, according to the report, potentially across the South China Sea in the Philippines, for example, where the US Is building up new bases to counter Beijing. The most important part of this deal may not be equipment at all, but the training. Russia's airborne forces have real combat experience and have learned some very tough lessons during their war in Ukraine. China's airborne troops, by contrast, are untested. By training with Russian instructors, they're learning how to conduct battalion scale air maneuvers, how to command and control units once they're on the ground, and how to integrate airborne operations into larger campaigns. It's a sign of just how far military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing has grown since Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine. Historically, Russia was reluctant to sell its most advanced capabilities to China, fearing theft of designs and loss of its technological edge. But today, well, Moscow needs Chinese money to keep its defense industry afloat. And in return, Beijing gets valuable capabilities and know how to prepare for a possible fight over Taiwan. For Washington and its allies, there are some major implications. An invasion attempt in the Taiwan Strait could of course, trigger a much wider conflict across the Pacific. And an airborne assault capability complete with vehicles, firepower and training makes that operation more feasible than it was even a year ago. It also highlights a dangerous reality. As Russia ties down NATO resources in Europe, it's simultaneously helping China build up the tools to Challenge US Power in Asia. Two authoritarian powers aligned militarily and industrially looking to stretch America's ability to respond. In both theaters at once. Coming up next, the death toll has risen to four in a deadly shooting and arson attack on a Mormon church in Michigan. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. 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So if you're ready to reclaim dinner from the jaws of school year chaos, just head over to tribe.compdb that's tribe.compdb because remember, frozen nuggets, they're not a food group. And your family, they deserve the best. Mike Baker here. Now let me ask you a question about protecting your hard earned assets. When you hear about inflation worries or when you hear that the national debt in the US is over $37 trillion, or you just look around and you see all the global uncertainty, do you ever think to yourself maybe now might be a good time to buy gold? Well, that would be a logical thought. You see, whether as a hedge against inflation or peace of mind during global instability or maybe just for sensible diversification, gold has always been viewed as a safe haven. And the Birch Gold group, well, they believe that every American should own physical gold. 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Welcome back to the AFTERNOON bulletin. A lone gunman rammed his truck into a Mormon church in Michigan during Sunday worship and opened fire on churchgoers, leaving at least four dead. The attack unfolded in Grand Blanc Township just outside Flint around 10:30am the suspect, driving a pickup truck flying two American flags, smashed into the church's front doors before spraying the Mormon congregation with rounds from a semi automatic rifle. Local Police Chief William Rene told reporters that Officers responded within 30 seconds, but by then the chaos and carnage were in full swing. Witnesses described worshippers shielding children diving behind pews and others running to safety. Within minutes of the bullets flying, the sanctuary was an inferno. Fire officials believe the gunman deliberately set ablaze, likely using gasoline or another accelerant. Flames tore through the building with startling speed, sending plumes of black smoke over the town and collapsing part of the roof. Federal investigators later confirmed three improvised explosives were recovered at the scene though they have not said whether the devices detonated or played any role in the fire. About eight minutes after the first 911 calls, the shooter was gunned down by officers as he attempted to flee. Still, the police chief cautioned that several members of the congregation remained unaccounted for, with up to seven feared missing. As search teams continue to comb through the wreckage. Today, while the investigation is ongoing, authorities identified the attacker as 40 year old Thomas Jacob Sanford of nearby Burton, Michigan. From what we know of his background, Sanford was a Marine veteran who served in Iraq back in 2007 and rose to the rank of sergeant. Court filings show he married in 2016 and had a young son. Federal agents searched his residence, but investigators have yet to disclose what they found or whether Sanford harbored any ties to the Mormon Church. As for a motive, officials say it remains unknown at this time. The FBI has now thrown more than 100 agents on the case, labeling the attack a, quote, act of targeted violence. Yeah, that sounds accurate. It ATF teams are working to identify the composition of the explosives found. Michigan State Police also reported bomb threats phoned into other local churches on Sunday, though none were substantiated. As for who called in those threats, that remains under investigation. The targeted church is one of the largest Mormon congregations in the region, home to about 150 members. President Trump denounced the rampage on Truth Social, labeling the shooting, quote, yet another targeted attack on Christians in the US and demanding that, quote, this epidemic of violence end. Vice President JD Vance said the, quote, entire Trump administration is monitoring developments. And Mitt Romney, the former US Senator for Utah and presidential candidate who is one of the country's most prominent Mormon politicians, called it a, quote, tragedy and said he was praying for the victims and their families. Sunday's carnage adds to a roster of assaults on houses of worship in recent months as we covered here on the pdb. Back in late August, a shooter opened fire during a back to school mass in Minneapolis, Minnesota, killing two children and wounding 21 others. In July, a gunman stormed a Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, gunning down a police officer and two worshippers. The latest church shooting in Michigan underscores a growing wave of violence against religious communities across the country, incidents that federal investigators say increasingly resemble planned targeted attacks. And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin for Monday 29th September. 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. Well, you can do that and it's 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.