The President's Daily Brief: Afternoon Bulletin – September 5th, 2025

Host: Mike Baker
Podcast: The President’s Daily Brief (The First TV)
Episode Focus:

• Details of a top secret SEAL Team 6 mission in North Korea revealed by The New York Times
• Israeli intelligence thwarts a Hamas-backed assassination attempt on Israel’s National Security Minister

Episode Overview

This episode provides listeners with exclusive insights on two major international security incidents: the clandestine and ultimately failed U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6 operation inside North Korea (as reported by The New York Times) and Israel's successful intercession in a Hamas plot to assassinate a senior political figure using explosive drones. Host Mike Baker, a former CIA officer, breaks down the events, their geopolitical ramifications, and the underlying intelligence operations with his signature direct and incisive commentary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. New York Times Report: Exposing a 2019 SEAL Team 6 North Korea Operation

[00:41–09:55]

• Mission Revelation & Critique of NYT

  • The New York Times published an "exclusive expose" revealing a high-stakes 2019 SEAL Team 6 mission into North Korea.
  • Baker frames the NYT’s actions as "journalistic bravery and integrity—or, as others might see it, reckless partisan irresponsibility," highlighting potential risks to national security.
    • Quote:
      • "It’s a disclosure that could have grave implications for already fraught US relations with the nuclear armed Kim regime." (Mike Baker, 01:08)

• Operation Details

  • Mission authorized by President Trump during his first term.
  • Objective: Plant an electronic device to intercept communications of Kim Jong Un amidst tense nuclear negotiations.
  • Operatives: Members of SEAL Team 6’s Red Squadron (known for the Osama Bin Laden raid).
  • Stakes: If captured, risked derailing rare diplomacy and possibly inciting military retaliation or a hostage crisis.
    • North Korea’s firepower: 8,000 artillery pieces and rocket launchers pointed at 28,000 U.S. troops in South Korea, and an estimated 50 nuclear weapons.

• Unique Intelligence Challenges

  • Due to the secrecy of North Korea, the U.S. intelligence community faced a significant "strategic blind spot."
    • Quote:
      • "The mission... something straight out of a James Bond movie." (Mike Baker, 03:22)
  • The intercepting device required manual placement on North Korean soil—thus, the SEAL operation.
  • The SEAL team had previous experience infiltrating North Korea (mini sub mission in 2005).

• Dramatic Operation Sequence

  • A massive nuclear sub transported the SEALs into North Korean waters.
  • Two “wet” mini-subs ferried operatives closer to shore.
  • SEALs then swam ashore in freezing waters, loaded with scuba gear and heated wetsuits.

• Mission Failure and Civilian Deaths

  • A North Korean boat appeared nearby during the operation.
  • The SEALs, fearing exposure, opened fire, killing three unarmed civilians before aborting the mission and retreating.
  • "Evidence later showed that the North Korean boat was actually a fishing vessel carrying two or three unarmed civilians." (Mike Baker, 05:13)

• Secrecy, Legal, and Political Fallout

  • Neither the U.S. nor North Korea publicly acknowledged the mission until now.
  • The NYT claims key congressional overseers weren’t informed; analysts suggest this could be a violation of law.
  • U.S. satellites observed major troop movements by North Korea after the incident.
  • Baker’s critique: The NYT’s publication gives adversaries "invaluable insights" into U.S. covert ops and may be politically motivated.
    • Quote:
      • "The details remain highly classified. Well, do they anymore?" (Mike Baker, 05:36)
      • "During Democrat administrations, the paper managed to keep their pieholes shut when it came to revealing this sort of information." (Mike Baker, 07:45)
    • Baker calls into question both the NYT's motives and the culture of leaking among officials.

2. Israeli Intelligence Thwarts Hamas-Backed Assassination Plot

[12:55–19:41]

• Operation Details

  • Israeli Shin Bet and police arrested three Hamas-linked operatives in Hebron.
  • They were plotting to assassinate National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir with two explosive-laden drones.
  • The plot is described as "one of the most serious attempts against a senior Israeli minister in recent years."
    • Quote:
      • "The group came shockingly close to pulling off the assassination..." (Mike Baker, 13:39)

• Hamas’s Turkey Connection

  • Funding and logistical support came from Hamas officials in Turkey.
  • The cell tracked Ben Gvir’s movements via social media, aiming to attack during a Jewish holiday at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

• Near Execution, Shift in Tactics

  • The cell successfully tested a drone-delivered explosion, but a second test resulted in an accidental detonation, causing them to rethink the attack.
  • They considered selling the drones for firearms for multiple attacks but abandoned the plan out of concern over Israel’s robust surveillance network.
  • A cell member was arrested by the Palestinian Authority, complicating their operations.
  • Shin Bet ultimately arrested the remaining members before the plot could progress.

• Wider Geopolitical Implications

  • One suspect, inspired by the Gaza conflict, moved to Turkey and developed ties with Hamas, demonstrating the group’s transnational recruitment and logistical capacity.
  • Turkey’s history of hosting Hamas operatives is scrutinized; despite official denials, it is "a safe hub for international outreach and coordination."
    • Quote:
      • "The answer would be, of course, a lot of latitude." (Mike Baker, 17:32)
    • Turkey cut official ties with Israel after the onset of the latest Gaza war, with Erdogan meeting Hamas leaders directly.
    • Israeli media reports Hamas maintains clandestine operations, including a cyber/intel unit, in Istanbul.

• Shin Bet’s Warning

  • The host underscores that Hamas overseas leadership — and especially those based in Turkey — are a "key driver" of terror plots targeting Israel.
    • Quote:
      • "Shin Bet emphasize the incident as a stark reminder that Hamas’s overseas command, particularly leadership residing in Turkey, remain a key driver of terror plots against the Jewish state." (Mike Baker, 18:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It’s a disclosure that could have grave implications for already fraught US relations with the nuclear armed Kim regime."
  — Mike Baker [01:08]

• "The mission... something straight out of a James Bond movie."
  — Mike Baker [03:22]

• "Evidence later showed that the North Korean boat was actually a fishing vessel carrying two or three unarmed civilians."
  — Mike Baker [05:13]

• "The details remain highly classified. Well, do they anymore?"
  — Mike Baker [05:36]

• "During Democrat administrations, the paper managed to keep their pieholes shut when it came to revealing this sort of information."
  — Mike Baker [07:45]

• "The group came shockingly close to pulling off the assassination..."
  — Mike Baker [13:39]

• "The answer would be, of course, a lot of latitude."
  — Mike Baker [17:32]

• "Shin Bet emphasize the incident as a stark reminder that Hamas’s overseas command, particularly leadership residing in Turkey, remain a key driver of terror plots against the Jewish state."
  — Mike Baker [18:55]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:41 — Introduction to the NYT exposé on the SEAL Team 6 mission in North Korea
• 01:40 — Details of the 2019 secret mission and the U.S. intelligence blind spot
• 03:22 — Operation logistics and SEAL Team deployment
• 05:13 — Mission failure and civilian casualties
• 06:05 — Secrecy, congressional oversight, and potential legal violations
• 07:45 — Critique of NYT's motives and political implications
• 09:55 — Transition to Israel/Hamas story
• 12:55 — Israeli security agencies break up assassination plot
• 13:39 — Assessment of attack seriousness, operational details
• 15:55 — Hamas support from Turkey, plot logistics, and failed drone test
• 17:10 — The role of Turkey as Hamas supporter and safe haven
• 18:55 — Broader implications for Israeli intelligence and regional security

Episode Takeaways

• The episode exposes the risks and realities of U.S. clandestine operations targeting North Korea, the consequences of intelligence leaks, and the media's role in shaping national security transparency.
• The thwarted Hamas assassination plot on an Israeli minister underscores the evolving methods of terrorism (weaponized drones) and highlights Turkey’s critical if controversial status as a haven for Hamas leadership.
• Host Mike Baker delivers analysis with a mixture of insider knowledge, skepticism toward mainstream media, and a focus on global realpolitik.

For listeners seeking a comprehensive, informed, and sometimes sardonic breakdown of urgent global security news, this episode of The President’s Daily Brief delivers context, candor, and critical detail straight from the intelligence world.