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The President's Daily Brief
September 26th, 2025: SHOWDOWN: American Fighter Jets Intercept Russian Bombers & Beijing’s Drone Support for Moscow
00:24:31
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Mike and Alyssa are always trying to outdo each other. When Alyssa got a small water bottle, Mike showed up with a 4 liter jug. When Mike started gardening, Alyssa started beekeeping.
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Oh, come on.
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They called a truce for their holiday and used Expedia trip planner to collaborate on all the details of their trip. Once there, Mike still did more laps around the pool.
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Whatever.
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You were made to outdo your holidays. We were made to help organize the competition. Expedia made to travel.
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Foreign.
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It's Friday the 26th of September. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage and still on the road. All right, let's get briefed. First up, American fighter jets scramble as Russian bombers approach Alaska. Another reminder of Moscow's probing, oddly aggressive behavior. It sounds like Putin's meds need to be leveled out. I'll have those details later in the show. New evidence of Beijing and Moscow tightening their military ties. Well, it is a no limits bromance. After all, Chinese drone specialists are said to be helping Russia's arms industry despite Western sanctions. Plus, a White House peace plan for Gaza is finding support in the Middle east as Trump assures regional leaders he won't let Israel annex the West Bank. And in today's Back of the Brief, a former French president gets a five year jail sentence for accepting money from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. But first, today's PDB. The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, says U.S. and Canadian aircraft intercepted Russian warplanes operating just outside American airspace on 24 September. Radar detected two TU95 long range bombers and two SU35 fighters entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone. And of course there's an acronym, and it's adiz. That's a stretch of international airspace where all aircraft are required to identify themselves for national security reasons. As a result, NORAD scrambled a response force, an E3 surveillance plane, four F16 Fighting Falcons and four KC135 refueling tankers. The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace, never actually crossing into US Or Canadian territory. Now, it's important to note that this type of activity is not uncommon and is not necessarily considered a direct threat. However, the incident is now part of a familiar recent pattern that we've seen in the recent weeks. Russia probing the air defenses of its adversaries. This time, it's probing North America's defenses with nuclear capable bombers reminding Washington that Moscow isn't some distant antagonist. It operates right on our doorstep. I mean, after all, you can see Russia from Alaska. For context, this was the first Russian incursion into the Alaska ADIZ since late August, when a Russian surveillance plane skirted the Aleutian Islands. In August alone, there were four such flights, and last year, NORAD logged a dozen similar incidents. These flights rarely, if ever, cross into sovereign airspace, but they forced NORAD to launch jets, burn fuel and signal readiness. It's a cat and mouse game that dates back to the Cold War, when Soviet bombers routinely tested America's northern defenses. On its own, then, this week's intercept would not be unusual. But in the current climate, that takes on greater significance. Moscow is under mounting pressure in Ukraine and Western sanctions are biting. NATO air forces are already stretched intercepting Russian jets over the Baltics and northern Europe. And against that backdrop, Russian bombers showing up near Alaska takes on a bit more significance. That wider context is where this story sharpens a bit. As we've been tracking here, NATO members are already on edge after recent airspace and drone incidents. Just days ago, Estonia accused Russian jets of breaching its skies, prompting its government to invoke Article 4 of NATO's Charter and demand emergency consultations with alliance partners. Poland did the same just days before over a dangerous Russian drone incursion. In that case, 19 drones breached Polish airspace overnight, some entering via Belarus. And Polish and NATO fighters shot down at least three of them. And now Denmark is considering invoking Article 4 as well. After drones forced the closure of all Borg Airport for the second time this week, Danish authorities called the incidents, quote, the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date, describing them as a hybrid attack carried out by a professional actor. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says Copenhagen isn't ruling out any suspects, though officials believe the drones were launched locally and not from Russia. Invoking Article 4 isn't symbolic. It means a NATO government believes its security is under real threat. To have three members reach for that option in the span of weeks is extraordinary. A NATO member weighing Article 4 consultations over drone strikes on its airports. Another NATO state demanding answers over Russian jets in its skies. And North America intercepting Russian bombers just off Alaska's coast individually. Each of these may be brushed off as routine provocations, ambiguous drone swarms, or tit for tat encounters. Taken together, they paint a picture of heightened tension across the transatlantic alliance. US Leaders are acutely aware of that perception. Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General assembly earlier this week, President Trump said NATO nations should be able to shoot down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace. It was a pointed warning that suggests the administration wants to project toughness toward Moscow, even as the Kremlin tries to remind Washington that it can still play power politics far from the battlefields of Ukraine. And speaking of norad, which I was just recently before we go to break that quick announcement, the third episode of our limited series podcast, the Day the World Almost Ended, is now available. This week's episode takes us inside NORAD's mountain fortress back in 1979, when America's early warning screens lit up with what looked like a massive Soviet missile strike. Fighter jets scrambled the doomsday plane prepared for launch, and for a few terrifying minutes, the world was on the brink of Armageddon. Episode 3 of the Day the World Almost Ended is available now exclusively for our PDB Premium members. Sign up at PDB premium.com It couldn't be any easier. All right, coming up next, new evidence of Chinese drone specialists helping Russia's arms makers. Plus, Trump's Gaza peace plan is reportedly winning support from Arab leaders. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, you know those nights when you just don't sleep well? You know what I mean? You're tossing, you're turning, your mind's racing, and sleep just won't come. And the next day, of course, you're dragging, you're exhausted, and everything just feels harder. Well, that's where CBD from CB Distillery can make a real difference. And it's not just about sleep products. 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Welcome back to the PDB Repeated visits by Chinese drone specialists to a sanctioned Russian weapons factory indicates their assistance in assembling and testing drones activity. That of course contradicts Beijing's regular denials of neutrality and Moscow's war with Ukraine. According to European security officials and internal documents exclusively reviewed by Reuters, the paper trail points to more than casual exchanges. Records reveal Chinese engineers training Russian staff at IEMZ Kupel, attending drone test flights and linking their work directly to shipments of Chinese drones routed through sanctioned intermediaries. For background, Kupal is no ordinary military plant. The state owned manufacturer already blacklisted by the US and EU for producing air defense systems and drones deployed against Ukraine hosted Chinese specialists more than a half a dozen times since mid-2024. During those visits, deliveries poured in from Sichuan, a Chinese drone maker whose products were funneled through TSK Vector, a blacklisted Russian procurement firm. If this all sounds convoluted and complex, well, welcome to the world of grey arms marketing. A company document from Sichuan shows that A140 and A900 drones, known as one way kamikaze drones, have already been delivered and more models were queued up A60 and A100 reconnaissance models plus the A200. That's an advanced drone equipped with anti jamming defenses to blunt Ukraine's electronic warfare defenses. And the financial records tell their own story. One invoice billed a TSK vector more than $700,000 in the second quarter of 2025 for a 200 anti jamming drones and associated gear. Procurement and test records link these drones to trials in a military range in the Chelyabinsk region bordering Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, Kupal's internal logs describe Chinese engineers assembling those drones on site, training staff, attending the tests and then flying home the very next day. In one example of the now not so secret partnership, flight records show the CEO of a Chinese drone making company seated next to TSK Vector's drone chief on a Siberian departure following a drone demonstration. That's what we would call a clue. Other paperwork references joint projects, including adapting a Chinese flight control computer and engine for a Russian produced Iranian shahed style one way kamikaze drone whose variant payload is swapped to instead block electronic defenses. Additionally, a planned system has mentioned that European officials say directly mirrors Iran's reconnaissance drones. Now I'd like to point out that Reuters cautioned it could not verify every detail of the documents and European officials withheld some for sensitivity. Still, invoices, flight logs and test reports sketch a picture that goes far beyond casual trade between Beijing and Moscow. As one senior fellow at the Washington based Center for New American Security told the news outlet, Chinese components and technical support are now a vital part of Russia's military supply chain, especially in aerial drones. And that supply line matters. Kupal has been tied to mass production of the Russian produced Iranian shahed style one way attack drones, which Kyiv says Russia's firing off at a rate of about 500 per month. Beijing's Foreign Ministry, when asked about the findings, claimed ignorance. There's a surprise repeating its line that the Chinese Communist Party, the CCP quote never provides lethal weapons to any part in the Ukraine conflict and keeps strict controls on dual use exports. Now, if it wasn't so seriously lethal, the Chinese regime's denials and feigned ignorance would be comical. But Beijing's official line now stands in stark contrast to the evidence a growing body of invoices, bookings and field tests pointing to a technology partnership that strengthens Russia's drone arsenal and chips away at Western sanctions. Alright, Turning to the US President Trump rolled out his first US blueprint to end the war in Gaza, a 21 point framework that Arab and Muslim leaders are apparently praising as the most serious peace push since the fighting began nearly two years ago with Hamas's attacks on Israel. The unveiling came this week on the sidelines of the UN General assembly in New York, where Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff presented the plan to leaders from Saudi Arabia, the uae, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Pakistan. According to sources who were present at the meeting, Trump warned that each day of continued fighting leaves Israel more isolated on the world stage. Witkoff, speaking at a conference at the un, described the talks as productive, saying the framework addressed both Israeli security concerns and those of Arab neighbors. In his conference, Witkoff went even further, saying he was hopeful and I might say even confident that a breakthrough for peace in the Strip is within reach with the latest plan. The US Outline draws on proposals circulated for months by Trump's advisers, as well as earlier ideas developed by Jared Kushner and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. At its core, Trump's framework calls for the release of all remaining Israeli hostages, both living and dead, a permanent ceasefire, a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the establishment of a new governing mechanism in the enclave that explicitly excludes Hamas. As for security, NAT would be maintained by a joint force of Palestinians alongside Arab and Muslim troops, while regional partners with limited involvement from the Palestinian Authority would finance reconstruction and day to day administration. Arab leaders gave cautious nods. Their conditions? Well, Israel must renounce annexation in the west bank, freeze settlement expansion and respect the status quo at the Al Aqsa mosque. Referencing the delicate arrangement that allows Muslims as the only ones permitted to pray and Jews allowed to visit but not worship. The leaders also demanded an immediate increase in humanitarian aid into Gaza in response to the Arab leaders conditions. Trump, in a major move, reportedly assured the group that he would not allow Israel to annex the west bank, despite pressure from within Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's coalition. That assurance was first reported by Politico and came just days after France, the uk, Canada, Australia and Portugal moved to formally recognize a Palestinian state. At the close of the meeting, the Arab and Muslim leaders issued a rare joint statement pledging to participate in the framework, saying, we reaffirm our commitment to cooperate with President Trump and emphasize the importance of his leadership in order to end the war and open horizons for a just and lasting peace. Egypt's president praised Trump's plan as, quote, an important foundation upon which we can build further, while other Arab officials described it as very good, with one remarking, quote, for the first time, we felt there was a serious plan on the table, end quote. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, later addressing the UN via video call, reinforced that Hamas would have, quote, no role to play in governance and declared that the pa, the Palestinian Authority, was, quote, ready to bear responsibility for governance and security in Gaza once the fighting ends. Well, that's, that's all well and good, but somebody should point out that Hamas needs to agree to return all the hostages and not play any role in governing. There's also the fact that the PA is very unpopular in Gaza. Oh, and of course Israel needs to agree to the Arab conditions. Other than that, it should be smooth sailing. Israeli officials, for now, acknowledge Netanyahu is aware of the principles. However, the real test comes next week when Trump presents the plan directly to the Israeli prime minister during his visit to the White House. As one Arab official put it, quote, the U.S. outline was good, but it will have to be sold to Netanyahu again. I think they'll also need Hamas to concede and agree. Coming up next in today's Back of THE brief, Nicholas Sarkozy heads to prison. Oh. The former French leader was found guilty of taking Libyan money to fuel his presidential run. Well, that sounds dodgy. More on that when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Let me take just a moment to talk about your personal finances. Now, the Fed has finally dropped interest rates. You've probably noticed that and that's great news for American homeowners. After all, expenses have been a major burden on families. Wages are flat, prices keep climbing, and for many, the only way to make ends meet has been to lean on credit cards. But that cycle of high interest debt makes it hard to stay ahead. If you're a homeowner, I want you to call my friends over at American Financing. With credit cards charging rates around 20% or higher, you should look at the potential to use your home equity to save money. There's an easy path to see how you can finally put your hard earned equity to work for you. American Financing can help you pay off that expensive debt, free up your cash flow and keep your budget under control. Their salary based mortgage consultants are saving customers and on average about $800 a month. That's right, $800 a month. And if you get started today, you may even be able to delay your next mortgage payment. So take control. Call American Financing today. 866-885-1881. Again, that number, 866-885-1881 or visit American.
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Hey, it's Sean Spicer from the Sean Spicer show podcast reminding you to tune into my show every day to get your daily dose inside the world of politics. President Trump and his team are shaking up Washington like never before. And we're here to cover it from all sides, especially on the topics the mainstream media won't. So if you're a political junkie on a late lunch or getting ready for the drive home, new episodes of the Sean Spicer show podcast, drop it. 2pm East coast every day. Make sure you tune in. You can find us at Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcast.
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In today's Back of the Brief, we turn to France, where former President Nicolas Sarkozy was just sentenced to five years in prison for engaging in a criminal conspiracy with leaders in Libya. The Paris Criminal Court handed down the sentence on Thursday, which also included a fine of €100,000, capping off a historic trial over Sarkozy's alleged use of millions of euros illicitly obtained from the late Libyan ruler Muammain Gaddafi to finance his 2007 presidential campaign. Prosecutors had claimed that Sarkozy struck a deal with Gaddafi in 2005 when he was serving as France's interior minister, promising to support the isolated Libyan government on the international stage in exchange for the campaign funds. Oh, it's a tit for tat, a barter deal. According to a report from Reuters, the harsher than expected sentence left observers stunned, marking a shocking downfall for Sarkozy, who served as France's president from 2007 to 2012. But the five year prison term could have been much worse. The court acquitted Sarkozy of several other charges sought by the prosecution, including passive corruption. Well, that sounds like active corruption. And illegal campaign financing. Despite finding him guilty of being part of a criminal conspiracy, the court said there was not enough evidence to find Sarkozy was a beneficiary of the illegal campaign financing. Specifically, the judge stated that the prosecution did not establish any evidence that Sarkozy made a deal with Gaddafi in 2005 or that the funds sent from Libya ever actually reached Sarkozy's campaign coffers, describing the money trail as very opaque. But the judge said prosecutors did prove that Sarkozy directed several close aides to get in touch with people in Libya to try and obtain campaign financing between 2005 and 2007, resulting in the criminal conspiracy charge. The corruption case also ensnared two of Sarkozy's former ministers. The pair were both found guilty of criminal association, but were likewise acquitted of other charges. Sarkozy is expected to be sent to a Paris prison within the next month and will now have the distinction of being the first former French president to serve time behind bars. Which for some reason surprises me. Leaving the courtroom on Thursday, a defiant Sarkozy maintained his innocence. And that. That also surprises me, and condemned the ruling as a scandalous overreach that will shake the public's trust in France's justice system. Oh, I don't know, Maybe. Maybe extorting money from a Libyan leader for your campaign. Maybe that would, I don't know, shake the public's trust in France's justice system. The disgraced leader, who has claimed the case was politically motivated, said, quote, if they absolutely want me to sleep in jail, I will sleep in jail, but with my head held high. I will not apologize for something I didn't do, end quote. Sarkozy said he plans to appeal the ruling, but it'll have to do that from prison. We should note that Sarkozy is no stranger to political scandal, having been the target of several criminal investigations since leaving office. In February 2024, he was found guilty of misusing campaign funds during his failed reelection bid in 2012, though he's since appealed that ruling. And back in 2021, he was charged with attempting to bribe a judge. In 2014, this is everything you want in a politician, and was sentenced to one year in prison, though an appeals court later permitted him to serve out that sentence under house arrest with an electronic tag. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily brief for Friday 26th September. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@the firsttv.com and by the way, if you love the PDB and really, how could you not consider becoming a premium member? You'll get every episode ad free. Just visit PDB premium.com youm'll also get our new podcast series, the Day the World Almost Ended and other special content. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.