The President's Daily Brief - A PDB Special Announcement: Mike Baker’s Big Adventure

Episode Date: January 12, 2025

In this special episode of The President’s Daily Brief, Mike Baker announces an exciting journey to the Middle East, where he’ll be trekking through the Arabian desert on camelback for the next few weeks. But don’t worry—the Brief isn’t taking a break. Mike Slater will be stepping in as your guest host, bringing you the same sharp analysis and global insights you’ve come to expect. Tune in to hear more about Baker’s adventure and what’s ahead for The Brief! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Hey, Mike Baker here. with a special President's Daily Brief Update. I want to let you know that for the next handful of weeks until 8 February, I'll be out in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and Jordan on an epic trek designed to raise awareness for the UK Special Forces Benevolent Fund. Now, all of us here at the BDB will, of course, continue working every day to identify and deliver to you the BDB community, the top stories, crises, events, and developments taking place around the world that we believe need to be on your radar. But over the next four weeks, there will be numerous times when I'll be off-coms. The deserts out there are vast, and communications can sometimes be sketchy or non-existent.

So while I'm away, I'm very pleased to announce that the esteemed Mike Slater has graciously agreed to fill in for me. Now, I suspect you already know Mike from his podcasts and radio show and his work on the first TV. He'll make sure that you stay informed until I get back. He knows a lot of big words, doesn't have any gray hair, and he's a spiffy dresser. But despite those things, I know that you'll be in very good hands. Now, if I could, let me tell you just a bit about why I'm disappearing into the desert. The idea for the trek was hatched, as many great ideas are, over several pints by colleagues of mine from the UK's Special Forces Club. The thought was, how can we raise a wearer for the UK's Special Forces Benevolent Fund, and hopefully raise funds for the veterans in need,

for their families, and for families of deceased veterans. Think of the Wounded Warriors Project in the U.S. or any number of other advocacy and charity groups that work to assist the veteran communities when they're in need. That's the goal, that's the work, of the U.K. Special Forces Benevolent Fund. So, it had to be something notable, something epic, historic even, and thus, the Rye Dites. Akaba was born. It's an expedition in honor of Sharif Nassir, Naseeb al-Bekri, Aouda Abutai, T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, and the 41 Brave Souls, who in 1917 rode almost 700 miles across the uncrossable deserts from Al-Wage in Saudi Arabia to Akaba and Jordan. It was a stunning accomplishment and hasn't been recreated until now, starting

January, five of us from the UK's Special Forces Club will recreate the epic route of Nassir, Bekri, Abu Thais, and Lawrence, retracing their steps and riding camels the entire way. And yes, I did just say riding camels the entire way. The mission is clear, raise awareness and funds through donations to the Special Forces Club Benevolent Fund. We expect the ride will take approximately four weeks. Five riders, ten camels, almost 700 miles, and an amazing support team. I'll be providing updates along the way whenever we have solid comms. And if you'd like to learn more, well, please check out the fund's website at www.sfcbf.org. That stands for Special Forces Club Benevolent Fund. Again, www.sfcbf.org. Also, you can get updates and news on the Trek and our progress by following the

Trek's Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube sites. You can just search SFCBF Trek, and it couldn't be easier. Well, that's it for now. I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. All. Pay off your home. Travel for life. Drive a Ferrari. In celebration of the world premiere of the Monopoly Big Board Buckslot machine by Aristocrat Gaming,

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