The President's Daily Brief - December 17th, 2024: CNN Rescues a ‘Torturer’ From Assad’s Prison & Israel’s ‘Earthquake Bomb’

Episode Date: December 17, 2024

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: We begin with a strange story out of Syria, where CNN is facing scrutiny for showing the rescue of a man now alleged to be a member of Assad’s military—and possibly a torturer. A troubling report from China reveals that the People’s Liberation Army has released an electronic warfare “kill list” targeting U.S. naval assets. On the Ukraine-Russia war front, Ukraine and the Pentagon report the first combat deaths of North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region. And in today's Back of the Brief, incoming border czar Tom Homan shares key details about the Trump administration’s deportation plans following his meeting with New York City Mayor Eric Adams. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief  Patriot Gold: Call 1-888-870-5457 for a free investor guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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All right, let's get briefed. We'll start things off today with an unusual story and a tale of the importance of due diligence out of Syria, where CNN is facing tough questions about a man they showed being rescued from a Syrian jail. New reports claim, well, he may have been more than just a prisoner. Allegedly, he was a member of deposed dictator Assad's military and possibly a torture of political prisoners. Oops. Seems like some fact-checking might have been in order. Later in the show, we'll discuss a revelation out of China. The People's Liberation Army has reportedly released an electronic warfare,

kill list targeting U.S. naval assets. Plus, an update from the front lines of the Ukraine-Russia war. Ukraine's military and the Pentagon report that North Korean soldiers have been killed in combat for the first time during clashes in Russia's Kursk region. And in today's back of the brief, incoming border Tsar Tom Holman shared details about the Trump administration's deportation plans during a meeting with New York City Mayor Eric Adams. I'll have those details in the back of the brief. But first, today's PDB spotlight. I want to begin with what appears to be an embarrassing incident out of Syria involving a CNN reporter

who helped rebel forces free a man from a secret prison facility last Wednesday, only to later discover that the man was a member of the Syrian military with a long record of war crimes on behalf of the Assad regime. Now, CNN had visited the prison in question located at the Syrian Air Force Intelligence headquarters in Damascus as part of a search for a missing U.S. journalist. As they toured the facility, the team noticed a locked door, which a rebel guard subsequently shot open. Inside was a man who gave his name as Adel Glorball, who claimed to have been left alone

without food, water, or light after being taken by Assad's intelligence services from his home three months earlier. The CNN segment showing the man's release went viral last week and was described by network representatives as, quote, remarkable when it initially aired. It was supposed to be an amazing moment caught on video, the kind that could make a journalist's career. CNN even publicly praised reporter Clarissa Ward for finding, quote, a Syrian prisoner left behind in a secret prison alone and unaware the Assad regime was no more, end quote. But the network soon ended up with egg on their face. In the days that followed, a Syrian fact-checking organization, ooh, they've got one, said the jailed man used a false identity and was actually a man by the name of Salama Muhammad Salama, a first lieutenant in Syrian Air Force intelligence, with a storied history of brutality against civilians. Once again, oops.

The fact-checkers pointed out some initial incongruities in Salama's story, noting he appeared well-groomed and physically healthy with no visible signs of torture or injury. hardly the profile of a man who had spent 90 days in solitary confinement. They also pointed out that in the CNN video, when he steps outside, after claiming to have not seen daylight for months, Solomon does not even blink. After some digging, the fact-checkers found no record of an auto gerbaw in the region, which eventually led them to records that revealed his true identity. Now, in his role in Syrian Air Force intelligence,

Solomon managed several security checkpoints in the city of Holmes, where, according to local residents, he engaged in theft, extortion, and coerced residents into becoming informants for Assad. He also had a history of detaining and torturing young men on false charges, and had killed an unknown number of civilians while taking part in military operations for the Assad regime in 2014. Local residents and Holmes set his arrest by the regime occurred less than a month ago and actually stemmed from a dispute with a high-ranking officer over how to divvy up extorted money. CNN has since addressed the situation, acknowledging they were likely duped, you think, by a man using a false identity.

Ooh, that's tough to figure out. The network stressed that the trip to the prison was unplanned and that the decision to release the prisoner was made by one of the rebel guards. They added that CNN is now investigating the man's actual background and will provide an update regarding their initial report. Well, let's hope they take the time to fact-check their update. Now, before we shift from the Assad regime's collapse, another aspect of this situation that we're following closely here on the PDB is the ongoing operations by Israel inside Syria, where the IDF just dropped what observers are dubbing a, quote, earthquake bomb. Israel has been engaged in an air campaign, of course, across Syria since Assad's ouster, striking hundreds of strategic military targets to ensure Assad's weapon stockpon.

don't fall into rebel hands. Late Sunday evening, the IDF launched one of their heaviest strikes in more than a decade, hitting targets in northwestern Syria near the city of Tartis, including a surface-to-service missile depot. Now, one of the bombs that was dropped triggered a colossal explosion that was measured as a 3.1 magnitude earthquake by seismic sensors and left a fiery mushroom cloud in the sky. Dramatic video captured the blast, which analysts said likely set off a large volume of stored armaments. Israel has vowed to do everything in their power to safeguard Israeli security and ensure extremist elements inside Syria don't use Assad's weapons to threaten the Jewish state. As of Friday, the IDF estimated that they had already destroyed roughly 70 to 80 percent of the former

Assad regime's strategic military capabilities. All right. Coming up next, a report on China's quote, kill list targeting U.S. naval assets. And the latest from the Ukraine-Russia war, where North Korean troops have reportedly been killed in combat for the first time. I'll have those stories when we come back. Exema is unpredictable. But you can flare less with ebbglyss, a once-monthly treatment for moderate to severe eczema.

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Welcome back to the PDB. I want to turn your attention to China. As we learn that the Chinese regime under Xi Jinping is developing plans to cripple the capabilities of the U.S. Navy in the event of a future country. conflict. China's People's Liberation Army, or the PLA, recently came out with a, quote, kill list of potential targets for a coordinated attack against U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups deployed in and around the South China Sea. In a wartime scenario, the targets, which include critical radar systems, sensors, and communication systems, would be hit with concentrated

fire from China's electronic warfare weapons, that's according to the South China Morning Post. The revelation comes from a report authored by a PLA analyst with China's electronic warfare unit that recently appeared in the state-run magazine. The report includes a deep dive into the capabilities and vulnerabilities of the U.S. Navy's air defense and early warning network, pointing out ways that the Chinese Communist Party, the CCP, and the PLA, can leverage the system's flaws to mount a successful attack. Specifically, it focuses on how to use various forms. of electronic interference to disrupt the Navy's wireless communications network, which they said is a key weakness, identifying specific vessels in the U.S. fleet equipped with advanced radar,

like the Aegis system that would be targeted. The report concludes that if those radar systems are successfully not out, the U.S. Navy would be left without their eyes and ears, unable, of course, to coordinate with the broader U.S. fleet. The CCP's researchers also singled out the E2C. Hawkeye early warning aircraft as another potential target. The craft, which operates from U.S. aircraft carriers, plays a critical role in identifying enemy threats and coordinating the activities of the rest of the naval fleet. Additionally, the report discusses using cyber warfare tactics to target U.S. military signal transponders, arguing that if exploited properly, the CCP could use them to gain access to U.S. military networks where they could launch further cyber attacks.

It's a rare and obviously concerning insight into how the CCP and PLA are wargaming a potential showdown with America. While President-elect Trump has touted his ability to bring America's many adversaries to the negotiating table, China has been ratcheting up tensions in the disputed waters of the South China Sea for months. As we discussed last week on the PDB, China recently mounted their largest maritime drill in nearly three decades in the waters around Taiwan. During the large-scale exercise, which involved some 90 naval vessels,

23 Chinese aircraft were logged crossing into Taiwan's air defense identification zone. Taiwanese security officials suggested that the timing of the drill is strategic, coinciding with the lead-up to Trump's inauguration in January, which the president-elect has reportedly invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend. No word yet if Xi has RSVPed, although he'd better hurry if he'd, plans on attending. Hotel space will be limited and, and it could be tough to book a rental car at this short notice. Okay, shifting to Ukraine, it's being reported that North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces suffered their first combat casualties of the war, with at least

30 soldiers killed or wounded during clashes in Russia's Kursk border region over the weekend. On Monday, Ukraine's military intelligence agency, known by its acronym GUR, reported Pyongyang's losses against Ukrainian forces near three villages in a post on telegram. The Pentagon later corroborated those claims with Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder confirming that North Korean troops, primarily serving in infantry roles, have been actively engaged in combat operations in Kursk for about a week. Despite the reports from the GURR, it's important to note that Ryder declined to provide specific casualty numbers, citing ongoing assessments. According to the GUR's telegram post, three additional Pyongyang servicemen went missing near another village in the same region.

They'll probably turn up in a couple of weeks in a pub in London. These are the first documented casualties since Ukraine and the U.S. revealed that North Korea had deployed a minimum of 10,000 troops to bolster Russian forces, despite previous skirmishes. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, under a mutual defense pact with Russia, signed over the past summer, has pledged unwavering support for Moscow, cementing an alliance that obviously has raised alarm among global powers. But cracks in this partnership are apparently already beginning to show.

According to military analysts, language barriers, and poor coordination as a result, have created operational hurdles, raising questions about the effectiveness of their joint efforts. On Sunday, the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, described the Moscow-Pyongyang Military Alliance as, quote, a source of persistent friction, emphasizing integration and communication issues will likely continue to undermine Russian military strategy. Meanwhile, Russia's defense minister sought to counter the narrative of setbacks, claiming on Monday that Russian forces are making steady territorial gains in Ukraine, reportedly capturing approximately 12 square miles of territory daily. That's despite

heavy losses. Ukraine, for its part, continues to defend its strategically significant enclave in the Kursk region, a territory that could serve as a potential bargaining chip in any future peace negotiations. And as a reality check, this conflict, while it's approaching its three-year mark. All right, coming up in the back of the brief, incoming border czar Tom Holman reveals key details about the Trump administration's deportation strategy following his meeting with New York City Mayor Eric Adams. I'll be right back. is now streaming live on Fox One. When news breaks, we don't just report it.

We go beyond the headlines to get the full story. Get live coverage, in-depth analysis, and perspectives from the voices you trust, all in one place. Whether you're at home or on the go, stay connected to the stories shaping our world. Stream Fox News on Fox One. Download today. This is Euphoria Calvin Klein, the new Elixir Collection. featuring three perfume intense scents, inspired by a unique orchid accord, paired with vanilla, each with its own distinct attitude, each with its own universe, bold elixir, sensual, woody, addictive, magnetic elixir, sweet and romantic like a lingering touch, solar elixir,

a radiant expression of joy, ultra-concentrated for amplified impact and lasting power. Find your euphoria. Discover the euphoria elixir collection by Calvin Klein. In today's back of the brief, President-elect Trump's incoming borders are Tom Holman has unveiled details of the administration's sweeping deportation agenda, framing it as a strategy far more targeted than initially perceived or described by a variety of media outlets and pundits, lots of pundits. Last Thursday, Holman met with New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who in a subsequent press conference announced that the two share a commitment to targeting individuals who pose the greatest threat to public safety. Adams emphasized their mutual focus

on protecting communities, stating, quote, his goal is the same goal I have. We cannot allow dangerous individuals to commit repeated violent acts of violence in our cities across America, end quote. The New York City Mayor later added, quote, this city can't be a safe haven for violent individuals, end quote. The announcement marks a significant development as cities like New York City grapple with an influx of undocumented migrants, many of whom face accusations of violent crime.

Adams has long called for federal intervention to address the strain on municipal resources over the past two years. Holman, speaking in an interview with Dr. Phil the same day, stressed the administration's targeted approach, stating, quote, this isn't going to be neighborhood sweeps and military vehicles going through the city, adding, quote, I told Adams, President Trump and myself, have committed that this is going to be a targeted enforcement operation, end quote. The former ICE director underscored the, broader objectives of the plan, including cracking down on human trafficking and safeguarding children from exploitation. Holman stated, quote, the criminals need to be taken off the street to protect our communities, and children need to be found safe from sex trafficking and forced labor,

end quote. While President-elect Trump has pledged the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, Holman stated that the effort will focus on precision and high-risk individuals. For now, the between Eric Adams and Tom Holman emphasizes a shared commitment to prioritizing public safety while navigating immigration enforcement. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Tuesday, 17 December.

You've got eight more shopping days till Christmas. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. And of course, as you've probably heard from neighborhood gossip, to listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting PDB Premium.com.

And don't forget, if you get a chance, take the time to stop by our YouTube channel. You can find that at President's Daily Brief. It's frankly, the cat's meow. It's the bees' knees, the dog's bollocks. Check it out. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed.

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