The President's Daily Brief - February 27th, 2025: Why Syria Has Become A Ticking Time Bomb & Israel And Hamas Reach A Deal

Episode Date: February 27, 2025

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: The U.S. and Israel ramp up airstrikes in Syria, targeting terrorist groups as concerns grow over the country’s long-term stability under its new interim government. Israeli and Hamas officials reach a deal to exchange the bodies of dead hostages for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, temporarily preserving their fragile ceasefire. Romania’s pro-Russia presidential front-runner is taken in for questioning over last year’s controversial canceled election, adding new turmoil to the country’s political landscape. And in today’s Back of the Brief, a major measles outbreak in Texas claims its first life. We’ll break down the details and who’s most at risk. 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fox News 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. It's Thursday, 27 February. Welcome to the president's daily brief.

I'm Mike Baker. Your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right. Let's get briefed. We'll start in the Middle East, where the U.S. and Israel are intensifying air strikes in Syria. Now, it seems like just yesterday when Syria was in the news every day. With a new interim government in place, the country is still grappling with instability, raising concerns that terrorist groups could be gaining a foothold. Later in the show, Israel and Hamas, officials have struck a deal to exchange the bodies of dead hostages for the release of hundreds of

Palestinian prisoners. The agreement is keeping their fragile ceasefire intact for now. Plus, Romania's pro-Russian presidential frontrunner has been taken in for questioning over last November's controversial canceled vote. That's a race that he had initially won. And in today's back of the brief, a major measles outbreak in Texas has claimed its first first. life. We'll break down the details and look at who's most at risk. But first, today's PDB spotlight. I want to start today's show with an update from Syria. Just over two months after the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad, now the country has managed to establish an interim government now led by Ahmed al-Shara. He's a former al-Qaeda member who has since renounced the group. But even with new leadership in place,

questions remain about Syria's long-term stability, and concerns are growing that it could become a breeding ground for terrorism. And if recent military action is any indication, those concerns aren't unfounded. In just the past few weeks, both the United States and Israel have launched significant air campaigns inside Syria, targeting Islamist groups operating in the country. First, let's talk about the U.S. strikes. U.S. Central Command, or Sentcom, has been ramping up attacks against the Al-Qaeda-linked Horos-Al-Din organization in northwestern Syria. Since the start of the year, the U.S. drone strikes have hit targets in Nidlip province, killing seven members of the group, including a senior finance and logistics official. Sentcom called these strikes part of its,

quote, ongoing commitment to working with allies to disrupt terrorist networks before they can plan and launch attacks. The U.S. military's message here, is clear. They're determined to keep extremist groups from using Syria as a safe haven. But the U.S. isn't the only one stepping up air strikes. In the country's south, Israeli warplanes have also been hitting military targets outside Damascus and in southern Syria. According to reports, Israeli jets carried out strikes on Tuesday, hitting sites in the town of Kiswa and the province of Dara. Israel's defense minister, Israel Kats, made it clear why these strikes are happening. he warned that Israel, quote, will not allow southern Syria to become southern Lebanon,

referencing Hezbollah's stronghold in Lebanon. That's a major security concern, of course, for Israel. Katz also stated that any attempt by Syrian forces or terrorist organizations to establish themselves in the border region will, quote, be met with fire. Now, Israel has been conducting military operations in Syria for years, primarily targeting Iranian and Hezbollah positions. But these latest strikes are part of a Carter campaign launched late last year to dismantle Syria's former military infrastructure. The goal? Well, it's relatively simple to prevent weapons and military assets from falling into the hands of groups that pose a direct threat to Israel. But here's the real problem. While airstrikes can disrupt terrorist operations in this short term, they don't address the

underlying issue, which is serious lack of security and control. The biggest challenge for Syria's new government is that it hasn't been able to consolidate a unified national army. When the rebels marched into Damascus, they did so as a rag-tag group of fighters from various different factions. Now, officially, all of these various military factions were dissolved on 29 January, but in reality, thousands of these rebel fighters are still active. Many of them remain part of loosely affiliated militias, operating outside of government control. And this, well, this is where things get dangerous. Without a centralized security force, the country is vulnerable to lawlessness,

foreign interference, and a resurgence of jihadist groups. Power is fragmented, with various factions pursuing different goals, some for political influence, others for economic gain through smuggling and organized crime. On top of that, outside players like Iran, Turkey, and the Gulf states, are eager to expand their influence. They're backing different militias that align with their own interests, fueling instability, and making it even harder for Syria to restore order. And, of course, let's not forget about the jihadists. Groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda thrive in power vacuums.

Without jobs or clear leadership or sense of direction, many former fighters could be drawn into extremist networks that offer financial support and a renewed sense of purpose. Bottom line, this is potentially a ticking time bomb. The longer that Syria's interim government goes without establishing military cohesion, the more it risks descending into a fragmented battleground of warlords, criminal groups, and terrorist organizations. And if that happens, while the consequences won't be just felt in the Middle East, it could spark a new wave of global jihadist activity. For now, the U.S. and Israel are trying to keep that worst-case scenario from unfolding,

but air strikes alone won't be enough. The real test for Syria's new government will be whether it can bring the country's armed factions under control before it's too late. All right. Coming up after the break, Israel and Hamas reach a deal to keep the ceasefire going, and Romania's pro-Russian presidential frontrunner

is taken in for questioning. I'll be right back. Not loving your AT&T or T-Mobile bill? Yeah, we've been hearing that a lot. Bring your AT&T or T mobile bill to Verizon and we'll give you a better deal. So get away from that unfortunate phone bill and get to Verizon. Run, ride, canoe. Whatever it takes, we'll be here.

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Welcome back to the PDB. After days of deadlock that threatened to derail their fragile ceasefire, Israel and Hamas confirmed an agreement Tuesday to exchange the bodies of dead hostages for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, ensuring that the truce remains intact, at least for now. As we've tracked on the PDB this week, Israel had refused to proceed with the scheduled release of 600 Palestinian prisoners since Saturday, protesting what it called the degrading treatment of hostages by Hamas upon their release. As our listeners know, the Iran-backed terror group has staged elaborate public ceremonies, parading freed hostages before massive crowds, and forcing them to

participate in propaganda stunts for each scheduled release of the ceasefire. Officials from the Red Cross and the United Nations condemned Hamas's practice as a gross violation of human dignity. Hamas, in turn, accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire by postponing the prisoner release. calling it a, quote, serious violation. The terror group insisted that no talks on the next phase, originally slated to begin earlier this month, but indefinitely stalled, could move forward until the agreed-upon prisoners were freed.

However, a breakthrough came late Tuesday after a Khamas delegation, led by a senior political official, met with mediators in Cairo. Under the agreement, the bodies of four Israeli hostages will be returned in exchange for the release of Palestinian people. prisoners, fulfilling the terms of the ceasefire's first phase. In a statement, Hamas said the prisoners previously scheduled for release, quote, will be released simultaneously with the bodies of the Israeli prisoners who were agreed to be handed over. The terror group also claimed that additional Palestinian

prisoners will be included in the exchange. According to the Associated Press, an Israeli official speaking anonymously confirmed the agreement but declined to provide further details. However, Israel media reports suggest the exchange could take place at any moment with the remains of the hostages set to be handed over to Egyptian mediation authorities. Notably, the bodies of the slain hostages will reportedly be handed over without the kind of public spectacle that Hamas orchestrated for its earlier releases. This latest development will mark the completion of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which called for Hamas to return 33 hostages, including eight bodies, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

With this phase nearing its conclusion, attention now turns to the next round of negotiations. The timing is critical. The White House's Middle East envoy, Steve Whitkoff, is expected to visit the region in the coming days to push forward this second phase of the ceasefire, which has been scheduled to begin on the 1st of March. This next phase will include the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas and a potential roadmap to ending the war. But, as you might imagine, deep divisions remain. And whether this latest agreement can generate momentum for broader peace efforts, well, is far from certain. Contentious issues, including the future of Hamas' military capabilities, Israeli security demands,

and the long-term governance of the enclave continue to stand in the way of any lasting resolution. All right, shifting now to Romania. The country's ongoing political crisis deepened Wednesday, as pro-Russian presidential candidate, Kalin Georgescu, whose surprise election victory last year was annulled over alleged Russian influence, was detained for questioning. The investigation, which includes sweeping allegations against Georgescu in his inner circle, comes just as he was preparing to submit his candidacy for the rerun of the election, which is now set for the 4th of May. His supporters rallied outside the prosecutor's office, as they see the legal action as a blatant

attempt to block his return to the ballot, while authorities argue the case is a necessary response to the compromised original vote. Georgescu, a far-right nationalist, NATO skeptic, and vocal critic of Western military aid to Ukraine, sent shockwaves through Romania's political establishment in November when he surged from obscurity to win the first round of the presidential election. That victory, however, was short-lived. The country's constitutional court nullified the results, citing what it called a Kremlin-backed influence operation. Moscow denied any involvement. Georgescu, for his part, blasted the ruling as a, quote, formalized coup d'etat, orchestrated by the country's political elite. While prosecutors have not explicitly named

Georgescu in their statements, they confirmed that 47 locations, including the homes and offices of his closest allies, were raided. Authorities are investigating charges of public incitement, forming a fascist organization, and providing false statements regarding his campaign's funding. Georgeescu responded defiantly, taking to Facebook to ask, quote, where is democracy, where are the partners who must defend democracy, end quote. The fallout has thrown omania into political turmoil. Georgeescu's nationalist allies and even his liberal opposition, led by reformist candidate Alana Lascone, now find themselves in rare agreement, both accusing the country's entrenched establishment of using the courts to maintain its grip on power. Lascone,

warning of the consequences, said barring Georgescu from the race could ignite mass unrest, calling it a, quote, powder keg. The case has also drawn international attention. You may remember that speaking at the Munich's security conference, Vice President J.D. Vance condemned Romania's decision to cancel the election, calling it an attack on democracy. Vance accused Romanian authorities of using labels such as, quote, misinformation and disinformation as political weapons to silence opposition candidates. Meanwhile, tech billionaire and close advisor to President Trump, Elon Musk, weighed in on social media, denouncing the constitutional court judges as simply, quote, tyrants. Romania's socialist prime minister defended the country's legal system, but acknowledged that

if Georgescu is to be charged, prosecutors must present clear and irrefutable evidence. Meanwhile, polls indicate that Georgescu remains the frontrunner in the upcoming election, though it's still unclear whether he'll be allowed to run. With the fate of Georgescu's candidacy hanging in the balance, Romania, well, they're bracing for one of their most contentious elections in decades. Okay, coming up in the back of the brief, a measles outbreak in Texas turns deadly, what we know about the situation and who's most at risk. I'll be right back.

Exema is unpredictable, but you can flare less with ebbglis. A once-monthly treatment for moderate-tissaphyr, after an initial four-month- or longer dosing phase, about four and 10 people taking ebbglis achieved itch relief and clear or almost clear skin at 16 weeks. And most of those people maintain skin that's still more clear at one year with monthly dosing. Hebglis, Librikizumab, LBKZ. A 250 milligram per 2-millimeter injection is a prescription medicine used to treat adults in children 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 88 pounds or 40 kilograms,

with moderate to severe eczema, also called atopic dermatitis that is not well controlled with prescription therapies used on the skin or topicals or who cannot use topical therapies. Ebglis can be used with or without topical corticosteroids. Don't use if you're allergic to Epglis. Allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Eye problems can occur. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening eye problems. You should not receive a live vaccine when treated with Epglis.

Before starting Epgless, tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection. Ask your doctor about Epglus. And visit Ebglis.com or call 1800 LilyRX or 1-800 545-975. This episode is brought to you by Redfin. You're listening to a podcast, which means you're probably multitasking, maybe even scrolling home listings on Redfin, saving homes without expecting to get them. But Redfin isn't just built for endless browsing. It's built to help you find and own a home.

With agents who close twice as many deals, when you find the one, you've got a real shot at getting it. Get started at Redfin.com. Own the dream. In today's back of the brief, some tragic news out of Texas where a recent measles outbreak has claimed its first life. To bring you up to speed, a major outbreak of measles erupted in parts of West Texas last month, and has quickly spread across nine counties and parts of New Mexico. So far, 124 cases have been logged by health authorities, making it the largest outbreak of the highly contagious respiratory disease in Texas in nearly 30 years.

that's according to our report from the Associated Press. On Wednesday, state health officials confirmed that an unvaccinated school-aged child who'd been fighting the disease at a hospital in Lubbock died Tuesday night, marking the first death from measles seen in the U.S. since 2015. The virus has largely spread among rural towns in West Texas, with local health officials finding the highest concentration of cases occurring in, quote, close-knit under-vaccinated communities in Gaines County. The Texas Department of State Health Services, the DSHS, said Wednesday that nearly all the cases

are in unvaccinated individuals or individuals whose vaccine status is unknown, with children between the ages 5 and 17 making up the majority of infections. As of Wednesday, 18 people have been hospitalized due to the contagion, with most suffering from pneumonia-like symptoms that make it difficult to breathe. DHS officials did stress, however, that they have not yet seen cases of encephalitis or inflammation of the brain. That's a rare but devastatingly serious complication associated with the virus. The State Health Department is leading the response to the outbreak, but the federal government has been providing vaccines as well as technical and laboratory assistance across the region.

A spokesman for the Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Wednesday that vaccination teams have been deployed to the affected areas in an attempt to contain the spread of the outbreak and that they were providing, quote, all necessary resources to ensure the safety and health of Texans, end quote. Now, measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to humans, though it was largely considered eliminated from the U.S. back in 2000 following a highly effective vaccination program. The measles, mumps, and rubella, or MMR vaccine is recommended for all children between 12 and 15 months old, with a second shot given between the ages of 4 and 6, which provides robust protection against infection. But vaccination rates, well, they've declined nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic, with most states now below the 95% vaccination threshold for kindergartners that's needed to protect against outbreaks. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Thursday, 27 February. Now, should you be hankering for an ad-free experience, and when was the last time anybody said hanker in a podcast,

simply become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting pdb premium.com. It's really very simple. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money, whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion-dollar swings.

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