The President's Daily Brief - February 4th, 2025: Mexican Cartels Order Drone Attacks On Border Patrol & Denmark Signals Openness on Greenland

Episode Date: February 4, 2025

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: We start at America’s southern border, where Mexican drug cartels are reportedly ordering attacks on U.S. Border Patrol agents using suicide drones and other explosives. We'll break down what this means for border security and how U.S. officials are responding. Denmark signals openness to a greater U.S. military presence in Greenland as Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen seeks to ease tensions with the Trump administration. A troubling new report from the United Nations documents an alarming rise in the execution of captured Ukrainian soldiers by Russian forces. And in today’s Back of the Brief, President Trump moves to withdraw the U.S. from the U.N. Human Rights Council and cut funding for the U.N. relief agency for Gaza, citing concerns over its reported ties to Hamas. 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

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taxes and fees extra, default terms at Mintmobile.com. It's Tuesday for February. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. We start things off today at America's southern border, where Mexican drug cartels are reportedly ordering attacks on U.S. Border Patrol agents using suicide drones and other explosives as part of an effort to push back against the latest crackdown. We'll break down what this means for border security, and how U.S. officials are responding. Later in the show, the latest on the diplomatic row over Greenland, the Danish Prime Minister says Denmark is open to allowing the U.S. to expand its military presence on the island, aiming to ease tensions with the Trump administration. Plus, a troubling new report from the United Nations,

documenting an alarming rise in the execution of captured Ukrainian soldiers by Russian forces. And in today's back of the brief, President Trump is set to issue an executive order pulling the U.S. out of the U.N. Human Rights Council and cutting off funding for the U.N. relief agency for Gaza, known as UNRWA. But first, today's PDB spotlight. The drug cartels that helped facilitate the U.S. migration crisis are not taking kindly to President Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown, with reports warning that they may may soon attempt to turn the U.S. border into a war zone. According to an internal border patrol memo reviewed by the New York Post, Mexican drug cartels have given orders to their foot soldiers

to start attacking U.S. Border Patrol agents with weaponized kamikaze drones and other explosives, angered that their lucrative, illicit trade of people and drugs is being impeded by the new administration. The news comes just two weeks after Trump-designated cartels operating in Mexico as foreign terrorist organizations. The alert, citing human sources and statements on social media, advises agents to, quote, remain cognizant of their surroundings at all times. Well, that's always a good idea anyway, due to the potential threat. It also recommends that all agents have rifles readily available, as well as first aid kits, tourniquets, and body armor in case they come under attack. The memo specifically warns that U.S. Customs

and Border Protection has received intelligence, quote, that Mexican cartel leaders have authorized the deployment of drones equipped with explosives to be used against U.S. Border Patrol agents and U.S. military personnel, end quote. Analysts note that since attack drones have become more common in modern warfare, as we've seen both in Ukraine and the Middle East, it's not surprising that the violent drug cartels in Mexico are turning to the technology in their desire to maintain their illicit revenue streams. A separate memo also warns border authorities that the cartels are encouraging assassins to target agents individually, underscoring the grave threats, of course, facing law enforcement personnel that are tasked with carrying out the White House's immigration crackdown. But given Trump's

designation of the cartels as terrorist organizations, well, they could soon find themselves facing the full wrath of the American military. On Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hedger said they, quote, all options will be on the table, including air strikes when it comes to potentially engaging in targeted U.S. military operations on Mexican soil to counter the cartels. The warning comes less than a week after four suspected members of a Mexican cartel opened fire on U.S. Border Patrol agents who were attempting to stop a group of migrants from entering the U.S. illegally. The agents who were able to stop the migrant group from crossing promptly returned fire on the cartel members, and subsequently deployed a drone to track the four gunmen. While authorities were

unable to apprehend the gunmen, no injuries were reported to the border agents, but again, it revealed the lengths that these violent cartels are willing to go to in order to protect their lucrative criminal enterprise. Despite the incidents and ongoing threats, the Trump administration is plowing forward with their efforts to curb illegal immigration and fortify the southern border. As we've been tracking on the PDB, Trump declared a national emergency at the border on his first day in office and shut down all crossings with Mexico for migrants seeking asylum. The administration has since dismantled or suspended virtually every single Biden-era program that facilitated the influx of nearly 8 million migrants into the U.S. over the last four years. In terms of enforcement, Borders are Tom Homan has been overseeing deportation raids in city. across America, prioritizing migrant criminals, particularly those with links to violent transnational

gangs and cartels. Additionally, Trump deployed 1,500 troops to the southern border in his first week in office to bolster the 2,200 U.S. National Guard and Reserve forces already in place. He's also vowed to send another 10,000 troops to the border at a future date. All right. Now an update on the Great Trade War of 2025, which, well, seems to have ended before it could even start. Last night, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that President Trump agreed to pause the implementation of planned tariffs on imports from Canada for at least 30 days. This comes just hours after Trump and Mexico's president reached a similar agreement, delaying tariffs on Mexican imports for one month.

Trudeau made the announcement in a tweet saying, I just had a good call with President Trump. and he said that the tariff pause was tied to Canada's commitment to crack down on the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. As part of that commitment, Trudeau unveiled a series of new measures aimed at stopping the deadly opioid, including reinforcing the border with new helicopters, technology, and personnel, enhancing coordination with American authorities, and deploying nearly 10,000 frontline personnel to strengthen border security. Canada is also making new policy moves, appointing a. fentanyls are, formerly listing cartels as terrorist organizations, ensuring round-the-clock surveillance

of the border, and launching a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl trafficking, and money laundering. Trudeau also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl, backing it with a $200 million investment. So for now, well, the tariffs are on hold, but the White House has made it clear. Follow through on enforcement will be key. If Canada fails to deliver, well, those tariffs could be back on the table in just a few weeks. All right, coming up after the break, Denmark signals openness to a greater U.S. military presence in Greenland. And a new U.N. report details a sharp rise in Russian executions of captured Ukrainian soldiers. I'll have those stories when we come back.

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military presence in Greenland, as Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederikson seeks to diffuse a growing diplomatic standoff with the Trump administration over the Arctic Territory. Speaking ahead of a European Union leader's meeting in Brussels on Monday, Frederikson acknowledged Greenland's increasing strategic importance and left the door open to further American military activity on the island. Greenland already hosts an important U.S. military airbase, and it's a key site for monitoring space, and missile threats, but Frederikson indicated additional American operations could be negotiated. Frederickson told reporters, quote, I totally agree with the Americans that the high north,

the Arctic region, is becoming more and more important when we are talking about defense and security and deterrence, end quote. The prime minister added, quote, so if this is about securing our part of the world, we can find a way forward. However, Frederikson was emphatic that Greenland remains, quote, not for sale. Fredrickson's remarks come as tensions between Copenhagen and Washington escalate, with President Trump reviving his push to assert U.S. control over Greenland on national security grounds by force, if necessary. In recent weeks, the Danish leader sought to rally European support, meeting with French, German, and Nordic officials to discuss the dispute.

According to an EU official, the issue was also raised at Monday's summit, where leaders voiced full support for Denmark's position. As we covered on the PDB, Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, handling most of its own domestic affairs, while Copenhagen oversees defense and foreign policy. Just last month, Denmark committed $2 billion to strengthen the mineral-rich island's defenses, underscoring its strategic significance in an era of intensifying geopolitical competition in the Arctic. But pressure from Washington is mounting. Vice President J.D. Vance took direct aim at Denmark's handling of Greenland, telling Fox News that Copenhagen was failing as an ally. Vance stated, quote,

it's really important to our national security. There are sea lanes there that the Chinese use, that the Russians use, that frankly Denmark, which controls Greenland, it's not doing its job and it's not being a good ally, end quote. Now, Vance hinted that Trump could take stronger measures, adding that if that means that we need to take more territorial interest in Greenland, that is what President Trump is going to do, because he doesn't care what the Europeans scream at us. End quote. Hmm.

Fredrickson pushed back, as you might imagine, rejecting Vance's characterization of Denmark as an unreliable partner, stating, quote, I will not accept the notion that Denmark is a bad ally. We are not, we have not been, and we will not be in the future, end quote. But the Trump administration appears to be applying broader pressure on U.S. allies, with Denmark's potential military concessions, aligning with a recent pattern of foreign governments adjusting to Trump's diplomatic posture. Over the weekend, Panama announced its withdrawal from China's Belt and Road initiative after U.S. pressure. Trump had threatened to, quote, take back the Panama Canal,

unless the country cut ties with Beijing's influence over the waterway. Additionally, Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum revealed that Trump agreed to pause new tariffs for one month after a, quote, good conversation. In exchange, Scheinbaum committed to deploying members of Mexico's National Guard to curb drug trafficking into the U.S. As the standoff over Greenland unfolds, Frederickson's remarks suggest Denmark looks to strike a delicate balance, offering increased military cooperation while rejecting notions of seeding sovereignty. Now, whether this middle ground will be enough to appease the Trump administration or whether

the White House will escalate its demands for territorial control, well, that remains to be seen. All right. Turning to the Russia-Ukraine War, the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission documented a disturbing surge in executions of captured Ukrainian soldiers by Russian forces, calling it, quote, an alarming trend that violates international law and could constitute war crimes. Seriously? Seriously, could constitute war crimes? Executing prisoners? Look, I don't know.

I'm no war crimes expert, but seems like executing POWs would seem to fit in that category. In its report released Monday, the mission revealed that at least 79 Ukrainian troops had been summarily executed across 24 separate incidents since late August of last year. year. According to the UN's findings, many of the slain soldiers were unarmed, wounded, or had already surrendered when they were killed. The troubling report states, quote, many Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered or were in physical custody of the Russian armed forces were shot dead on the spot. Witness accounts also described the killings of unarmed and injured Ukrainian soldiers, end quote. Danielle Bell, head of the UN monitoring mission, pointed to incendiary rhetoric from Russian public figures as a contributing factor. Bell stated, quote, these incidents did not occur in a

vacuum. She continued, saying public figures in the Russian Federation have explicitly called for inhumane treatment and even execution of captured Ukrainian military personnel. Ukraine's foreign minister condemned the findings, calling for immediate international action. In a post on X, the foreign minister stated, quote, Russia's horrific executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war demonstrate that Ukraine confronts true beasts, adding the, quote, Ukraine needs new and effective international legal tools and concrete steps to hold the perpetrators accountable, end quote. The Russian defense ministry has not commented on the allegations. However, the UN said it had verified the executions through a combination of witness testimony,

photographic evidence, and verified video footage published by both Ukrainian and Russian sources. The killings reportedly occurred in areas where Russian forces were carrying out offensive operations. The UN mission also documented at least one case in which Ukrainian forces executed a wounded and incapacitated Russian soldier back in 2024, though further details were not provided. Meanwhile, Ukraine's prosecutor's office has launched investigations into dozens of cases of potential war crimes involving executed Ukrainian troops by Russian personnel. The country's human rights ombudsman has repeatedly pressed the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to take decisive action in response to mounting evidence of these killings. Well, that should do it.

I'm sure that harshly worded memos from the UN and the Red Cross will improve the behavior of Putin's minions. Okay, coming up in the back of the brief, President Trump moves to cut U.S. funding for a U.N. agency with reported ties to Hamas and to withdraw from the U.N. human rights. rights counsel. I'll be right back. 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,

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Eye drops and work all day to prevent the release of histamines that cause itchy allergy eyes. And the winner, by knockout, is Padaday! At a day, bring it on. In today's back of the brief, President Trump turns his attention on the United Nations as his administration prepares to take a more hardline stance towards the international body. According to White House officials, as spoke with Politico, Trump will sign an executive order on Tuesday withdrawing the U.S.

from the U.N. Human Rights Council and prohibiting future funding for the U.N. relief and works agency in Gaza. that's an organization that oversees aid deliveries in Gaza, but also has extensive ties to the Hamas Terror Group. The dual actions will reinstate policies that were in place during Trump's first term in office, but were undone by President Biden when he took office in 2021. Notably, the changes will go into effect the same day that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu arrives in Washington for his first face-to-face meeting of Trump's second term. The White House accuses the UN Human Rights Council of harboring a severe bias towards Israel while providing cover for governments with some of the worst records on human rights abuses. Now, frankly, all you need to know about

this situation is that back in late 2023, the Iranian regime was actually called on by the UN to chair a session of the UN Human Rights Council. I'm not making that up. The UN decided that the Iranian regime's envoy was suitable for chairing the Human Rights Council. A statement from the White House said, quote, the UN Human Rights Council has demonstrated consistent bias against Israel, focusing on it unfairly and disproportionately in council proceedings. The statement points out that, quote, in 2018, the year President Trump withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council in his first administration, the organization passed more resolutions condemning Israel than Syria, Iran, and North Korea,

combined, end quote. It's worth noting that the Council currently includes such quality regimes as Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, oh, don't forget the Chinese regime, and Qatar, countries that are hardly known as responsible stewards of human rights. Turning to the scandal-plagued United Nations Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, that group has long-faced criticism for their extensive ties to Hamas and other militant groups, particularly in the wake of the October, 23 attacks on Israel. After an investigation by Israel last year, UN leadership was forced to acknowledge that some staff members of UNRWA actively participated in the 7 October attacks. The organization, well, they did fire 10 employees in August over their involvement in the

attacks. That's nice. But Israel said it was too little, too late. Israeli intelligence previously estimated that some 450 terror operatives in Gaza are employed by UNRah, and that approximately 1,200 of the UNRWA's 12,000 employees in Gaza have ties to Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Around 50% of the organization's employees are also estimated to have close relatives within these Islamist militant groups. Congress paused U.S. funding to UNRWA last March for a period of one year as these reports came to light. But across 2023, well, the U.S. contributed some $154 million. to their coffers.

Now, you don't have to be Poirot to determine that over the years, a significant portion of the funds for UNRWA ended up in the pockets of Hamas leadership and Hamas operatives. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Tuesday, for February. If you have any questions or comments,

please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. And finally, well, just like your mom always said, If you want to listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of the president's daily brief by visiting PDB premium.com. 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. Because behind every headline is a bottom line. Whether it's the funds-fuelling AI or crypto's trillion. dollar swings, there's a money side to every story, and when you see the money side, you

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