The President's Daily Brief - January 29th, 2025: How Trump Is Shaking Up The US Military & A Russian Hit Job in Germany

Episode Date: January 29, 2025

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: President Trump issues a wave of executive orders reshaping the U.S. military—banning transgender service members and dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. A senior NATO official confirms a Russian plot to assassinate the head of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, part of a broader effort to weaken Europe’s defense industry. A developing crisis in Africa: A rebel alliance has seized the largest city in the mineral-rich eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, threatening regional stability. And in today’s Back of the Brief: The White House finally provides some answers about last year’s mysterious drone sightings across the northeast. 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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First up, we're looking at a series of new executive orders from President Trump that are shaking up the U.S. military, from banning transgender service members to dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Later in the show, a senior NATO official confirmed. a Russian plot to assassinate the head of German arms manufacturer Rhine metal, part of a larger effort to target Europe's defense industry and intimidate EU nations. Plus, a developing situation in Africa where a rebel alliance has seized the largest city in the mineral-rich eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, threatening the stability of the region. And in today's back of the brief. Do you remember the mystery drones over New Jersey? Seems like ages ago. Well, we're now getting some answers from the White House on last year's drone sightings across the

northeast. And, spoiler alert, they were not alien spaceships. Well, at least that's what we're being told. But first, today's PDB spotlight. President Trump's executive order Blitzkrieg shows no signs of letting up as the president seeks to shake up the U.S. military and purge its ranks of, quote, woke ideology. On Monday, Trump issued a wave of executive orders reshaping Pentagon operations, namely banning transgender service members from the military and gutting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The actions build off of an executive order Trump signed on his first day back in office, revoking the Biden administration's 2021 directive, allowing trans people to serve openly in the military. That's according to an exclusive report from the New York Post.

The new orders specifically prohibit, quote, gender radicalism in the military, barring any service member who identifies as a gender other than their birth sex from serving or enlisting on the grounds of mental unfitness. Now, it's not clear how the administration will deal with the estimated 9,000, 9,000 active duty and 6,000 reserve troops already enlisted who identify as transgender, though it directs the Pentagon to determine a policy for those individuals within 30 days. Furthermore, the orders ban biological men and women from sharing bathrooms, bedrooms, and changing areas while in the service, and prohibits the use of, quote, invented and identification-based pronoun usage, and quote.

President Trump said Monday, To ensure we have the most lethal fighting force in the world, we will get transgender ideology the hell out of our military. It's going to be gone, end quote. Regarding more specific DEI initiatives in the armed forces, the orders direct the Pentagon to ban the, quote, race or sex-based preferences system. It also directs defense secretary Pete Hegeseth

to investigate and rectify any instances of discrimination based on DEI practices. suggesting some of the generals that Trump has criticized as woke could soon be on the chopping block. Additionally, Trump has issued a ban on all bureaucratic bodies dedicated to DEI initiatives and has tasked the Secretary of Defense and Homeland Security Secretary Christy Knoam with reviewing all academic curricula being used at U.S. military academies to ensure it's free of, quote, radical DEI and gender ideologies. The orders, or already having an immediate impact, late Monday, Fox News revealed that the Department of Veterans Affairs has placed nearly 60 employees on leave who oversee DEI initiatives.

The DEI employees reportedly had a combined total salary of more than $8 million. Now, if you're keeping score at home, that averages out to about $133,000 annually per person. The VA also plans to cancel multiple contracts for DEI-related consulting services that are estimated to cost more than $6 million. Well, thus endeth the DEI cottage industry. The Trump administration argues that current DEI practices constitute a woke assault on the military driven by both the Obama and Biden administrations. They say that the military's focus on woke issues has undermined military readiness, and unit cohesion, resulting in low troop morale and the lowest recruitment numbers for the military since 1940. It's also worth noting the financial cost to taxpayers of various DEI initiatives.

For example, since 2016, the Pentagon has spent more than $15 million on medical care for transgender service members despite a brief pause during President Trump's first term. While the majority of those funds went towards things like therapy, some $3 million was used to cover the costs of hundreds of gender reassignment surgeries. White House officials have said the policy shifts are not about attacking those who identify as transgender, but about reorienting the military's priorities back to focusing squarely on having the most capable and lethal fighting force. The order states, quote, the United States military has a clear mission to protect the American people and our homeland, as the world's most lethal and effective fighting force.

The pursuit of military excellence cannot be diluted to accommodate political agendas or other ideologies harmful to unit cohesion, end quote. As we covered earlier this week on the PDB, President Trump signed two other executive orders on Monday aimed at the Pentagon, including the reinstatement of all American troops dismissed by the Pentagon over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate with full back pay and benefits. He also ordered the Pentagon to begin building a new comprehensive air defense system for the U.S. modeled after Israel's Iron Dome. Defense Secretary Hegset said all Trump's orders will be swiftly implemented with a focus on prioritizing, quote,

lethality, meritocracy, accountability, standards, and readiness, end quote. All right. Coming up after the break, a senior NATO official confirms a Russian plot to assassinate a top German defense executive. Seriously, is there anyone that Vladimir Putin isn't willing to target for assassination? Plus, a rebel alliance seizes a key city in the Congo, threatening regional stability. I'll be right back. 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,

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The scheme, foiled by the U.S. and German intelligence back in July, marks the first acknowledgement on record from a senior NATO, German, or American official of the plot to kill Popperger. The assassination plot was part of Russia's broader attempts to destabilize NATO allies and weaken Europe's sustained support for Ukraine in its efforts to combat Moscow's ongoing full-scale invasion. Speaking before a European Parliament Committee on Hybrid Warfare Tuesday, NATO's Deputy Assistant Secretary General detailed Russia's escalating campaign of sabotage across the NATO countries.

These acts, which we've covered on the PDB, include trained derailments, arson attacks, sabotage of undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, and assassination attempts, like the one targeting the German industrialist. The NATO official stated, quote, we've seen incidents of sabotage taking place across NATO countries over a period of the last couple of years. He also accused Russia of leveraging criminal gangs, unsuspecting youth and migrants to carry out its operations.

While the methods are often crude, the intent is unmistakable, so chaos and destabilize the continent. NATO has described the current level of Russian sabotage as unprecedented. Secretary General Mark Ruta has urged member states to adopt a, quote, wartime mindset to confront these hybrid threats. Ruta's call aligns with the Deputy Assistant Secretary General's stark warning that NATO must act decisively to counter these operations before lengthy investigations are completed. Setting clear red lines, he stressed, is critical to deterring

further acts of aggression. He cited past successes in foiling Russian sabotage. attempts, such as when incendiary devices destined for DHL flights were detected in warehouses in Germany and England last November. The NATO officials stated, these acts can be deterred if you identify what your red lines are amongst yourselves and then communicate that effectively, framing Russia's hybrid warfare as a central pillar of its broader strategy to achieve political and military objectives through destabilization and disruption. The assassination plot against the German arms executive underscores the growing risks faced by European defense leaders as Western nations accelerate efforts to arm Ukraine. As NATO prepares for its summer summit in the Hague,

the alliance is pushing to finalize a comprehensive strategy to address hybrid threats. As member states prepare to meet in the coming months, the alliance's commitment to setting clear red lines and responding with urgency will be critical encountering Russia's continuous campaign of sabotage aimed at undermining European stability and defense. Okay, let's shift now to a story that, well, hasn't been getting a lot of coverage lately, and that's the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the DRC.

Now, bear with me because there's a lot of moving parts here. A rebel alliance seized the largest city in the country's mineral-rich eastern region on Tuesday, plunging the nation into one of its worst humanitarian crises in years. The coalition of rebel groups, known as the AFC, seized the city of GOMA in an offensive that marks its biggest territorial gain to date. Goma is strategically situated as a hub for Colton extraction. Now, Colton is an essential mineral for global electronics, and this is a critical economic prize for the armed groups. According to an AFC spokesman, the city, quote, fell under pressure,

following a string of advances in surrounding states. So, how did we get to this point? The regional violence is rooted in a tangled web of ethnic tensions, militia activity, and resource exploitation that has plagued the DRC for decades. The rebels present themselves as a protector of minority communities, particularly the Tutsi, and claims that their actions are aimed at defending marginalized groups against the failures of the DRC government.

Yet these claims are overshadowed by widespread allegations of war crimes, including the recruitment of child soldiers and violence against civilians, leading to sanctions from the United Nations and the U.S. The roots of the current conflict can be traced back to the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which destabilized the region and fueled competing interests over the DRC's vast mineral wealth. These tensions have drawn neighboring countries into a prolonged and bloody struggle. It's important to note that this is not the first time that the city of Goma has fallen. Rebels initially captured the city in 2012, citing grievances over unfulfilled peace accords.

Though driven out by Congolese forces and UN peacekeepers, the group reemerged in 2022, capitalizing on weak governance and the lucrative Coltan trade to finance its resurgence. The AFC control over the mineral is particularly alarming. A UN report estimates that Koltan mined in areas under their control accounts for approximately 15% of global tantalum production, that's rare metal again, essential to electronic production, generating roughly $300,000 in revenue for the rebels each month. This economic lifeline not only funds rebel operations, but also provides leverage against the Congolese government. which has struggled to maintain control over its eastern provinces. Adding to the complexity, see, I told you there were a lot of moving parts here, the DRC has accused neighboring Rwanda of actively supporting these rebels with troops and logistical aid, a charge that Rwandan government denies despite mounting evidence from UN investigations.

The humanitarian consequences of this conflict are, frankly, devastating. According to the UN, over 400,000 people have been displaced just to the U.N. last year alone, as hospitals in Goma struggle to cope with the influx of injured civilians, many of whom are children. CNN reports brutal scenes in the city, with streets littered with bodies, widespread looting, and accounts of sexual violence by rebel fighters. Meanwhile, French intelligence confirms the rebel seizure of Goma's airport on Tuesday, cutting off vital supply lines, of course, compounding the crisis. In the DRC capital, the unrest in the eastern provinces, has triggered widespread protests with demonstrators targeting both Western and African embassies.

The chaos reached a boiling point with a prison break that saw more than 4,000 inmates flood the streets. The nationwide violence has taken a toll on peacekeeping forces, as South Africa confirmed the deaths of 13 soldiers from its contingent in the UN mission just over the past week. Kenya's president has called for an emergency summit to address the crisis, but previous peace efforts, including truce agreements mediated by Angola, failed to produce meaningful results. For now, the situation remains dire. With Goma under rebel control, ethnic conflicts rising, and a worsening humanitarian crisis,

the DRC is teetering on the brink of deeper chaos, as the escalating tensions with Rwanda threatened to ignite a broader regional war. Okay, coming up in the back of the brief. Remember those mysterious drones over New Jersey that grabbed headlines late last year? Well, it turns out that many were authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration, the FAA. I'll be back with the details. Crispy chicken sandwich from 7-Eleven, people always call me loud. And I'm like, yeah, I know.

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Visit Wayfair.com or the Wayfair app. Wayfair, every style, every home. In today's back of the brief, we're finally getting some answers on the mysterious swarms of unidentified drones that caused widespread alarm among residents of New Jersey in the surrounding area late last year. At a White House press conference on Tuesday, the Trump administration disclosed that most of the drone activity had actually been authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration, the FAA, and was related to research programs. That's according to our report from NBC News. As you'll recall, residents of New Jersey and other northeastern states began noticing unidentified drones over both residential areas and sensitive sites last November, with the sightings increasing substantial.

over a very short period of time. The activity caused widespread disruptions in New Jersey across November and December, including temporary flight restrictions over President Trump's golf club in Bedminster and over the Picatinny Arsenal military base. At the height of the activity in December, the New York Stewart International Airport was forced to close its runways for an hour due to drone activity in their airspace. The incidents prompted New York Governor Kathy Hockel to request federal assistance on the issue and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to appeal to congressional lawmakers and President Biden to take action at the federal level. But White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said that the federal government was well aware of

why the activity was occurring, raising questions, of course, about why officials in the Biden administration stonewalled on the issue, refusing to offer the public any clarity. Yes, that is a question worth asking. Leavitt implied that this lack of transparency actually caused more problems, as curious hobbyists and private citizens began flying their own drones at night to investigate the phenomena, fueling increased sightings among frightened residents. The panic reached a fever pitch in mid-December, prompting speculations by lawmakers that the drones belonged to a foreign adversary such as Iran or China, as well as online theories that they were actually UFOs with other worldly origins. You travel all that way just to fly over New Jersey. The truth, as it turns out,

is out there, but it's actually far less interesting than the speculation. Leavitt said, quote, the drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the FAA for research and various other reasons. She then emphasized, quote, this was not the enemy, end quote. Well, it does make you wonder why the Biden White House wouldn't have just cleared that up right away. Leavitt said the information she was sharing came directly from President Trump, who briefed her on the situation earlier on Tuesday in the Oval Office. As you may recall, late last year, Trump criticized the Biden administration for their silence, saying that the government knew the origin of the drones, but, quote, for some reason, they want to keep people in suspense. We should note that Leavitt did not elaborate on what kind of research these drones were conducting, or who was operating them. So while the update from the White House is a welcome one, it's,

not likely, frankly, to put this issue entirely to rest. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Wednesday, 29 January. Now, as you may be aware, if you want to listen to the show ad-free, simply 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.

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