The President's Daily Brief - January 7th, 2025: Trudeau Announces His Resignation & Hezbollah Ceasefire on the Brink

Episode Date: January 7, 2025

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Major news from Canada as Justin Trudeau announces his resignation as Prime Minister after nearly a decade in office. Updates from the Middle East: Israel negotiates a ceasefire with Hamas but warns its truce with Hezbollah may collapse. President Biden takes last-minute executive action, banning new drilling and oil and gas development across over 625 million acres of U.S. waters. And in today’s Back of the Brief: Secretary of State Antony Blinken warns about Russia potentially transferring advanced technology to North Korea in his final days in office. 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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for giving me the deal. Additional Terms, Conditions, and Restrictions, It's Tuesday, 7 January. Welcome to the president's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. Today, we start with major news from Canada. Justin Trudeau is resigning as Prime Minister after nearly a decade in office, bowing to mounting calls for him to step down. Later in the show, we'll have the latest from the Middle East. Israel is negotiating a ceasefire with Hamas. while warning that its truce with Hezbollah may be on the verge of collapse. Plus, President Biden, I remember him, announced a last-minute executive action on Monday, banning new drilling and further an oil and gas development across over, get this, 625 million acres of U.S. coastal and offshore waters. And in today's back of the brief, the Secretary of State Anthony Blinken issues a warning in his final days

about Russia possibly transferring advanced technology to North Korea. Well, of course they are. This is not a pro bono arrangement for North Korea to provide troops to Russia. But first, today's PDB spotlight. We'll begin with a major bombshell out of Canada, where the curtains are closing on the political career of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau announced Monday that he'll be stepping down as leader of Canada's liberal party and resigning as prime minister in the coming months after serving in the role for nearly a decade. The surprise move caps off weeks of inter-party squabbles and when was the last time you heard someone say squabble and mounting calls from party members for Trudeau to step aside. In fact, one of his most loyal allies, Christia Freeland, abruptly resigned from her role as finance minister

in mid-December, rebuking Trudeau over what she felt was his failed stewardship of the country. Her resignation left his party in tatters going into an election year and only increased the infighting. Staring down the barrel of a worsening economic crisis and pre-election polling showing the Liberal Party has grown wildly unpopular under his leadership, Trudeau was left with few options. In an address on Monday, a somber Trudeau said he would stay on both his prime minister and liberal leader until late March. once his party chooses a new chief. He cited the internal rift with the liberal party as the driving factor behind his choice to resign. There was also the looming threat that the opposition party

would bring down Trudeau's minority government with a no-confidence motion once Parliament returned to session. Trudeau said, quote, this country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it's become clear to me that if I'm having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election." The Canadian Parliament was originally due to resume session on the 27th of January, but Trudeau also announced that he would be suspending Parliament until the 24th of March to allow his party time to pick a new leader. He said he had already directed the president of his party to begin the process, calling

for a robust and competitive leadership race, though it's unclear what that process will look like and who will be the frontrunner to fill his shoes. In the meantime, he said he believes his resignation will help, quote, bring the temperature down and allow Parliament to get back to work without distraction ahead of a new national election. He criticized Parliament for being, quote, seized by obstruction, filibustering, and a total lack of productivity in recent months. The suspension of Parliament means that a new national election is unlikely to be held before May at the earliest. Canadian law stipulates that an election must be held by late October, but regardless of who their leader is, polls show that the Liberal Party will likely face a national

reckoning. Voters across Canada are angry about high inflation, which many blame on Trudeau's liberal spending policies, along with a major shortage of affordable housing. A poll in December showed voters are more than ready to move on from Trudeau, with 73% of Canadians, including nearly half of liberal voters, saying they wanted him to resign. Well, that's a clue. The leader of the opposition Conservative Party dismissed Trudeau's resignation as a, quote, trick and political maneuver, saying that the entire Liberal Party is equally accountable for Trudeau's policy record. The conservative party leader, who's running for prime minister, said that the liberal party was simply, quote, swapping in another liberal face to keep ripping off Canadians, end quote, but said voters would not

fall for it. He reiterated his calls for an immediate election to be held. Regarding his conservative opposition, Trudeau took some parting shots, warning that the conservative party leader represented a dark view for Canada. Trudeau said, quote, we need an ambitious, optimistic view of the future, and they are not offering it. All that said, Trudeau will still be in the driver's seat when President-elect Donald Trump returns to the Oval Office in the U.S. on January 20th. As I'm sure our listeners are aware, Trump has threatened Canada with steep tariffs on all imports over the flow of migrants and drugs across the northern border, as well as what he argues are trade imbalances. Such tariffs could, of course, devastate the Canadian

economy as 75% of their exports go directly to the U.S. In typical Trump fashion, the president-elect trolled Trudeau following his resignation speech, suggesting Canada should, quote, merge with the U.S., and become the 51st state in order to avoid financial ruin. All right. Coming up next, Israel negotiates a ceasefire with Hamas while warning of a collapsing truce with Chasbola. Plus, President Biden's new ban on drilling across 625 million acres of U.S. waters. I'll have those stories when we come back.

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It really is the recreational activity vehicle. The stylish 2026 Toyota Rav4 Limited. What's your Rav for? Welcome back to the BDB. I want to turn your attention to the Middle East, where hopes for a ceasefire in Gaza have once again been rekindled, just as Israel warns their fragile truce with Hezbollah in Lebanon is at risk of collapse. negotiations between Israel and Hamas resumed in Qatar on Sunday, and officials with the Biden administration

said they're optimistic that a deal can be secured before the return of President-elect Donald Trump to the White House. But then again, when has the Biden administration not been optimistic that some deal is in the making? But as our regular listeners are aware, when it comes to this particularly difficult issue, it's hard to know what to believe. We've seen optimistic reports, as I've mentioned, that Hamas was close to a ceasefire deal countless times only for negotiations to break down. If the latest reports are anything to go by, I would be careful about setting your expectations. Rumors abounded on Sunday that a breakthrough was imminent after Hamas released a list of 34 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, who could be released in the first stage of a ceasefire agreement. The list included the names

of the remaining women, children, older, and injured hostages. The problem, however, as Israeli officials quickly pointed out, is that it's the same list that Israeli negotiators provided to mediators back in July. Israeli officials also noted that the months-old list provided no clarity on the condition of the hostages, and that's something that Israel has insisted on getting before any potential deal moves forward. On Monday, a spokesman for the Office of Prime Minister Netanyahu downplayed the media reports that progress, was being made as spin by Hamas and urged the media to stop giving oxygen to the militant group's attempts at, quote, propaganda and psychological terror. The spokesman told the times of Israel,

quote, they haven't said who is alive and who is not. They haven't sent any list. So as far as we stand, there isn't any progress, end quote. As a reminder, Israeli officials say there are 96 hostages remaining in Gaza, though at least 30 are thought to be deceased, and Hamas reportedly doesn't even know where all the hostages are located. Progress was briefly made towards a ceasefire in early December, after Hamas reportedly yielded some of Israel's key demands, but the talks broke down again just before a new year, after Hamas reportedly went back on their promises and hardened their stance. Still, despite the statement from Netanyahu's office, Geretz reported, voted on Monday that the Israeli negotiating delegation was hopeful that a deal could be finalized

in the coming days. Whether or not that is just wishful thinking is really frankly anyone's guess. Meanwhile, looking to Israel's north, leaders in Jerusalem warned Sunday that their ceasefire agreement with Chesbola was at risk of collapse. As you'll recall, Israel reached a limited truce with the group on November 27th to stop hostilities for at least 60 days. The deal requires the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon and for Hasbila to retreat north beyond the Latani River in southern Lebanon. In theory, by January 26th, the only groups allowed to be present south of the Latani River are the Lebanese military and UN peacekeeping forces. But Israel and Hasbullah have repeatedly accused each other of violating the terms of the agreement and have engaged in a number of tit-for-tat strikes

since the ceasefire was implemented. On Sunday, Israeli defense minister Israel Katz said Chesbola has yet to dismantle all of their weapons and terrorist infrastructure south of the river or withdraw their fighters. Furthermore, Chisbola's acting leader said Saturday that the terror group had not yet decided whether they would uphold the terms of the truce. Cats gave a simple warning, saying, quote, If Hezbollah does not withdraw beyond the Latani River, there will be no agreement, end quote. Okay, the shifting stateside.

President Biden enacted a last-minute executive order banning new oil and natural gas drilling across more than 625 million acres of coastal and offshore waters. The order sets up a showdown with President-elect Trump, who's vowed to unleash domestic fuel production. The executive order signed on Monday protects offshore areas along the east and west coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and parts of Alaska's northern Bering Sea, wielding authority under the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. It's important to note that despite the ban, the order spares existing operations and leaves the energy-rich Western Gulf of Mexico untouched.

This isn't the first time that the 1953 law has been invoked for long-term protection, former President Barack Obama used it to bar drilling in Arctic and Atlantic waters. When challenged by Trump during his first White House stint, a U.S. District Court in 2019 upheld the law's provisions, ruling that only Congress, not the president, could overturn such protections. In announcing the order, Biden pointed to escalating environmental concerns, stating, quote, it's not worth the risks, while framing the order as a safeguard, adding, quote, As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren, end quote.

Trump and his team, however, have been quick to brand the decision as a provocation. The president-elect who campaigned on restoring American, quote, energy dominance, dismissed the ban as, quote, ridiculous in a radio interview, vowing to, quote, un-banded immediately upon taking office. Trump further blasted the move, stating that his administration will take advantage of U.S. oil and gas assets, referring to them as the biggest assets of the country has. Caroline Leavitt, Trump's incoming press secretary, condemn the move on X, accusing Biden of political theatrics, stating, quote, Joe Biden will fail, and we will drill, baby, drill, end quote.

Industry leaders were no less blunt in their criticism. Ron Neal, chairman of the Independent Petroleum Association of American Offshore Committee, enabled to ban a, quote, significant and catastrophic blow to the oil and gas sector, warning of broader economic repercussions. Neil further stated, quote, this move represents a major attack on the oil and natural gas industry, emphasizing the anti-energy policies Biden enacted through his administration that will continue to hurt Americans long after his departure. Yet the incoming Trump administration may find room to maneuver.

Obama's precedent in 2019, upheld by the courts, provides a potential legal pathway for Trump to reverse Biden's order. With Republicans now controlling Congress, Biden's 11th hour executive order can be repealed through legislative action. As Biden prepares to exit the White House in two weeks, the battle over energy policy looms large, with Trump poised to reshape the nation's approach. The outcome, resting heavily on congressional maneuvering, could redefine the future of America's energy independence. Okay, coming up in the back of the brief, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken warns of Russia's potential transfer of advanced technology to North Korea in his final days as America's chief diplomat. I'll be right back. How many discounts does USA auto insurance offer? Too many to say here.

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of this potential transfer, asserting that such technology would significantly enhance North Korea's reconnaissance capabilities and precision strike capacity. This, he warned, poses a direct and escalating threat to the United States and its allies. His remarks bring into sharp focus the tightening alignment between Moscow and Pyongyang that we've covered here extensively on the PDB. The satellite technology in question is reportedly part of a broader quid pro quo arrangement. As we've been tracking here on the PDB and return for military equipment, training, and satellite assistance, North Korea has supplied troops and armaments to bolster Kremlin forces in Ukraine. Equally alarming as Russia's shifting stance on North Korea's nuclear ambitions, Blinken disclosed that Moscow, quote,

may be close of formally acknowledging Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, a stark departure from its historical support for denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. Such a shift could embolden Pyongyang's pursuit of advanced weaponry and undermine international efforts to curb its nuclear arsenal, which is already estimated at some 50 warheads. Now, this is not Russia's first step in advancing North Korea's military capabilities. In 2023, Moscow played a critical role in facilitating Pyongyang's inaugural satellite launch. That was a milestone that paved the way for subsequent collaborations on space-based

surveillance systems. These systems now allow North Korea to pinpoint global targets with unprecedented precision. Admiral Samuel Paparo, head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, has previously cautioned that Russia's assistance could extend beyond satellites. Puparo warned of the potential transfer of submarine and missile technology, assets that would dramatic, expand North Korea's military reach and further destabilize an already volatile region. The evolving alliance between Russia and North Korea represents more than a simple convergence of interests. It signals an explicit challenge to the international order. The implications of this partnership, spanning nuclear proliferation, military support, and strategic defiance

underscore the urgency of a cohesive global response. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Tuesday, 7 January. Now, if you have any questions or comments for me, please reach out at pdb at thefirsttv.com. And, of course, to listen to the show ad-free, well, I suspect you know that you just have to become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting PDB Premium.com. It is that simple. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed.

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