The President's Daily Brief - July 14th, 2025: Is Russia Turning On Iran? & Trump Contemplates More Weapons For Ukraine

Episode Date: July 14, 2025

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Vladimir Putin reportedly pressures Iran to accept a U.S. nuclear deal with zero uranium enrichment. Is it diplomacy—or a sign of strain between Moscow and Tehran? The Trump administration weighs several strategies to arm Ukraine, including a major aid package and backdoor transfers through NATO allies. The Pentagon demands clarity from U.S. allies on where they stand in the event of war over Taiwan. Will Japan and Australia finally commit? And in today’s Back of the Brief—President Trump threatens sweeping new tariffs: 30% on imports from Mexico and the European Union, effective August 1st. 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 American Financing: Call American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. 866-885-1881 or visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/PDB . NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org TriTails Premium Beef: Visit https://trybeef.com/pdb & get $10 off 20 Lbs Ground Beef Special Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Still on the road, but, you know, somewhat recuperating from the recent flu bug. All right, let's get briefed. First up, we'll take a look at reports, claiming Russian President Vladimir Putin is pressuring Iran to accept a nuclear deal with the U.S. that reportedly would include zero uranium enrichment. So, you ask, is Putin just playing peacemaker? well, hint, he's not a peacemaker, or is this the latest sign of a growing riff, perhaps, between Moscow and Tehran? Or is it Putin simply acting out of self-interest? The last thing he needs

is to lose another ally in the Middle East. So getting a peace deal and keeping the Iranian regime out of the U.S. crosshairs might keep the Mullahs in the IRGC in power, which of course would benefit Putin. So perhaps there's some self-interest here. Later in the show, the Trump administration, is now weighing multiple options to get more weapons into Ukrainian hands, either through a new aid package worth hundreds of millions of dollars by selling arms to NATO allies who can transfer them to Ukraine, or potentially both. Plus, the Pentagon is demanding answers from U.S. allies

about what role they'd play in a possible war over Taiwan. Will countries like Japan and Australia commit, or keep dodging the question, perhaps? Which begs the question, would the U.S.? commit troops to a possible war over Taiwan. And in today's back of the brief, in the ongoing trade war saga, President Trump threatens 30 percent tariffs on imports from Mexico and the European Union starting August 1st. But first, today's PDB spotlight. We begin today with a possible major shift in the Middle East and one that could upend years of coordination and cooperation

between two of America's biggest geopolitical adversaries. According to a new report from Axios, Russian leader Vladimir Putin privately told both President Trump and Iranian officials that he supports a nuclear agreement that will completely prohibit Iran from enriching uranium. Now, that might not sound groundbreaking at first, but here's why it matters. Russia has long been Iran's top diplomatic shield

when it comes to nuclear negotiations. publicly, Moscow has always maintained that Tehran has a right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes under the Nonproliferation Treaty. But privately, according to multiple Western and Israeli officials, Putin seems to be changing his tone, particularly after the recent 12-day war between Israel and Iran. Axios cites three European officials and one Israeli official with knowledge of the conversations. all say that Moscow has encouraged Iran to accept a so-called zero enrichment framework, essentially giving up all ability to enrich uranium within its borders. And that message, well, wasn't kept quiet. According to the report, Russian officials even briefed the Israeli government about Putin's stance.

One senior Israeli official told Axios, we know that this is what Putin told the Iranians. Now, Putin also conveyed this position during recent calls, with both President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron. One European official with direct knowledge of the issue said, quote, Putin would support zero enrichment. He encouraged the Iranians to work towards that in order to make negotiations with the Americans more favorable, end quote. In other words, Putin isn't just nudging Iran for diplomacy's sake.

He wants to help restart the talks between Tehran and Washington, but only if Iran gives up the most contentious part of its nuclear nuclear. program. To sweeten the deal, Russia has reportedly offered to provide Iran with pre-enriched uranium fuel, specifically 3.67% uranium for use in nuclear power plants and limited quantities of 20% enriched uranium for Iran's research reactor and the production of medical isotopes. That kind of arrangement isn't new. Russia already provides fuel for Iran's Boucher nuclear power plant. And part of the goal of that model was to prevent Iran from developing an independent enrichment capability in the first place. But if the report is true, what's more striking is the timing. This comes just weeks after the

12-day war between Israel and Iran, a war in which Russia essentially left Iran out to dry. Despite years of security cooperation and shared opposition to the West, Moscow offered, well, little more than vague press statements and platitudes while Iranian cities were bombarded in its military assets targeted. In part, their action was because their war machine, meaning Russia's war machine, is stretched thin after three grinding years, waging war on Ukraine, and in part because it's, well, not in their best interests to get into a direct conflict with the U.S. While Putin undoubtedly worries about the Iranian regime collapsing and the Kremlin, losing a key ally in the Middle East, Putin undoubtedly worries more about Putin and his own grip on power.

But to Iran's hardliners and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, well, that silence from the Kremlin was a snub. And now reports that Russia is pressuring Iran behind closed doors to accept the U.S. position on uranium enrichment. Well, for the Mullahs and the IRGC, that's a hard pill to swallow. So it's not a surprise that Iran is pushing back against the story. According to Tasman News, an outlet closely affiliated with the IRGC, a quote, informed source has denied the Axios report outright. The source called the claim false and accused the quote Zionist media of fabricating the story. The outlet went further, insisting that quote Tehran has not received such a message from Putin in any way. But the tone of that denial says a lot.

The Iranian regime appears rattled, concerned that Russia is backing away from its long-held positions and leaving Tehran diplomatically isolated. Still, there are signs. that Iran is trying, possibly, to re-engage. Iran's foreign minister said over the weekend that his country would be open to restarting nuclear talks with the U.S. if there were guarantees of no more attacks. He told foreign diplomats in Tehran, quote, assurance should be provided

that in case of a resumption of talks, the trend will not lead to war, end quote. But Iran's position on enrichment, well, that hasn't changed. In that same speech, he said, quote, we will not have any agreement in which enrichment is not included. The rights of the Iranian people on the nuclear issue, including the right to enrichment, must be respected, end quote. So, you ask, where does that leave us, besides being confused over the mixed messages? Well, Putin may be trying to play peacemaker, that's not likely,

or he may simply be recalibrating Russia's priorities after Iran's recent conflict with Israel. I'm going on a limb here and stating that it's not the former. If the reports are accurate, Putin isn't making these overtures because he's enamored with peace. He's doing it because he views it as a strategic move that's in his best interests. Regardless, if Russia is really shifting its stance, it could mark a major turning point in both the nuclear talks and the alliance between Moscow and Tehran. Okay, coming up after the break, the Trump administration calculates new ways to, to get weapons to Ukraine, while the Pentagon pressures U.S. allies to clarify their roles in a potential war over Taiwan. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Well, let's talk personal finances. Let me ask you a

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So we're sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine, and I've approved that, end quote. Now that marks a notable departure from his earlier tone, of course. For months, Trump had railed against what he called blank check aid to Kiev, questioning its strategic value and pressing European allies to pick up the slack. The move also comes after a tense call between Trump and Putin earlier this month, a conversation that Trump characterized as, quote, very disappointing. Now, that exchange appears to have spurred a recalibration of policy. The president has thrown us wait behind a plan that would see NATO, for the first time in its history, serve as the centralized purchaser and distributor of U.S. made weapons to a non-member nation.

Until now, only individual NATO countries, not the alliances and institutions. institution had armed Ukraine. In an interview with NBC News, Trump said, quote, we're sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for those weapons 100%. Behind the scenes, officials are now scrambling to figure out what that actually looks like. According to U.S. and NATO military sources, the Pentagon is exploring ways to fast-track key systems, chief among them, Patriot Air Defense batteries. But that's easier said than done. Under U.S. law, countries that buy American weapons need approval to transfer them to third parties like Ukraine. The Trump administration has previously granted such permissions,

but never at this scale, and never through NATO itself. NATO Secretary General Mark Ruta reportedly held a call with U.S. Defense Secretary Be Hegsaith, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Kane, and General Alexis Grinkevich, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Europe, to map out next steps. And speaking from the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, Rubio confirmed that discussions were underway, but didn't sugarcoat the logistical roadblocks. He stated, quote, some of the systems that Ukraine requires are systems that Europe doesn't make.

They would have to purchase them from the U.S. What remains unclear is how any new weapons package would be funded. Administration officials say Trump still has access to approximately $3.85 billion in leftover presidential drawdown authority, meaning emergency funds granted under the Biden administration that could be reallocated at Trump's discretion. Additionally, Trump retains authority to redirect up to $5 billion in frozen Russian assets, though neither he nor his predecessor ever exercised that option. If finalized, the plan would not only mark a shift in Trump's own foreign policy trajectory, but could also redefine NATO's role in the war.

and with waves of Russian drones and missiles targeting Ukrainian infrastructure, well, the window for action could be closing. All right, shifting our focus to the Indo-Pacific. Pentagon is pressuring Japan and Australia to define their military roles in a potential U.S.-China conflict over Taiwan. According to a Financial Times report, citing officials familiar with the matter, U.S. Undersecretary Defense for Policy,

Elbridge Colby, raised the issue during recent high-level meetings with defense officials from both countries. The request, while signaling growing urgency and U.S. strategic planning, has stirred diplomatic discomfort, particularly as the U.S. itself maintains no formal defense guarantees to Taiwan. In opposed to X, Colby cast a pressure campaign as part of President Trump's America First doctrine, one that seeks to, quote, restore deterrence and achieve peace through strength. He made clear the administration expects allies to boost defense spending to prepare for potential collective action. Australia's defense industry minister Pat Conroy hit back, telling the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that, quote,

the decision to commit Australian troops to a conflict will be made by the government of the day, not in advance. He dismissed the U.S. overture as a hypothetical that Canberra doesn't entertain. Still, Conroy struck a cautionary note on China's expanding military footprint, warning that Beijing's push to secure bases across the Pacific, along with its ramp-up and nuclear and conventional forces, is, quote, not in Australia's national interests. Australian by Minister Anthony Albanese, meanwhile, had every reason to stay diplomatic.

Speaking from Shanghai, China, at the start of a six-day trip aimed at patching up fractured trade ties with China, he reiterated Australia's opposition to any unilateral change to the status quo on Taiwan. But his tone was muted, likely a reflection of the moment. Tokyo, for its part, has remained silent. Yet despite Camber's official reluctance to speculate on war, the message from its military couldn't be clearer. Over the weekend, Australia kicked off its largest ever multinational defense exercise with the U.S.

The two-week talisman saber drills, which began Sunday, span air, sea, land, and space domains, with over 40,000 troops from 19 nations participating, including Japan and the UK. Vice Admiral Justin Jones, saw Astoria's top operational commander, put it bluntly, stating, quote, I'll leave it to China to interpret what 19 friends, allies, and partners, wanting to operate together in the region means to them, end quote. He noted Chinese military vessels had shadowed previous iterations of the exercise and are expected to do so again. From the American side,

Lieutenant General Joel Val, Deputy Commander of the U.S. forces in the Pacific, offered a similarly calibrated message, saying, quote, our ultimate goal is no war, but instability in the region demands collective preparation, end quote.

And that instability isn't hypothetical. As we've tracked here on the PDB, Beijing continues to ramp up military pressure on Taiwan, including aerial incursions and maritime maneuver war games aimed at testing the island's defenses. Chinese Communist Party officials maintain that Taiwan is part of their sovereign territory, and they've not ruled out the use of force to bring it under their control. Tai Bei's leadership, however, well, they remain adamant that only its citizens the Taiwanese can decide their own future. All right, coming up next in the back of the brief, Trump's global terror war continues with new threats.

This time targeting imports from Mexico and the European Union with a 30% duty. Stay with us. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, here's an important fact that you might have missed. July is National Grilling Month. It's true. And Tritails Beef is helping you celebrate the American Way over a fire with real beef raised by real ranchers. Tritails is a fifth-generation family-run ranch in Texas, delivering pasture-raised, grain,

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ignited his tariff offensive, threatening 30% duties on imports from the European Union and Mexico unless more balanced agreements are reached by the 1st of August. The threats came in the form of letters posted over the weekend to Truth Social, addressing European Commissioner President Ursula von der Leyen, Trump said the U.S. had, quote, decided to move forward with the tariffs, citing longstanding trade imbalances and protectionist behavior from Brussels.

A similar letter was delivered to Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum in which Trump criticized Mexico's efforts to halt the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. As, quote, not enough. The announcements mark an escalation in Trump's ongoing tariff offensive, one that we've tracked closely here on the PDB, where rates have bounced between 25 and 40 percent depending on the target and timing. In both weekend letters, the Trump stated that the 30 percent tariff would apply a across the board, exempting only pre-existing sectoral duties like the 25% auto-levy.

Vondelian responded by warning that the proposed duties would wreck havoc on supply chains and drive up prices for consumers across both continents. She added that the EU, quote, will take all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including the activation of proportional countermeasures, though those remain on hold for now. The EU, according to senior officials, has finalized an initial tronch of countermeasures covering roughly $24 billion in U.S. goods, with the second tranche held in reserve should negotiations falter. Mexico, however, has opted for a quieter approach. A spokesman for the country's economy ministry has confirmed that a delegation warned U.S. trade officials

that the proposed tariffs constitute what they call, quote, unfair treatment. President Scheinbaum aiming to avoid escalation with Washington, expressed hope that a deal could still be reached to safeguard cross-border commerce. But Trump left little doubt that he expects total capitulation. Any retaliation, he warned, would be met with even steeper duties. He wrote, quote, whatever number you choose to raise terrorists by

will be added on to the 30% that we charge. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson doubled down on Fox News, accusing the EU of dragging its feet. Brussels, he said, failed to meet proposals already accepted by, quote, other important trading partners. With just weeks to go before the August deadline, trade allies are scrambling. Trump, meanwhile, is pressing forward, reviving tariffs as a cornerstone of his economic playbook to use its leverage until concessions are made or consequences were felt. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Monday, the 14th,

of July. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. And to listen to the show ad-free, you can do that, you know. It's very simple. Just 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. Whether it's the funds, fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings. There's a money side to every story. Get the money side of the story.

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