The President's Daily Brief - July 19th, 2024: Secret Service Breakdowns, Iran's 'Engineered' Elections, Israel's National Reckoning, & Biden's Potential Exit

Episode Date: July 19, 2024

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:     A brief update on the attempt on the life of former President Trump. A report details how Iran’s supreme leader carefully orchestrated their recent presidential elections in order to safeguard his ruling Shi'ite theocracy from internal challenges to his power. An ongoing Israeli investigation into the intelligence failures that allowed Hamas to carry out the 7 October attacks has found that the militants planned the barbaric operation for nearly a decade. Russia has announced plans to deploy nuclear missiles near NATO borders in response to U.S. plans to deploy long-range missiles in Germany. In our 'Back of the Brief' segment, the political pressure is building on President Joe Biden, with reports suggesting he may drop out of the presidential race as early as this weekend. 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.     Email: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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future. Speak to the experts at Patriot Gold. They've been the top-rated gold IRA dealer for seven years in a row. Go to Patriot Gold Group.com or call 1-888-621-3856 for a free investor guide. It's Friday, 19 July. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. We'll start things off today with an update on the attempt on the life of former President Trump, specifically what details officials have actually confirmed to lawmakers in Washington, D.C. Then, in today's spotlight, we'll take a look at how Iran's supreme leader carefully orchestrated their recent presidential elections in order to safeguard his ruling Shiite theocracy from

internal challenges to his power. Wait, so what you're saying is there's a chance that Iran's recent election wasn't free and fair. Hmm. Later in the show, an ongoing Israeli investigation into the intelligence failures that allowed Hamas to carry out the 7 October attacks has found that the militants planned the operation for nearly a decade. Plus, Russia has announced plans to deploy nuclear missiles near NATO borders in response to U.S. plans to deploy long-range missiles in Germany. And in today's back of the brief, the political pressure is building on President Biden, with reports suggesting he may drop out of the presidential race as early as this weekend, which begs the question, is the country better off with a president whose mental acuity has diminished,

or Kamala Harris? Hmm, could be a close call, which is why. numerous Democrat leaders are quietly pushing reportedly for an open convention. But first, an update on our ongoing coverage of the attempted assassination of former President Trump. FBI director Christopher Ray, his deputy and embattled Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheathle, gave private briefings to lawmakers in the House and Senate on Wednesday on their latest findings from the ongoing investigation. Their latest findings? Things didn't go well. There's her finding. They said, Officials have conducted more than 200 interviews and continue to pour through footage from the crime scene.

Details were reportedly scarce at the briefings, but there were a few notable updates from the investigation. Most shockingly, officials told lawmakers that U.S. Secret Service snipers had the gunmen in their sights for 20 minutes before the shooting took place. We just couldn't decide whether this unidentified individual with a rifle on a rooftop staring at the state. was a threat. They added that at some point, a member of Trump's Secret Service detail made a call about the shooter after spotting him on the roof, though officials did not expand on the details of why a call was made. Officials said it was during that call that the shooter began firing on the former president.

Good God. Cheeto reportedly acknowledged to lawmakers that the Secret Service failed at what she described as a, quote, no-fail mission. Okay, I may have to. to stop awarding a daily PDB statement of the obvious award because I think with that statement, Cheatel has claimed the title for the remainder of the year. Regarding the shooter's phone, in a classic case of what aboutism, investigators said they found searches for both Trump and President Biden. We just don't know what it means. Specifically, the dates of Trump's

rally in Pennsylvania, along with the dates of the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago, He also searched the internet for results on, quote, major depressive disorder. Additionally, officials said the gunman scoped out the fairgrounds used for Trump's rally back on July 7th, along with earlier in the day on July 13th just hours before the shooting. They continued to scrub through his devices for a sign of a motive, but have so far come up empty. FBI director Ray added that there is no evidence of co-conspirators or connections to foreign actors. while lawmakers at the same time fumed that the briefings were far too short, vague on details, and did not provide adequate time for questions. All right, let's turn our focus on Iran

and how Ayatollah Ali Harmony managed to carefully orchestrate the Islamic regime's recent presidential election to ensure his ruling Shiiteocracy is safeguarded from internal dissent. As we discussed earlier this month, Iran's presidential elections saw the race's sole reform candidate, Masoud Posseschkin, win the office. The results shocked many regional analysts, they were shocked, who predicted a victory for one of the hardline candidates closely tied to the Supreme Leader's establishment. Well, some opposition figures had warned, however, that Peschkian, despite appearances, well, he's just another government-approved candidate masquerading as a reformer, and it appears they were right.

An exclusive report from Reuters, citing five people with ties to the Ayatollah and the hardline movement, said Hamani personally selected Posseschian as an ideal candidate who should be promoted and steered towards the presidency. So, you ask, why would the Ayatollah push a so-called reformer over his hardline loyalists? Well, for this story, context is key. According to the sources, the Ayatollah was facing a domestic crisis following the death of President's Abraham Reisi in a helicopter crash back in May. Intelligence officials had reportedly briefed Khomeini that most Iranians planned to boycott the vote with turnout expected to be in the range of 13 to 15 percent, not exactly a demonstration of faith in the country's political system. This lack of

enthusiasm stemmed from growing internal anger over ongoing economic turmoil and former President Reisi's crackdowns on social freedoms. He had greatly tightened Mori's. morality laws and stepped up enforcement of Iran's hijab and chastity laws, sparking protests and a crackdown by Reisi that killed hundreds of Iranians between 2022 and 2023. Following his death, hardliner candidates flooded into the presidential field, but fearing that pushing another hardliner like Reisie would only intensify Iran's internal strife and that low voter turnout would damage the clerical establishment's credibility, Khomeini changed tact. The Supreme Leader gathered a handful of his most trusted advisors at his residence on at least three

separate occasions in late May to discuss his plans for the election, ordering his officials to, quote, find a way to steer the election, according to the Reuters report. Harmony's brain trust, if really, is it a brain trust, reportedly included two senior commanders of the Revolutionary Guard, a small group of security aids, and longtime advisor Ali Akbar Valliatti. In an effort to preserve his Islamic regime, Harmony ultimately decided that he needed someone who appeared moderate and could appeal to a wide swath of Iranians, but who, most critically, would not challenge the ruling Shiite theocracy or alter the regime's nuclear or foreign policy. Apparently, he found his man in Masoud Poseskian.

According to the sources, Harmony felt that Peschian could foster national unity and help bridge the gap between the clerical establishment and the people. He also saw him as someone who would ensure a smooth selection process for the next Supreme Leader, as Khomeini is now 85 years old. A source told Reuters that how many loyalists subsequently, quote, engineered the election to ensure Poszekian's ultimate victory, but also went to great lengths to make sure the process appeared fair and democratic. Hmm. The source added that Peschian himself was unaware of the covert massinations, of course he was, and thought he would not even be approved to run by the country's guardian counsel, an unelected vetting body that has historically banned many moderate

candidates. Homanie allegedly had the body approved Peschekian, along with two loyalist candidates, in hopes that the hardline vote in Iran would be split. Peschekian won the largest share of support in an initial vote, but failed to get a majority, which triggered a second round of voting on the 5th of July, where he went on to defeat. the hardline faction. Saeed Leilas, a pro-reform analyst based in Tehran, told Reuters, quote, it was a flawless plan by the Supreme Leader, which guaranteed the survival of the Islamic Republic.

Poschian will avoid any crisis at home, whether with the nation or the establishment. That will allow top leaders to decide about the succession and plan it in a calm atmosphere. End quote. Well, you know, you've got to love free and fair elections. All right, coming up next, an ongoing Israeli investigation into the intelligence failures that allowed Hamas to carry out the 7 October attacks has found the militants planned the operation for nearly a decade. Plus, Russia has announced plans to deploy nuclear missiles near NATO borders in response to U.S. plans to deploy long-range missiles in Germany. We'll have those stories when we come back.

Welcome back to the PDB. Shifting gears, Israel is in the midst of a national reckoning over the events of 7 October as the country's leadership investigates the security breakdowns that allowed Hamas to pull off the barbaric attacks. In a major revelation, information leaked from an ongoing investigation of Israeli military intelligence shows that Hamas had been planning the deadly incursion into Israel for more than seven years, suggesting that Mossad and IDF intelligence missed critical warning signs of the planned attack, that's according to a report from the Jewish Chronicle. Leaders within Israel's military intelligence apparatus were apparently convinced that

Yaya Sinwar, Hamas's chief in Gaza, was close to securing an agreement with Israel to improve economic conditions within Gaza and solidify Hamas's position as the governing body of the enclave. They also saw Hamas's decision to abstain from a previous round of fighting between the Islamic jihad and Israeli forces as proof positive that. that Hamas militants were not interested in a fight. According to the leaked report, officials had determined that Hamas, quote, is not seeking and does not have the ability to go to war with Israel.

In other words, Hamas, for years, carried out a successful disinformation campaign. While Israeli officials refused to comment on the specifics of the leak, it mirrored what we learned last fall regarding a 40-page document codenamed Jericho Wall, that document outlined Hamas' plans for seven hours. October point by point with incredible detail, but was repeatedly dismissed by Israeli leaders as something far outside of Hamas's capabilities. Israel had obtained that document more than a year before the

attack, which unfolded nearly exactly, as described. Officials at every level simply didn't believe that Hamas could mount an attack of that scale, and as the latest investigation notes, they were under the false impression that Hamas was not seeking a conflict. The leak, comes on the heels of an internal investigation released last week by the IDF, which concluded that the IDF, quote, failed in its mission to protect the residence of a kibbutz, where 101 people were killed during the attacks as they fought Hamas militants for seven hours before IDF troops showed up.

The report concluded that the military was completely unprepared for the extensive infiltration by Hamas that played out that tragic day. It was the first acknowledgement of wide-ranging failures within his Israel's military hierarchy during the attacks and is expected to be followed by subsequent reports from the IDF's ongoing internal review. Okay, moving on, Russia is threatening to deploy nuclear missiles near NATO borders in response to U.S. plans to station long-range conventional weapons in Germany beginning in 2026. Russia's potential deployment of nuclear missiles aims to bolster the defense of Kalinigrad,

a strategic enclave between NATO members Poland and Lithuania. Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ribikov stressed the Kremlin's determination to defend Kaledengrad and other regions in remarks on Thursday, asserting that Moscow would explore all options to respond effectively to what they see as provocative actions by the U.S. and NATO, that's according to a Reuters report. He emphasized that Kalindigrad has consistently attracted attention from Moscow's adversaries. necessitating robust defensive measures. The Deputy Foreign Minister told reporters on Thursday, quote,

I am not ruling out any options, end quote. As we previously discussed on the PDB, the U.S. announced plans at last week's NATO summit to deploy advanced long-range weapon systems in Germany for the first time since the Cold War, including SM6, Tomahawk, and new hypersonic missiles demonstrating a strong commitment to NATO and European defense. Notably, the developments follow President Putin's declaration in June

that Russia would resume production of short and intermediate range land-based missiles, which can be equipped with conventional or nuclear warheads. Security experts warned that these planned deployments contribute to an escalating arms race, you think, amid heightened tensions due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. In a related development, Germany, the largest European supplier of military, military aid to Ukraine plans to cut future assistance by half to fulfill other spending priorities. This shift is outlined in a finance ministry document and was detailed by finance minister Christian Lindner on Wednesday. The preliminary 2025 budget proposes cutting military aid to Ukraine to roughly $4 billion in 2025, down from over $8 billion in 2024. Lindner suggested Ukraine would need to rely more

on other European funds and potentially the $50 billion in loans from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets approved by the G7. German officials first proposed the decision to utilize the seized Russian assets, which aims to immediately provide Ukraine with substantial funding to mitigate the risk of potential shortages should U.S. political dynamics shift. The announcement that Germany is scaling back their support sparked fresh concerns among NATO members. especially with former President Donald Trump's recent selection of Senator J.D. Vance, who opposes military aid to Ukraine as his vice presidential candidate. Trump has previously suggested that countries failing to meet NATO defense spending targets

might not receive U.S. protection, prompting European nations to reassess their reliance on U.S. defense support. All right. Coming up in the back of the brief, the political pressure is building on President Biden with reports suggesting he may drop out of the presidential race as early as this weekend. I'll be right back. How many discounts does USAA auto insurance offer? Too many to say here.

Multi-vehicle discount. Safe driver discount? New vehicle discount. Storage discount. How many discounts will you stack up? Tap the banner or visit USAA.com slash auto discounts. Restrictions apply. In today's back of the brief, the Democratic Coalition backing President Biden shows new signs of cracking as top congressional leaders and close friends could likely persuade him to drop out of the presidential race as soon as this weekend. Although the 81-year-old president

currently self-isolating with COVID remains publicly committed to his campaign, insiders reveal he is increasingly resigned to poor poll numbers and intense scrutiny, as we reported this week on the PDB. An AP poll from Wednesday showing nearly two-thirds of Democrats want Biden to withdraw has exasperated the situation, causing a ripple effect, of course, of anxiety throughout the White House and Congress. This comes as top congressional leaders push to delay a procedural vote on Biden's nomination for the presidency. In recent days, key figures such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries,

conveying the urgent need for Biden to reconsider his candidacy. They cite the president's age and health as persistent issues. With many fearing, they negatively impact his public perception and the party's electoral chances. Former President Barack Obama and the Clintons have also signaled their concerns with their former aides publicly criticizing Biden. Insiders indicate that even some of Biden's closest aides who once urged him to continue, now believe it's only a matter of time before he announces his withdrawal. This shift in party opinion comes days after Representative Adam Schiff

became the first high-profile Democrat to call on Biden to, quote, pass the torch to another candidate. While reports indicate Biden has still not reached a final decision, sources close to him told the New York Times that, quote, reality is setting in, and he has apparently shown increased interest in Vice President Kamala Harris, Harris's prospects against Trump. Well, so much for reality setting in. All right, I'm just kidding. According to insiders, the most likely scenario is Biden endorsing Harris or allowing the delegates to

decide if the party feels otherwise. Now, the outcome of this internal party's struggle could significantly impact the Democratic Party's chances in the upcoming election. Winning key states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin is crucial. And many Democrats believe a new ticket is necessary to secure victory. All right, look, as a betting man, if I were a betting man, I would put my money on Biden withdrawing from the race and he and the party pushing for an open convention. After all, he wouldn't be stepping down as president now,

meaning that Harris wouldn't automatically be the default nominee. Calling for an open convention at least preserves the appearance of democracy within the party, rather than some wrote appointment of a candidate with no voter input. As has been said in the past, may you live in interesting times. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Friday, 19 July. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. To listen to the show ad free, well, it's simple, become a premium member of the president's daily brief by visiting pdbpremium.com.

and, if I'm not mistaken, it's Friday again, which means another episode of the PDB Situation Report drops on the first TV this evening at 10 p.m. You won't want to miss this week's edition, not that you'd want to miss any week, but we're looking in-depth at the assassination attempt on President Trump's life with some outstanding guests. I'm Mike Baker. Now, I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe. 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 fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings, there's a money side to every story. And when you see the money side, you understand what others miss. Get the

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