The President's Daily Brief - July 28th, 2026: Ukraine Launches Strike On Iranian Ship

Starting point is 00:00:12 It's Tuesday, the 28th of July. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, Ukraine launches a dramatic, long-range strike on an Iranian-linked vessel. Hmm, I'll have the details. Later in the show, a new DEA assessment raises tough questions about the Trump administration's military campaign against drug traffickers, finding dozens of boat strikes have done little. to slow the flow of cocaine into the U.S. Plus, Kim Jong-un, remember him? Well, he's quietly overhauling North Korea's global spy network

Starting point is 00:00:50 with new investments in cyber warfare, espionage, and covert operations aimed at America's allies. And in today's back of the brief, massive wildfires are forcing hundreds of thousands of people from their homes across France and Spain, as Europe battles one of its worst fire emergencies in years. But first, today's BDB spotlight. for some time now the war in ukraine and the conflict with iran have unfolded as separate conflicts but this past weekend those worlds collided according to both ukrainian and iranian officials ukraine carried out a long-range strike in the caspian sea hitting vessels that keev says were being used to transport military cargo connected to iran ukrain president zelensky claimed the operation also damaged a russian warship iran says one sailor aboard a commercial vessel was killed and several

Starting point is 00:01:40 others were wounded. On Sunday, Tehran summoned Ukraine's Charger de Fair to protest what it called a, quote, hostile and criminal act. Well, they would certainly know one when they see one, while Iranian foreign minister Abasiraghi warned that the attack, quote, cannot go unanswered. Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, Iran has become one of Moscow's most important military partners, supplying thousands of Shahad drones, as an example, that Russia has used to bombard Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. More recently, Ukrainian officials have also accused Russia of helping Iran by providing satellite imagery and other targeting intelligence during the current conflict in the Middle East. So from Keeb's perspective, Iranian military logistics are no longer separate from the war in Ukraine. They're part of the same battlefield.

Starting point is 00:02:29 Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has steadily expanded the reach of its long-range campaign, from Crimea to military targets deep inside Russia, to logistics hubs, hundreds of miles from the war. the front. Now, Kiev appears to be treating Iran's military support for Moscow as a legitimate target as well. Whether Iran chooses to retaliate directly against Ukraine remains to be seen, but one thing is becoming increasingly clear. The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are no longer unfolding on separate tracks. Russia and Iran have become strategic partners. Ukraine increasingly views Iran as part of the war effort against it. And now military action in one theater is beginning to spilled directly into the other. And that brings us to the latest developments in the Iran conflict. For now, the pause in U.S. airstrikes against Iran continues, and the White House is expressing

Starting point is 00:03:18 cautious optimism that diplomacy may still have a chance. Speaking with Axios on Monday, President Trump said the U.S. is engaged in what he described as, quote, very deep talks with Iran. He warned, however, that the diplomatic window won't remain open for long, saying that the U.S. will go back to, quote, very strong military action if necessary. Asked how much time he's willing to give those potential negotiations or whatever we're calling them these days, the president's answer was blunt. He said, quote, not much time. Either it goes fast or not at all, end quote.

Starting point is 00:03:51 Now, much of the current diplomatic effort appears to be centered on, again, reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran and neighboring Oman have been holding talks aimed at restoring commercial shipping through the strategic waterway with regional officials telling CBS news that those discussions have shown signs of progress. Now, as has been typical throughout the course of this conflict, if the White House says something positive about the state of any negotiations, you can count on the Iranian regime to disagree, and this time is no different. While President Trump says the U.S. has engaged in very deep talks and direct discussions with Tehran,

Starting point is 00:04:26 Iranian officials insist that that's not the case. Speaking in Tehran on Monday, foreign ministry spokesman, Bakai said Iran is not negotiating directly with Washington. Instead, he said all recent discussions have been conducted exclusively with Oman, and all are focused on establishing what he called, quote, mechanisms from maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Oman has frequently served as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran, carrying messages between the two governments without requiring direct face-to-face negotiations. So it is entirely possible both governments are accurately describing the process from their own perspective.

Starting point is 00:05:04 Still, despite the conflicting public narratives, officials on both sides appear to be signaling the same thing. Neither appears eager to resume fighting if diplomacy can produce results of any kind. And yes, if this all sounds familiar, that's because we've seen this same pattern in this same conflict before. U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Mike Walts said the administration is deliberately giving diplomacy, quote, some space, but added that additional American military assets continue to flow into the region. Walt said, quote, the regime should believe the president when he says they're locked and loaded, end quote.

Starting point is 00:05:40 Coming up next, a new DEA assessment says America's deadly crackdown on maritime drug traffickers isn't slowing the flow of cocaine into the U.S. And Kim Jong-un quietly expands North Korea's global spy network. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, many of you know me as the host of the President's Daily Brief. Well, I hope you know me as the host of the PDB, but I'm also a business owner. I haven't been for years. And I want to take just a moment to talk with all of you business owners out there. Now, you probably already know that small businesses face an uphill battle with big banks, right? We're getting a loan, well, means endless paperwork and delays. But let me tell you about a business out there, working to make life easier for small businesses. I'm talking about Cardiff. Now, for bank rates without the the wait, go to cardiff.co slash PDB for up to $500,000 in funding. Their application takes less than five minutes, has no impact on personal credit, and approvals can happen in minutes with same-day funding. It's the fastest way to get the capital you need to keep your business moving forward.

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Starting point is 00:07:34 before it reaches America's shores. Now, a new report from the Washington Post, citing previously undisclosed DEA assessments and closed-door briefings to Congress, suggest the operation is delivering mixed results. According to Pentagon officials, the campaign has forced trafficking law. organizations to abandon many of their traditional methods. Rather than racing across the open ocean and high-speed go-fast boats, smugglers are increasingly relying on larger commercial vessels, semi-submersibles, aircraft, and coastal routes, where U.S. forces are less likely to engage them. The cartels are spending more money, taking more circuitous routes, and constantly adapting to avoid American forces. So that's disruption, and disruption has value. But according to the DEA's

Starting point is 00:08:21 assessment, those tactical gains don't appear to be translating into the operation's primary strategic objective, and that would be, of course, reducing the amount of cocaine reaching the U.S. The agency found that cocaine prices and purity have remained largely unchanged after an initial disruption during the first few months of the campaign. Early on, traffickers faced higher costs and shortages that briefly pushed prices upward. But over time, they adapted. Today, investigators say cocaine remains widely available, its purity has stayed high, and prices have largely returned to where they were before the military campaign began. The report argues that instead of stopping the flow, the operation has simply redirected it. One DEA official summed it up with a phrase that's

Starting point is 00:09:06 often used in law enforcement, he said, quote, when you squeeze the balloon on one side, it always expands on the other side. In other words, close one smuggling route, and traffickers find another. It's whack-a-mole. In this case, that appears to means shifting toward commercial shipping, moving closer to coastlines, and making greater use of aircraft, departing clandestineirstrips near the Colombian-Venezuelan border. Another challenge is simply the sheer scale of cocaine production. According to the UN, global cocaine manufacturing has reached record levels, with coca cultivation tripling over the past decade, and cocaine production roughly quadrupling. If more cocaine is being produced than ever before,

Starting point is 00:09:47 or, well, disrupting transportation alone clearly is not enough to significantly reduce supply. Even Marine General Francis Donovan, the commander overseeing Operation Southern Spear, acknowledged earlier this year that kinetic strikes are, quote, probably not the most effective tool by themselves. Instead, he described them as one part of a broader effort to impose what he called, quote, systemic friction across the trafficking network. So, you ask yourself, where does that leave us? Well, at the moment, the evidence suggests Operation Southern Spear has succeeded in making life harder for drug traffickers.

Starting point is 00:10:23 It has forced them to spend more, adapt faster, and accept greater risks. But if the primary measure of success is whether less cocaine is reaching American communities, now the DEA's assessment suggests that goal remains elusive. Okay, I want to shift now to North Korea, a state that's long relied on hackers and covert operatives and a limited intelligence network to challenge far more powerful adversaries. But now, Kim Jong-un wants to change that. The North Korean dictator has ordered what state media describes as, quote, radical upgrades to the country's military intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities.

Starting point is 00:11:02 It's the clearest indication yet that Kim Jong-un wants to dramatically expand Pyongyang's ability to gather intelligence overseas, aided by its deepening relationship with Russia. The directive followed what state media described as a rare public meeting focused specifically on North Korea's spy apparatus, a sign that Kim now views intelligence gathering as an increasingly important pillar of his regime. So, why now? Well, despite pulling off several high-profile intelligence operations over the years, North Korea remains surprisingly under-equipped when it comes to gathering intelligence worldwide. as hackers triggered a major U.S. national security crisis after the 2014 cyber attack on Sony Pictures. In 2016, North Korean operatives stole classified U.S.-S.-S.-South Korea military plans. The following year, Pyongyang's intelligence services were blamed for orchestrating the assassination of Kim's half-brother in Malaysia. But those successes have largely masked some major weaknesses.

Starting point is 00:12:03 Unlike the U.S. and other major powers, North Korea lacks an extensive global diplomatic network. work that can quietly collect intelligence overseas. As of last year, Pyongyang maintained just 43 diplomatic posts abroad compared with 271 for the U.S., dramatically limiting the number of officials who can operate under diplomatic cover. And its space-based reconnaissance capabilities are even weaker. North Korea has successfully placed just one military reconnaissance satellite into orbit, leaving it well short of the constellation needed for meaningful global surveillance. Kim now appears determined to close those gaps. State media said the goal is to better monitor potential enemies

Starting point is 00:12:45 and gather the intelligence needed to confront future threats. Last year, Pyongyang even renamed its primary spy agency, adding the word, quote, intelligence to create the General Reconnaissance and Intelligence Bureau. While the move may sound cosmetic, it reflects a broader effort to expand the agency's mission beyond cyber attacks into more traditional espionage, satellite reconnaissance, and covert overseas operations. Cyber operations, however, are still expected to remain at the center of Kim's strategy. Unable to access much of the international financial system because of global sanctions, North Korea increasingly relies on cryptocurrency theft, cybercrime, and hacking operations

Starting point is 00:13:25 to generate revenue for the regime, while simultaneously stealing sensitive government and defense information abroad. As I've discussed many times on the PDB, North Korea's growing partnership with Russia is beginning to pay dividends for Kim's regime. South Korean intelligence says Moscow has begun sharing satellite expertise with Pyongyang as compensation for North Korea's decision to send troops and military support to Russia's war against Ukraine. As that cooperation continues, North Korea could rapidly improve one of the weakest parts of its intelligence apparatus, and that would be space-based Intel collection. Now, fixing North Korea's technical shortcomings is reportedly only part of Kim's plan.

Starting point is 00:14:07 Building a more capable global intelligence service also requires people on the ground. UN investigations have found North Korean hackers operating from countries where Pyongyang maintains diplomatic ties, including Russia and China, highlighting how the regime already uses its foreign relationships to support covert operations. While nothing comparable to the West's Five Eyes alliance, exist today, Russian and North Korean cyber operatives are collaborating on malware and other cyber activities, suggesting that that kind of partnership is becoming increasingly plausible. All right. Coming up in the back of the brief, Europe is facing a wildfire disaster of historic

Starting point is 00:14:47 proportions, with massive blazes driving hundreds of thousands from their homes in France and Spain. More on that when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here, with a pro tip for feeling your best. Now, let me ask you a question. Have you ever finished breakfast or lunch or dinner, but then you find yourself reaching for a snack, an hour or even less later? Well, cravings can take over, even when you're trying to eat healthy. That's exactly why Pendulum Metabolic Daily was designed. Now, you've probably seen all the news about GLP-1s. Here's the thing. Pendulum Metabolic Daily is a science-backed probiotic designed to support your body's natural GLP-1 response, helps you feel fuller longer,

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Starting point is 00:16:48 Money's on the line, of course. Always say hello with Quo, Q-U-O. Try Quo for free, plus to get 20% off your first six months when you go to Quo.com. slash PDB. Once again, that's quo.com slash PDB. In today's back of the brief, I want to highlight the wildfires and burning across Western Europe that until recently, we're more commonly seen in places like the American West or Australia. Massive blaze sweeping across France and Spain have forced more than 300,000 people from their homes, prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to convene a national crisis meeting as authorities' race to contain the largest fire before another surge of extreme

Starting point is 00:17:30 heat threatens to make an already dangerous situation even worse. And if there's one fire driving that sense of urgency, it's the one burning in France's Gironde region. The record-breaking blaze began last Wednesday, after a mix of dry lightning and sparks from a construction site ignited the fire. Since then, it's burned roughly 104,000 acres, and that is an area about four times the size of Paris, and it's forced one of the largest evacuations in modern French history. But here's what makes us fire especially unsettling. It's not behaving like an ordinary wildfire. Instead, firefighters say they're confronting one of the rarest and most dangerous wildfire phenomena on Earth. The blaze has become so intense that it's beginning to create its own weather.

Starting point is 00:18:15 The enormous columns of smoke are generating powerful winds, turbulence, and even whirlwinds that can suddenly push the flames in entirely new directions. In simple terms, the fire is becoming increasingly difficult to predict. Forecasters say how to take. temperatures, lower humidity, and shifting winds could quickly undo the progress that firefighting crews made overnight. Even after officials reported, the situation had remained relatively stable from Sunday into Monday. The French president convened the National Crisis Meeting yesterday, focused on the Girond fire, and the numerous places that Cruz continued to battle elsewhere across the country. While Macron offered no public remarks after the meeting, he sought to

Starting point is 00:18:55 reassure affected communities, writing on X, quote, we will rebuild. we will repair and we will be present for as long as necessary." Across the border in Spain, wildfires around Madrid and in the Valencia region have burned roughly 190,000 acres. Authorities evacuated approximately 79,000 people while ordering another 30,000 residents to remain on standby as firefighters struggle to stay ahead of the advancing flames. In a report from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the Inferno is believed to have been caused by suspected arson, as well as from sparks from machinery, attempting to clear the brush.

Starting point is 00:19:34 And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Tuesday, the 28th of July. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. And finally, I hope you'll take a few minutes at some point to check out our YouTube channel. Oddly enough, it's on YouTube. Just search up at President's Daily Brief. If you like what you see, maybe hit that subscribe button. The entire PDB team, including our above-average interns and the lunch ladies in the PDB cafeteria, very much appreciate your support. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin.

Starting point is 00:20:08 Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool.

The President's Daily Brief - July 28th, 2026: Ukraine Launches Strike On Iranian Ship

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