The President's Daily Brief - July 29th, 2024: Hezbollah Tragedy, Putin’s Cold War Warning, & Trump Defends Agents

Episode Date: July 29, 2024

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:   Diplomats are racing to prevent a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah following a weekend of violence that claimed the lives of a dozen children and young people due to an Iranian-made drone strike. We’ll have the latest updates. Vladimir Putin issues a warning to the United States against deploying long-range missiles in Germany, cautioning that such a move could trigger a Cold War-style missile crisis. A major announcement from Washington and Tokyo: The U.S. will overhaul its military forces in Japan to strengthen defense cooperation, modernizing their alliance as security threats rise in Asia. In today’s Back of the Brief, the Secret Service faces ongoing criticism after the failed assassination attempt on former President Trump. However, Trump is defending them, praising the men and women who rushed to protect him on July 13th.   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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and shipped out within 48 hours of roasting. Go to blackout coffee.com, promo code PDB, for 20% off your first-time purchase. It's Monday, 29 July. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. diplomats are racing to prevent a full-scale war between Israel and Hasbullah in Lebanon, following a weekend of violence. They claim the lives of a dozen children and young people due to an Iranian-made rocket strike. We'll have the latest updates. Later in the show, Vladimir Putin issues a warning to the United States.

Really another warning against deploying long-range missiles in Germany, cautioning that such a move could trigger a Cold War state. missile crisis. Plus, a major announcement from Washington and Tokyo, the U.S. will overhaul its military forces in Japan to strengthen defense cooperation, modernizing their alliance as security threats rise in Asia. And in today's back of the brief, the Secret Service faces ongoing criticism after the failed assassination attempt on former President Trump. However, Trump is defending them, meeting the Secret Service agents, praising the men and women who rushed in to protect him on July 13th. But first, today's PDB spotlight.

U.S. and Middle East diplomats are scrambling to prevent the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah from descending into a full-scale war after what has been a weekend of bloodshed. The violence erupted just before sunset on Saturday when a rocket strike from southern Lebanon hit a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, killing at least 12 Drew's children and teens. 40 others were wounded in the attack. The victims were part of Israel's Druze community, a minority group, historically caught in the crossfire of regional conflicts. According to the Israeli military, this was the single largest civilian casualty event in Israel since the 7th of October. In an unusual move, Hasbola has categorically denied responsibility for the attack.

However, the strike was reportedly carried out using an Iranian-made Phelak-1 rocket, which isn't found in the arsenals of any other regional players. The rocket has a range of around six miles and carries a 110-pound warhead. So, let's see. Let's just look at this, shall we? An Iranian-made rocket fired from inside Lebanon, home to the Iranian-based Hezbollah, that has fired countless rockets into Israel since 7 October. if only we had a clue as to who was responsible. U.S. intelligence officials told CBS news that they have no doubts that Hezbollah was behind the attack, but it's unclear whether the militant group intended to target the soccer field or if it was a misfire.

On Sunday, Israel's military retaliated with a series of airstrikes against Hezbollah targets deep within Lebanon. According to Israeli sources, the targets included weapons, cash and terrorist infrastructure. Israeli officials are warning that this latest assault by the terror group could ignite a broader conflict. Foreign Minister Israel Katz told the media, quote, There is no doubt that Hezbollah has crossed all the red lines here, and the response will reflect that we are nearing the moment in which we face an all-out war, end quote. According to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. officials have reached out to their counterparts in Israel and Lebanon

and exchanged messages with Iran, which backs Hezbollah in an effort to de-escalate the tensions. Really? U.S. officials have exchanged messages with the Iranian regime over this? What, diplomatic memos? Harsh entreaties? Maybe a strongly worded missive? I'm sure that will alter the IRGC's strategy. Arab and European officials familiar with the matter say that while all sides have indicated they aren't interested in widening the conflict, there the chances of a miscalculation remain high. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinkett told reporters that while Israel has the right to defend itself, of course, it is important to prevent the situation from escalating further, given its impact on people on both sides of the border. Since early October, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed

more than 450 people, mostly Hezbollah members, but also around 90 civilians and non-combatants. On the Israeli side, 44 have been killed, at least 21 of them soldiers, and some 80,000 Israelis living along the Lebanon border, have been displaced. All right, coming up to the United States. All right, coming up next, Vladimir Putin warns the U.S. that deploying long-range missiles in Germany could trigger a Cold War-style missile crisis. Plus, a major announcement from Washington and Tokyo, the U.S. will revamp its military forces in Japan to strengthen their defense alliance in response to increasing security threats in Asia. We'll have those stories when we come back.

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Just tell the manager you'll sue. Instant room upgrade. Stop taking bad travel. travel advice. Start comparing hundreds of sites with kayak and get your trip right. Kayak, got that right. Welcome back to the PDB. Shifting focus, we move over to Europe, where in a move reminiscent of the Cold War, Russian President Putin has issued a stark warning to the U.S. over its planned deployment of long-range missiles in Germany by the year 26. In response, Russia threatens to restart the production of intermediate-range nuclear weapons coinciding with the

with his regime's returned naval presence in Cuba. As we reported previously on the PDB, the U.S. announced on 10 July that Washington would begin deploying long-range missile capabilities in Germany as a demonstration of its commitment to NATO and European defense. These deployments are part of a broader strategy to enhance military readiness in Europe, including the stationing of advanced weaponry,

such as SM6 and Tomahawk cruise missiles, as well as developmental hypersonic weapons. Speaking in St. Petersburg to mark Russian Navy Day on Sunday, Putin addressed sailors from Russia, China, Algeria, and India, warning that the U.S.'s actions could lead to a renewed missile crisis. Putin underscored the flight time of U.S. missiles to Russian targets could be as short as 10 minutes, which poses a significant threat, especially, of course, if they're equipped with nuclear warheads. In response, Putin stated that Russia was would take, quote, mirror measures to counteract the U.S. deployments and could resume the production

of intermediate and shorter-range nuclear-capable missiles. The Putin regime has cautioned that the proposed U.S. missile deployment in Germany would make European capitals targets for Russian missiles, signaling a steady return to Cold War-like conditions. Now, Kremlin spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, always keen to rattle Putin's saber, emphasize that all attributes of the Cold War, including direct confrontation, are re-emerging. Hmm. Diplomats from both nations agree that relations are at their lowest point since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

Putin criticized the U.S. for stoking tensions, really? The U.S. for stoking tensions? I don't know if he's just completely forgotten that he invaded Ukraine. And he drew parallels between the current situation and the 1979 NATO decision to deploy Pershing two missiles in Western Europe, which had similarly alarmed a Soviet Union. Despite calls for de-escalation, both nations continue actions perceived as escalatory, including Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Last week, Russia and China conducted a joint patrol over the North Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea near Alaska, marking the first such operation involving bombers from both nations from Russia and China in the region.

The U.S. and Canada intercepted the bombers, which remained in international airspace and were not considered a threat, but Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski called it a, quote, unprecedented provocation. Meanwhile, in more Putin adventurism, three Russian warships arrived in Cuban waters on Saturday. It's becoming a regular port of call, marking Moscow's second such maritime voyage to the island nation in as many months. The naval group consisting of a training ship, patrol free it, and refueling tanker, is currently docked at Havana's port and reportedly will remain there until 30 July. Cuban defense officials heralded the latest visit as, quote, historical practice and an example of, quote, friendship and collaboration. The naval flotilla, when it was the last time you heard anybody say flotilla, greeted with a cannon salute, and they've captured the public's interest with authorities cynically offering token access to one of the ships,

and frankly nothing signals friendship and collaboration like a cannon salute from a Russian flotilla. Okay, moving on. The U.S. will overhaul its military forces in Japan as the two countries move to deepened defense cooperation via a joint force headquarters. Now, this decision marks a significant modernization of the two countries' defense alliance in response to growing security threats in Asia. The increasing geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region are, in large part, due to North Korea's missile tests and nuclear ambitions, China's territorial claims, and Russia's unlawful arms transfers with Pyongyang. The U.S.-Japan alliance has been a cornerstone of regional security since just after World War II, and we'll see its most significant update in 70 years.

U.N. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, and their Japanese counterparts announced the plan after a meeting in Tokyo. U.S. forces in Japan will be restructured into a joint force headquarters to be led by a three-star U.S. officer. Now, this new structure will serve as a counterpart to Japan's self-defense forces join operations command to enhance cooperation in the existing relationship. And reportedly, there's no intention of integrating Japanese forces into U.S. commands. Discussions also focused on enhancing the bilateral presence in Japan's southwest islands, as well as increasing cooperation in cybersecurity, intelligence, cross-domain operations,

and defense industrial efforts. The two nations explored co-production opportunities for advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and Patriot Advanced Capability Three missiles. This change aims to enhance the interoperability during peacetime and crises. Blinkin stated that the long-standing alliance is, quote, stronger than it's ever been. The announcement follows an April summit between President Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishita, during which they vowed to strengthen their command and control framework to address what they termed, quote, the greatest strategic challenge regionally.

However, this cooperation could provoke a reaction, of course, from Beijing, which views U.S. alliances in the region as fostering a Cold War-style block mentality. It looks like everybody's hearkening back to the Cold War days. This reconfiguration coincides with Japan's shift in its defense posture. They've increased their defense spending and acquired counter-strike capabilities. The U.S. Secretary of Defense deemed the meeting successful, reaffirming the U.S.'s commitment to defending Japan with the full range of its capabilities, including nuclear. All right. Coming up in the back of the brief, just days after the head of the Secret Service resigned in disgrace,

former President Trump is coming to the defense of his personal protection. detective detail, defending them from what he's calling, quote, fake news. I'll be right back. In today's back of the brief, former President Trump praised the female secret service agent who shielded him during the assassination attempt on 13 July, emphasizing her bravery, despite online criticisms. Speaking in a rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, on Saturday, Trump recounted the harrowing event in Butler, Pennsylvania when 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire, resulting in Trump's ear being grazed and the death of a rally attendee and serious injury to two others. The former president lauded the bravery of the Secret Service agents, particularly the

unidentified female agent who took considerable risks to protect him. Trump described her actions as, quote, so brave and said that she was shielding me with everything she could, noting that she was criticized for her height by the fake news. The female agent faced harsh criticism on social, media. Tech mogul, Elon Musk, commented that she seemed too short to effectively shield Trump. Other online commentators, including Dinesh DeSouza, criticized the presence of female agents in the Secret Service, suggesting it was a result of diversity initiatives. Video footage from the rally shows a female agent and male agents closely protecting Trump. She was also seen assisting Trump into a nearby car after the attack. Now, Trump said at his recent rally that the female agent,

quote, wanted to take a bullet for him during the attempted assassination. Now, look, I know this is semantics, but wanted to, that's strong. Perhaps, I believe, it's more accurate to say, willing to. The Secret Service is facing fierce scrutiny after the security breach, and frankly, rightly so. This led to the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatel, who took full responsibility for the lapse. I mean, eventually, she took full responsibility. She actually initially vacillated between the buck stops with her and the statement that she believed she was the best person to lead the Secret Service. As it turns out, those two beliefs proved incompatible. The House Homeland Security Committee has launched an investigation, of course, into the incident,

and the Secret Service and FBI are working on internal investigations as well to understand the security breakdowns. Authorities have yet to disclose a motive for Crook's actions, but the incident has prompted bipartisan outrage over the Secret Service's security measures for the former president. Look, I think it's very good to see former President Trump praising the actions of his protective detail who rushed to cover him and move him to safety. They absolutely performed with courage and decisiveness.

Where the Secret Service failed, where the breakdowns were, were in the planning, the site survey, resource deployment, command and control, and communications. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Monday, 29 July. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. Now, to listen to the show ad-free, and I've become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief

by simply visiting PDB Premium.com. And remember, the PDB is available on all podcast platforms, as well as our YouTube channel at Presidents' Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool.