The President's Daily Brief - July 9th, 2026: The Iran Crisis Just Entered A Dangerous New Phase & Trump Backs Kyiv

Episode Date: July 9, 2026

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: First up—the standoff between the United States and Iran enters a dangerous new phase. I'll explain what's changed, why the ceasefire appears to be unraveling, and what options President Trump now has moving forward. Later in the show—President Trump signals a major shift in strategy toward Ukraine, backing long-range strikes deep inside Russia while expanding Kyiv's ability to defend itself by allowing the production of Patriot missile interceptors. Plus—the case against accused Charlie Kirk killer Tyler Robinson moves into its next phase, as prosecutors unveil new DNA evidence during a closely watched preliminary hearing. In today's Back of the Brief—defense experts game out a chilling worst-case scenario: what would happen if a nuclear weapon detonated in space? To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief HomeServe: Protect your home systems from expensive repairs with https://HomeServe.com/dailybriefand get 50% off your first year of coverage. Lean: Get 20% off plus free rush shipping when you go to https://TAKELEAN.com and use code PDB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Thursday, the 9th of July. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. And if you're asking, huh, is Mike still traveling and reporting from parts unknown? Well, the answer is yes, still on the road. All right. Let's get briefed. First up, the U.S. launches another round of strikes against Iran, signaling perhaps something other than the limited retaliatory strikes that we've seen over the past few weeks. I'll have the latest. Later in the show, President Trump is signaling a major change in strategy toward Ukraine, endorsing strikes deep inside Russia and expanding Ukraine's ability to defend itself with Patriot missiles. Plus, the case against accused Charlie Kirk killer Tyler Robinson moves into its next phase. We'll bring you the latest from the preliminary hearing where prosecutors unveiled new DNA evidence. And in today's back of the brief, military experts game out a chilling scenario. A nuclear weapon or weapons detonated in space. But first, today's PDB spotlight. Last night, President Trump followed through on his latest warnings. U.S. Central Command announced

that American forces had launched another round of strikes against Iranian targets, marking the second consecutive day of military operations against the Islamic Republic. According to CENTCOM, the objective is to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping and in the strait of Hormuz, after the Iranian regime allegedly attacked three civilian vessels earlier this week. In other words, Washington may be moving beyond the one-off retaliatory strikes and toward a broader campaign to secure the strait. Now, before we get into what that could mean, let's quickly recap where things stand. Yesterday, the U.S. launched a wave of precision strikes against Iranian military infrastructure after Tehran allegedly attacked three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of

Hormuz, violating, of course, one of the central provisions of that June ceasefire or memorandum of understanding or whatever we're calling it. The operation targeted Iranian air defense systems, coastal radar sites, surveillance positions, anti-ship missile batteries, drone launch sites, and dozens of fast attack boats operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC. At the same time, the Trump administration revoked the sanctions waiver that had recently allowed Iran to openly export crude oil under the terms of the interim agreement, effectively restoring Washington's economic pressure campaign. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones toward American military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait. Both countries reported intercepting those incoming weapons before they reached their targets, and there have been no reports of casualties. According to Iranian state media, eight members of Iran's air and naval forces were killed in Tuesday's American strikes on Bandar Abbas and Boucher.

It's the first military deaths that Iran has acknowledged from U.S. attacks since that June MOA took effect. Now, the fighting has intensified once again. On Wednesday, U.S. Central Command announced that additional strikes were underway, saying American forces were acting at President Trump's direction to further degrade Iran's ability. to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media soon reported explosions across several locations in southern Iran, including near Banda Rabas and further east along the Gulf of Oman. Officials offered conflicting accounts regarding the extent of the strikes, but reports described explosions near the Strait of Hormuz and increased activity by Iranian air defenses.

Meanwhile, the political fallout continues to deepen. Inside Iran, hardline voices are becoming increasingly vocal. Media outlets closely aligned with the IRGC are now calling on Tehran to formally abandon the agreement with Washington. One editorial argued that Iran should announce the official end of both the interim understanding and any future negotiations. Another urged Iranian leaders to simply, quote, burn the agreement. Now, those editorials don't represent official government policy, but they underscore the growing pressure on Iran's leadership to respond with force rather than diplomacy. Not everyone, however, is ready to give up on negotiations. Pakistan, which helped mediate talks between Washington and

Tehran, issued a statement on Wednesday urging all sides to exercise restraint and insisting that continued dialogue remains the only path toward lasting regional stability. Well, you know what? You could also argue the only path toward lasting regional stability would require the removal of the Iranian regime and the IRGC. President Trump, meanwhile, has sent mixed signals of his own. On the one hand, he dismissed Iran's leadership as, quote, scum, and said, quote, for me, I think it's over, one asked about the future of the agreement. On the other hand, he stopped short of formally ending negotiations, saying his representatives

could continue talking if they wished. However, Trump did dramatically expand the range of military options he's publicly discussing. The president warned that the U.S. would, quote, hit them hard again if necessary. He suggested American forces could destroy additional infrastructure, including bridges and desalination plans. He also raised the possibility of restoring the naval blockade that had been lifted under last month's agreement. Trump acknowledged that Iran would likely respond by attempting to mine the Strait of Homoos, but argued that U.S. forces are already targeting the IRC's fleet of fast attack boats that would be used to carry out such an operation. Perhaps most strikingly, the president floated the possibility

of taking control of Karga Island, Iran's most important oil export terminal. Whether that was a serious military proposal or simply an effort to increase pressure on Tehran is impossible to know. But even mentioning the possibility signals how dramatically the conversation is shifted over the past 48 hours. So, you ask yourself, where do things go from here? Well, that's a fun. question. The Trump administration now appears to have several paths available. The first would be to continue the current campaign, using precision strikes to systematically reduce Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. A second option would be to fully restore the administration's maximum pressure campaign by keeping the oil waiver revoked,

reimposing the naval blockade, and using America's growing military presence in the Gulf to enforce freedom of navigation. A third, and admittedly more dangerous path, would involve expanding military operations beyond maritime targets and towards systematically degrading Iran's broader military infrastructure and its ability to export oil. And while it may sound increasingly unlikely after today's developments, a fourth option technically remains on the table, continuing negotiations while using the credible threat of overwhelming military force to pressure Tehran and to accepting a broader agreement. Yeah, that sounds likely. That option, one could argue, has gotten the U.S. nowhere. For now, the most important fact isn't which option President Trump ultimately chooses.

It's that the U.S. has positioned itself to pursue any of them. With two carrier strike groups, an amphibious ready group, roughly two dozen naval vessels, and approximately 20,000 sailors and Marines now operating across the region, Washington has assembled a military force capable of supporting everything from a sustained maritime security campaign to a much broader military operation. All right, coming up next, President Trump dramatically shifts course on Ukraine while prosecutors unveil new DNA evidence in the Charlie Kirk murder case. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here with an important message for homeowners. Now, think about the last time one of your home systems or appliances failed, right?

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For 50% less on your first year, go to homeserve.com slash daily brief to find the plan that's right for you. That's homeserve.com slash daily brief for 50% less. Savings are compared to renewal price void in Florida. Welcome back to the PDB. For the better part of a year, President Trump has sought to end the war in Ukraine by bringing both sides to the negotiating table. Now, after weeks of escalating Russian missile attacks and little sign of movement from the Kremlin, the White House appears to be losing patience with Vladimir Putin and embracing a very different strategy.

helping Ukraine take the fight deeper into Russia. President Trump met Wednesday with Ukrainian President Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, in what was easily the warmest public meeting between the two leaders since Trump returned to office. Gone was the sharp criticism that Trump has frequently leveled against Zelensky. In its place were words of praise for Ukraine's battlefield resilience, new promises of military cooperation,

and what may prove to be one of the most consequential, shifts in the administration's approach to the war. Most notably, Trump publicly endorsed long-range Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory. Asked about Keev's expanding campaign against Russian military and energy infrastructure, Trump acknowledged the attacks represented an escalation, but suggested that they may be exactly the kind of pressure needed to bring Putin back to the negotiating table in a serious, meaningful way. Trump told reporters, quote, it's an escalation, but it's also an escalation that could help lead to an end, end quote. It marks a significant turnaround for Trump,

who's previously been cautious about offering such direct public support for offensive attacks inside Russia. As we've been tracking on the PDB, Ukraine has spent months expanding its long-range drone campaign against Russian oil refineries, logistics hubs, air defense systems, and military facilities far beyond the front lines. The apparent goal is to make the costs of the war increasingly difficult, for the Kremlin to ignore by bringing the conflict closer to home. But until now, the Trump administration had focused largely on diplomacy,

with the president repeatedly emphasizing his conversations with Putin and his desire to negotiate an end to the conflict. Now, to be sure, those conversations are continuing. With Trump saying Wednesday, he planned to speak with Putin again later in the day following their 90-minute call over the July 4th weekend. But his comments at the NATO summit suggest the White House, may finally have reached the conclusion that diplomacy alone is unlikely to change Moscow's calculus. Instead, the administration appears increasingly willing to help Ukraine strengthen its leverage

before any future negotiations take place. And that shift extends beyond rhetoric supporting long-range strikes. Trump announced that the U.S. would grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors, and that's a significant development, as Russia intensifies its ballistic missile campaign, against Ukrainian cities. And the timing is difficult to ignore. Russia has launched repeated large-scale missile and drone attacks against Kiev in recent days, exploiting Ukraine's critical shortage of Patriot interceptors. A bombardment on Monday killed 22 people with Kiev, unable to intercept any of the 23 ballistic missiles fired by Russian forces. Another attack occurred Wednesday, and Ukrainian officials

again said they were unable to intercept the five ballistic missiles fired by Moscow. even though the country's air defenses successfully destroyed nearly 140 drones. Now, allowing Ukraine to produce Patriot Interceptors domestically, well, that wouldn't solve the problem overnight. Standing up production could take months, if not years, and Trump offered few details about how the arrangement would work. Still, the announcement signals a willingness to help Ukraine build a more sustainable air defense capability as the war enters another difficult phase. In the meantime, Trump said the U.S. may send, quote, some additional patriot interceptors immediately, but did not elaborate. Additional assistance is reportedly also under consideration.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Ukraine is seeking expanded access to Starlink satellite communications over Russian territory. That's a capability that could dramatically improve the precision of long-range drone strikes against military targets and ballistic missile launch sites deep inside Russia. While the White House has not confirmed whether such access will be granted, Wednesday's talks suggest that Trump is more than willing to expand Ukraine's ability to take the fight inside Russia's borders. That doesn't necessarily mean that the administration has abandoned diplomacy. If anything, it suggests the White House is simply recalibrating its approach, concluding that additional military pressure on Russia may be the best way to create the conditions

for meaningful negotiations. Okay, I want to shift now to the U.S., to the case against the man accused of assassinating conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk. Nearly 10 months after the fatal shooting, prosecutors are beginning to publicly unveil what they say is a mounting body of evidence. The evidence is being presented in Utah's fourth district court in Provo as part of a preliminary hearing that will determine whether prosecutors have shown enough for the case to proceed to trial against the suspected assassin, 23-year-old, Tyler Robinson. So here's what's coming out of the hearing so far. Perhaps the biggest development to emerge from the hearing involved what prosecutors argue is one of the strongest pieces of physical evidence in the case. DNA, that they say, ties Robinson to his grandfather's 30-odd-6 caliber Mouser model 98 bolt-action rifle used in the assassination. Two forensic experts, one from the Utah Crime Lab and another from the FBI,

testified that DNA, believed to belong to Robinson, was recovered from a towel, that investigators say was used to wrap the rifle after the shooting, and also from a screwdriver recovered on the rooftop where the sniper was, which prosecutors believe was the sniper's position again. Investigators also processed DNA recovered from the rifle itself. But Robinson wasn't the only person whose DNA allegedly turned up. Experts testified that a second DNA profile matched Robinson's roommate and romantic partner, Lance Twigs, with what they described as a high degree of probability.

Now, Twigs has not been accused of any crime, and authorities say they believe Robinson did act alone. That evidence by itself doesn't determine Robinson's guilt, but prosecutors argue it's one piece of a much larger puzzle that they're beginning to assemble in court. Prosecutors also say Robinson admitted to shooting Kirk in text messages after the attack and left behind a handwritten note outlining his plans before allegedly wrapping the rifle in a towel and abandoning it in a wooded area near the Utah Valley University campus. They also unveiled new surveillance footage, tracing Robinson's movements throughout the day of the assassination. Investigators say Robinson arrived at Utah Valley University around 8.30 on the morning of the 10th of September last year. According to testimony, he walked around campus, even interacting with members of Turning Point USA, and later returned to buy food from Chick-fil-A roughly two hours before this shooting. But prosecutors say Robinson never left the area. Instead, they argue he remained near campus

for hours before fatally shooting Kirk with a single rifle round as a conservative commentator answered a question from the audience. And investigators say what happened immediately afterward may be just as important. Seconds after the gunfire, surveillance video allegedly shows Robinson sprinting across a roof the prosecutors say the shot was fired from before climbing down onto the grass and leaving campus carrying an object. Those all could be clues. The latest evidence presented in court suggests Robinson wasn't finished after leaving campus. Hours later, while hundreds of officers were searching across Utah for Kirk's unidentified killer, Robinson allegedly encountered a police officer near the university. That interaction lasted only moments. Authorities have yet to explain exactly

what prompted the officer's encounter or Robinson's reason for being in the area near campus, but it was enough for the officer to write down Robinson's license plate number. Only later, after Robinson surrendered roughly 34 hours after the shooting, when his parents recognized him in photographs released by investigators and persuaded him to turn himself in, only later did police realize they had unknowingly spoken with the man that they'd been searching for. So, how is Robinson's defense team responding? Well, not by disputing every piece of the prosecution's timeline.

Instead, defense attorneys spent much of the hearing trying to poke holes in the DNA evidence. They pressed FBI DNA examiner Amanda Bacher about potential testing errors, questioned the degradation of the samples, and emphasized that the report stopped short of making what they described as a, quote, absolute identification of Robinson. But prosecutors are pushing back. They argued that the defense's questioning stretched well beyond the purpose of a probable cause hearing, reminding the court that his proceeding is not about determining Robinson's guilt or innocence. The only question before the judge is whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence for the case to move forward. If the judge finds that the evidence is sufficient, Robinson will stand trial on aggravated murder and other charges in a case where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. All right. Coming up in the back of the brief, a new war game examines the consequences of a nuclear blast in space. More on that when we come back.

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for the casual dieter with only a few pounds to lose. The doctors at Brickhouse Nutrition created lean for frustrated dieters with 10 or more pounds to lose. Let's get you started with 20% off and free rush shipping so you can add lean to your healthy diet and exercise plan. Visit takeleen.com and enter PDB for your discount. Once again, that's promo code PDB at takelein.com. In today's back of the brief, I want to talk about how the next war may not begin with missile-striking cities. Instead, it may begin hundreds of miles above the earth with the detonation of a nuclear weapon in space. Because space, you know, the final frontier, as well as cyberspace, is where the next major global conflict will likely play out.

Now, that's the scenario. A group of defense, intelligence, and arms control experts recently gathered in Washington to confront during a national security tabletop. exercise that, frankly, reads more like a Tom Clancy novel. But it's a scenario that defense officials worry could one day become reality. Unlike a nuclear strike on a city, a nuclear explosion in space wouldn't destroy a city or kill people. Instead, it unleashes a massive electromagnetic pulse and intense radiation, capable of crippling large portions of the satellite networks that modern militaries and everyday civilians depend on. That was exactly the crisis that participants were forced to navigate. In the simulation, American satellites began failing almost immediately as fighting simultaneously kicked off in Europe and Asia. Participants suddenly face the same questions

that real world leaders could be forced to answer within minutes. Who launched the attack? Could it be attributed quickly enough to respond? How fast could the U.S. replaced disabled satellites? And could world leaders prevent the crisis from escalating into an exchange of ICBMs? And again, while this whole scenario may sound futuristic, the concept itself isn't. During the Cold War, the U.S. conducted the Starfish Prime exercise, detonating a nuclear device high above the Pacific and demonstrating that a nuclear explosion in space could produce powerful electromagnetic effects capable of disrupting satellites and electrical systems. Now, this latest exercise scenario was organized by fuse. That's a fusion energy company that says preparing for future conflicts in space has become

part of its broader national security mission. Founder and CEO, J.C. Batesh, says that's part of the problem. He told Axios in an exclusive interview, quote, when people think nuclear weapon, they think Hiroshima or Nagasaki and think, oh, that's never going to happen in this world again. But a nuclear detonation in space presents an entirely different kind of threat. Much of the modern world, of course, depends on satellites operating overhead, lose enough of them, and the consequences would extend far beyond the battlefield. At the center of the exercise was a concept known as radiation hardening. That's the process of designing satellites and other electronic systems

to withstand the intense radiation from a nuclear explosion in space. Now, participants ran two versions of the same crisis. In the first, American satellites lacked sufficient radiation protection and critical space infrastructure quickly failed. And the second, better-hardened systems remained operational. The difference organizer said was stark. Boutaich said, quote, with space being more proliferated, the need for radiation hardening is going to be super critical.

For Fuse, that was the entire point. Back in April, Fuse announced a new radiation testing facility in New Mexico, designed to help government agencies, defense programs, and commercial companies test how their systems would perform under such attacks. The exercise also reflects a concern that's been steadily growing inside defense circles. Military planners increasingly view space as an active battlefield rather than simply a support domain, while Russia has been accused in recent years of pursuing a nuclear anti-satellite capability designed to target and destroy satellites.

The old argument in the early days of space exploration was that space must never be weaponized. It should be a shared resource for the good of mankind. Well, too late. Elvis has left the building. space has been weaponized for decades. And on that cheery note, that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Thursday, the 9th of July. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. And I hope you'll take a couple minutes out of your busy day to check out our YouTube channel.

Just wander on over to YouTube, oddly enough, and search up at President's Daily Brief. If you like what you see, I hope you'll hit that subscribe button. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later. day, still from the road, with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool.