The President's Daily Brief - June 12th, 2024: Hezbollah Tensions, Azov Arms, & Hunter Guilty

Episode Date: June 12, 2024

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:   We’ll start off today’s show at the border between Israel and Lebanon, where Israeli Defense Forces and Hezbollah continue to trade blows. The United States is now warning Israel against instigating a war on its northern frontier.   Later on, we’ll turn to Ukraine, where a controversial unit within Ukraine’s military has been cleared to receive American weapons and training.   Plus, we’ll take a look at the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua which continues to establish its presence on American soil.   Lastly, in today’s Back of the Brief, some major news for President Biden, as his son Hunter is convicted of all three felonies in his federal gun trial.   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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Start your day off with a delicious cup of Blackout coffee, or if you're, like me, two or three cups. Blackout coffee is a great American business. It's family-owned, premium coffee, fresh-roasted, and shipped out within 48 hours of roasting. It's literally from the roaster to your doorstep in no time at all. Go to blackout coffee.com, promo code PDB for 20% off for your first-time purchase. It's Wednesday, 12 June. 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 off today's

show at the border between Israel and Lebanon, where Israeli defense forces, the IDF and Hezbollah, continue to trade blows. The U.S., meanwhile, continues to warn Israel against instigating a war on its northern frontier. Later on, we'll turn to Ukraine, where a controversial unit within Ukraine's military has been given the green light to receive American weapons and and training. Plus, we'll take a look at the violent Venezuelan gang, Trendinaragua, which continues to establish its presence on American soil. And really, frankly, who knew that there was room for another violent criminal gang? I thought the market was saturated. Finally, in today's back of the brief, President Biden's son Hunter is convicted of all three felonies

in his federal gun trial. This upcoming election in November is chock full of felony convictions, nothing dysfunctional about American politics. But first, today's BDB spotlight. I want to begin in the Middle East, where fighting between Israel and Hezbollah along Israel's northern border with Lebanon is rapidly escalating, raising fears the situation could devolve

into a wider regional war. The Israeli military mounted a massive aerial strike Monday night on what's being described as a significant Hezbollah compound deep inside Lebanese territory in the Balbeck region. That's roughly 80,000. miles from the Israeli border. Officials said they hit a facility operated by Hezbollah's unit 4,400, which reportedly coordinates weapons deliveries for the Iranian-backed militant group, according to a report from the Times of Israel. The strikes also targeted sites in southern Lebanon,

along with a convoy of tankers entering Lebanon from Syria. The strike on the convoy reportedly killed three Hezbollah militants. The operation came after Hezbollah fighters, shot down an Israeli drone with a surface to air missile over South Lebanon on Monday. The group was also launching explosive-laden drones at Northern Israel on Monday, some of which caused local fires. Hezbollah responded to the airstrikes on Tuesday by launching a barrage of 50 rockets at the Golan Heights. Israeli officials said they managed to shoot down several of the rockets, while the rest struck open areas. There were no reported injuries from the attack. As the IDF and Hezbollah continue there back and forth, the U.S. is urging Israel to show restraint warning against instigating a war

on its northern frontier. As we discussed last week on the PDB, tensions have significantly escalated between Israel and Hezbollah over the past two weeks, as both sides strike deeper into each other's territory. Hezbollah has increased their rate of rocket attacks and begun using 1,000 to 2,000-pound warheads, which have caused extensive damage to Israeli military bases along that northern border. Tensions escalated further early last week when a rocket attack by Hezbollah sparked massive wildfires in northern Israel, leading to a public outcry for decisive action against the group. So far, the fighting has resulted in at least 10 civilian deaths for Israel. In Hezbollah, meanwhile, has said at least 337 militants have been killed in the skirmishes.

Amid the fighting, the Biden administration has been quietly pressuring Israel to not launch a limited a defensive or a full-blown conflict against the militants, fearing that it could prompt Iran to intervene in the conflict. Two U.S. officials, who spoke anonymously to Axios, said that in addition to the risk of Iranian involvement, they fear militants from pro-Iranian proxy groups, operating in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, would be eager to join the fight. You know, it's almost like if you want to actually find a path to long-term peace, you've got to figure out how to alter the behavior of the Iranian regime. We've said it before here on the PDB, but trying to create peace in the region by simply dealing individually with the various Iranian proxies is like putting a

band-aid on a sucking chest wound. Last week, amid the public outcry, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel was prepared for large-scale operations along their border with Lebanon to subdue Hezbollah. Last Thursday, Israel's war cabinet met to discuss a situation, with the IDF presenting several military options and including a ground invasion. No decision has been made, however, and obviously a great deal hinges on the fate of the current ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. U.S. officials indicated last week that the only path to a truce between Israel and Hezbollah was to secure a ceasefire deal in Gaza. Hezbollah, for their part, appears to be in no rush, frankly, to de-escalate.

They have vowed to keep up the attacks until the fighting in Gaza, ends, and in a recent statement, Hezbollah's deputy chief claimed that, while they're not seeking a wider conflict, quote, if Israel wants to fight an all-out war, we're ready for it, end quote. All right, coming up after the break, the controversial Azal Brigade in Ukraine, once associated with neo-Nazi ideology, has been cleared by the U.S. government to get its hands on U.S. weapons and equipment. We'll take a look at that decision. Plus, we'll profile the violent Venezuelan gang trend to Aragua as it continues to make inroads in the United States. I'll have those stories when we come back.

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Kharkiv region. The U.S. is also lifting the restriction on allowing members of the brigade to participate in Western military training exercises, and that's according to an exclusive report from the Associated Press. As a reminder, the U.S. had long banned the Azov Brigade from using American weapons, citing the neo-Nazi ideology of some of its founding members. The group has also been accused of committing human rights violations by the group Human Rights Watch, although the Azar Brigade denies the allegations. The Putin regime, however, has seized on these allegations, attempting to frame their war as a fight against Nazi influence in Ukraine. While U.S. law prohibits giving aid to foreign military units suspected of human rights abuses, officials within the State

Department said Tuesday that a comprehensive review found no evidence that the unit has engaged in any such violations of international law. Representatives for the Azav Brigade thanked the U.S. saying, quote, the lies about Azov, which the Kremlin regime has been spreading in the West for years, received a devastating blow today, obtaining Western weapons and training from the U.S. will not only increase the combat ability of Azov, but most importantly, contribute to the preservation of the lives and the health of personnel, end quote. The brigade grew out of the Azov Battalion, a volunteer regiment, formed back in 2014, to fight Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Its founding members were

known for their ultra-nationalist far-right views and affinity for neo-Nazi ideology, although officials have said that the unit has since been reformed and cut ties long ago with extremist elements and far-right movements. After the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the Azov unit was absorbed into Ukraine's National Guard and designated a Special Forces Brigade. The unit's members are wildly popular with the Ukrainian public, particularly after they played a critical role in repelling Russia's siege of Maripole in early 2022. Officials with the Kremlin were not pleased, obviously, at the about-faced by the U.S., labeling the Azov Brigade as a dangerous ultra-nationalist armed unit. Some officials went as far as to accuse the U.S. of sponsoring and

encouraging Nazis. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said, quote, such a sudden change in Washington's position suggests that they will resort to anything in their attempts to suppress Russia. using the Ukrainian people as an instrument in their hands. They're even ready to flirt with neo-Nazis, end quote. The move comes less than two weeks after the Biden administration, along with several European nations, eased restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western-made weapons to strike specific targets inside Russian territory. That, of course, prompted threats of escalation from Putin. Okay, turning our attention to the influx of migrants at our southern border and a deadly street gang that's establishing itself in multiple cities across the nation.

U.S. officials report that Trenta Aragua, a gang originating in Venezuela, is now operating in the U.S. and making its deadly presence felt. Currently, the scale of the gang's operations in the U.S. is unclear. However, crimes attributed to its members are on the rise, and elected officials are concerned about how far their influence stretches. Leading Republican members of Congress are now urging the Biden administration, to classify the gang as a transnational criminal organization in an effort to halt its growth. An FBI special agent in El Paso explained to CNN that the gang follows migration routes across

South America, setting up criminal operations in various countries along the way, and then continues to follow that route north into the U.S. Despite numerous arrests, law enforcement struggles to gauge just how many Trent Aragua members are already in the U.S., but note that their members seem to be popping up all over the place. In Texas alone, law enforcement documents and prosecutors' complaints show that more than 70 cases involve individuals affiliated with Trendo-Ragua, with Customs and Border Patrol identifying at least 58 gang members between the end of fiscal year 2023 and May of this year. According to a CNN report, Venezuelan immigrants in Florida and other states are witnessing similar criminal activities to those they fled from in Venezuela.

The group is also establishing itself up north. Back in February, the PDB reported on the rising crime associated with Venezuelan migrant arrivals in New York City. A significant number of those crimes are believed to be associated with Trenda Aragwa. Just last week, an illegal immigrant who shot two NYPD officers was reported to have tattoos linked to the gang. In April, three suspects were arrested in Louisiana, in association with a Trenda-Ragua sex trafficking operations spanning Texas, Virginia, New Jersey, and Florida. If the allegations prove true, it indicates that the gang is now operating trafficking rings in the U.S., similar to what they operate in South America. Amid the uptick in crime, Republican lawmakers led by Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Representative

Anna Maria Salazar, urged President Biden to designate Dren Delaragua as a transnational criminal organization. The lawmakers warned, quote, if left unchecked, the gang will unleash an unprecedented reign of terror, mirroring the devastation that it's caused in Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru, end quote. All right. Now, a jury in Delaware, and that, of course, is a state in the U.S., and home to the Biden clan, has found Hunter Biden guilty on all three felony charges related to a gun that the president's son purchased back in 2018. We'll have those details in today's back of the brief. I'll be right back. If you're a QuickBooks customer looking to grow your business without the growing pains, you need the Intuit ERP.

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pocket. Start speaking with Babel today. Get up to 55% off your Babel subscription right now at babble.com slash Spotify. Spelled BABB-B-B-E-L.com slash Spotify. Rules and restrictions may apply. In today's back of the brief, well, the verdict's in. After deliberating for all of three hours, a federal jury in Delaware found the president's son, Hunter Biden, guilty on all three felony gun charges. Hunter's charges are tied to his purchase of a Colt Cobra revolver in 2018, where he lied about his drug use on a gun-purchased document. This marks the first instance where a president's close family member has been convicted of a crime while their father holds office. Of course, on the other side of the aisle, former President Trump also joined the ranks of famous convicted felons. It will, of course, be fascinating to see how these dueling convictions play out during the upcoming presidential debate,

and ongoing campaigns. Hunter's conviction makes it somewhat awkward for his father to bang the drum on Trump's conviction, although I suspect that the White House won't completely shy away from it. The case was initiated by Special Counsel David Weiss of the U.S. Department of Justice, who was appointed by former President Trump. Now, mind you, it was only initiated after five years of avoiding the case, and then a failed attempt to grant Hunter immunity. prosecutors presented evidence such as text messages, photos, and bank records, indicating that Hunter was struggling with addiction at the time of purchasing the gun. They alleged that he knowingly violated the law by falsely answering no to being a drug user on a government screening form.

In a statement, Hunter Biden said he was, quote, disappointed by the guilty verdict but grateful for his family's love. President Biden followed with a statement saying, quote, as I said last week, I am the president, but I'm also a dad. So many families who have had loved ones battle addiction understand the feeling of pride, seeing someone you love come out the other side and be so strong and resilient in recovery, end quote. Hunter Biden faces a potential sentence of up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to three quarters of a million dollars. However, since Hunter is a first time offender, he is expected to receive a sentence significantly lower than the maximum.

and word on the street is that he's unlikely to receive any jail time. The judge stated that sentencing is usually scheduled 120 days after a verdict, which would make that fall around mid-October. Hunter Biden's attorney, Abby Loll, indicated that they do plan to appeal. Now, earlier this month, President Biden stated he would not pardon his son upon the trial's verdict. And next up for Hunter, a tax evasion trial on that's scheduled for September. In a bit of an ironic twist, as we finish off this story, the president attended in every town for gun safety event in Washington, D.C., hours after his son's verdict. Biden made no mention of the trial

or the verdict during the appearance. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Wednesday, 12 June. And remember, to listen to the show ad-free, well, it's simple and incredibly and expensive, just become a premium member of the president's daily brief by visiting PDB premium.com. People in the know describe BDB premium as shockingly good value. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back later today with the BDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. Ryan Reynolds here from Mintmobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same premium wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not a just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistants assistants

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