The President's Daily Brief - June 24th, 2025: Has Iran’s Enriched Uranium Gone Missing? & Terror Warning Across The United States

Episode Date: June 24, 2025

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: We begin with Iran’s limited retaliation against the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, and what it signals about Tehran’s next move. Then—where is Iran’s enriched uranium? Inspectors are in the dark, and that has major nuclear implications. Homeland Security issues a new terrorism advisory warning of a heightened threat environment inside the United States following the U.S. strikes on Iran. Plus, 25 people are killed in a suicide bombing at a church in Damascus—one of Syria’s deadliest attacks in recent months. And in today’s Back of the Brief—NATO leaders prepare for a major summit that could either unify the alliance or lay bare its divisions. 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. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief True Classic: Upgrade your wardrobe and save on @trueclassic at https://trueclassic.com/PDB #trueclassicpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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turn your big business idea into... Sign up for your $1 per month trial at Shopify.com slash special offer. It's Tuesday, the 24th, of June. 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. We begin with the latest big news out of the Middle East. It looks like the war between Iran and Israel may be winding down, with President Trump announcing a ceasefire yesterday evening. But aside from whether the ceasefire will take place and take hold, another major question with massive implications is now being asked.

Where exactly is Iran's enriched uranium? Later in the show, regardless of the late-breaking news of a potential ceasefire, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, DHS, has issued a new terrorism bulletin, warning of a heightened threat environment in the U.S., following the strikes on Iran. Plus, chaos in Syria. 25 people killed in a suicide bombing at a war. a church in Damascus. It's one of the deadliest attacks that the capital has seen in months. And in the back of the brief, NATO leaders gather for a high-stakes summit that could either

strengthen the alliance or expose potential cracks. We'll preview what's on the table. But first, the PDB spotlight. The ceasefire between Israel and Iran was announced by President Trump on Monday evening, supposedly bringing an end to what Trump is calling the 12-day war. Under the terms of the agreement, Iran initiates the ceasefire first, followed by Israel 12 hours later. As of recording the PDB, there was some question as to whether the Iranian regime had in fact fully agreed to the ceasefire. Some Iranian sources were saying yes, it's confirmed, while others were reportedly saying no. But in a statement, President Trump congratulated both countries for what he described as their, quote, stamina, courage, and intelligence, and framed the outcome as a narrowly averted regional catastrophe.

As he put it, this could have been a war that dragged on for years and destroyed the Middle East. But it didn't. He ended his remarks with a string of blessings for Israel, Iran, the Middle East, the U.S., and, yes, the entire world. The ceasefire announcement from Trump came just hours after Iran's largely symbolic strike on allayed airbase in Qatar. The president made it clear there won't be any U.S. retaliation. In a statement, he described Iran's response as, quote, very weak, noting that 14 missiles were fired, 13 were intercepted, and one was, quote, set free because it posed no threat. No Americans were harmed, and there was reportedly minimal damage.

He even thanked Iran for the early warning and ended with his trademark, Thank you for your attention to this matter. Now, just how weak was that response from Iran? Well, one indicator, oil futures actually dropped. The markets, like the rest of us, saw it for what it likely was, Iran looking to take the offering. But whether the ceasefire holds or not, there's another major issue waiting for clarification, and that brings us to today's PDB spotlight. And one of the biggest lingering questions of this whole ordeal. What's the status of the Islamic regime's near weapons-grade stockpile of enriched uranium. Well, President Trump declared that this past weekend strikes, quote,

completely and totally obliterated Iran's nuclear sites, calling the operation a, quote, spectacular military success. On Monday, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt reiterated the administration's high confidence that sites were still storing most of the Mullah's stockpiles of highly enriched uranium when they were hit, saying that the president would not have. have greenlit the operation if their intelligence wasn't airtight. It's worth noting, however, that an initial analysis by the Israeli military concluded that while the Fordosite sustained serious damage, it had not been completely destroyed.

That's according to a report from the New York Times. We should also mention that Tefran's state-run news agency claimed on Sunday, for what that's worth, citing unnamed Iranian officials, that enriched uranium stored at the Fordose site, had been moved to an undisclosed location prior to the American strikes. Now, while we, obviously, shouldn't take any statements coming out of the Islamic regime at face value, an analyst with Israel's Began-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies told a Jewish new syndicate that he found the claims credible. Speaking with JNS, the security analyst said, quote, the strike on the nuclear sites was effective in taking out the centrifuges for the production

of enriched uranium. but Iran already has hundreds of kilos of enriched uranium, and it's entirely likely that they dispersed it, end quote. As a reminder, according to a report from the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency in May, the Islamic regime had amassed some 900 pounds of 60% enriched uranium. The stockpile could be converted to weapons grade levels in a relatively short period of time, but only if Iran still has the necessary equipment to turn that fuel into operative weapons. Two Israeli officials told the New York Times that they had intelligence suggesting Iran had moved equipment and uranium from the Ford O's site and the days leading up to the strikes.

According to the Times, a significant amount of Iran's stockpiles may have also been moved from the Isfahan's facility in recent days. Separately, Rafael Grosie, the head of the UN's nuclear-wide. Watchdog said Sunday that his agency could not account for Iran's nuclear material, as the facilities were last inspected by his teams a week before Israel began their military operations. Grossi said he thinks the Iranians moved the uranium, saying, quote, Iran has made no secret that they have protected this material, end quote. Hmm, well, that again is if you take the Iranian regime at face value. Adding to the speculation, satellite images released by U.S. defense

contractor MaxR Technologies showed 16 cargo trucks lined up outside the tunnel entrance to Fordo on Thursday and Friday. They appeared to move unidentified contents roughly half a mile away over a period of 24 hours, though it's unclear what was removed from the facility. But according to a New York Post report, U.S. and Israeli intelligence officials were well aware of the activity, but opted not to act so they could track where the cargo trucks were heading. This suggests that any movement of enriched uranium was factored in to the U.S. military strikes that unfolded Saturday evening. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC's meet the press on Sunday that he doubts the Iranians

were able to successfully move equipment or enriched materials prior to the strikes, but acknowledged that, quote, No one will know for sure for days. He added that intelligence indicated most of Iran's uranium stockpile was still being stored at the Isfahan facility when the U.S. carried out its strikes. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was asked about the status of the enriched uranium in a press conference on Sunday. For obvious reasons, Netanyahu avoided specifics, but cryptically said, quote, we have interesting intel on that, end quote.

Given that U.S. and Israeli intelligence would have prioritized identifying and tracking any movement near Iran's nuclear facilities prior to the strikes, well, it's unlikely the regime could have covertly hidden their uranium stockpiles. As for their ability to develop a bomb, Mick Mulroy, a former CIA officer and Pentagon official during Trump's first term, assessed that the U.S. strikes quote, likely set back the Iranian nuclear weapons program two to five years, end quote. Specific details on the current state of the three targeted facilities will have to wait until either the U.S. or Israel decides to release their official damage assessments. Until then, well, pundits, politicians on both sides of the aisle, media and social media armchair quarterbacks, will simply be speculating as to the overall success of the U.S. strikes.

All right, coming up next, Homeland Security, warns of a heightened terror threat at home, despite the news of a likely ceasefire. And a deadly church bombing shakes serious capital. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, as you know, I'm known far and wide, frankly, as a real fashion icon. Oh, that's true. So let me give you the benefit of my extensive style knowledge

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Welcome back to the PDB. Although the war between Israel and Iran is reportedly over, at least for now, the National Terrorism Advisory System has issued a bulletin, warning of a, quote, heightened threat environment in the U.S., following President Trump's military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. The advisory stops short of citing, any specific or imminent threats, but it flags an increased risk of cyber attacks and retaliatory violence tied to the conflict between Israel and Iran. DHS Secretary Christy Noam underscored the warning

in a statement saying, quote, it's our duty to keep the nation safe and informed, especially during times of conflict, end quote. She warned that the war between Israel and Iran had raised quote the possibility of increased threat to the homeland in the form of possible cyber attacks, of violence and anti-Semitic hate crimes, end quote. Intelligence officials agree. The bulletin notes that Iranian-linked cyber actors were, quote, likely to carry out low-level digital intrusions, while Tehran's more sophisticated state-backed operatives may escalate to operations targeting critical American infrastructure.

One of the more sobering assessments in the bulletin admittedly issued prior to the news of a ceasefire is the risk of a fatwa. that's a religious decree, being issued by the Islamic regime's leadership. American officials say such a directive could act as a trigger for lone wolf actors inside the U.S. The danger, they warn, lies not just in coordinated plots, but in the spontaneous violence such a decree could inspire among radicalized individuals. And the fear of heightened threats isn't, well, theoretical. The document highlights a troubling pattern of multiple regime-backed,

plots targeting U.S. soil that have already been disrupted since 2020. In response to the advisory, major U.S. cities are stepping up precautions. In New York, law enforcement has increased patrols near synagogues, consulates, and other potential targets. A separate weekend memo warned that a recent uptick in violence against Jewish institutions could serve as an inspiration for future attacks. The State Department, meanwhile, has issued a global security alert, cautioning American travelers about possible demonstrations or violence abroad in response to the strikes. The bottom line is that while there's no known plot at this time, the conditions that typically precede lone wolf attacks such as rising geopolitical tension

and a charged ideological climate are now firmly in place. Federal officials say the threat environment has changed, and Americans both at home and abroad should take note. Okay, turning to Syria. A suicide bomber linked to the Islamic State stormed a Damascus church service Sunday night, opening fire before detonating his vest and killing at least 25 worshippers. A minimum of 63 others were wounded in the blast, which tore through the Greek Orthodox Church of the Prophet Elias during evening liturgy in an eastern district of the capital. Syria's interior ministry said the attacker was affiliated with ISIS, though the terror group

as yet to formally claim responsibility. Photos and videos from inside the church revealed splintered pews, blood-stained walls, and a bullet-riddled altar. One witness told AFP, quote, someone entered the church from outside carrying a weapon and began shooting. People tried to stop him before he blew himself up, end quote. Another witness described hearing gunfire, followed by a deafening, blast, adding, quote, we saw fire in the church and the remains of wooden benches thrown

all the way to the entrance, end quote. Greek Orthodox leadership condemned the bombing as the work of, quote, the treacherous hand of evil. They demanded stronger protections from Syria's interim Islamist authorities, denouncing what it described as a pattern of violence against religious minority institutions. Syria's interior minister vowed a full investigation calling the bombing a, quote, reprehensible crime. He added that such acts would not derail the country's quest to restore civil peace. Greece's prime minister wasted no time placing blame, urging Syria's new Islamist-led government

to take concrete steps to protect the country's religious minorities. U.S. Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, echoed that sentiment, calling the bombing a blow to the, quote, tapestry of integrated tolerance and inclusion that Syrians are weaving. Even the Arab League, which has cautiously engaged with Syria's new government, issued a rare rebuke, expressing hope that Damascus's leadership can, quote, be able to deal with these terrorist organizations. But that hope is, well, increasingly strained. The bombing has once again put Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Shara, under the spotlight.

The Sunni Islamist figure, who seized power in December after the ouster of former President Assad, has repeatedly pledged to safeguard religious minorities. Those assurances have been called into question several times, most notably during the March massacres of Alawite civilians, and the brutal targeting of Drew's communities in May. Now with Sunday's bombing, that promise does appear to be on even shakier ground. And despite its territorial defeat in 2019, ISIS is proving that it doesn't need a caliphate to sow chaos.

As President's Daily Brief listeners know, the terror group has exploited Syria's turbulent political transition to remain active, particularly in the country's detention facilities, where around 9,000 fighters and 40,000 ISIS-length individuals remain in limbo. A February intelligence estimate puts ISIS's total strength at up to 3,000 fighters across Syria and Iraq, including roughly 300 in central Syria, where it's believed to be rebuilding its external operations arm. As Damascus reels from the Church Service attack, Sunday's carnage threatens to reopen sectarian wounds in a nation still scarred by war, undermining the new government's repeated vow of a new era of unity. All right, coming up next in the back of the brief,

NATO leaders meet, as the world watches to see if the alliance still holds. More on that when we come back. Ryan Reynolds here for 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 just for celebrities, so do like I did and have one of your assistants' assistants

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today for a pivotal two-day NATO summit that could either unify the alliance or lay bare some of its long-standing division. Just a week ago, it appeared the summit would go off without a hitch. NATO Secretary General Mark Ruta had expressed confidence that European members and Canada would agree to invest roughly 5% of their gross domestic product on collective defense needs, matching U.S. contributions for the first time in the 32-member alliance's history. That's according to our report from the Associated Press. But those hopes were dashed last Thursday, when Spain rejected the proposal,

calling it, quote, unreasonable. President Trump quickly slammed Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez over his opposition and said, quote, NATO is going to have to deal with Spain. Spain's been a very low payer, end quote. The president also questioned Canada's commitment. But Sanchez doubled down on Sunday declaring that Spain is exempted from the 5% defense spending target. Secretary General Ruta hit back saying NATO members do not have the option to, quote, opt out. The Discord is setting up a potential showdown at what NATO leaders had hoped would be a drama-free gathering. For some context, the Alliance has long called for members to contribute 2% of GDP to collective defense, though only 23 of NATO's 32 members are currently on track to hit that benchmark.

Spain is the lowest spender, contributing only 1.28% of their GDP to defense expenditures last year. But Canada, well, they're not much better, only spending roughly 1.45% of their GDP in 2024. But given the ever-growing threat of Russian expansionism in Eastern Europe, Secretary General Ruta has called for a, quote, quantum leap in collective defense spending. With the exception of Spain, all NATO members tentatively agreed over the weekend to establish a 5% spending target at this week's summit, with 3.5% of annual GDP going to, directly towards military spending and another one and a half percent going towards defense-related expenditures such as roads and airfields and seaports. Meanwhile, ahead of the summit, President

Trump said he also intends to secure the 5 percent defense spending pledge from all NATO members. We should note that Trump is walking into the summit with an apparent big victory under his belt, securing, again, the reported ceasefire between Israel and Iran after striking the Islamic regime's nuclear sites over the weekend. While that provides Trump with ample political capital, concerns remain that Spain's continued opposition to boosting defense spending could complicate the summit and emboldened others in the alliance to drag their feet on contributions. The outcome of the summit promises to have long-lasting ripple effects for the alliance at a critical juncture in its history. Secretary General Ruta has warned that Russia's military

industrial complex is currently producing arms at a rate that would allow them to attack Europe within five years. If NATO doesn't get its act together soon, he fears the continent will be left vulnerable to Russian aggression. Earlier this month, Ruta bluntly said, quote, wishful thinking will not keep us safe. Hope is not a strategy. So NATO has to become a stronger, fairer, and more lethal alliance, end quote. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Tuesday, the 24th of June. Now, of course, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirstTV.com.

And to listen to the show ad-free, well, you know it can be done and it can be done simply. Just become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting PDB Premium.com. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool.