The President's Daily Brief - March 11th, 2025: Russian Troops Launch Sneak Attack In Kursk & Canada Gets A New Prime Minister

Episode Date: March 11, 2025

In this episode of The President’s Daily Brief: Russian forces are using a dangerous new tactic—sneaking through gas pipelines to ambush Ukrainian troops from behind. We’ll break down what’s happening in Kursk and why Ukrainian forces could be at risk of encirclement. A major shake-up in Canada—Mark Carney is set to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal Party leader and Prime Minister. The new leader used his victory speech to take aim at Donald Trump. Chaos erupts in Romania after a right-wing presidential candidate is barred from running. Supporters are clashing with police, with claims of Russian interference once again at the center of the controversy. And in today’s Back of the Brief, a Palestinian activist who led student protests at Columbia University has been arrested by federal immigration authorities. 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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It's Tuesday, 11 March. 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, Russian forces unveil a dangerous new tactic, sneaking through gas pipelines to ambush Ukrainian troops from behind. We'll break down what's happening in Kursk in Russia and why Ukrainian forces could be at risk of encirclement. Later in the show, a major shake of. up in Canada. Mark Carney is set to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal Party leader and prime minister. The new leader used his victory speech to take aim at President Trump. Plus, chaos erupts in Romania after a right-wing presidential candidate is barred from running. Supporters are clashing with police with claims of Russian interference once again at the

center of the controversy. And in today's back of the brief, a Palestinian activist who led student protests at Columbia University has been arrested by federal immigration authorities. But first, today's PDB spotlight. We'll begin with an update out of Eastern Europe as Moscow's forces quickly advance inside Russia's partially occupied Kursk region, threatening Keeb's hold on its sole territorial bargaining chip at a crucial juncture in the war. Over the weekend, the Kremlin mounted a major counteroffensive aimed at recapturing the Kirstk region from Ukraine. Now, as of Sunday, Russia's defense ministry said they'd managed to

retake four settlements in a matter of days as their forces attempt to encircle a 10,000 strong Ukrainian garrison stationed in the region. That's according to a report from the Associated Press. As a reminder, Ukraine launched a military operation last August inside the Russian territory, catching the Putin regime by surprise. At the time, they managed to seize roughly 500 square miles of territory, which Keev intended to use as leverage in potential future negotiations with Moscow. But Russia has since mounted several counter-offensives clawing back more than half of the area captured by Keeves' military. Some 50,000 troops, supplemented by 12,000 North Korean soldiers, are once again on the move inside the territory, and reports say that Ukrainian forces have been

forced into a steady, albeit controlled, retreat. Additionally, Russia has been using an elite drone unit to carry out a wave of strikes on the main road into Kursk, destroying hundreds of military vehicles used to resupply the Ukrainian garrison. In a bid to cut off a possible full retreat of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's forces have also destroyed several bridges in Kursk near the border with Ukraine. Dmitri Medvedev, the former Russian president and now deputy chairman of the country's security council, celebrated the developments, saying Sunday, quote, the lid of the smoking cauldron is practically closed, end quote,

whatever that means. The renewed offensive push in Kursk was punctuated by a surprise attack over the weekend by Russian special forces near the town of Soudza, who crept for miles through a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear. Some Russian troops reportedly spent several days lying in wait inside the pipeline before making their move. But reports from Russian military bloggers and officials in Kiev suggest the sneak attack did not achieve the results that the Kremlin was hoping for.

Russian and Ukrainian military bloggers said the attack did indeed catch Ukrainian troops by surprise and that fighting in the area was intense, allowing Russia to gain a foothold on the outskirts of Sudzun. But officials with the Ukrainian military said the Russian troops were, quote, detected in a timely manner and that their forces had quickly responded with rockets and artillery. An official with the Ukrainian military's general staff said, quote, at present, Russian special forces are being detected, blocked, and destroyed. The enemy's losses in Sudza are very high, end quote. Meanwhile, Olexander Siersky, the commander-chief of the Ukrainian military,

pushed back on claims that his troops were at risk of encirclement, saying the situation was largely under control. He framed the pullback of Ukrainian troops as a strategic move, saying, quote, the units are taking timely measures to maneuver to advantageous positions for defense, end quote. That's a very fancy way of saying they're retreating. Ukraine's top general also downplayed the purported successes of Russia's new offensive, noting that most of their gains have come to the north of Sudza in areas that are no longer habitable. Siersky said, quote, a number of settlements on the border, the names of which appear in the reports

of Russian propagandists, no longer actually exist. They've been destroyed by the aggressors shelling, end quote. As of Monday, he said his forces had repelled at least 15 Russian attacks in the region and destroyed Russian reconnaissance groups and infantry attempting to pierce into the Sumi region in northeastern Ukraine, which shares a border with Kursk. Six armed clashes in the Kersk region were reportedly still ongoing. Siersky said that despite Russia's manpower advantage, reinforced by thousands of North Korean infantry, Moscow was suffering, quote, significant losses in manpower and equipment.

Still, some Ukrainian officials are increasingly skeptical that their forces can hold onto the territory and say it's lost its strategic value. The offensive push by Russia comes in the wake of President Trump's decision early last week, to cut off military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine until leaders in Kiev commit to peace negotiations with Russia. On that score, well, it looks like progress is being made. Delegations from the U.S. and Ukraine are meeting Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that if the discussions go well, the restrictions on weapons and intelligence sharing could be lifted sometime this week. Now, there's still no word.

on why anyone believes the Russians are ready to sit down at the negotiating table, or why they would back off of their hardline demands, given the current breakdown of relations between Ukraine and the U.S. Look, getting Ukraine to the table means nothing if the Russians aren't interested in playing ball. Trump has already announced that Ukraine doesn't hold any cards, which implies that Putin doesn't have to give up anything, which begs the question, what leverage does the White House plan on? using over Russia if they're reluctant to end their current battlefield progress.

Now, you could say sanctions and tariffs, but for the past three years, Russia has beat most of those sanctions with the assistance, of course, of China, Iran, North Korea, and India. So if additional sanctions hold little concern for Putin, well, that implies that the other option is for the U.S. to resume significant military assistance to Ukraine in an effort to cause Putin's sufficient pain to look for a deal. But Putin, well, is probably savvy enough to know that Trump would be loathe to get back in the business of seriously arming and resourcing Keeve. Which returns us to the question, why would Putin be motivated to sit down at the negotiating table now? All right, coming up next. Canada has a new prime minister, Hazaa, and chaos in Romania as a leading

presidential candidate is barred from running. I'll be right back. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money, whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings. There's a money side to every story. Get the money side of the story. Subscribe now at Bloomberg.com. You always want the best for your family, and that means only Egglands best eggs in your kitchen. Compared to ordinary eggs, Egglands best eggs contain six times more vitamin D, 25% less saturated fat, more than double the omega-3s, 10 times. is more vitamin E and more than double the vitamin B12. So why give your family less when they can have the best? Add Egglands Best Superior Nutrition to your next grocery list. Better taste,

better nutrition, better eggs. Welcome back to the BDB. After a months-long race, Mark Carney was elected leader of Canada's Liberal Party on Sunday, positioning him as the country's next prime minister after Justin Trudeau's exit. The former central banker now inherits a party weakened by internal disputes as the nation inches closer to a federal election. Trudeau, who served his prime minister for nine years, announced in January that he was stepping down, a decision driven by sinking approval ratings and relentless party infighting. His authority was further undermined in December when reports surfaced that he urged Carney to take over his finance minister, that was an offer that led to Christia Freeland's abrupt resignation from the cabinet. Trudeau later

conceded that, quote, having to fight internal battles made it impossible for him to continue as Canada's best option for leadership. Karni, a seasoned economist who previously helmed both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, assumes control of the Liberal Party effective immediately. However, Trudeau will remain Prime Minister for an unspecified transitional period as his successor settles in and begins to shape the party's strategy for the upcoming election. His arrival, signals a turning point for the liberals who've struggled to regain traction against a surging conservative party currently leading in the polls. But Cardi's most immediate challenge won't just be domestic politics. It will be navigating Canada's increasingly difficult relationship with the U.S.

under President Trump. In his victory speech, Carney wasted no time in setting the tone for that relationship, declaring, quote, America is not Canada. Well, I guess he figured that one out. and Canada never, ever, he said, will be part of America in any way, shape, or form, end quote. He doubled down on his stance, vowing to maintain stiff Canadian tariffs on U.S. imports until Washington, quote, shows us respect. He went further, stating Canadians are always ready when someone else, quote, drops the gloves. Hmm, well, who could predict that a Canadian politician would use a hockey analogy? Carney's words come as tensions with Washington have, escalated under Trump, who's repeatedly accused Canada of fueling illegal immigration into the U.S.

and has floated the idea of, quote, turning it into the 51st state. Adding fuel to the fire, Trump has slapped steep tariffs on Canadian goods, justifying them as a crackdown on fentanyl trafficking. In response, Carney has championed a policy of economic retaliation, supporting targeted countermeasures designed to inflict minimal damage on Canada while pressuring American industries. The timeline for the next federal election remains uncertain, but the political landscape is shifting rapidly. Opposition parties are preparing to introduce a no-confidence motion when Parliament reconvenes on the 24th of March, one that, if successful, could trigger an immediate election.

But according to the Globe and Mail, Carney may try to get ahead of them by calling a snap election as early as the week before, with Canadians potentially heading to the polls in late April or early May. His chief rival in that contest will be Pierre Poliev, the conservative leader, who's drawn comparisons to Trump for his Canada First Platform. Polyev positioned himself as the champion of working-class Canadians, seizing on Carney's background in high finance to paint him as an out-of-touch elitist. As Carney assumes the reins of a fractured party, he faces a dual challenge, uniting the liberals, while convincing Canadians, he's the right leader to take on Trump in the battles ahead. Okay. Now, turning to Romania. The country's political crisis has deepened with far-right nationalist Kalin Georgescu now barred from running in the May presidential election rerun, in an explosive decision that triggered clashes between his supporters and police in Bucharest.

Romania's central electoral bureau, the BEC, ruled on Sunday that Georgescu's candidacy, quote, doesn't meet the conditions of legality, citing his alleged ties to Russia, and extremist organizations. The move comes months after the country's constitutional court annulled the results of the November 2023 election, where Georgescu had emerged as a surprise frontrunner, plunging Romania into prolonged political turmoil. As we reported last month on the PDB, intelligence assessments alleged that Russia backed his campaign through an extensive online influence operation, deploying some 800 TikTok accounts to sway voters.

The Kremlin considers Georgescu to be pro-Russian and are particularly pleased with his often-stated desire to create distance between Romania and NATO and the EU. Those claims of Russian interference led to the unprecedented court decision that scrapped the election just days before the scheduled 8 December runoff. Moscow, for its part, well, they dismissed the allegations as baseless. There's a surprise. On Friday, Georgescu formally submitted his candidacy for the 4 May rerun, triggering a 48-hour review process. By Sunday, the verdict was in and the BEC disqualified him,

stating that he had, quote, violated the obligation to defend democracy. The ruling was met with immediate backlash. Georgescu, who styles himself as a nationalist firebrand, condemned it as a, quote, direct blow to the heart of democracy worldwide. Posting on X, he declared Europe is now a dictatorship. Romania is under tyranny. Should he appear, Appeal to Romania's top court, a ruling would be expected within 72 hours. His disqualification set off a wave of unrest in the Capitol. Thousands of his supporters flooded the streets, waving Romanian flags and chanting revolutionary slogans. As tensions escalated, rioters hurled paving stones, overturned vehicles, and set fires,

forcing riot police to respond with tear gas. At least four people were detained, though the real test for authorities came as hundreds of demonstrators refused to disperse, clashing with security forces in scenes reminiscent of February's protests when Georgescu was arrested while attempting to register for the race. At the time, he was charged with attempting to overthrow the constitutional order and membership in a fascist organization. Those are charges he continues to deny. Georgescu built his political brand on promises to, quote, restore Romania's dignity and push back against NATO and EU influence. While he's openly praised,

Russian President Putin and questioned Ukraine's statehood, well, he insists he's not pro-Russian. So, so he praises Putin, he questions whether Ukraine should be independent, and he wants to distance Romania from NATO and EU, but he's definitely not pro-Russian. His disqualification has also drawn attention from the Trump administration. Vice President J.D. Vance last month slammed Romania's annulment of the November election as, quote, flimsy suspicions driven by intelligence agencies. Meanwhile, billionaire and close advisor to President Trump, Elon Musk, reacted to the BEC ruling, calling it, quote, crazy in a post on X.

With Georgescu out, the 4 May presidential rerun is set to move forward. If no candidates secure is more than 50% of the vote, well, a runoff will take place on 18 May. All right. Coming up next in the back of the brief, a Palestinian activist tied to Columbia University's student protests is arrested by federal immigration authorities. We'll have those details when we come back. USAA knows dynamic duos can save the day, like superheroes and sidekicks or auto and home insurance. With USAA, you can bundle your auto and home and save up to 10%. Tap the banner to learn more and get a quote at USAA.com slash bundle.

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participating stores only well supplies lastly out for full terms. In today's back of the brief, a Palestinian activist who helped lead the chaotic and anti-Semitic student protests at Columbia University last spring was arrested over the weekend by federal immigration authorities, sparking controversy among free speech advocates and triggering new protests in New York City. Oma'Hmoud Khalil, who obtained a graduate degree from Columbia University last semester, was detained outside his apartment on Saturday evening by ICE agents acting on orders from the U.S. State Department. The agents reportedly told Khalil that his student visa was being revoked, though it turns out that Khalil is a legal permanent resident who's in the country

on a green card, and that's a fact that could complicate the Trump administration's effort to deport him. That's according to a report from Axios. Several hundred protesters massed outside a courtroom in Lower Manhattan on Monday to demand his release. Later in the day, a federal judge temporarily blocked his deportation as the court weighs a petition challenging the arrest. Another hearing is currently scheduled for Wednesday. His attorney accused the Trump administration of engaging in, quote, open repression of student activism and political speech. Pro-Palestinian and civil rights groups also condemned his arrest, that's shocking, with an official for the ACLU calling it a, quote, gross violation of his constitutional rights. The move came after President Trump vowed last week to crack down

on universities, allowing anti-Semitism to proliferate and to revoke visas or green cards and deport foreign students involved in what he called, quote, illegal protests. Over the weekend, Trump described Khalil as, quote, a radical foreign pro-Hamas student and said more deportations of purported terrorist sympathizers would follow. A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security added that Khalil, quote, led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. end quote. Now, Khalil was one of the most visible student activists during last spring's protests at Columbia University, regularly giving interviews and engaging in negotiations with university officials over the protesters' lengthy list of demands. He's been under investigation by a new Columbia

University Committee that has brought disciplinary charges against dozens of students involved in the demonstrations. Much like the protests that we covered on last week's show, The demonstrations last spring were often marked by anti-Semitism, with protesters praising Hamas and defending the brutal 7 October attacks on Israel. Jewish and Israeli students have described a climate of hate on campus, with many increasingly fearful for their safety. Pro-Israeli student groups have long demanded stronger action from university officials to protect Jewish students.

The Trump administration stepped in last week, pulling $400 million. in grants and contracts from Columbia University over their failure to curb these protests. $400 million in federal dollars? Now, I would have thought that a university like Columbia, a fine institution, with an undoubtedly large endowment fund, wouldn't have to resort to taking government cheese. And in the event that you're curious, Columbia's endowment fund is now close to $15 billion, with a B, dollars. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Tuesday, 11 March. Now, if you have any questions or comments, and hopefully you do, well, please reach out to me at

PDB at thefirstTV.com. And, of course, to listen to the show ad-free, it's simple. Just become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting PDB Premium.com. See, very simple. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool. This podcast is brought to you by Carvana.

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