The President's Daily Brief - March 14th, 2025: Pentagon Draws Up Plans For Retaking The Panama Canal & Taiwan Hits Back At China's Infiltration And Espionage Campaign

Episode Date: March 14, 2025

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:     First up, the White House has directed the Pentagon to draw up several options for increasing the American troop presence in Panama in order to achieve President Trump’s goal of "retaking" the Panama Canal. These plans reportedly range from partnering with local security forces to seizing the strategic trade route by force. Later in the show, negotiations between Israel and Hamas on extending their fragile ceasefire in Gaza have reportedly stalled, though the White House is scrambling to find a temporary fix to prevent a return to fighting. Plus, tensions are once again simmering in the South China Sea, as Taiwan's president warns that Beijing has expanded its influence campaigns, infiltration efforts and spying operations in an attempt to weaken the island’s defenses. In our 'Back of the Brief' segment, a plane carrying Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte landed in the Netherlands on Wednesday, where he was formally transferred into the custody of the International Criminal Court and taken to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity. 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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Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. Look at that. We've made it to the end of another week. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right. Let's get briefed. First up, the White House has directed the Pentagon to draw up several options for increasing the American troop presence in Panama in order to achieve President Trump's goal of, quote,

retaking the Panama Canal. These plans reportedly range from partnering with local security forces, to seizing the strategic trade route by force. Later in the show, negotiations between Israel and Hamas on extending their fragile ceasefire in Gaza have reportedly stalled, though the White House is scrambling to find a temporary fix to prevent a return to fighting.

Plus, tensions are once again rising in the South China Sea, as Taiwan's president warns that Beijing has expanded its influence campaigns, infiltration efforts, and spying operations, in an attempt to weaken the island's defenses. And in today's back of the brief, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte was taken into custody by the International Criminal Court,

the ICC, in the Netherlands on Wednesday on murder charges, following his arrest in Manila over a bloody, years-long drug war that left thousands dead. But first, today's PDB spotlight. President Trump is intensifying his push to carve out a new sphere of influence for America by potentially seizing overseas territories, with his sites trained squarely right now on the Panama Canal. According to an exclusive report from NBC News, the White House has directed the U.S. military to begin drawing up plans for boosting America's troop presence in

Panama in order to, quote, reclaim the strategic waterway and diminish China's influence in the region. The options reportedly vary from partnering with Panamanian security forces, to secure the port operations, to essentially invading Panama and seizing the canal outright, though officials said the use of the military force is a far less likely outcome. Sources with U.S. Southern Command told NBC News that whether or not some form of military action is taken will depend entirely on how willing Panamanian leaders are to cooperate with U.S. efforts. While details are sparse, officials said that the commander of U.S. Southern Command, Admiral Alvin Holsey presented draft strategies to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegeseth earlier this week.

They come as Secretary Hegeseth prepares for a scheduled visit to Panama next month. So what do the Pentagon's possible strategies entail? As you might imagine at this stage, the details remain unclear, but sources told NBC News that one avenue would simply involve increasing the number of U.S. troops stationed in the country to ensure U.S. ships have safe passage through the canal. Currently, the U.S. only has roughly 200 troops in country, including special forces units, who partner with Panamanian forces to protect the canal from internal threats. Another option under consideration is using the U.S. military to secure existing ports in Panama,

deploying the Army Corps of Engineers to build new ports, and placing operation of the canal's locks under the control of the U.S. military. The White House is also mulling strategies to restore complete U.S. ownership of the as well as positioning troops near Panama so that they could quickly secure the strategic waterway and block Chinese access in the event of a conflict. As we've been tracking on the PDB, President Trump has long said he intends to take back the waterway from the Panamanian government, citing the threat of China's influence at the canal's ports. Last week, during his address to a joint session of Congress, Trump formally

declared the U.S. would be, quote, reclaiming the Panama Canal, saying, quote, we didn't give it to China, we gave it to Panama, and we're taking it back, end quote. For some background, the American-built canal has been solely controlled by Panama for 25 years after the U.S. returned the Panama Canal Zone to the country in 1979 and ended a joint partnership in controlling the Strategic Waterway back in 1999. But the canal obviously remains vital to America's economic interests. Roughly 40 percent of U.S. container traffic relies on the waterway, with roughly 70% of all vessels traversing the canal, either traveling to or from American ports. Trump feels that Panama has not been a good steward

of the canal, arguing that they allowed China to move in and essentially capture the strategic trade route. While Panama has rejected these accusations, they recently agreed to abandon their agreements with Beijing under China's Belt and Road Initiative, following a visit from Secretary of State Marco Rubio in early February. This has opened up the doors for U.S. investment in the canal. As we covered last week, the American Asset Titan BlackRock has since swooped in. That's what you do when you're an asset titan, you swoop, securing a $22.8 billion deal to buy two of the four major ports at the canal's entrances from a Hong Kong-based conglomerate, C.K. Hutchinson, effectively bringing those ports under American control.

Given the newly drafted military plans, however, it appears that President Trump wants to take things even further. But Trump's hopes could be dashed by Congress, where opposition is growing to his plans for territorial expansion. Earlier this week, House Democrats introduced a bill called the, quote, No Invading Allies Act, which would bar funding to any military operations designed to take over Panama, Greenland, or Canada. It comes as President Trump said Thursday that annexing Greenland remains high on his wish list, arguing it's vital to deterring potential threats from China and Russia

in the Arctic's crucial global trade and military arteries. When asked about the odds of Greenland joining the U.S., Trump responded, quote, I think it'll happen, end quote. All right, coming up next. negotiations between Israel and Hamas on extending their fragile ceasefire in Gaza have reportedly stalled. And Taiwan's president warned that China has expanded its influence campaigns and infiltration efforts in an attempt to weaken the island's defenses. I'll be right back. They say everything happens for a reason, but I suspect everything happens for a recess. Like this commercial break, did you need 15 seconds away from music or 15 seconds eat arreasis. Perhaps it's true. Everything happens for arreases.

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the PDB will recall, the six-week truce that was brokered in mid-January was designed to at the stage for a broader peace deal aimed at ending the war. The terms included Israel's full military withdrawal from Gaza and the release of all hostages. Yet, as the deadline passed, both sides remained entrenched in irreconcilable positions. Israel insists on Hamas's total disarmament and removal, while Hamas refuses to dissolve its remaining battalions. The ceasefire formally expired in early March without a second phase agreement, though full-scale fighting, has yet to resume. In Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu is caught in a political vice. Hardline members of his coalition demand that the war continue unabated, while hostage families grow increasingly desperate

for the return of their loved ones. According to Israeli officials, 24 hostages remain in Gaza, along with the remains of more than 30 others. Last week, Trump's special envoy on hostages, Adam Bowler, held direct talks with senior Hamas leaders in Qatar, seeking the release of Eden Alexander, he's the last known surviving Israeli-American hostage, along with the remains of four others. But those efforts ended in failure. Before departing for Moscow on Thursday, Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Whitkoff, took another swing at moving the needle on the negotiations, presenting an updated U.S. ceasefire proposal to both Israel and Hamas, sources told Axios. The revised deal calls for Hamas to release at least five live

hostages and the remains of nine deceased captives in exchange for a temporary extension of the ceasefire, along with a resumption of humanitarian aid, which was suspended in an effort to pressure Hamas into a deal. This marks a tactical shift. Just two weeks ago, the U.S. proposal sought the release of around 10 live hostages and 18 deceased. The latest iteration appears to be an attempt by the White House to buy time, especially with Ramadan and Passover approaching, in the hopes, of course, of staving off renewed bloodshed. Meanwhile, tensions in Gaza remain high. The Israeli military has accused Hamas of using a four-year-old boy as a human shield on Tuesday,

alleging that the terrorists directed him to approach an IDF post after Israeli forces opened fire on Gazans moving toward their position. The IDF took the child in, later coordinating with international groups, to reunite him with his family. In a statement, the Israeli military said, Hamas, quote, does not hesitate to use any means to cynically use and exploit civilians and children to advance its terrorism, end quote. The IDF did not specify what Hamas might have hoped to fully achieve by using the child. Just hours earlier, Israeli forces carried out an air strike

targeting a Hamas operative accused of surveilling Israeli troops in southern Gaza. The strike killed four people, adding fuel to fears that the ceasefire already on life's support may soon collapse. All right, turning to the South China Sea. Taiwanese president, Lai Ching-Da, is sounding the alarm over China's infiltration efforts against the island. He warns Beijing has intensified its attempts to undermine Taiwan's defenses and vows to implement new security measures to counter the threat. Following a high-level security meeting on Thursday, Lai accused Beijing of exploiting Taiwan's democracy to, quote, absorb key sectors of society. He pointed to a surge in psychological warfare, espionage, and political subversion,

all of which are tactics designed to destabilize Taiwan from within. Lai noted a stark increase in Chinese espionage cases, revealing that the number of individuals charged with spying for Beijing has tripled since 2021. Just last year, authorities uncovered 64 cases, many of them tied to current or former military officers. the more alarming incidents, the defense ministry on Wednesday confirmed a case where a retired Air Force major recruited an active duty officer to smuggle classified data to Beijing regarding Taiwan's anti-ship missile systems. The retired major claimed he was working for a U.S. think tank and persuaded the officer with promises of cash to hand over the documents. The retired major received $45,000

from his Chinese handlers, sharing just $6,000 with the officer. Taiwanese defense officials have repeatedly warned about China's aggressive recruitment of retired military personnel, a tactic designed, of course, to erode the island's defensive capabilities from within, and now Lai is pushing back. He unveiled 17 new measures aimed at tightening legal safeguards against Chinese infiltration, chief among them, reinstating military courts for national security violations. It's a move he argues is necessary given the failures of Taiwan's civil judiciary and handling espionage cases. He also called for stricter residency rules for Chinese, Hong Kong, and Macau nationals,

citing growing evidence that Beijing is using intermarriage and migration as tools for influence operations. Beyond the legal crackdown, the Taiwanese government is stepping up financial scrutiny, monitoring cross-straight business operations, tech exchanges, and financial transactions to prevent Beijing from exploiting Taiwan's economy for intelligence gathering. Lai even addressed China's efforts to pressure Taiwanese entertainers into towing the Communist Party line, vowing increased oversight of artists working on the mainland. Another key focus is Beijing's use of academic exchanges as vehicles for political influence. Taipei is now tightening restrictions on organizations linked to China.

as United Front Department, widely seen as an instrument for spreading Communist Party propaganda under the guise of diplomacy. Lie framed these measures as essential to preserving Taiwan's democracy, warning that failure to act could lead to the slow erosion of sovereignty under Beijing's relentless pressure. Now, unsurprisingly, China wasted no time in responding. The Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing condemned Taipei's actions, threatening decisive measures against what it described as, separatist provocations. A foreign ministry spokesperson reiterated Beijing's position that unification

with Taiwan is inevitable, quote, those who play with fire will surely be burned, end quote, well, not particularly original, but I suppose it gets the point across. China claims Taiwan is its own territory, of course, and has never ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control. As we've tracked here on the PDB, Beijing continues to test Taiwan's defenses, regularly sending war ships and military aircraft near the island in a campaign of intimidation. Okay, coming up next in the back of the brief, the former president of the Philippines was taken into custody by the international criminal court, the ICC, and the Netherlands on Wednesday on murder charges. We'll have those details next.

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formally transferred into the custody of the International Criminal Court and taken to the Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity. The once untouchable former leader of the Philippines was first arrested on Tuesday at an airport in Manila upon returning from a trip to Hong Kong. The ICC and Interpol had issued warrants earlier that day stemming from the court's years-long investigation into Duterte's bloody war on drugs. Duterte is accused by the ICC of, quote, murder as a crime against humanity and would become the first Asian former head of state to go on trial at the Hague, that's according to a report from NPR.

The news of his arrest was announced by Duterte's successor and longtime political rival President Fernando Bongbong Marcos, much to the jubilation of the families of his victims. Duterte served as president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022 and oversaw a ruthless campaign to crack down on drug use that was marked by thousands of extrajudicial killings. The ICC's arrest warrant accuses Duterte of creating funding and arming death squads that would murder any drug dealer or user that crossed their path. According to Amnesty International, as many as 30,000 people were killed during his time as president and earlier as the mayor of DeVal City. Civil rights groups and the families of his victims celebrated his arrest saying it revived

hopes that they will finally get justice for their loved ones. But his arrest is not without controversy. His daughter, Sarah Duterte, who currently serves as the Philippines vice president, despite her recent impeachment, yes, politics in the Philippines can be complicated. Well, she slammed her father's arrest as a form of state kidnapping. She accused President Marcos of engaging in political retribution. His supporters dispute the jurisdiction of the ICC, as Duterte had withdrawn the Philippines from the court back in 2019 in a move that was widely viewed as an attempt to shield himself from prosecution. But President Marcos defended the arrest,

saying that he was legally obliged to arrest Duterte due to the warrants from the ICC and Interpol, adding that all necessary legal procedures were followed. Duterte is set to make his first appearance before the ICC on Friday. In a statement, the court's chief prosecutor, called as arrest, quote, a crucial step in our continuous work to ensure accountability for the victims of the most serious crimes

under ICC jurisdiction, end quote. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Friday the 14th of March. If you have any questions or comments, well, please reach out to me at pdb at thefirsttv.com. Now, I don't need to remind you,

even though I'm about to, that Fridays mean new episodes of the much-loved and admired PDB's Situation Report. Every weekend, we bring you an extended version of the PDB, with great guests digging into key stories and events happening around the world. The latest Situation Report, of course, airs this evening at 10 p.m. on the first TV, and, of course, is also always available on our YouTube channel. You can find that at President's Daily Brief, and as well as all podcast platforms everywhere. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then,

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