The President's Daily Brief - March 19th, 2026: Gulf Leaders To Trump: Finish Off Iran & Israel Targets Iranian Energy

Episode Date: March 19, 2026

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: First up — Gulf nations are sending a clear message to Washington: finish the job against Iran, or risk leaving the region exposed to future attacks. I’ll have the details. Later in the show — Israeli strikes hit Iran’s massive South Pars gas field, bringing the fight directly to the country’s energy sector for the first time. Plus — a potential standoff on the horizon as Russian ships carrying oil and fuel head toward Cuba, defying U.S. sanctions. And in today’s Back of the Brief — the White House offers new concessions to end the DHS shutdown, including expanded use of body cameras for immigration agents and limits on where enforcement can take place. 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 Acre Gold: Start building physical gold with simple monthly payments and enter to win two Ancient Collection gold bars at https://GetAcreGold.com/PDB  Pocket Hose-Ballistic: Text PDB to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply. Ava: See how millions are boosting their credit with Ava—download the Ava app and use code BAKER for 20% off your first year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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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, Gulf nations are reportedly sending a clear message to Washington. finish the job against Iran, or risk leaving the region exposed to future attacks. I'll have the details. Later in the show, Israeli strikes hit Iran's massive South Pars gas field,

bringing the fight directly to the country's energy sector for the first time, plus a potential standoff on the horizon as Russian ships carrying oil and fuel head toward Cuba, defying U.S. sanctions. And in today's back of the brief, the White House offers new concessions to try and end the DHS shutdown, including expanded use of body cameras for immigration agents and limits on where enforcement can take place. But first, today's PDB spotlight. Gulf nations now have a message for Washington, finish the job. It's relatively straightforward. According to new reporting from the Wall Street Journal and Reuters, leaders across the Gulf are now quietly pressing the U.S. not to settle for a limited

outcome in this war with Iran, but to go further to ensure the regime can no longer threat. in the region once the fighting stops. And that marks a significant shift. Because until very recently, many of these same countries were trying to maintain a workable relationship with Tecran. There were back-channel talks, economic ties, a general effort to avoid direct confrontation. The priority has been stability. And that calculation has now changed. As we've been reporting over the past several weeks, Iran's response to the U.S. and Israeli bombing campaign was to launch sustained missile and drone attacks across the Gulf. Now, if those attacks have been focused on U.S. military bases in the region, well, that would be one thing. But officials in the UAE say the vast

majority of the missiles and drones they've faced were aimed at civilian infrastructure, airports, sports, oil facilities, commercial hubs. In other words, Iran wasn't just targeting the U.S. military, it was going after the economies of its neighbors. And for Gulf leaders, that appears to have crossed a line. They now view Iran not simply as a regional rival. but as a persistent and unpredictable threat, one that's shown both the capability and the willingness to target them directly, which is why behind the scenes the message to Washington has become more direct. Don't stop short. From their perspective, a deal that leaves Iran with its missile arsenal, its network of proxy groups, and its ability to pressure the region during future crises,

would only set the stage, of course, for this to happen again. One Gulf officials, speaking to Reuters, put it plainly, saying that if the U.S. pulls back before the job is complete, the region will be left to deal with the consequences on its own. And that concern is being driven not just by what Iran has done in this war, but by what it's now proven it can do if left in place. Disrupt shipping, target civilian infrastructure apply pressure well beyond traditional military targets. Those are capabilities that won't just disappear if a ceasefire is signed, or if President Trump simply decides to declare victory and walk away. Dismandling them will take time and sustained U.S. willpower. At the same time, there's an important nuance here. Despite this tougher rhetoric, Gulf states are still showing restraint. None of them have openly joined offensive operations against Iran. There's been coordination on air

defense and efforts to protect infrastructure, but no broad regional push to enter the fight directly. They want the outcome of a weakened Iran, but they're wary of joining the fight. The risk of retaliation remains high and there's still no unified position across the region on how far to go. But even with that caution, something larger is taking shape. Iran's strategy, particularly its decision to target Gulf countries directly, appears to be having the opposite effect of its intended effect. Instead of driving distance between the Gulf states, the U.S. and Israel, it seems to be pulling them closer together. Officials in the UAE have already said that Iran's actions are strengthening ties with both Washington and Jerusalem.

and even opening the door for new relationships across the region. And that may end up being one of the more consequential developments to come out of this conflict. Because regardless of how the war ends, the strategic map of the Middle East is already shifting. Old assumptions are being replaced, and old relationships are being reconsidered. And increasingly, Gulf nations are making clear that if this war is going to reshape the region, they don't want it to end with the Iranian regime still in place. All right, coming up next. Air strikes hit Iran's massive South Pars gas field, bringing the fight into the country's energy sector, while Russian ships loaded with oil and fuel pushed toward Cuba in defiance of U.S. sanctions. We'll have those stories after the break. Hey, Mike Baker here.

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Welcome back to the PDB. What had largely been avoided for weeks in the U.S. Israel War with Iran is now a reality. The conflict stops short of targeting the regime's most critical energy infrastructure, but new strikes on Iran's largest gas field has likely pushed the country. conflict into a dangerous new phase. Iran's state-controlled medium claims part of the massive Pars gas field, which is the regime's section of the world's largest natural gas reserve shared with Qatar, was hit Wednesday, marking the first reported strike on Tehran's energy infrastructure. And that detail matters more than it might seem at first. This isn't just another strike inside

Iran. This is a direct hit to the regime's energy lifeline, an area that Washington and Jerusalem had deliberately avoided striking, precisely to prevent the kind of escalation that we may see unfold. Here's what we know about the extent of the damage. According to Iran's Fars News Agency, cited by Reuters, gas tanks and part of a refinery were hit, sparking a fire that forced workers to evacuate and shut down oil production. Emergency crews are said to have later brought the blaze under control. But here's the bigger point. Even limited damage to a facility like this sends a signal.

It shows that infrastructure, once considered off limits, is now firmly on the table. And once that line is crossed, well, it's difficult to walk it back. Now, the question becomes, between Washington and Jerusalem, who carried out these strikes? For now, Israeli media quickly attributed the strike solely to Jerusalem, and Israeli officials later confirmed operations reports of targeting the gas field. What remains unclear is whether the U.S. consented to the strike or had prior knowledge that such action was being carried out. Tehran, however, isn't making that distinction. State television is blaming both Israel and the U.S., a move that raises the stakes for Washington, whether it was directly involved or not.

As you can assume, the retaliatory threat from Tehran was immediate. The regime warned that major oil and gas facilities across the Gulf are now, quote, direct and legitimate targets, urging workers to evacuate ahead of potential strikes in the coming hours. Tehran specifically named energy sites among U.S. allies, such as Saudi Arabia, of the UAE and Qatar, including refineries and gas fields, critical to the global energy supply. Now, the reaction across the Gulf to the strike, and Tehran's rhetoric was swift. Qatar, which hosts the largest American base in the region, condemn the Israeli strike as a, quote, dangerous and irresponsible escalation that threatens global energy security, end quote.

The UAE also denounced the attack. And the markets, of course, reacted. Benchmark Brent crude jumped roughly 5% to above 100,000. $108 per barrel following the strike and the retaliation threats as traders began pricing in the risk that this conflict is no longer confined to military infrastructure. As our regular PDB listeners are aware, Iran has already effectively shut down shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly 20% of the world's oil and liquidified natural gas transits. That alone was enough to hit consumers in the U.S. At the pump, diesel prices can now be seen climbing above $5 a gallon,

marking the first time since the 2022 inflation surge that eroded support for then-President Joe Biden as the expanding conflict begins to further ripple into the American economy. So, you ask, where do things likely go from here? That's a good question. For one, the fear is immediate in the global markets. If energy infrastructure begins to take sustained damage, whether in Iran or U.S. allies across the region, you're no longer dealing with short-term disruption. You're likely looking at the kind of prolonged supply shock that drives prices even higher and could force Washington's hand to combat inflation. And for Tehran, this is a dangerous game, because while the regime is attempting to project what little strength it has left by threatening regional energy targets, it's also

inviting a broader response from Israel, the U.S., and its Gulf partners. Okay, turning to Cuba, where two Russian oil tankers are now closing in on the communist island, setting up what could be a standoff in President Trump's energy blockade as the regime reels from widespread blackouts. We've been closely tracking how Washington's pressure campaign has been unfolding. Since January, the Trump administration has been tightening Cuba's access to foreign oil, cutting off shipments, leaning on suppliers, and isolating the communist regime in an effort to pressure the government to align with Washington. And for a time, that strategy was clearly working.

But now, well, now Russia may be entering the fray. According to Maritime Tracking firm, Tankertrackers.com, two Russian-controlled vessels are now on approach. One is the seahorse carrying around 30,000 tons of Russian oil. It's expected to arrive as early as Monday. The other one, the Anatoli Klonen, is loaded with roughly 100,000 metric tons of crude, which is about three-quarters of a million barrels, now projected to arrive on the 4th of April. Now, I want to pause on an important detail here. If you're wondering whether this shipment is textual, allowed under the U.S. Treasury's 30-day waiver, which lets countries complete purchases of Russian oil already at sea and what is a bid to stabilize global markets? Well, the answer is no, it does not give these ships a free pass into Cuba. Washington is still aggressively enforcing its sanctions,

aimed at cutting off fuel to the communist regime by pressuring suppliers and choking off shipments before they ever reach the island. So for these vessels carrying Russian oil, this remains a high-risk This move comes after roughly three months without meaningful fuel deliveries to Havana, a gap that has already pushed the island into repeated power outages, including the full nationwide grid collapse that we discussed earlier in the week. And that brings us to Havana's latest response. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Cannell is trying to project defiance. He warned that any, quote, external aggressor would face what he called, quote,

impregnable resistance. It sounds tough, while accusing the U.S. of threatening Cuba almost daily. But at the same time, behind that rhetoric, his tone is shifting. Diazcanal has acknowledged that Cuba is in talks with the Trump administration to ease sanctions. But we're now looking at an updated version of the old Cuban Missile Crisis. Cuban Missile Crisis.2. Back then, the objective was to prevent Russians bringing missiles to the island. You probably read about that.

Now the question is, how far will the Trump administration go to prevent Russia from delivering oil to its longtime ally? We'll keep an eye on the story and bring you more details. Okay, coming up next in the back of the brief, movement on the DHS shutdown, as the White House offers concessions on immigration enforcement in an effort to end the standoff. We'll have more on that when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here. This episode is brought to you by pocket hose, the world's number one expandable hose. Now, if you know anything about hoses, and you should, you know that old-school hoses always kink at the spigot,

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including TSA officers, are either furloughed or working without pay. And that's beginning to show up clearly at airports across the country, with longer lines, staffing shortages, and growing concerns about how long the system can hold under pressure. And the growing travel frustrations are, in a sense, the Democrats leverage in their battle with the Trump administration. It's something visible. Long lines at airport security make great visuals and impact voters directly. And all of this is happening while DHS remains on the front lines of homeland security, responsible for border enforcement, counterterrorism coordination, and protecting critical infrastructure, of course, at a time when the U.S. is actively engaged in the conflict with Iran.

So, you ask, what's the holdup? Well, that's another good question to ask. At the center of the standoff is a familiar fight over immigration enforcement. Democrats have been pushing for stricter limits on how and where federal agents can operate, calling for requirements like judicial warrants for certain raids and tighter restrictions on enforcement at places like schools or hospitals and churches. They've also been pressing for more oversight following a series, of course, of controversial operations in recent months, most notably in Minnesota. Up until now, the White House has resisted those demands, but that may be starting to shift, at least slightly. According to new reporting, the administration is now offering a package of concessions aimed at breaking the deadlock. That includes expanding the use of body-worn cameras for immigration enforcement agents, requiring more visible identification during operations, and placing new limits on enforcement activity in sensitive locations like schools and medical facilities. The goal here is clear, offer just enough to bring negotiators back to the table without fundamentally changing enforcement policy. The problem is, well, it may not be enough.

Democratic negotiators have already signaled that the proposal falls short, particularly because it does not address one of their core demands, requiring judicial warrants for certain enforcement actions. Without movement there, the broader deal remains stuck. So, where does that leave things? Well, for now the shutdown continues. DHS remains partially funded, partially operational, and increasingly strained. The irony here is that the Democrats' efforts have no impact on their supposed targets. That would be ICE and CBP. Those entities are fully funded. But it's politics and theater. Well, so it's political theater. Basically, the Democrats believe that by not funding TSA, they can make life miserable enough for Americans that the Trump administration will pay a price in the

mid-term elections later this year. Yeah, political theater. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Thursday, the 19th of March. If you have any questions or comments, and I hope you do, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.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. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money, because behind every headline is a bottom line, whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings, there's a money side to every story. And when you see the money side, you understand what others miss. Get the money side of the story. Subscribe now at Bloomberg.com.