The President's Daily Brief - March 23rd, 2026: Iran Launches Attack On Diego Garcia & Putin Plans A New Offensive

Episode Date: March 23, 2026

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Iran fires long-range missiles for the first time, revealing it can now strike far beyond the Middle East, and President Trump issues a stark ultimatum that could push the war into a dangerous new phase. I’ll have the latest from the war in Iran. Russia is once again increasing military pressure along Ukraine’s eastern front, setting conditions for what could become its next major offensive of the war. A swarm of unidentified drones repeatedly breached the airspace of a U.S. Air Force base tied to the nation’s nuclear deterrent, raising questions about how something like this was able to happen at all. After weeks at sea, a Russian-linked oil tanker bound for Cuba changes course for Trinidad, as President Donald Trump’s sanctions strategy forces Moscow to retreat from aiding the communist island.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/@presidentsdailybriefAmerican Financing: Call American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. NMLS 182334, https://mlsconsumeraccess.org . APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1881 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/PDBMars Men: For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://Mengotomars.comDeleteMe: Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/PDB and use promo code PDB at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Monday, the 23rd of March. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. And yes, apparently coming to you from some nondescript hotel room somewhere on the road. All right, let's get briefed. First up, Iran fires long-range missiles for the first time, revealing it can now strike far beyond the Middle East. And President Trump issues a stark ultimatum. that could push the war into a dangerous new phase.

I'll have the details. Later in the show, Russia is once again increasing military pressure along Ukraine's eastern front, setting conditions for what could become its next major offensive of the war. Plus, a swarm of unidentified drones reportedly breached the airspace of a U.S. Air Force base tied to the nation's nuclear deterrent, raising questions, of course, about who was responsible. And in today's back of the brief, after weeks at sea, a Russian-linked oil tanker bound for Cuba change its course for Trinidad and Tobago, as President Trump's sanction strategy appears to force Moscow to retreat from aiding their longtime communist ally.

But first, today's BDB spotlight. We're starting things off today with a focus on the ongoing Iran conflict. Now, for the first time since the start of the war, Iran has fired intermediate range ballistic missiles, targeting the joint U.S. U.S. U.K. military base on Diego Garcia. That's roughly 2,500 miles or some 4,000 kilometers, if my math is correct, away from Iran in the middle of the Indian Ocean. According to U.S. officials, one of the missiles failed mid-flight, while the second was intercepted by a U.S. Navy destroyer using SM3 interceptors before that missile could reach the base. But while the missiles failed to hit their target, it's still. an important development, because with that launch, Iran just revealed that it has the ability to strike targets much farther away than what the regime had previously disclosed or claimed, and what was previously thought by experts and analysts. For years, Iranian officials insisted their missile program was limited in range. In fact, as recently as last month, Tehran was still

downplaying its capabilities, suggesting its missiles could only reach about half the distance to Diego Garcia. Well, it appears that they weren't being truthful. I know. We're all shocked that there's gambling going on at Rick's Cafe. These were intermediate range ballistic missiles, the kind that can travel far enough to hit large parts of Europe. So cities like London, Paris, and Berlin are now reportedly within range, meaning the regime's missile program is no longer just a threat to Israel or the surrounding region. Iran showed that it can build and launch these systems, and just as importantly, it showed that it's no longer interested in hiding them. Analysts have long suspected that Iran had the tactical foundation to develop longer-range

missiles. What held them back, it was believed, wasn't necessarily capability. It was restraint, their own, a calculation by the regime that openly fielding these weapons would trigger exactly the kind of conflict that they're now in. But that calculation appears to have changed. Under mounting pressure from Israeli strikes, U.S. military operations, an economic collapse, and internal unrest, the regime is behaving differently, more aggressively, more openly, and with fewer guardrails. And to use a technical phrase, once the cat's out of the bag, it's hard to walk that dog back. I might be mixing my metaphors. Because the same logic applies elsewhere, particularly when it comes to Iran's nuclear program. If restraint didn't prevent the war, so the thinking goes, the thinking in Tehran may shift toward deterrence at any cost. In other developments over the weekend with Iran, President Trump raised these stakes even further,

issuing a direct ultimatum to the regime. In a post on Truth Social, the president warned that if Iran does not fully reopen the strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, the U.S. will begin targeting and, in Trump's words, obliterating Iran's power plants, starting with the largest. As we've discussed here on the PDB, up to this point, much of the focus has been on military targets, missile sites, energy infrastructure tied directly to oil and gas. But power plants are different. These are critical civilian systems responsible for electricity and water distribution and basic daily life inside Iran. And striking them would move the conflict into a new phase, one that directly impacts the Iranian population at scale. Now, Iran, as you might suspect, is already responsible.

Officials in Tehran are warning that any U.S. strike on power infrastructure would trigger retaliation, not just against military targets, but against critical systems across the region. That includes, according to the regime, energy facilities, information technology networks, and perhaps most concerning desalination plans. Those facilities provide drinking water to millions across the Middle East, and the region accounts for roughly 40% of the world's desalination capacity. Iran has targeted those systems before, though. Earlier this month, a drone strike damaged a desalination plant in Bahrain.

So, where does this leave us currently? Well, on one hand, Iran is now demonstrating new long-range missile capabilities, expanding the geographic scope of the threat. On the other, the U.S. is signaling its willing to escalate in kind by targeting the systems that keep Iran's economy and daily life functioning. All right, coming up next, while it seems all eyes have been on Iran the past few weeks, it is important to remember that war continues to rage on in Ukraine. Russia is ramping up the pressure along Ukraine's eastern front, setting the stage for what could

be Moscow's spring or summer offensive. Plus, unidentified drones enter restricted airspace over a U.S. military base. We'll have those details. Hey, Mike Baker here. Let me ask you a question about your personal. personal finances. Have you looked at your credit card statements lately? How's that for a question? Look, here's the thing. You work hard, 50, 60 hours, maybe 70 hours a week just to buy groceries and gas and things that you use to be able to afford. And all the while, credit card companies,

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Their number is 866-885-1881. Again, that's 866-880. 885, 1881, or just visit Americanfinancing.net slash PDB. Welcome back to the PDB. At a time when much of the world is rightly focused on the Middle East, Russia appears to be preparing to make its next move in Ukraine, laying the groundwork for a spring or possibly summer offensive as the latest phase of the war begins to take shape. What we're seeing now in eastern Ukraine centers on something known as the Fortress Belt, which is Kiev's primary line of defense in the Donbass. It consists of a heavily fortified network of trenches and urban positions

that's managed to slow Russia's advance for months. But we're beginning to see Russia poke and probe that fortress belt, testing for weak points. According to the Washington-based Institute for the study of war's latest assessment, Russian forces have increased artillery barrages and drone strikes, not randomly, but in an apparent deliberate effort to soften Ukrainian positions, head of something likely larger. When you pair that with what's happening on the ground,

you begin to see an emerging pattern. Officials in Kiev say Russian forces recently launched a battalion-sized assault of more than 500 troops, dozens of armored vehicles, and over 100 all-terrain vehicles on the northern edges of the fortress belt. Now, that's significantly larger than anything we've been seeing in recent months. This push comes in parallel with a separate company-sized assault of North Dynetsk. So the question is, are these just one-off developments and limited operations, or do these activities indicate the opening phase of a much larger offensive to come? Russia has been building reserves for months, and now, as warmer weather begins to thaw the frozen terrain, conditions are shifting, and concern is building over the new spring fighting

season. But Ukraine isn't just sitting back and waiting for that to happen. Keeves been actively trying to disrupt these preparations before they fully materialize. Ukrainian forces in recent days launched counterattacks, targeting Russian attempts to establish bridgeheads that could support future advances toward regional capitals, which are major industrial hubs still in Ukraine's control. At the same time, Ukraine has stepped up mid-range strikes on Russian logistics and equipment and manpower. The ISW, the Institute for the Study of War, identifies this as a deliberate effort to spoil. and offensive before it ever begins. Meanwhile, Russian President Putin claims that roughly 700,000

of his troops are engaged in the war. U.S. Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, says that Moscow holds what she described as the, quote, upper hand. So, what does this mean for the bigger picture? Well, in part, it means that Ukraine is heading into this next phase under increasing pressure once again, not just on the battlefield, but also diplomatically, because right now, peace talks are effectively stalled. The war in the Middle East disrupted negotiations, and there's still no movement on the central issue regarding territory. Now, Russia continues to demand full control of the Donbass,

including areas that hasn't even captured, while Ukraine continues to reject that notion outright. There are attempts to keep the diplomatic track alive, and we saw that over the weekend, as U.S. and Ukrainian officials met in Florida, with the White House describing those talks as, quote, constructive, but nothing substantial enough to alter the war's trajectory. Notably, the Russian delegation did not attend. There's a surprise. And that leaves us at a critical moment in this war. With no

real movement on the negotiating table, Russia appears to be laying the groundwork for its next move. And the question is whether Ukraine can spoil that offensive before it starts or hold the line when it arrives. Okay, I want to turn stateside to a series of drone incursions that American security officials believe may have been probing U.S. defenses after swarms of the unidentified aircraft repeatedly breached restricted airspace over military bases central to U.S. nuclear strike capability. Now, these incidents happened earlier this month at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bozier City, Louisiana. As some of you may know, that's not just another military installation, but rather a key hub for Air Force Global Strike Command and home to B-52 bombers.

Now, as the base that houses America's nuclear deterrent, you would expect it to be among the most secure in the country. That makes sense, doesn't it? But when drones can repeatedly enter that airspace, the immediate question becomes, uh, how does that happen? Well, the reason you're just hearing about this now comes down to how the details were initially handled and disclosed. While a single drone sighting on 9 March triggered a brief shelter and place order and even a terror alert, that is largely where public disclosure stopped. It's only now, through a confidential internal briefing dated the 15th of March obtained by ABC News, that we're learning this was not a one-day incident,

but something that continued over nearly a week, with multiple waves of 12 to 15 high-tech drones operating over the base. According to that briefing, the activity took place on multiple days throughout the week, except on the 13th and 14th of March, with the drones appearing in coordinated waves. And that starts to give us a clearer picture of what was actually happening at the base. Military officials say the drones were seen flying over sensitive areas of Barksdale in what appears to have been a sustained coordinated series of incursions, with some flights lasting for hours with varying routes.

It's a level of coordination that goes well beyond anything you'd expect from a hobbyist or casual drone operator. So what were they doing? Well, officials believe the drones may have been deliberately probing the base, possibly testing how quickly U.S. forces could detect and track and respond to an intrusion, while attempting to enter and exit the airspace undetected. And here's what may be most concerning from the briefing. Despite attempts to counter the swarm, the drones were able to resist jamming efforts, using signals that reportedly interfered with the military's ability to disable or

take control of them. At one point, this situation became disruptive enough that the base shut down its runway, halting takeoffs and landings. Which brings the obvious question of who's behind it. Was this a foreign adversary testing American defenses, a sophisticated non-state actor, or something else entirely? For now, authorities say they're working with federal and local law enforcement to investigate, and they'll continue to vigilantly monitor the airspace. Well, that's nice. So basically, either defense officials don't know, or they're keeping their investigation findings close held for the moment.

All right. Coming up next in the back of the brief, we check in on the status of a rush- linked oil tanker bound for Cuba as a change's course, appearing to head to Trinidad and Tobago, as President Trump sanctions choke off Moscow's support to the communist island. More on that when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, here's the hard truth, and I'm sorry to deliver this, but we're all getting older, right? And now, frankly, getting older can hit dudes really hard. I mean, with me, once I got into my 40s, it seemed like I was hitting a wall. Same workout, same doctor,

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Taxes and fees extra. See full terms at mintmobile.com. In today's back of the brief, what looked like a test of President Trump's energy blockade on Cuba appears to be breaking in Washington's favor after a Russian-linked tanker changed course rather than risk crossing U.S. sanctions. Now, if you've been tracking this story with us, you'll remember the two Russian-linked fuel shipments we flagged last week as they sailed toward Cuba at a moment when the regime was buckling under blackouts. Well, one of those shipments is no longer heading towards Havana. The Hong Kong-flagged tanker seahorse has changed course

and is moving toward Trinidad and Tobago instead of Cuba, signaling that Moscow may have decided the risk of defying Trump's sanctions was too high. Last week, the question was whether Russia was preparing to test Trump's pressure campaign on the island's communist regime by stepping in with emergency energy support, just as Havana was, struggling to keep the lights on. But since then, the picture has changed. According to new ship

tracking data, the seahorse, which maritime intelligence firms identified as one of two vessels carrying Russian origin diesel intended for Cuba, had been sitting suspended in the Atlantic for weeks before turning south with an expected arrival in Trinidad today. This development comes after the Trump administration, tightened the screws even further on Havana. The Treasury Department changed the terms of its waiver for Russian origin cruise. crude and petroleum products already loaded on tankers to specifically exclude transactions involving Cuba. Basically, whatever gray area may have existed before is now gone. Cuba only recently restored its power grid, for now anyway, after a nationwide blackout

that lasted more than 29 hours. And communist officials have warned that pressure on the island's fuel supply could trigger further outages. So with the communist island running on fumes and the seahorse, now rerouted, Havana is left without any immediate resupply in sight. And Russia? Well, for all the rhetoric about standing by Cuba, Moscow does not appear eager to pay the price for openly undercutting Trump. Russia's state-run Tass News Agency says talks with Cuba over aid options are ongoing, but for now, talk is all it is. As for that second Russian-linked fuel tanker, the Anatoli Kolochkin, the U.S. military is actively tracking it in the Atlantic. Additionally, two Coast Guard cutters are positioned in the Caribbean. And if the order comes

from the White House, interception of that tanker is a likely scenario. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief from Monday, the 23rd of March. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. And I hope you had a chance over the weekend to catch the latest episode of our PDB Situation Report. You can find it and past episodes on our YouTube channel. You can find that on YouTube, of course, just search up at President's Daily Brief, and of course on podcast platforms all over podcast land. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool.