The President's Daily Brief - March 26th, 2025: FBI Zeroes In On Tesla Attackers & Washington Lifts Taliban Bounties

Episode Date: March 26, 2025

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: The FBI launches a new task force targeting a surge in attacks on Tesla vehicles—but critics say the Justice Department is being politically weaponized. The U.S. quietly removes multimillion-dollar bounties on senior Haqqani network leaders, including the Taliban’s current interior minister. Turkey’s president intensifies his crackdown on pro-democracy protests as demonstrations continue following the arrest of his top political rival. In today’s Back of the Brief: China unveils a deep-sea cable-cutting device capable of severing the world’s most secure underwater communication lines—raising fears of digital sabotage. 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 Stash Financial: Go to https://Get.Stash.com/PDB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. It's Wednesday, the 26th of March. Welcome to the president's daily brief. Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right. Let's get briefed. In today's spotlight, the FBI is ramping up its investigations into a wave of attacks on Tesla vehicles, launching a new task force to tackle the surge. But in a textbook example of what goes around comes around, Democrats are accusing the Department of Justice of being weaponized for political purposes.

Hmm. We'll break down what's happening. Later in the show, a controversial decision by Washington, the U.S. has quietly removed multi-million dollar bounties on senior figures in the Hacconi militant network, including its leader, who's now serving as the Taliban's interior minister. Plus, chaos continues in Turkey as Turkish President Erdogan tightens his grip, cracking down on demonstrators as pro-democracy protests stretch into a second week following the arrest of his chief political rival. And in today's back of the brief, China reveals a dangerous new weapon.

It's a deep-sea device designed to cut even the most secure underwater cables. Well, what could the Chinese Communist Party want with a device designed to cut undersea cables? If only we had a clue. But first, today's PDB spotlight. We'll begin in the U.S. with the continuing violence and vandalism directed at the EV manufacturer Tesla, where the Trump administration is forcefully responding to mounting attacks of extreme violence and vandalism targeting electric vehicle maker Tesla. Seems like just yesterday when the far left loved Tesla. Now, they're firebombing charging stations and dealerships.

On Monday, the FBI launched a task force, intended to crack down on attacks against Tesla and hold perpetrators accountable for what they contend are acts of domestic violence. Well, firebombing and damaging and vandalism. I guess that could be construed as possible domestic terrorism. The move comes in the wake of a series of destructive arson attacks and acts of vandalism and straight-up criminal violence, targeting the electric carmaker over CEO Elon Musk's role in leading the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as Doge,

which has undertaken sweeping cuts to the federal government workforce. Now, look, in reality, it's basically about Musk's support of Trump, Most of the gormless morons involved in the acts of violence and vandalism couldn't tell you what Doge does, much less spell Doge. The FBI says they've received reports of at least 48 attacks across nine states in March alone, 10 of which have targeted Tesla dealerships and charging stations, and that the activity appears to be escalating, as according to a report from the New York Post. The attacks regularly involve arsonists setting fire to Tesla vehicles and charging stations. often using Molotov cocktails, and also include multiple instances of perpetrators shooting at Tesla vehicles and showrooms.

The latest high-profile incident came on Monday when a bomb squad found multiple incendiary devices at a Tesla showroom in Austin, Texas. That, of course, is the same city that hosts the company's corporate headquarters. The devices were removed by authorities without incident, but the scare, well, it gives you an idea of the dangerous nature of these attacks and their potential for causing accidental or intention. bodily harm. FBI director Cash Patel said Monday, quote, this is domestic terrorism. Those responsible will be pursued, caught, and brought to justice. The newly minted task force is partnering with special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, as well as personnel from the FBI's Counterterrorism Division to try to identify and arrest the criminals involved in these ongoing attacks. The ATF has reportedly already embedded personnel in multiple FBI field officers.

to help accelerate the efforts. So far, only three people have been arrested in relation to the attacks, according to the post report. FBI officials know the perpetrators largely appear to be lone offenders who carry out their attacks at night, making identification and arrest somewhat difficult. In Massachusetts, for example, seven Tesla charging stations sustained heavy fire-related damage earlier this month, after unknown vandals deliberately put the facilities to the torch under the cover of dark In another case on the 7th of March, vandals targeted a Tesla charging station in South Carolina, spray-painting expletives directed at President Trump alongside the words long-live Ukraine,

before throwing homemade Molotov cocktails, destroying three charging stations. As I mentioned, in addition to the rampant arson attacks, there have also been shooting incidents. For example, on the 6th of March, an unidentified gunman fired shots at a Tesla dealership in Tigard, Oregon. Police set seven bullets, damaged three cars, and shattered windows around the dealership, according to our report from CNN. There are, frankly, too many attacks to keep track of, but you get the picture. Despite the difficulty in investigating these attacks, the FBI is hopeful that their new task force can help flush out those involved.

The FBI has so far partnered with local law enforcement to investigate seven of these attacks at the federal level, and more cases are expected to be opened. Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has also labeled the attacks as domestic terrorism and said those caught will face prison terms of up to 20 years. But critics say the Justice Department is being weaponized by the Trump administration, and they're saying that with a straight face, decrying the new task force as an abuse of power. Democrat Congressman Daniel Goldman of New York condemned the action in a post on X on Monday, calling the task force blatant, quote, political weaponization. He argues that it's a cynical maneuver by President Trump to go after adversaries of Musk, but bizarrely branding it as a form of lawfare rather than a form of going after arsonists and vandals. Social media users quickly jumped on that post, however,

pointing out that shootings and arsons are clear criminal acts that warrant severe legal repercussions. Responding to the escalating attacks, Musk said Monday, quote, there is no doubt that shooting bullets into Tesla stores and burning down superchargers are acts of terrorism. Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks, end quote. All right. Coming up next, the U.S. quietly drops bounties on top Hacconi leaders, while Turkey's president cracks down on growing protests after jailing his main political rival. I'll be right back. This podcast is brought to you in part by Stash. Saving and investing can feel, well, impossible.

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slash switch. Up front payment of $45 for three-month plan, equivalent to $15 per month required. Intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available. Taxes and fees extra. See full terms at mintmobile.com. Welcome back to the PDB. In a quiet policy shift, at least one that didn't make the headlines anywhere, the United States has removed millions of dollars in bounties on several senior members of the Hacani terrorist network, including its leader, Sirajadhan Hakani. The move comes on the heels of a high-level U.S. delegation's visit to Kabul, where Trump administration officials, including hostage affairs envoy, Adam Boler, and a former Afghanistan envoy, held talks with Taliban leadership. Within days of that meeting, the Taliban

released American citizen George Glezman, who had been imprisoned since December of 2022. While the exact terms of the exchange remain unclear, Taliban officials have pointed to the bounty removal on the Khakhanis as a signal of thawing relations. So, well, at least we know what the tit-for-tat entailed, remove the bounties, and we'll release the U.S. citizen. For background, the Khakani network is a powerful semi-autonomous arm of the Taliban, long believed to have orchestrated some of the bloodiest attacks against Western targets in Afghanistan. Sirajidin himself is currently the Taliban regime's interior minister. In 2011, the terror network carried out a 19-hour assault on the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. Six years later, they were responsible for a devastating

truck bombing that killed over 150 people, mostly civilians. Sarajidine is tied to the 2008-Sorina Hotel attack, which left several foreign nationals dead. Until recently, Sirajidine carried a $10 million bounty on his head under the State Department's rewards for justice program. That reward has since vanished from official FBI listings. A Taliban Interior Ministry spokesman declared the bounty removals, quote, a major achievement for the Islamic Emirate, citing them as evidence of, quote, continued diplomatic efforts and the start of a new phase of interaction with Washington. The State Department confirmed the change.

Spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told the BBC there is, quote, no current reward for Sarajidine, his brother or his brother-in-law, each of whom holds a senior post in the terror network. In total, the U.S. had once offered 20, $20 million in bounties for information about the three leaders. That said, all three men remain designated as specially designated global terrorists, and the Hacconi network itself is still classified as a foreign terrorist organization under U.S. law. The Islamist group's roots date back to the anti-Soviet Mujah Dine insurgency of the 1980s,

when Sarajidine's father received CIA backing to fight Soviet troops. Over the decades, the network transformed into one of the most cases, anti-Western terror organizations in the region. As Interior Minister, Sarajideen controls Afghanistan's police and intelligence agencies and is widely viewed as a political counterweight to the Taliban's reclusive supreme leader. The two have clashed behind the scenes on multiple issues, including the contentious debate over girls' education, with the Hakani faction attempting to present itself as more moderate and diplomatically viable. Washington, for its part, still does not formally recognized the Taliban government, but the quiet removal of these bounties signals

a recalibration in U.S. engagement with elements of the regime, particularly as humanitarian conditions worsen and security threats mount inside Afghanistan. Okay, shifting to Turkey. The country's political crisis continued despirable Tuesday as nationwide protests over the arrest of Istanbul mayor, Ekram Imamolu, entered their sixth consecutive night. The demonstrations prompted President to Erdogan to accuse the opposition of fueling unrest. Now, as we've been following here on the PDB, demonstrations first broke out last Wednesday after Imammolu was detained on sweeping charges of corruption, bribery, extortion, and bid rigging. The popular mayor, widely seen as Erdogan's most formidable political rival,

has denied all allegations, calling them politically motivated. Despite large-scale protests, Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party, known as the CHP, abruptly announced Tuesday night that it would conclude demonstrations, offering no clarity on what might come next. CHP leadership described the near-week-long movement as, quote, an act of defiance against fascism. Speaking from Ankara, Erdogan condemned the demonstrations as, quote, evil, accusing the CHP of inciting what he called a, quote, violent movement

rather than formally responding to the charges against us. their leader. He warned the CHP would be held accountable for injured officers and damaged property, claiming the opposition had made, quote, vile and unlawful statements that stirred public agitation. While the demonstrations remained largely peaceful, the government deployed a heavy security presence with water cannon equipped vehicles, stationed near Istanbul City Hall, and a mounting number of arrests. The Interior Ministry confirmed that more than 1,100 people have been detained since the unrest began. According to demonstrators in interview by AFP, they felt as if Turkish authorities were, quote, hunting them like pests, while CHP officials condemned what they call the police's excess of use

of force that left many hospitalized. While the CHP formally ended its participation, it remains unclear whether spontaneous demonstrations will continue in Istanbul or other major cities. Amamola's wife addressed crowds outside of City Hall, declaring that the injustice done to her husband, quote, struck a chord with every conscience. CHP officials say they'll appeal for Amomolu's release ahead of trial and have called for the court proceedings to be broadcast on state television. The party also reaffirmed his candidacy for the 28 presidential election. While a conviction could legally bar Amomolu from running, he remains for now the symbolic figurehead of Turkey's embattled opposition. The Ministry of Justice has denied that Erdogan played a role

in the arrest, insisting the judiciary is operating independently. Of course it is. Still Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey for more than two decades, appears largely unmoved. He suggested the CHB is unfit to govern based on the demonstrations. Now some analysts speculate that Erdogan may even pursue amendments and constitutional loopholes to extend his rule beyond the current two-term limit, potentially carrying him past 2028. The demonstration, underscored sustained unease over Erdogan's prolonged rule, particularly among younger Turks, many of whom have known no other government and are increasingly disillusioned with the country's direction. Whether Erdogan can reassert control without further backlash or if this moment marks

the beginning of a deeper unraveling, well, that remains an open question. All right, coming up next in the back of the brief. China's Navy has a new toy, a weapon designed to cut underwater cables, sparking fears of sabotage against Western infrastructure. Well, I don't see why folks would think that a weapon designed to cut undersea cables might be used for sabotage. That seems far-fetched. We'll have the details next.

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Book direct at Choiceotales.com. In today's back of the brief, China has just pulled the curtain back on a new deep-sea weapon, and it's raising some serious red flags. According to the South China Morning Post, China has developed a compact, underwater cable-cutting device, small, precise, and powerful enough to sever even the most fortified communication lines that criss-crossed the ocean floor. We're talking about armored cables made of steel, rubber, and polymer, the same lines that carry 95% of the world's Internet and global data traffic. This isn't just some bulky salvage tool. This device operates at depths of up to 4,000 meters. That's around 13,000 feet, which is twice the range of most existing undersea cable

infrastructure. It features a six-inch diamond-coated grinding wheel spinning at 1,600 RPMs, able to slice through reinforced steel with surgical precision, all while minimizing any disturbance to surrounding marine sediment. In other words, it can do its job and vanish without leaving much of a trace. Even more concerning, the device is designed to integrate with China's advanced submersibles, both manned and unmanned. Robotic arms equipped with advanced positioning tech allow it to operate in near-zero visibility, meaning this thing can be deployed covertly and accurately.

Now, on paper, Beijing says this tool is meant for civilian uses. Nothing to see here, folks. salvage operations, seabed mining, and scientific exploration. But the dual-use potential is obvious. Military analysts are already warning that it could be used to sabotage global communications in a conflict or as part of gray zone tactics. And it's not just theoretical. This news comes after a string of undersea cable incidents where China is already suspected

of foul play. Back in January, a Chinese-linked cargo ship reportedly damaged the Trans-Pacific Express cable, near Taiwan. And just a few months earlier, in November, two cables in the Baltic Sea were cut within hours of each other, with suspicion falling on a Chinese vessel. And in late February, Taiwan detained a Chinese crew ship, the Ongtai 58, after allegedly cut another telecom cable. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Wednesday, the 26th of March. Look, 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, which you can do, 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. Starting a business can seem like a daunting task, unless you have a partner like Shopify. They have the tools you need to start and grow your business. From designing a website to marketing to selling and beyond, Shopify can help with everything you need. There's a reason millions of companies like Mattel, Heinz, and all birds continue to trust and use them. With Shopify on your side, turn your big business idea into... Sign up for your $1 per month trial at Shopify.com slash special offer.