The President's Daily Brief - PDB Afternoon Bulletin | January 21st, 2025: Hamas Reasserts Control Over Gaza & Trump Reverses Biden Policy With Cuba Crackdown

Episode Date: January 21, 2025

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:   First, we'll discuss a Wall Street Journal report that details how, in the hours following the start of the cease-fire agreement with Israel, Hamas has quickly moved to reassert its control over the Gaza strip. Then, in a quick reversal of Biden policy, President Trump has returned the nation of Cuba to the list of state sponsors of terrorism. 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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Hey, it's Mike Baker here. If you're keeping score at home, I am still in the Middle East on an epic trek through the deserts of Saudi Arabia and Jordan, five riders, ten camels, and a remarkable support team. While I'm away, Mike Slater is here to guide you through the president's daily brief. Thanks, Mike. It's Tuesday. 21 January, 2025. Welcome back to the PDB afternoon bulletin. Mike Slater filling in for Mike Baker. Let's get briefed. First, as the ceasefire in Gaza takes hold, Hamas has flooded the streets with thousands of its fighters in a major show of force, demonstrating that they will remain the dominant power in the territory. We'll discuss Israel's reaction.

And with the terror groups continue to hold over the enclave means for the fragile truce. Later in the show, in a quick reversal of Biden policy, President Trump has returned the nation of Cuba to the list of state sponsors of terrorism. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. I want to start today's show by bringing to your attention a Wall Street Journal report that details how in the first hours following the start of the ceasefire agreement with Israel, Hamas has quickly moved to reassert its control over the Gaza Strip. As Israeli troops withdrew, Hamas's forces reemerged,

taken to the streets at a highly visible display of authority. Thousands of armed and uniformed militants paraded through Gaza, flashing victory signs to cheering crowds, showing that despite months of conflict, Hamas remains the dominant power in the territory. The images were a stark reminder that despite all the military might that Israel deployed in Gaza, its stated war goals destroying Hamas and replacing it with alternative governance remains unrealized. Gershawin Baskin, a former Israeli hostage negotiator, described the situation as a, quote, slap in the face to Israel,

highlighting the limited impact that the military campaign may have had on a situation. Hamas's core structure. The ceasefire, brokered by Egypt, Carter in the United States, as paused one of the deadliest conflicts in recent Middle Eastern history. Over 47,000 people in Gaza have been killed since October 2023, following Hamas's deadly attack on Israel, which killed over 1,200 Israelis. While the truce allows for hostages and prisoners to be exchanged, it also raises pressing questions about Gaza's governance in the aftermath, something the PDB has been highlighting extensively since the start of this 15-month conflict. Now, it's important to point out that the Israeli officials argue the high civilian casualties are because Hamas fighters embedded themselves

within the population, and their quick reappearance seems to back that up. Many Hamas members reportedly stashed their uniforms and weapons, laying low until the ceasefire gave them the chance to come back out. Under the ceasefire terms, Hamas police are tasked with maintaining law and order, overseeing displaced Palestinians and coordinating aid deliveries. Aid groups, including the United Nations, report that the humanitarian situation is slowly improving with more supplies entering Gaza than at any time during the war. However, observers warn that Hamas's continued presence complicates reconstruction efforts and future stability.

Many Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign minister, maintain that a permanent peace is impossible as long as Hamas remains about. Meanwhile, discussions about Gaza's future governance have intensified. The Palestinian Authority, ousted by Hamas in 2007, has expressed willingness to assume control but faces resistance from Israel and skepticism from Palestinians. Hamas, for now, continues to hold a monopoly on force. Israel estimates that before the war, Hamas had up to 30,000 fighters. Though Israel claims to have killed over half, the group continues to reorganize

under the leadership of Mohammed Sinwar. That's the brother of Yaya Sinwar, the slain former leader of Hamas and architect of the October 7th attacks. As rebuilding begins, the future of Gaza, and whether it remains under Hamas rule, remains highly uncertain. Quick programming note, before we take a break,

the great Mike Baker, he's going to be back behind their microphone a little earlier than expected. He's returning to host the PDB starting tomorrow morning, and he'll bring you all the details of his adventure in the Saudi Desert. I won't be here behind the microphone, but I'll definitely be listening. Thank you for letting me fill in these last few days.

Coming up after the break, in another reversal of Biden policy, President Trump has returned the nation of Cuba to the list of state sponsors of terrorism. More on that after the break. Fox News is now streaming live on Fox One. When it matters most, turn to the voices you trust. We go beyond the headlines, bringing you the stories you won't hear anywhere else. Live coverage, sharp analysis, real perspective. At home or on the go, stay connected when it counts.

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Welcome back to the PD. afternoon bulletin, just hours into his presidency, Donald Trump reinstated Cuba to the list of state sponsors of terrorism, overturning a late-term decision by then-president Joe Biden. The swift action underscores Trump's commitment to a hard-line stance towards the communist island, mirroring policies from his first term that unraveled Obama-era Dayton. As we reported last week on the PDB, Biden's removal of Cuba from the terrorism list coincided with Havana's Vatican-mediated agreement to gradually release over 500 political prisoners detained following the mass anti-government protests of July 2021. For now, it remains unclear whether Cuba

will continue prisoner release in light of Trump's policy reversal. Republican lawmakers fiercely criticized Biden's decision, citing what they view as insufficient scrutiny of the Cuban regime's role in harboring individuals linked to terrorism and its destabilizing activities in the region. Incoming Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who was just confirmed today unanimously by the Senate, a Cuban-American and staunch critic of Havana's leadership, foreshadowed the reinstatement during his confirmation hearing last Wednesday. When Monday's announcement came, Rubio lauded it as a necessary response to Cuba's ongoing harboring of Colombian guerrilla commanders, whose peace negotiations with Bogota collapsed over the weekend due to accusations of

war crimes. This breakdown, which we reported earlier today on the PDB, further reinforced the rationale for Trump's actions. In tandem with this terrorism designation, the Trump administration reimposed restrictions on Cuban government-linked entities, barring them from participating in certain financial transactions under U.S. law. These measures initially introduced during Trump's first term had been rolled back under Biden, marking another flashpoint in the partisan tug of war over Cuba policy. Cuba's communist leadership wasted no time in responding to Trump's actions. Their president condemned the move, describing it as, quote, an act of arrogance and

disregard for truth. The country's foreign minister echoed this sentiment on X, asserting that the policy would inflict harm, but would not, quote, subdue the firm determination of our people. It's important to note that Trump opted to preserve one key element of Biden's Cuba policy, the suspension of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, This provision allows Cuban exiles to sue Havana for property that was confiscated after Fidel Castro's 1959 Revolution, which has been sparingly used primarily by multinational corporation. While the administration has yet to articulate a justification for the policy shift, Republicans frame it as a

corrective to Biden's perceived leniency. Trump's actions set the stage for a renewed era of antagonism between Washington and Havana in the years ahead. And that is the PDB after. And that is the new bulletin for Tuesday, 21 January. Thank you again for letting me fill in. Mike Baker, will be here bright and early tomorrow morning. To listen to the show ad-free, you become a premium member of the president's daily brief by visiting pdb premium.com. I'm Mike Slater from the podcast, Politics by Faith, and host of the morning show on Sirius XM Patriot. Mike Baker, we'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay safe. Spread the word. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money.

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