The President's Daily Brief - PDB Afternoon Bulletin | July 22nd, 2025: DOJ To Meet With Epstein Conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell & Hamas's Financial Crisis

Episode Date: July 22, 2025

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:  First—as questions continue to swirl around the Jeffrey Epstein case, officials at the Department of Justice have reached out to interview his longtime associate and convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell. We’ll have the details. Later in the show—Hamas is reportedly facing its worst financial and political crisis in decades, unable to pay its fighters or civil servants under relentless pressure from the Israeli military, as public support for the terror group dwindles. 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 Birch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold   DeleteMe: Visit ⁠https://joindeleteme.com/BRIEF⁠& Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Welcome to the PDB afternoon bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. Our first story, as questions continue to swirl around the Jeffrey Epstein case, perhaps you've heard about it, officials at the Department of Justice have reached out to his longtime associate, convicted sex offender Gilane Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year sentence. They'd like to do an interview with her.

We'll have those details. Later in the show, Hamas is reportedly facing its worst financial and political crisis in decades, unable to pay its fighters or civil servants under relentless pressure from the Israeli military, as public support for the terror group reportedly dwindles. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. We'll begin in the U.S. with the latest chapter in the Jeffrey Epstein saga, which continues to dominate headlines in Washington, fuel public backlash against the Trump administration, and really titillade and excite Democrats who have had little to be excited about recently. The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that they're setting up an interview with Gilae Maxwell,

the disgraced British socialite and longtime Epstein conspirator, who's currently serving a 20-year prison term for sex trafficking. Under the direction of Attorney General Pambondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will meet with Maxwell to gauge her willingness to cooperate with prosecutors and see what information she can offer regarding individuals that participated in Epstein's criminal enterprise. That's according to a report. from Fox News. Now, Maxwell's attorney subsequently confirmed that they are already in discussions with the DOJ on setting up the meeting, adding, quote, Gilaine will always testify truthfully,

end quote. Well, yes, that's because she is, after all, a pillar of society. Now, before we go any further, a quick refresher on what led us to this moment, as I'm sure all our listeners are well aware, the latest Epstein scandal was triggered on the 6th of July after the Department of Justice and FBI issued a joint statement, saying that after a thorough review of the files related to the Epstein case, they found no evidence of a client list or that the deceased financier of blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his sex trafficking schemes. Furthermore, the memo stated that they uncovered no evidence to warrant an investigation against uncharged third parties, while also affirming that in their view, Epstein did, in fact, commit suicide while being held in a Manhattan

prison cell in August of 2019. Now, for many, the Nothing to See Here statement from the Trump administration landed with a thud, a resounding thud, sparking outrage from both Democrats and some Trump supporters, who have long demanded full transparency from the president regarding the case, including the release of all files related to Epstein's criminal activities. Now, the fallout has fueled countless conspiracy theories about a cover-up and speculations that Bondi, FBI director Cash Patel, and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino may resign. President Trump has responded with increasing exasperation and fury at the backlash,

telling his base in the public to move on from the Epstein affair. But continued demands by the public for answers has forced the administration to shift hacked. Last Friday, Trump ordered Bondi to ask a judge to unseal the grand jury testimony from Epstein's case. That's a bureaucratic process that is still in the works. And now the DOJ is going directly to Maxwell to see what she knows. Well, which does make you ask the question, ask the DOJ at some point already gone to Maxwell to see what she knows, doesn't that sort of seem to be something you would do during the course of an investigation? Or maybe I'm just being cynical. In a statement on Tuesday, Deputy Attorney General Blanche said, quote, this Department of Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead. Therefore, at the direction of Attorney General Bondi, I have communicated with counsel for Ms. Maxwell

to determine whether she would be willing to speak with prosecutors from the department, and quote, my, but that is a long statement. Blanche said he anticipates holding the interview with Maxwell, quote, in the coming days. Now, while those seeking answers regarding Epstein are pleased with that development, the statement itself from Blanche was not without controversy, as it reaffirmed the conclusions of the July 6th joint release from the DOJ and the FBI. Still, Blanche said, quote, President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence.

If Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say. He added, quote, until now, no administration on behalf of the department had inquired about her willingness to meet with the government. That changes now, end quote. Well, again, not to beat a dead horse,

but does that make you wonder, why wouldn't the DOJ and the previous administration have inquired about her willingness to meet with the government? I mean, the Democrats are now super keen to focus on the Epstein issue. Where were they during the Biden administration? FBI director Cash Patel responded to the announcement on X by simply posting, quote, get it. Hmm, that's, that's cryptic, though there's been no statement from Deputy FBI director Dan Bungino. sources told Fox News that Bongino was particularly frustrated by the July 6th the joint statement and had privately complained to the White House about how the Epstein situation was publicly handled. But whether this interview will yield anything of substance or be enough to call the furor

over the Epstein case is anyone's guess. Well, my guess is that it won't call the furor, it won't clear anything up, and the Epstein case will join the ranks of other issues like JFK and MLK killings, as one of our long-term conspiracy theories. Meanwhile, the fallout has also spread to Congress. The House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena Maxwell on Tuesday for a deposition. Just hours later, House Speaker Mike Johnson called an early summer recess. That sounds like fun, to head off efforts by Democrat lawmakers on the Rules Committee to force a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files. It's getting very confusing up on Capitol Hill. Johnson said, quote,

there's no purpose for Congress to push an administration to do something that they're already doing. We can both call for full transparency and also protect victims. He added, quote, if you run roughshod or you do it too quickly, that's not what happens, but I'm convinced that DOJ is going to do their job, end quote. Well, look, Epstein went to jail in 2019, and that was for the second time, the first being in 2008. Eddie died in prison in August of 2019. If one were cynical, one could argue that between 2019 and now, the DOJ hasn't done their job when it comes to the Epstein case.

But perhaps I'm just being cynical. All right, before we go to break, a quick programming note. This week on our extended weekend show, the critically acclaimed PDB Situation Report, will be joined by New York Post columnist and Podforce One host Miranda Devine to break down two explosive stories, new revelations in the Epstein case, and Tulsi Gabbard's criminal reform. referral to the DOJ over claims that the Obama administration manufactured the Trump-Russia collusion hoax. Now, look, you don't want to miss this one, okay? You can catch the situation report Friday night on the first TV at 10 p.m. And over the weekend on our juggernaut of a YouTube

channel, please check that out. You can find it at President's Daily Brief, and of course, on all the podcast platforms. All right, up next. Hamas is reportedly facing its worst financial and political crisis in decades. The Iran-back terror group, is said to be unable to pay as fighters or civil servants due to mostly relentless pressure from the Israeli military. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Let's take just a brief moment to talk about ways to protect your hard-earned savings. Look, I know that the personal finance talk isn't everybody's favorite, but it is critically important to your financial health. Now, one of the smartest ways to protect your savings is through diversification, and one way

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See Visible.com for plan features and network management details. Welcome back to the afternoon bulletin. A new report reveals Hamas is buckling under the weight of its worst financial and administrative collapse in four decades. The Iran-backed terror groups' military and political wings are now reportedly cracking under relentless Israeli pressure, economic freefall, and dwindling public support. Once flushed with cash from extorted taxes collected in Gaza, misdirected aid money from the U.N. and other aid organizations, and of course, Iranian funds, Hamas over the past year and a half has watched much of that revenue dry up. The Washington Post reveals the terror group can no longer pay its fighters and civil servants,

and what remains of its governance structures are stitched together by makeshift terror units and unpaid youths. The military wing of Hamas, well, they're nearly obliterated. Israeli officials estimate Hamas has lost 90% of its commanders and weapons cash since the war began on 7 October, 2023. The once sprawling tunnel system has been reduced to rubble, and senior operatives have been forced into hiding, with many taking refuge in makeshift bulkers beneath civilian infrastructure in Gaza. In one example, the former leader of Hamas, Muhammad Sinmar, was killed via Israeli airstrike

while sheltering in a one-room bunker buried 30 feet beneath a hospital in southern Gaza. A far cry from the subterranean complexes uncovered earlier in the war, complete with blast-proof doors and white-tiled command rooms and weapon storages. A former senior Israeli intelligence officer stated, quote, Hamas is not rebuilding their tunnels, they're not paying their highly trained fighters, they're only surviving. Hamas's governing structure and personnel are faring much better.

Salaries have stopped, trash is piling up in the streets, and fuel is scarce. One Hamas-aligned analyst even conceded that the terror group never planned for a conflict lasting beyond a year and is now slashing salaries and stripping down administrative budgets just to keep the lights on, literally, often using makeshift generators. The war has also lifted the curtain on Hamas's wartime economy, revealing a profit model built on suffering. As we've discussed here on the PDB, the terror group for years,

enriched itself by skimming aid, taxing imports, and exploiting Gaza's desperation. According to Gaza residents and former border workers, Hamas routinely extorted merchants, looted convoys, and murdered drivers who resisted their commands to give up aid, earmarked by four civilians. One contractor said he was threatened with death more than once and personally knew of at least two aid workers executed for defying Chabas' demands. The terror group even stashed millions in tunnels at the war's peak. At one case, the IDF confiscated more than $3 million in cash hidden under Al-Shefa Hospital in March. Israeli intelligence says Hamas is now financially starved. According to Israeli officials, the Iran-Bacteri group once confiscated up to 15% of basic

goods, such as flour, fuel, sugar, reselling them at inflated prices through loyalist merchants, while average Gazans queued for scraps. A Western official speaking on the condition of anonymity to the Washington Post, said Hamas is pushing in ceasefire talks to restore their pre-war delivery system precisely because it did give them control via embedded loyalists in warehouses, to tax and divert supplies at will. They're basically attempting to salvage their revenue streams. Their goal is not to reach a deal that will benefit the citizens of Gaza. Their goal is to reach a deal that will benefit Hamas. A man from central Gaza stated, quote, Hamas sees aid as its most important currency. While most Gaza's scrap for food and water, he said loyalists are rewarded for diverting

supplies. And while groups like the UN's World Food Program continue to insist there's no evidence of widespread aid looting, we don't see anything here. Even Egyptian officials aren't buying that anymore. One Egyptian intelligence officer put it bluntly stating, quote, Hamas has tried to use the aid to survive. It's happening. What once passed for governance has unraveled into chaos in the enclave, with its finances gutted, its leadership hunted and its support-based fraying, Hamas, as little left to cling to beyond the wreckage of its own making. And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin, for Tuesday the 22nd of July. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com.

To listen to the show ad-free, well, you can do that, and it's very, very simple. Just become a premium member of the president's daily brief by visiting PDB premium.com. And finally, rest in peace, Ozzy Osbourne. Ozzy passed away today at the age of 76, and it is safe to say that there won't be another one like him. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool.

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