The President's Daily Brief - PDB Afternoon Bulletin | May 14th, 2025: Revealed: The Surprising Intel That Led Trump To End The Houthi War & Macron Floats Deploying France's Nuclear Deterrent Across Europe

Episode Date: May 14, 2025

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:  First, we’ll revisit the recent ceasefire struck between the Trump administration and Iranian-backed Houthis, and the critical intelligence that led the White House to cut the bombing campaign against the terror group short. Later in the show—amid ongoing concerns about Russian aggression and whether the EU can rely on the U.S. as a military deterrent, French President Emmanuel Macron has said he is open to deploying his country's nuclear weapons to other European countries. We’ll have the details. 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 TriTails Premium Beef: Visit https://TryBeef.com/PDB for 2 free Flat Iron steaks with your first box over $250 DeleteMe: Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you text PDB to 64000. Message and data rates apply Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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turn your big business idea into... Sign up for your $1 per month trial at Shopify.com slash special offer. It's Wednesday, the 14th of May. Welcome to the PDB afternoon bulletin. I'm Mike Baker. Your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right. Let's get briefed. First up, we'll revisit the recent ceasefire struck between the Trump administration and Iranian-backed Houtis and the critical intelligence that led the White House to cut the bombing campaign against the terror group short. Later in the show, amid ongoing concerns about Russian aggression and whether the EU can rely on the U.S. as a military deterrent, French President Emmanuel Macron has said he's

open to deploying his country's nuclear weapons to other European countries. We'll have those details. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. It's been a little over a week since the Trump administration struck a breakthrough ceasefire agreement with the Iranian-backed Houthi militants of Yemen. Now, we're beginning to learn more about the intelligence that led the White House to opt for de-escalation. As you'll recall, the abrupt announcement of the truce on May 6th caught many by surprise as it came just seven weeks into a relentless U.S. bombing campaign that U.S. Central Command had recommended should last at least eight months. According to four anonymous U.S. officials that spoke exclusively to Reuters,

the administration was prepared to maintain their military pressure on the group over the long term, despite the hefty price tag of the strikes, but saw a diplomatic opening worth pursuing when they picked up intelligence that the beleaguered Yemeni militants were seeking an off-ramp to the conflict. By that time, the U.S. bombing campaign, which began on the 15th of March, had struck more than 1,100 Houthi targets, killing a significant number of mid-tier Houthi fighters, who trained lower-level forces, and significantly degrading their command facilities, air defense systems, weapons manufacturing, and storage facilities. Under increasing pressure, the sources said that the Houthi leaders began reaching out around the first weekend in May to U.S. allies in the Middle East

to essentially waive the white flag. One source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters, quote, we started getting intel that the Houthis had had enough. They added that the Iranian regime, which is engaged in delicate discussions with the U.S. over its nuclear program, also played a critical role in encouraging Houthi leadership to come to the negotiating table. The Trump administration moved quickly to seize the moment, hoping to secure a deal that would allow the president to declare victory ahead of his Middle East tour that's taking place this week. On Monday, the 5th of May, Secretary of Defense Pete Higseth organized a series of meetings at the White House to discuss the viability of a ceasefire where officials agreed that there was a limited window of opportunity

to find an off-ram. Trump's special envoy, Steve Whitkoff, who was already engaged in talks with the Iranian regime immediately reached out to mediators in Oman, who brokered indirect talks with the chief Houthi negotiator and spokesperson. He, in turn, contacted the Houthi's top leader, Abdul Malik al-Hutti, and by Monday afternoon, a framework agreement had been reached. Trump decided to take an unconventional approach to finalize the deal, notably bypassing Israel, which is not covered by the arrangement. The following day, President Trump made his announcement of the ceasefire, declaring that the Houthis had capitulated. In an Oval Office press conference, Trump said, quote, they said, please don't bomb us anymore, and we're not going to attack your ships, and I will

accept their word, end quote. The group consented to stop attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and to end their disruption of one of the world's most vital shipping lanes. The Omani foreign minister later confirmed the ceasefire, saying it would ensure, quote, freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of commercial shipping. It was an abrupt U-turned by the Houthis who had previously maintained a defiant posture. According to the Reuters' report, the turning point came after a April 17th strike on a Houthi-controlled fuel terminal on the coast of the Red Sea that killed 74 people, severely damaging the Iranian-backed group's ability to conduct operations and generate revenue. By that point, the U.S. officials said each side saw a

benefit to the deal. With the Houthis seeing an opportunity to relieve pressure, they could have permanently ended their operations if the campaign continued for months or even years, but Washington's allies in the Middle East also wanted the air campaign to stop, fearing regional blowback. One source told Reuters, quote, if the Houthis were under more pressure, well, their response was going to be to fire on the Saudis or the Emirates, end quote. The U.S. was also feeling the pressure, as the bombing campaign, which had so far cost well over $1 billion, had severely depleted critical munitions, and already led to the loss of two $60 million aircraft, including one that fell off the deck of the Harry Truman aircraft carrier while it was under Houthi attack. Since Trump took office,

the Houthis had also managed to shoot down seven USMQ-9 Reaper drones, each costing approximately $30 million. For now, the ceasefire is holding, but questions do remain about. how long the Houthis will adhere to the terms, particularly due to the group's persistent attacks on Israel, which have prompted escalating retaliations. One official warned Reuters, quote, proxies of Iran don't distinguish between what is Israel and what is the U.S. So at some point, I think the Houthis will see themselves as trying to hold the U.S. accountable. All right, coming up next, French President Emmanuel Macron says he is open to deploying France's nuclear weapons to other European countries. I'll be right back.

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across Europe. In a televised interview Tuesday evening with a French broadcaster, Macron declared he was ready to, quote, open the discussion on deploying elements of France's nuclear deterrent abroad, provided it adheres to stringent conditions. The French leader pointed to the long-standing U.S. practice of hosting nuclear assets in Europe, noting, quote, the Americans have the nuclear bombs on planes in Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Turkey. France, which holds the European Union's only independent nuclear arsenal maintains approximately 280 warheads. Its arsenal is engineered for full operational autonomy, capable of launching from submarines and aircraft without foreign oversight. Macron was adamant that any forward

deployment of French nuclear assets would not compromise national sovereignty or command authority. He stressed, quote, we would not be paying for the security of others, adding that ultimate command over nuclear use would, quote, always rest with the President of the Republic as the head of the armed forces, end quote. Macron's remarks follow earlier proposals floated in March to engage European allies in a broader conversation about integrating Francis' nuclear umbrella into continental defense, a revival of the long-discussed but never realized vision of a European nuclear deterrent. France's full-spectrum independence has made it a more attractive and potentially more reliable

nuclear guarantor in the eyes of some European capitals, particularly as questions grow over Washington's long-term commitment to NATO. In Berlin last week, German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz publicly expressed openness to hosting French nuclear weapons on German soil, while taking pains to emphasize that the offer was not meant to supplant the existing American deterrent. Mertz said at a joint press conference with Macron, quote, this would be expressly not a substitute for the nuclear guarantee currently being given to Europe by the United States of America. The U.S. is currently believed to station roughly 20 nuclear warheads at a German military base. Elsewhere in Europe, interest appears to be great. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in March that Warsaw was,

quote, talking seriously with Paris about integrating under France's nuclear shield. Denmark and Lithuania have also signaled openness to the idea, with officials in both countries framing the proposal as a necessary hedge against Russian unpredictability. Still, Macron appeared eager to strike a balance between deterrence and escalation. He said during the interview, quote, We must help Ukraine defend itself, adding, quote, but we do not want to unleash a third world war. Well, that seems like a good idea.

Macron reiterated that Kiev must enter any ceasefire talks from a position of strength. As expected, the Kremlin wasted no time condemning Macron's proposal. Demetri Peskov, Putin's chief purveyor of official state nonsense, called the proposal, quote, a threat to security, predictability, and stability in Europe that's coming from the Russians, warning that any further proliferation of nuclear weapons on the continent would be seen in Moscow as a hostile act. You know, what was a hostile act? Yeah, that would be the taking of Crimea and the invading of Ukraine. The French president's comments come against the backdrop of a broader deterioration in East-West relations, with ten times.

at their highest levels since the Cold War. Russia's Deputy Security Council Chairman Dmitri Medvedev has issued nuclear threats on a dozen occasions over the past year to the West and Ukraine, but frankly, Medvedev never met a nuclear saber that he wasn't willing to rattle. As Europe grapples with its ongoing security reality, Macron's latest remarks signal that France may be ready to assume a central role in the continent's future defense. And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin for Wednesday the 14th of May. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. And, of course, to listen to the show ad free, it's very easy.

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