The President's Daily Brief - September 17th, 2025: Celebrating Kirk’s Killing Sparks Pentagon Crackdown & Visa Cancellations

Episode Date: September 17, 2025

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: First up—the reaction to the murder of Charlie Kirk is testing the limits of free speech, with the Pentagon cracking down on U.S. troops and the State Department pulling visas. Later in the show—could an “Islamic NATO” be on the horizon? Iran and Egypt are pushing for a new Middle East defense pact in the wake of Israel’s strike in Qatar. Plus—Washington and Qatar move toward an enhanced defense pact, a sign of shifting alliances in the wake of Israel’s attack on Hamas leaders. And in today’s Back of the Brief—a Manhattan judge just threw out the top terrorism charges against accused assassin Luigi Mangione, delivering a massive blow to prosecutors. 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 American Financing: NMLS 182334, https://nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.327% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1881 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/PDB.Birch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Still, on the road. We're actually busy working on the coffee table book of all the hotel room backgrounds that we've had over the past couple of years. It's going to be spectacular. A real thing of joy. All right, let's get briefed. First up, the reaction to the murder of Charlie Kirk is testing the limits of free speech,

with the Pentagon cracking down on U.S. troops and the State Department pulling visas. I'll have the details. Later in the show, could an Islamic NATO be on the horizon? Iran and Egypt are pushing for a new Middle East defense pact in the wake of Israel's strike in Qatar. It's almost like Iran isn't taking any responsibility for the chaos and conflict in the region. Maybe they forgot that they're trained and resourced and supported Hamas and Hezbollah and the Houthis and others over the past many years with the stated goal of destroying Israel. But hey, whatever, you guys work on your defense pact.

Plus, at the same time, the U.S. in Qatar moved toward an enhanced defense. pack themselves. Everybody's getting a defense pact, a sign of shifting alliances in the wake of Israel's attack on Hamas leaders. And in today's back of the brief, a judge in Manhattan just throughout the top terrorism charges against accused assassin Luigi Mangione, delivering a serious setback to prosecutors. Now, Mangione, of course, is accused of killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan. The Ivy League graduate has acquired a bit of a cult following, Gormless Midwitz. have been showing up at the courthouse during initial proceedings to support him because they don't like the insurance industry. But first, today's PDB spotlight. Today I want to take a deeper

look into the fallout over the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Now, as many of you have likely been following, there's been some ghoulish, disturbing, disgusting reactions to Kirk's murder. In some cases, those public reactions have been met with real-world consequences. People losing their jobs, others called on to resign from positions of responsibility. Watching some in our society respond to the assassination with glee makes you realize just how far the country has sunk in terms of decency and civility. But I want to look at two specific stories that go beyond the surface outrage on that side. Two stories that are testing the limits of free speech in this country,

and that also tied directly into America's national security. First, the U.S. military. Now, officials say they're taking swift disciplinary action against troops who posted on social media in ways that appeared to celebrate Kirk's assassination. The Pentagon has adopted what it's calling a, quote, zero tolerance policy towards service members who cheered his death. Now, the Pentagon hasn't put out an exact number of how many troops are facing discipline, but one U.S. official told Reuters it was likely in the dozens. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who knew Kirk personally, ordered the crackdown and the service branches are carrying it out. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnel posted on X, quote, We will not tolerate those who celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American at the Department of War.

It's a violation of the oath, its conduct unbecoming. It's a betrayal of the Americans they've sworn to protect, and it's dangerously incompatible with military service, end quote. Those comments were later reposted by, secretary Hegeseth himself. Now, let's pause here. Celebrating someone's death, no matter how reprehensible it is, would normally fall under the protection of free speech. That's the reality of life in a free society, and that's as it should be. But members of the military don't live under the same rules as civilians. They have much less leeway when it comes to what they can say publicly and with good reason. The military isn't just any workplace or just any workforce.

It's the most powerful fighting force on the planet, armed with the most advanced weapons ever created. The standards for conduct have to be higher than what you'd expect at the average job. And so, members of the military live under what's called the Uniform Code of Military Justice. And of course, you ask, does that have an acronym? Well, of course it does. It's the UCMJ. Now, the UCMJ is the legal system that covers all U.S. service members. Unlike civilians who enjoy broad First Amendment protections, troops are held to strict standards designed to preserve discipline, unity, and respect within the ranks. Under the UCMJ, service members can be punished for speech that undermines good order or that brings discredit to the armed forces, even if that

same speech would be perfectly legal in civilian life. That covers contemptuous remarks about political leaders, extremist advocacy, or, as we're seeing here, celebrating acts of political violence. So, yes, the military is well within its authority to punish members who engage in this kind of public display. and it has ample justification to do so. Now, the second story I want to highlight comes on the immigration side. Secretary of State Marker Rubio announced on Monday that the Trump administration has begun

revoking the visas of foreign nationals who, quote, celebrate the death of Charlie Kirk or other American citizens. He put it plainly, America will not host foreigners who celebrate the death of our fellow citizens. Visa revocations are underway, he said. If you are here on a visa

and cheering on the public assassin, of a political figure, prepare to be deported. You are not welcome in this country, end quote. Here again, we run into questions of free speech, but unlike with American citizens, visas are not a right, they are a privilege, and the State Department has a very broad discretion when it comes to issuing or revoking them. If officials determine that someone's behavior is contrary to America's interests or values, they can and often do pull that privilege. And there's plenty of precedent. foreign nationals have lost visas or been denied entry for far less than celebrating an American's assassination. Back in 2005, the U.S. barred a radical clerk from Britain after he praised

terrorism. He wasn't tied to a plot, but his rhetoric was enough to keep him out. In 2012, the State Department actually revoked the visa of India's Narendra Modi, years before he became Prime Minister, over concerns tied to sectarian violence. So the principle is clear. If you're a foreign national and your behavior crosses the line into celebrating violence against Americans, your visa can and often will be pulled. Taken together, the military's crackdown and the State Department's visa actions are two sides of the same coin. They're about drawing boundaries. Free speech is a bedrock value in America, of course, but it's not limitless, and when it collides with national security and public safety, those limits, consequences can become very real. All right. Coming up next, Iran and Egypt,

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Refresh your wireless with Visible. Tap the banner to switch today. Terms apply, limited time offer subject to change. See Visible.com for plan features and network management details. Welcome back to the BDB. Iran and Egypt are spearheading the boldest push in decades for a NATO-style Muslim defense pact, seizing on Israel's recent strike in Doha and its looming Gaza city offensive to rally the Islamic world. Now, the effort took center stage.

Monday as leaders of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, or the OIC, gathered in Qatar for an emergency summit convened directly in response to Israel's attack last week on a Hamas compound in Doha. As we covered here on the PDB, that strike killed five Hamas officials, including the son of a senior commander and a Qatari security officer as well, Reuters reports. For Arab and Iranian officials, the blast in Doha crystallized. What they now frame is Israel's role as the destabilizing force in the region. Okay, so now Israel's the destabilizing force in the region, because apparently the Iranians don't see themselves as the destabilizing force in the region. Someone should remind them that it was their proxy at their behest and encouragement that started

this whole sad, tragic conflict with their 7 October attacks almost two years ago. The backdrop is unmistakable, a 12-day Israeli barrage on Iranian nuclear military sites in June, a ground campaign in Gaza and now the offensive in Gaza City. Arab and Iranian officials warn that the failure to act will leave Muslim states exposed to further military strikes and intelligence operations from the Jewish state, and by Muslim states Iran officials mean, well, Iran. Egypt, commanding the Arab world's largest army, is pushing for a Cairo-based joint command. But Iran wants something bigger. A former IRGC commander warned that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Iran,

quote, could be future targets unless the block acts decisively, adding, quote, the only solution is forming a military coalition. Tehran's mullahs have called outright for a single Islamic army with both defensive and offensive doctrines, well, that sounds cheery. Still an aid to Iran's foreign minister admitted it was, quote, too early to formalize a pact, even if conditions now are, quote, more favorable than in the past. Pakistan, the Muslim world's only nuclear power, weighed in with a call for a joint task force to monitor Israeli actions and coordinate deterrence. Cutter's prime minister described the Doha strike as, quote, an assault on the principle of mediation itself and demanded measures to end quote

an endless cycle of bloodshed and destruction. The Qatari PM went further, saying the attack sent, quote, a clear message to the region as a whole, and that message is that there's a rogue player in the region, end quote, seriously. They're completely ignoring that big Iranian elephant in the room. For the 57 Nation OIC, long criticized as a body of merely symbolic declarations, Monday's summit became something of a stress test. Could fiery rhetoric be turned into military commitments?

The presence of Iranian President Masutazchian, within a body traditionally dominated by Arab states, highlighted Tehran's ambition to seize the leadership mantle. Yeah, they've been wanting that for some time now. Meanwhile, Qatar's role is host of the largest U.S. military base in the region, layered tension on Washington, sharpening the dilemma for the Trump administration. The strike on Doha has already opened the cracks within the U.S. As we've been tracking, American officials conceded that the Trump administration was, quote, not happy with Israel's actions, but they stopped short of condemning those actions.

President Trump straddling the line between two close allies, praised Qatar as, quote, a very great ally while dodging direct criticism of Israel. The president went on to say, quote, Israel and everyone. else, we have to be careful. When we attack people, we have to be careful, end quote. It's a balancing act that underscores Washington's discomfort here. Whether the OIC translates rhetoric into a formal pact remains uncertain. But the convergence of Egypt's military weight, Iran's regional ambitions, Pakistan's nuclear clout and Qatar's anger at the Israeli strike on their territory has significantly raised the stakes. Okay, staying in the region. Gutter and the U.S.

are nearing the finalization of their own upgraded defense pact. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the move on Tuesday, telling reporters after meeting the Qatari Emir, quote, we have a close partnership with the Qataris. In fact, we have an enhanced defense cooperation agreement, which we've been working on and we're on the verge of finalizing. For those unfamiliar, the two nations already maintain a pact that anchors the U.S. military presence at Al-U.D. Air Base,

SENTCOM's forward hub, and grants Qatar major non-NATO, ally status. The upgraded defense framework, while still under wraps in terms of specific details, appears poised to enhance Doha's sovereignty guarantees and expanded American security commitments for one of Washington's more important allies in the Middle East. For Qatar, the timing is interesting. As we just discussed, Doha has spent nearly two years hosting Seatsfire talks between Hamas and Israel alongside Egypt, while also providing a home base and support for Hamas leadership in Doha. But last week's strike on Hamas senior personnel in its capital rattled its standing as

mediator and thrust sovereignty concerns front and center. A Qatari foreign ministry spokesman branded the Israeli strike as, quote, cowardly and treacherous, adding it only, quote, expedites the need for a renewed strategic defense agreement with Washington. The spokesman stressed that Doha's top priority is safeguarding its territory, even as the country continues its shuttle diplomacy. The The Emir's office also said talks with Rubio touched not just on defense guarantees, but also on Gaza ceasefire prospects and Israeli hostage and Palestinian prisoner swaps. As we previously mentioned, President Trump has tried to straddle the line between the two allies. On his golf tour back in May, while in Doha, the president pledged American protection if Qatar ever

came under attack. Looking ahead to Friday, Trump will meet Qatar's prime minister in New York, where the president plans to vow that, quote, such attacks will not happen again, while also reinforcing that he had not been informed by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu of the strike beforehand. Meanwhile, in his Tuesday visit to the Gulf state, Rubio leaned hard on the importance of Qatar's mediation role. The top U.S. diplomat stated, quote, there's a very short window of time in which a deal could happen. Yeah, that's being diplomatic. If any country in the world can help mediate it, Qatar is the one, end quote. Netanyahu, standing beside Rubio in Jerusalem just a day earlier, struck a different

cord, vowing once more to target Hamas leaders, quote, wherever they are. The looming enhanced defense pact is more than paperwork. For Qatar, it's a shield against further Israeli strikes. For Washington, it's a gamble. Tie American credibility to the Gulf's most active mediator, or risk being dragged deeper into a regional firestorm involving two close allies. Okay, coming up next in today's back of a brief, prosecutors take a hit in their case against Luigi Mangione, as a judge dismisses terrorism charges against the alleged killer. More on that when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Let me take just a moment of your time to talk about personal finances.

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Multi-vehicle discount, safe driver discount, new vehicle discount, storage discount, legacy. How many discounts will you stack up? Tap the banner or visit usa.com slash auto discounts. Restrictions apply. In today's back of the brief, a major setback for prosecutors in the case of accused assassin Luigi Mangione. A Manhattan judge is thrown out the top terrorism charges against the 27-year-old Ivy League graduate, ruling that prosecutors failed to prove he acted with terroristic intent when he gunned down United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Midtown and Investor Conference last December. Judge Gregory Caro tossed two of the most serious counts,

first-degree murder as an act of terrorism, and second-degree murder as a crime of terrorism. He wrote that while the state presented sufficient evidence that Mangione carried out a premeditated, calculated execution, yeah, there's some fairly strong evidence. They did not establish that his intent was to intimidate or coerce a civilian population. Instead, the judge pointed to Mangione's own writings, which suggested his goal was to draw attention to what he viewed as the greed of the healthcare industry. by brutally gunning down someone on the streets of Manhattan. The ruling significantly narrows the state's case. Without those terrorism charges,

Mangione still faces second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of 25 years to life, but with the possibility of parole. By contrast, a first-degree terrorism conviction would have guaranteed life without parole. It's a stunning reversal for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who has been accused of by legal experts of overreaching to make a splashy headline.

Critics call the terrorism charges a stretch from the beginning, and now a judge has agreed. Prague's office issued a statement, saying it respects the decision and will continue to pursue the remaining nine counts, including standard murder charges. But let's be clear, Manjone is far from walking free here. He still faces those state murder counts, and on top of that, he's due back in federal court

where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Inside the Manhattan courtroom today, Men Gioen appeared in prison garb, raising his eyebrows toward a gallery packed with about two dozen supporters. Seriously, mostly young women. Their parents must be so proud. Outside, demonstrators, waved signs reading, quote, health care is a human right, and also, quote, not guilty, underscoring just how polarizing this case has become. Now, I don't know about health care being a human right,

but I do think that not being gunned down while walking on a sidewalk should be a human right. Luigi Mangione will be back in state court on December 1st, and then just days later in federal court on December 5th. With terrorism charges off the table in New York, the focus now shifts to Washington, where the ultimate punishment is still very much on the table. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Wednesday, the 17th of September. 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, well, you know you can do that, and it's very simple. just become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting PDB Premium.com. As I mentioned earlier, you'll also get access with that premium membership to our brand new special series

the day the world almost ended. Now, it's not a cheery title, but it's an excellent series that our terrific PDB team has put together. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. 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.