The President's Daily Brief - September 9th, 2025: Moscow Masses 100K Troops For Major Offensive & Hamas Terror in Jerusalem

Episode Date: September 9, 2025

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: As Moscow ramps up its aerial attacks on Kyiv, Russia is massing 100,000 troops in Donetsk, fueling fears that a major new offensive may be imminent. President Trump vows harsher sanctions on Russia after this weekend’s strikes on the Ukrainian capital—but questions remain about whether he’ll follow through. One of the deadliest shootings in Jerusalem in years leaves six people dead and dozens wounded, with Hamas quickly claiming responsibility. And in today’s Back of the Brief—a warning system breakdown allows a Houthi drone to strike an Israeli airport, forcing a shutdown and injuring two. 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 True Classic: Upgrade your wardrobe and save on @trueclassic at https://trueclassic.com/PDB #trueclassicpodBirch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on goldBRUNT Workwear: Get $10 Off at BRUNT with code PDB at https://www.bruntworkwear.com/PDB #Bruntpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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It's Tuesday, the 9th of September. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. And, yes, if you were wondering, I'm back on the road. All right, let's get briefed. First up, as Moscow ramps up its aerial attacks on Kiev, Russia is massing 100,000 troops in Dhenzsk, fueling fears, of course, that a major new offensive may be imminent.

I'm pretty sure what's not imminent would be Putin sitting down at the peace table. We'll have those details. Later in the show, Trump vows harsher sanctions, so he's vowing them, on Russia after this weekend's strikes on the Ukrainian capital. I mean, vowing would imply, anyway, that he's super serious about it and something's going to happen. Maybe he's just sort of vowing, vowing light, vowish. We'll see. Plus, one of the deadliest shootings in Jerusalem in years, gunmen opened fire on civilians, killing six and wounding dozens. Hamas has already stepped forward to take credit.

And in today's back of the brief, a warning system breakdown lets a hooty drone hidden Israeli airport forcing a shutdown and leaving two people wounded. But first, today's PDB spotlight. It appears Vladimir Putin is ruling out diplomacy entirely when it comes to the war in Ukraine, at least for the foreseeable future. I know that that comes as quite a shock to anybody who hasn't been paying any attention. Over the past week, the Kremlin has amassed some 100,000 troops on the front lines in Eastern Densk, fueling fears in Kiev and across Europe that Moscow is preparing for a major new offensive

to fulfill their ambition of capturing the entire Donbass region. The troops have been relocated to the area outside the city of Pokrovsk, that's a crucial logistics hub that connects several key cities in Ukraine's eastern defensive arc. That's according to a report from the New York Post. Russian troops have been steadily advancing on the city for the past two months from the north, east, and south, using small infantry groups and drone surveillance to stretch Ukrainian forces thin. Moscow has also been sending sabotage and reconnaissance groups into the southern portion of the city, seizing on vulnerabilities left in the defensive perimeter by depleted Ukrainian infantry units. But now it appears that Putin is ready to employ the full weight of the Russian military,

which heavily outnumbers Keeves beleaguered fighting force in an attempt to finally conquer the strategic hub. The suspected assault appears to be imminent, as the troop buildup reportedly includes a number of Russia's elite naval infantry units, which were redeployed from the northeastern Sumi region in recent days. The Kremlin has also dispatched several tank regiments and two motorized rifle brigades to the area, and they're bringing in drones and heavy armored vehicles to supplement the fighting force. Word of the troop movements first reached European capitals late last week, sparking concerns at last week's European Security Council meeting, where leaders were hastily hashing out details regarding security guarantees for post-war Ukraine.

Keeves' allies now fear that the build-up is part of Putin's strategy to consolidate control over the entire eastern Ukrainian region before the year's end. Now, as a reminder, Russian forces already occupy roughly 70 percent of Dernetsk and Ljansk and regions collectively known as the Donbass, but Ukrainian forces still have a foothold in sizable chunks of territory. The city of Pukrovsk has proved particularly difficult for Russia to capture, with multiple failed attempts launched by Moscow over the past 18 months. But back in July, amid Russia's summer offensive in the region, their forces were able to take control of the town of Ichasivyaar. Now, that's after nearly a year of intense fighting in the surrounding area, and that dealt a major

strategic blow to Kiev. The battered town, which is located on relatively high ground, had long served as a regrouping point and forward artillery base for the Ukrainian army. Russia regarded it as one of Ukraine's best-defendant strongholds, given its elevated geography and rough terrain. Its capture advanced Russia's slow and bloody effort to encircle Ukraine's fortress built of cities in the eastern Donetsk region, removing a key obstacle that had prevented their army from pushing westward. Now, due to Russia's overwhelming numerical advantage, coupled with Ukraine's manpower shortage and the extensive length of the current front lines, it looks like Pekrovsk will be the next domino to fall. According to analysts at the Washington-based think tank, the Institute for the

study of war, Russian forces could capture Pukrovsk by the end of 2025, if not sooner. If they are successful, Russia would be able to cut off one of the Ukrainian military's main supply routes in the region and firmly established control over nearly the entire Deneczk region, a primary objective for Moscow, ever since they began their invasion. Putin has long made taking control over Denexk one of his key demands to end the war, and claimed earlier this summer that he could complete that objective through military force by October. But it's worth remembering that even with their manpower advantage, Russian forces have struggled, to make meaningful gains over the past year of fighting. Their summer offensive, for example, only resulted in Russia seizing some 785 square miles of land,

representing just 0.3% of total Ukrainian territory. George Barros, the leading Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, told the New York Post, quote, it took Russia about 18 months to make its way to the city, but Pekrovsk has already outlived its usefulness, so it isn't too much of a loss compared to what it took Moscow. to get. He noted that just last Thursday, Ukrainian forces managed to repel another attempted push from Russian soldiers into the city. Still with Putin prepared to throw 100,000 troops into the meat grinder

in eastern Ukraine, Keyes' remaining forces in the region will likely be forced to make a strategic retreat before too long. The intensifying battles in the east come as Russia continues to escalate their aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly the capital of Kiev. As we discussed on yesterday, PDB. Over the weekend, Moscow launched their largest aerial assault on Ukraine since the war began, firing some 810 drones, four ballistic missiles, and nine cruise missiles at targets across the country, killing and injuring dozens of civilians. The bombardments are getting increasingly belligerent, with Sunday's attack hitting the office of the Ukrainian Prime Minister, marking the first confirmed strike on a government facility in the capital since Russia's 22 invasion

began. All right, after the break, Trump once again vows tougher sanctions on Russia after strikes on Keev, and Hamas takes credit for a deadly shooting in Jerusalem that left six dead and dozens wounded. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, many of you know me as a fashion icon, so let me tell you about a great clothing company out there. It's called True Classic. True Classic started with a simple mission, to bring premium comfortable clothing to the masses, because they believe that looking and feeling great shouldn't come with a designer price tag. Clearly, people agree. True Classic has sold over, get this, 25 million shirts to more than 5 million customers with over 200,000 five-star reviews. And the brand isn't just about fabric or fit. It's about helping guys show up every day with confidence

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Welcome back to the PDB. Sticking with the war in Ukraine, it appears President Trump may finally be preparing to put the economic screws to the Putin regime following Moscow's indiscriminate missile and drone attacks across Ukraine over the weekend. Now, admittedly, it's a bit like Groundhog Day. I feel like I've said that same sentence numerous times

during the past few weeks. As a reminder, Sunday's Mumbai, bombardment killed at least four people, including a mother and her baby, injured more than 44 others, and severely damaged Ukraine's main government building in Kyiv for the first time since the war began. In the wake of the aerial assault, Trump reiterated his long-promised threat to hit Russia with tougher economic sanctions. It's according to a report from the BBC. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the president said he was, quote, not happy with the whole situation and was ready to move forward with what he described as the second phase of his pressure campaign against the Kremlin,

though once again he did not elaborate on what that might look like. Trump's most aggressive measure to date against Russia's economic interests came late last month when he imposed an additional 25% tariff on India's exports over their ongoing purchases of Russian oil, raising the country's total tariff rate to 50%. Since the outbreak of the war, India has become, Moscow's second largest oil customer after China. India's ongoing purchases have helped prop up Moscow's wartime economy, as we've discussed here on the PDB, as Russia still remains one of the world's largest oil producers, with oil and

natural gas exports accounting for roughly a quarter of their entire federal budget. But Trump has so far refrained from hitting China the number one consumer with tariffs due to ongoing trade negotiations and is similarly held back on slapping Russia with additional sanctions. in the hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough. But Sunday's attack and reports that Russia is amassing 100,000 troops in Ukraine's eastern territories for a fresh offensive should leave little doubt that Putin has no intention of coming to the negotiating table anytime soon. Officials in Moscow were quick to react to the latest economic threat from Washington, saying that fresh sanctions would have, quote, no effect on their war effort.

A spokesman for the Kremlin, who may actually be off as meds, said that Keeve and their European allies were the ones standing. in the way of peace. Putin mouthpiece Dmitri Peskov said Monday, quote, sanctions are the agenda supported by the Kiev regime in European countries. They are doing everything to bring Washington into their orbit and impose these sanctions. He added, quote, it would be preferable for us to achieve our goals and ensure our security by political and diplomatic methods. This is a Russian talking, but at the time when this is impossible due to the lack of reciprocity, we continue the special military operation, end quote. And Pascal,

managed to utter that crap with a straight face. Well done you. European leaders are expected to travel to Washington early this week to discuss a unified strategy on squeezing the Putin regime financially, though it's not clear yet which leaders Trump will meet with. The president also signaled on Sunday that he would once again be speaking over the phone with Putin in the coming days. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has regularly implored European leaders

and President Trump to move forward with additional sanctions against Russia and buyers of their energy products, arguing it's the only viable strategy to force Putin to the negotiating table. But as we recently discussed on the PDB, well, Europe is still heavily dependent on Russian energy products and has struggled to find alternatives. While most European countries, with the exception of Hungary and Slovakia, stopped directly importing Russian crude in 2022 and Russian fuel in 2023, a significant loophole. It's a large loophole. It's a massive loophole. Let's call it that. In the sanctions, still allows countries to legally buy Moscow's crude as long as it's first refined into fuels elsewhere.

In 2024, for example, the EU spent more money on Russian fossil fuels than on financial aid to Ukraine, albeit indirectly through purchases from Turkey, India, and China. Last week, President Trump admonished European leaders over their continued addiction to Russian energy, saying they're essentially helping fund Moscow's war in Ukraine. And, well, he's not wrong. Trump told his EU allies that he is ready to escalate economic pressure on the Kremlin, but needed stronger commitments from Europe to stop buying Russian energy products. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson said that if the EU can summon the collective will

to increase sanctions on Russia and join Washington in imposing secondary tariffs on nations that continue to buy Russian oil, quote, the Russian economy will be in total collapse, and that will bring President Putin to the table, end quote. He also added, we are in a race, now between how long can the Ukrainian military hold up versus how long can the Russian economy hold up? End quote. Okay, turning to Israel. The deadliest terror attack in Jerusalem since 23 erupted Monday morning when two gunmen stormed a crowded city bus at rush hour, killing six and wounding dozens more. The terrorists boarded a bus at Ramat's junction,

a northern hub in the West Bank, home to a large Orthodox Jewish community, and opened fire on passengers and commuters waiting at a bus stop. Witnesses told the Jerusalem Post that the bus doors jammed before the attack, with the driver citing a malfunction. Others described a suspicious man making a phone call just as the bus arrived at the stop moments before the shooting began. Four people were pronounced dead at the scene with two more, succumbing to their injuries at nearby hospitals. The youngest victim was 25 years old, the oldest, 79, with three of the victims being rabbis. At least 21 people were hospitalized with gunshot wounds while another 26 were treated for shock. One passenger recalled the chaos as, quote, gunfire like nothing I've ever experienced, end quote.

Several bystanders, along with a soldier at the junction, returned fire and killed the two terrorists. Israeli officials later said the attackers and set out from villages west of the Vermont crossing. Israel's security agency, Shinbet, later arrested an East Jerusalem resident, accused of driving the gunman to the bus stop. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Tsar confirmed the shooters were Palestinian. Following the attack, Israeli forces sealed off nearby villages, launching a drag net for potential accomplices. The IDF dispatched four companies to reinforce checkpoints and conduct interrogations, while soldiers were deployed alongside police to, in the army's words, quote, thwart terrorism.

Weapons recovered from the scene include rifles, ammunition, and a knife. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who toured the site with National Security Minister Idomar Ben Gvur after conferring with security chiefs pledged to continue what he called a, quote, war against terrorism on multiple fronts. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad quickly welcomed the bloodshed, though neither terror faction formally claimed responsibility. In a statement, Hamas labeled the attack a, quote, heroic and exceptional operation. Yes, shooting up a bus stop, super heroic, framing it as, quote, natural response. to Israel's campaign in Gaza.

The Iran-backed group's rhetoric went further, casting the shooting as retribution for both the new offensive in Gaza City and alleged desecration of the Allah-Aksa mosque, reference to recurring clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian worshippers at that Jerusalem holy site. At Hamas's statement,

the Jerusalem bus shooting was proof that militants could still strike, quote, the heart of Jerusalem, despite Israel's ongoing military offensive in the strip. The attack adds to a bloody pattern of assaults on civilians in Jerusalem since the Gaza war began. Back in 2023, a Palestinian man opened fire near a synagogue in the city, killing seven.

And as our longtime PDB listeners may recall, in September 2024, three Israelis were gunned down in a similar attack at a Jerusalem bus stop. All right. Coming up next, in the back of the brief, a hooty drone slams into an Israeli airport after the country's alert system failed. More on that story, when we're going to. come back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Let me take just a moment to talk about protecting your hard-earned assets. Now, when you hear about inflation worries, or when you look around, you see the national debt in the U.S. is over $37 trillion, or you just hear about all the global uncertainty,

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the drone from Yemen, but misidentified it, allowing the weapon to bypass defenses and detonate near a passenger terminal in the southern city of Eilat. The statement insisted there was, quote, no indication of a technical malfunction in an attempt to soothe civilian concerns and promised an extensive investigation. Notably, two other drones launched from Yemen the same night were intercepted. before they breached Israeli airspace. The Khutis, who, since the Gaza War, began, have lobbed waves of drones and missiles at Israel, and, of course, also at shipping lanes in the Red Sea, claimed responsibility. A rebel spokesman declared that, quote, all airports in Israel will be

unsafe and will be continuously targeted until Israel halts its Gaza offensive. The drone strike comes just weeks after our coverage of Israel's targeted killing of senior Khuti leaders, including the terror group's prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi. At the time, rebel commanders pledged reprisals would escalate, and Sunday's attack appears to have been designed as proof of that vow. Israeli defense minister Israel Katz condemned the assault, warning the Khutis were, quote, again firing at Israel and pledged a forceful response from the Jewish state. Israeli news outlets later confirmed Ramon Airport resumed operations after a shutdown of several hours. But the incident revived bitter memories of May when a Houthi missile evaded Israeli defenses

and briefly shut down flights at Ben-Gurian airport near Tel Aviv. Taken together, these breaches underscore a troubling pattern. Despite Israel's celebrated air defense network, repeated Houthi strikes are probing its seams and exposing some vulnerabilities. As we've tracked here on the PDB, the Khutis remain one of Tehran's strongest proxies at a time when Hamas is reeling from leadership losses and territorial setbacks in Gaza, and Hezbollah in Lebanon faces not only relentless Israeli airstrikes, but also a government-backed disarmament plan that has left the group severely exposed.

And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Tuesday, the 9th of September. 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. Well, you can do that. Just become a premium member of president. Daily Brief by visiting PDB Premium.com. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the BDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money, because behind every headline is a bottom line. Whether it's the

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