PDB Situation Report

Trump’s Iran Sanctions Could Break China’s Economy

By The First

Sat, Aug 22, 2026

Length 8:21

President Trump’s new sanctions campaign against Iran could have consequences far beyond Tehran. China buys roughly 80 percent of Iran’s oil—and cutting Beijing off from that supply could put enormous new pressure on an already struggling Chinese economy while sending global energy prices sharply higher.
Mike Baker speaks with Joshua Philipp, senior investigative reporter at The Epoch Times and host of The Josh Philipp Show, about China’s dependence on sanctioned Iranian oil, Beijing’s mounting economic vulnerabilities and why Trump’s pressure campaign could force Xi Jinping into a difficult choice.

Trump’s Iran Crackdown Could Trigger a Collision With China

By The First

Sat, Aug 22, 2026

Length 58:00

In this episode of The PDB Situation Report:
• President Trump’s plan to crush Iran’s economy may put Washington on a collision course with China, Tehran’s largest remaining oil customer. Joshua Philipp joins us to discuss whether Beijing will cooperate with the economic campaign—or keep the Iranian regime alive.
• Russia pounds Kyiv with 168 drones and dozens of missiles, killing at least 16 people as Ukraine’s air defenses run dangerously short. John Hardie, deputy director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Russia Program, joins us with his analysis.
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Iran’s Regime Could Collapse Without Warning

By The First

Sat, Aug 15, 2026

Length 9:06

Iran’s ruling regime may appear deeply entrenched—but history has shown that seemingly unshakable governments can collapse with astonishing speed. Could growing economic pressure, internal divisions and the loss of support from Russia and China bring Tehran to a similar breaking point?
Mike Baker speaks with Victoria Coates, former deputy national security advisor and vice president at the Heritage Foundation, about the vulnerabilities inside Iran, the intelligence partnerships exposing the regime’s weaknesses and why she refuses to give up on the Iranian people.

NATO Shoots Down Mystery Drone Over Latvia & Trump Threat Intel Questioned

By The First

Sat, Aug 15, 2026

Length 57:45

In this episode of The President’s Daily Brief:
• A NATO fighter shoots down an unidentified drone over Latvia as Ukraine launches one of its largest attacks inside Russia, raising new concerns that the drone war is spilling across alliance borders.
• New reporting reveals U.S. intelligence could not verify the alleged Iranian missile plot that prompted President Trump’s dramatic catering-truck escape from Turkey.
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The Pentagon’s Terrifying Plan for “Limited” Nuclear War

By The First

Sat, Aug 8, 2026

Length 8:20

The Pentagon is reportedly developing a new nuclear strategy that could expand America’s options for using smaller, tactical weapons in a conflict with China or Russia. But could a “limited” nuclear strike ever remain limited—or would crossing that threshold unleash an uncontrollable escalation?

Mike Baker speaks with Steve Yates, former deputy national security advisor to the vice president and senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, about the dangerous effort to make nuclear war appear more manageable—and why opening this Pandora’s box could put the survival of the world at risk.

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The Iran War Exposed a Dangerous U.S. Weakness

By The First

Sat, Aug 8, 2026

Length 1:3:12

In this episode of The PDB Situation Report:
• The war with Iran has reportedly burned through some of America’s most important long-range missiles, raising questions about whether the Pentagon has enough left for another major conflict. Bill Roggio from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies joins us to break down the state of America’s missile stockpiles and what it could mean for U.S. military readiness.
• The Pentagon is reportedly rethinking America’s nuclear strategy as China rapidly expands its arsenal and challenges U.S. power across the Pacific. Steve Yates of the Heritage Foundation joins us to discuss how Beijing’s nuclear buildup is changing the strategic balance.
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Why Iran Would Actually Use a Nuclear Weapon

By The First

Sat, Aug 1, 2026

Length 10:11

: Mike Baker sits down with Clifford May, founder and president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, to examine why traditional nuclear deterrence may not work against Iran’s revolutionary regime. May explains why Tehran’s leaders could be willing to risk the destruction of their own country, how a nuclear weapon could be used to blackmail the United States, and why Iran believes America will eventually back down.
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Annie Jacobsen: The Engineered Plague Designed to Defeat Every Cure

By The First

Sat, Aug 1, 2026

Length 8:06

: What would happen if a single laboratory accident unleashed an engineered plague capable of defeating antibiotics?
Investigative journalist Annie Jacobsen joins Mike Baker to explain the terrifying scenario explored in her new book, Biological War: A Scenario. She reveals how the pathogen could spread to every continent within hours, kill its victims in just two days, and trigger mass panic and anarchy as Americans fight for access to secret government medical stockpiles.
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Annie Jacobsen’s Terrifying Warning About Biological War

By The First

Sat, Aug 1, 2026

Length 1:14:09

In this episode of The PDB Situation Report:
• Investigative journalist Annie Jacobsen joins Mike to discuss her new book, Biological War: A Scenario, and the terrifying possibility that the next weapon of mass destruction could be a deadly engineered pathogen.
• Cliff May, founder and president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, examines the latest developments in the war between the United States and Iran—and where the conflict may be headed next.
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Did China Really Warn Russia Against Using Nuclear Weapons?

By The First

Sat, Jul 18, 2026

Length 8:02

Reports suggest China has privately warned Russia against using tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine—but how credible are those claims? Mike Baker speaks with author Gordon Chang about Beijing’s relationship with Moscow, whether China would actually try to restrain Vladimir Putin, and what the latest reporting could mean for the future of the war.

Air Force Fighter Pilot Explains America’s New Iran Air Campaign

By The First

Sat, Jul 18, 2026

Length 8:05

Air Force Fighter Pilot Explains America’s New Iran Air Campaign
Description: The war with Iran has entered a dangerous new phase, with U.S. aircraft striking the islands and coastal defenses Tehran relies on to threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Mike Baker sits down with former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot Ryan Bodenheimer to break down the campaign, explain what these strikes are designed

America Is Crushing Iran’s Coastal Defenses

By The First

Sat, Jul 18, 2026

Length 1:5:26

In this episode of The PDB Situation Report:
• Former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot Ryan Bodenheimer joins us to analyze America’s renewed air campaign against Iran, as U.S. aircraft strike the islands and coastal defenses Tehran relies on to threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
• Later, as Russia’s military position continues to worsen, renewed concerns are emerging that Vladimir Putin could consider the use of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Author and geopolitical analyst Gordon Chang joins us to discuss the risks, the signals coming out of Moscow, and what the West should be watching.
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