By The FirstMike Baker speaks with Rick de la Torre, former Central Intelligence Agency Chief of Station in Caracas, about why Russia, China, and Iran have so much at stake in Venezuela’s future. De la Torre explains how a post-Maduro shift toward reform threatens years of influence built by U.S. adversaries—and why they may quietly work to undermine any real transition in Caracas.
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Iranian-American Analyst Explains Why Iran’s Protests Are Different This Time
Mike Baker sits down with Behnam Ben Taleblu of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies to discuss why the latest wave of unrest in Iran represents something fundamentally different. As protests spread across the country, Taleblu explains how economic anger has turned into open political defiance—and why this moment poses a far more serious challenge to the regime than previous demonstrations.
Iranian Political Prisoner Describes Torture by the Islamic Regimelamic_Regime
Shirin Nariman, a human rights advocate and former political prisoner in Iran, joins Mike Baker on The PDB Situation Report to recount her experience inside Iran’s prison system, including the torture she endured at the hands of the regime. She also offers firsthand insight into the growing unrest and deadly protests now spreading across cities throughout Iran.
Ex-FBI Operative Analyzes the “Turtle Island” New Year’s Eve Bomb Plot
Mike Baker sits down with retired FBI operative Eric O’Neill to break down a newly foiled domestic terror plot tied to the so-called “Turtle Island Liberation Front.” Federal authorities say the group planned to detonate pipe bombs on New Year’s Eve in Southern California—but who are they, what do they believe, and how serious was the threat? O’Neill walks through the group’s ideology, how far-left extremist movements organize and radicalize, and what warning signs investigators look for before plots like this turn deadly.
Reporter Who Broke the Minnesota Fraud Scandal Explains the Billion-Dollar Scheme
Explains the Billion-Dollar Scheme
Ryan Thorpe, the investigative reporter at the Manhattan Institute who broke the Minnesota fraud scandal, joins Mike Baker to explain how billions of taxpayer dollars were siphoned off through welfare programs — and how some of those stolen funds ultimately funneled into the hands of Somali terrorists. Thorpe details what investigators uncovered, how the scheme operated, and why the scandal is still growing.
EXPOSED: China’s Secret Plan to Start World War Three
Joshua Philipp, Senior Investigative Reporter for The Epoch Times, joins Mike Baker to break down a stunning allegation: that China attempted to trigger World War Three by leveraging South American nations — including Venezuela — as proxy actors. How far did Beijing’s influence operations go, and how close did the world come to a catastrophic escalation?
Who Are The Muslim Brotherhood?
Mike is joined by Mariam Wahba of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies to examine the origins, ideology, and global reach of the Muslim Brotherhood. Wahba explains how the group operates, where its influence is strongest, and what could happen if President Trump moves forward with designating the organization as a foreign terrorist entity.