By The FirstMike Baker sits down with China expert Gordon Chang to discuss a pivotal moment in international politics: when Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly began to fear former U.S. President Donald Trump. They explore the actions and strategies that led to this shift in China’s view of American leadership.
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Venezuelan Analyst Explains Why Delcy Rodríguez May Have Negotiated Maduro’s Capture
Mike Baker speaks with NTD TV correspondent and Venezuela analyst Luis Martinez about the dramatic political transition underway in Venezuela following the capture of Nicolás Maduro. With President Trump meeting opposition leader María Corina Machado at the White House—but backing interim president Delcy Rodríguez as the de-facto leader—Martinez breaks down why Maduro’s former vice-president may have negotiated the coup, what it means for U.S.–Venezuela relations, and how the struggle between rival political factions could shape the country’s future.
Air Force Fighter Pilot Explains What a First Strike Against Iran Would Look Like
Mike Baker speaks with retired United States Air Force fighter pilot Ryan Bodenheimer, also known as Max Afterburner, about what a potential first strike against Iran could actually look like. From target packages and air superiority to escalation risks and regional fallout, Bodenheimer walks through the real-world military considerations behind a U.S. strike.
Check out Ryan’s YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@MaxAfterburnerusa
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.
Former CIA Chief in Venezuela Explains Why Russia and China Are Terrified
Mike 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.
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.