By The First: 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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U.S. Navy Admiral: Iran May Attack Before the Midterms
Iran may be running out of patience with the U.S. blockade. Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery warns that Tehran could launch an attack against America’s Arab partners in late September or early October—potentially restarting full-scale military operations and disrupting President Trump’s strategy ahead of the midterm elections.
Mike Baker speaks with Admiral Montgomery, senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, about Iran’s possible next move, America’s struggle to defend Gulf infrastructure from drone attacks and the long-term strain the blockade could place on U.S. military readiness.
Mike on the left, Admiral Montgomery on the right, with an Iranian attack drone flying toward burning oil infrastructure in the Persian Gulf. A red October calendar appears behind the drone.
China Is Fueling Proxy Wars on Three Continents
Chinese technology is transforming Russia’s Iranian-designed Shahed drones into faster, deadlier weapons—including autonomous systems capable of selecting human targets without an operator. Gordon Chang argues that this is part of a much larger strategy, with Beijing using its military, technology and diplomatic support to fuel conflicts across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Mike Baker speaks with Gordon Chang, author of Plan Red: China’s Project to Destroy America, about China’s support for Russia and Iran, the growing China-Russia-Iran war machine and why he believes Vladimir Putin is effectively fighting a proxy war for Xi Jinping.
Trump’s Iran Sanctions Could Break China’s Economy
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.
Iran’s Regime Could Collapse Without Warning
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.
The Pentagon’s Terrifying Plan for “Limited” Nuclear War
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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Annie Jacobsen: The Engineered Plague Designed to Defeat Every Cure
: 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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Buy Annie Jacobsen’s new book: BIOLOGICAL WAR: A Scenario: https://www.amazon.com/Biological-War-Scenario-Annie-Jacobsen/dp/B0FY5WRTVC/