The President's Daily Brief
PDB Afternoon Bulletin | April 17th, 2025: Trump Calls Off Strike On Iran & Hamas Struggles To Pay Fighters
Thu, 17 Apr 2025
In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin: President Trump has called off U.S. support for an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear program. Later in the show—Hamas isn’t just losing ground on the battlefield. The group is reportedly in financial freefall, struggling to pay its fighters as war costs mount. 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 TriTails Premium Beef: Visit https://TryBeef.com/PDB for 2 free Flat Iron steaks with your first box over $250 Birch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chapter 1: What recent decision did President Trump make regarding Iran?
I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. We'll start things off today with new reporting on a major decision from President Trump. A planned Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities was reportedly scrapped after top U.S. officials raised doubts, preferring instead to try and reach a deal with the mullahs on their nuclear program.
Later in the show, Hamas isn't just facing military losses in its war with Israel. The group is reportedly in a cash crunch, struggling to pay its fighters. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. Well, it turns out the U.S. came closer to a potential war with Iran than many realized.
According to the New York Times, President Trump recently put the brakes on a planned Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear program after a fierce internal debate within his own administration. The strike, which could have been launched as soon as next month, would have required significant U.S. military support. And for a while, it looked like Washington might provide it.
Let's start with what Israel had in mind. According to the report, officials in Tel Aviv had drawn up plans for a multi-phase attack aimed at setting back Tehran's nuclear ambitions by a year or more. Initially, they hoped to pair airstrikes with commando raids on underground nuclear sites.
Chapter 2: What are the implications of Israel's plans for a strike on Iran?
But when it became clear that the commando teams wouldn't be ready in time, Israel pivoted to a broader bombing campaign, one that would have required American aircraft, intelligence, and logistics in order to be successful. And here's where the U.S. comes in. As we've been reporting here on the PDB, US military assets have been building up across the region for weeks.
A second aircraft carrier, missile defense systems, and long-range B-2 bombers were deployed to Diego Garcia, moves that were publicly framed as part of the ongoing conflict with the Houthis in Yemen. But privately, officials now say that the firepower was also about preparing for a potential operation against Iran. Even basing US fighters in Israel was reportedly under consideration.
The CIA director, John Ratcliffe, was dispatched to Jerusalem to sit down with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and the head of Mossad. They discussed various options, including not just direct strikes, but covert sabotage operations and tighter sanctions enforcement. But as planning progressed, reportedly, cracks began to show inside the Trump administration.
Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence at DNI, presented a new intelligence assessment warning that military action could spiral into a broader regional war. Her concerns were echoed by top officials, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the Vice President J.D. Vance.
Even National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, normally one of the most hawkish voices on Iran, began questioning whether the Israeli plan could work without massive U.S. involvement. Ultimately, President Trump decided to hold off. According to The Times, he informed Netanyahu during his visit to Washington that the U.S.
would not support an attack, at least not while Iran has signaled a willingness, as limited as it may be, to negotiate. The White House is now pursuing a short-term diplomatic window with Tehran to reach a new nuclear agreement. But while Trump has chosen diplomacy, at least for now, he hasn't ruled anything out.
After the Netanyahu meeting, he told reporters, "...if it requires military, we're going to have military. Israel will obviously be the leader of that." In the meantime, U.S. intelligence and military officials are continuing to work with Israel to weigh other options, including covert action. So the message from the White House?
Well, it's that talks are happening, but time is limited, and the military option is still on the table. Coming up next, reports say Hamas is broke and struggling to pay its operatives, adding a financial crisis to its lengthy series of military setbacks. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Well, I'm very happy to remind you that it's now grilling season.
And I'm also happy to give you this pro tip. I'm about to tell you where you can get the finest beef you can throw on that grill. It's from a classic American business. Generations of family raising high quality beef in the great state of Texas. And of course, I'm talking about Tri-Tales Beef. Now, this isn't some corporate meat factory or some faceless corporation.
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Chapter 3: How is Hamas financially struggling amidst military setbacks?
Chapter 4: What role did U.S. military assets play in the situation with Iran?
A second aircraft carrier, missile defense systems, and long-range B-2 bombers were deployed to Diego Garcia, moves that were publicly framed as part of the ongoing conflict with the Houthis in Yemen. But privately, officials now say that the firepower was also about preparing for a potential operation against Iran. Even basing US fighters in Israel was reportedly under consideration.
The CIA director, John Ratcliffe, was dispatched to Jerusalem to sit down with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and the head of Mossad. They discussed various options, including not just direct strikes, but covert sabotage operations and tighter sanctions enforcement. But as planning progressed, reportedly, cracks began to show inside the Trump administration.
Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence at DNI, presented a new intelligence assessment warning that military action could spiral into a broader regional war. Her concerns were echoed by top officials, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the Vice President J.D. Vance.
Chapter 5: What warnings did intelligence officials raise about military action against Iran?
Even National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, normally one of the most hawkish voices on Iran, began questioning whether the Israeli plan could work without massive U.S. involvement. Ultimately, President Trump decided to hold off. According to The Times, he informed Netanyahu during his visit to Washington that the U.S.
Chapter 6: What is the current status of U.S.-Iran negotiations?
would not support an attack, at least not while Iran has signaled a willingness, as limited as it may be, to negotiate. The White House is now pursuing a short-term diplomatic window with Tehran to reach a new nuclear agreement. But while Trump has chosen diplomacy, at least for now, he hasn't ruled anything out.
After the Netanyahu meeting, he told reporters, "...if it requires military, we're going to have military. Israel will obviously be the leader of that." In the meantime, U.S. intelligence and military officials are continuing to work with Israel to weigh other options, including covert action. So the message from the White House?
Well, it's that talks are happening, but time is limited, and the military option is still on the table. Coming up next, reports say Hamas is broke and struggling to pay its operatives, adding a financial crisis to its lengthy series of military setbacks. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Well, I'm very happy to remind you that it's now grilling season.
And I'm also happy to give you this pro tip. I'm about to tell you where you can get the finest beef you can throw on that grill. It's from a classic American business. Generations of family raising high quality beef in the great state of Texas. And of course, I'm talking about Tri-Tales Beef. Now, this isn't some corporate meat factory or some faceless corporation.
Tri-Tales is a fifth generation Texas ranch where cattle are pasture raised, grain finished, and raised the right way. They handle the beef on site and ship it straight to your door. There's no middleman or no mystery. All their beef is sourced to match the genetics and care that they've built their herd on, ensuring consistent marbling, tenderness, and rich flavor in every cut.
Small batch, big flavor. You can taste the difference the moment it hits the grill. Whether it's a ribeye, a filet, or New York strip, it's the kind of beef that brings people together. USDA prime and choice, hand-packed and ready for your table. And right now, they've got a special offer just for PDB listeners.
Go to trybeef.com slash PDB and get two free flat iron steaks with your first box over $250. That's trybeef.com slash PDB. Support real ranchers and eat like you mean it. Mike Baker here. Well, tariffs, you may have heard about them recently. They've thrown the global economy into chaos.
Potential widespread inflation tied to massive supply chain disruptions, well, it's weighing heavily on all of us. But there's a silver lining that some people might have missed. Well, it's actually silver and gold. You see, President Trump specifically exempted gold and silver bullion from the sweeping tariffs.
And while these new policies are triggering significant financial chaos, the administration preserved your ability to diversify into precious metals. Now, if you're concerned about your savings, I encourage you to have a free consultation with a Birch Gold precious metals specialist. It's simple.
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