Kickstart your day with the most excellent taste of Blackout Coffee. Now, this great American business is family-owned, and they are 100% about premium coffee, fresh-roasted and shipped out within 48 hours of roasting. Go to blackoutcauffy. Com, promo code PDB, for 20% off your first-time purchase. It's Wednesday, 14 August, almost halfway through the month. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker. Your eyes and ears on the world's stage. Let's get briefed. With an Iranian strike on Israel looming on the horizon. How often do you get to use the word looming? Really? I wanted to kick off today's show with a look inside the Iranian government, where political divisions are emerging as the new allegedly reformist President President, aligns himself with hardliners, causing his vice President to resign. Later in the show, we're learning more about suspected Iranian efforts to hack into the Trump campaign, and it looks like their initial target was the infamous longtime Republican operative and Trump ally, Roger Stone. Plus, in the wake of the failed assassination attempt on former President Trump, a House Democrat is leading an effort to reform the Secret Service and streamline in the agency's operations. Finally, in today's Back of the Brief, this is an interesting one.

We'll discuss the ongoing bromance between Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and North Korean despot Kim Jong Un. When you say it that way, it sounds like a hallmark movie, doesn't it? The Dictator and the Death Spot. In a plot twist that very few saw coming, Putin has now sent Kim a gift of 447 goats. Yes, seriously, I said 447 goats. But first, today's PDB Spotlight. While the world waits on the anticipated Iranian retaliation against Israel, I want to take a moment to touch on the growing internal division within the Islamic regime's government and how this domestic political discord could impact their planned response. Iran's new President, Massoud Pzezkian, sworn into office at the end of July, ran as a reformist candidate, promising sweeping domestic changes. Yeah, promises are cheap, aren't they? Touted supposedly as a moderate, much of the press imagined that he was somehow representative of a change from the traditional hardliners. But evidence is mounting that he intends to more closely align with the country's hardliners. Then he led on during his campaign. What? Are you saying he wasn't honest? On Sunday, Pzeškian shocked his supporters and political allies when he revealed his nomination for cabinet, which included several hardline Conservatives with deep ties to the theocratic regime and only one woman.

That's according to our report from the New York Times. The backlash from supporters was swift and was followed by a second shock. His vice President, Mohamed Jivad Zarief, abruptly resigned later on Sunday, saying that it had become clear that he could not bring about the domestic reforms promised during the campaign. The announcement allegedly rattled Iranian voters as Zarief had campaigned with Pzechkine and championed him as a moderate, even leading a search committee for cabinet nominations prior to Sunday's announcements. So why did he feel the need to resign? Well, the controversy over Pzechkine's cabinet choices centers on two individuals who were respectively nominated for Minister of the Interior and Minister of Intelligence. The man nominated as the Intelligence Minister is a hardline conservative holdover from the administration of deceased former President Abraham Ricey and oversaw mass arrests and crackdowns during an uprising over morality laws in 2022 that left hundreds dead. The man tapped to lead the Interior Ministry is reportedly a senior commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC, and was favored by Supreme Leader Eytola Ali Khamani for the role. As you can imagine, moderate supporters of Pzezhkian, who expected more progressive cabinet committees, felt blindsided by the moves.

The fact, of course, that they thought the Supreme Leader in the IRGC would allow for more progressive cabinet members, indicates that the supporters were slightly delusional. An Iranian outlet ran a column on their front page that said, It's like a bucket of cold water has been splashed on their heads. They had big expectations, but the result has been minimal. The timing of Zarif's resignation is also reportedly adding to anxieties within Iran over their security, coming on the eve of potential strikes on Israel and the threat of a regional war. Zarif, previously served as Iran's Foreign Minister from 2013 to 2021, and is widely seen as the country's most seasoned foreign policy expert, having also led negotiations for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. While Pzezkyan lost a valuable asset in Zarief, insiders say that the new President is trying to balance challenges from every side as he attempts to navigate the theocratic establishment dominated by the Ayatollah, who holds, of course, ultimate power within the regime. Hamani and the IRGC, reportedly, did not want to turn over the Interior and Intelligence ministries to reformists, and Pzezky needs to keep Hamani on side if he wishes to govern effectively or to govern at all.

Pzehkian also wanted to ensure he would not face opposition on his nominations from the conservative dominated parliament. Still, political experts inside Iran said the fact that he is making such large concessions to Hamani and the Conservatives this early into his term is, from their perspective, an alarming sign of weakness and signals that the country's hardliners will control his presidency. There, of course, is one of those things that we like to call a statement of the obvious. Pozeskian's comes at a time of economic crisis, widening divisions between the regime and its citizens, and of course, the ongoing war in Gaza. Regarding Iran's plans for Israel, in a statement on Monday, a spokesman for their foreign Ministry rejected international calls to forego their retaliation over the killing of Hamas political chief Ishmael Hanei two weeks ago inside Tehran. The spokesman said, Such demands, lack political logic, are entirely contrary to the principles and rules of international law and represent an excessive request. Intelligence assessments remain contradictory, but both the US and Israel have said a significant attack by Iran could arrive as early as this week. As we touched on yesterday, there are also reports that Iran may further delay their response if progress is made on Thursday at negotiations for a ceasefire deal in Gaza, though expectations, frankly, for a breakthrough are extremely low, particularly since Hamas, a creature of Iran, has stated that they will not be attending the negotiations.

All right, coming up next, we'll discuss the latest revelations from the investigation into suspected Iranian efforts to hack the Trump campaign through the email of longtime Republican operative Roger Stone. Plus, in the wake of the failed assassination attempt on former President Trump, a House Democrat is leading an effort to reform the secret service and streamline the agency's operations and responsibilities. I'll be right back.

A beach trip turned breakdown is a drag. Summer can really take a toll on your car with broken AC, overheating, and electrical issues. An AC compressor can cost over $900. A condenser can be over $800. Even a window switch motor can cost you $500. So shield yourself from expensive car repairs. Car shield yourself, that is. Go online today for 20% off. Carshield. Com/carlson. Carshield is here to help you get back on the road ASAP. Carshield gets its A rating from the Better Business Bureau by doing just that. Their experienced phone representatives will answer your questions and set you up with an affordable plan that fits your financial needs. Ask them about services like 24/7 roadside assistance, courtesy towing, and rental car options. If your car is 20 years or newer, visit Carshield. Com/carlson to get 20% That's carshield. Com/carlson. Again, carshield. Com/carlson. Coverage varies by plan. View contracts and exclusions at carshield. Com.

Staying with Iran. An FBI investigation has found that a recent cyber attack on the Trump campaign, linked to the Islamic regime, targeted the email of longtime Republican operative and Trump ally, Roger Stone. This incident has raised significant concerns, of course, about foreign interference in the upcoming election, and prompted a swift response from federal authorities. According to a CNN report, hackers reportedly breached and compromised Stone's personal email account, using it to attempt a phishing attack on senior Trump campaign official's accounts, potentially exposing sensitive campaign information. This breach set off alarm bells within the Trump campaign, the FBI and Microsoft, which are all now working together to contain the situation. The hacking attempt is believed to be part of a broader effort linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC, aimed to disrupt the 2024 US presidential election. Stone acknowledged the breach after being informed by Microsoft and the FBI, but expressed uncertainty about the details, stating, I was informed by the authorities that a couple of my personal email accounts have been compromised. It's all very strange, he said. Over the weekend, reporters received internal campaign documents, further escalating the situation. Politico revealed that an anonymous AOL account, hey, an AOL account?

Wow. How many of those could be left? Had sent them a 271-page dossier about JD Vance, Trump's vice presidential running mate. The Trump campaign claims that this dossier was part of the same Iranian hacking operation. Unsurprisingly, this will not shock anyone, Iran has denied any involvement in these hacking attempts. With a spokesman for Iran's permanent mission to the UN, dismissing the allegations as baseless. However, according to one source familiar with the matter, the techniques used by the hackers do match those associated with Iranian cyber operations. It also comes after Microsoft issued a report last week, warning that Iranian hackers had attempted to break into the email account of a high-ranking official in a US presidential campaign. Microsoft did not confirm whether that hack was successful. The report noted Iran's massive ongoing efforts to influence the election and create social discord in the US, even overshadowing efforts by Russia and their cyber activities. The FBI has warned the Kamala Harris campaign of the potential hacking attempts. However, a spokesperson for Vice President Harris stated that their team was unaware of any security breaches. The FBI's investigation is focusing not only on these specific hacking attempts, but also on the broader implications for national security and, of course, the integrity of the upcoming 2024 election.

Okay, I want to shift the focus to Capitol Hill, where Democrat Representative Richie Torres of New York has unveiled a series of legislative proposals aimed at fortifying the Secret Service's protective capabilities for dignitaries and political figures. These proposals come one month after the attempted assassination of former President Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The first piece of legislation titled the AR-15 Perimeter Security Enhancement Act, seeks to address one of the most glaring failures identified in the aftermath of the Trump shooting. That would be the inadequacy of the security perimeter. If passed, this bill would mandate that the Secret Service establish a security perimeter with a radius of at least 500 yards around any protected politician. This distance is intended to match or exceed the effective range of an AR-15 rifle, thereby reducing the likelihood that a shooter could get close enough to inflict harm. Representative Torres emphasized the importance of this measure, stating, Common sense would dictate that the security perimeter should be at least coextensive with the firing range of weapons most commonly employed in an assassination or mass shooting. Additionally, the bill mandates the securing of all elevated positions and rooftops within this perimeter.

It sounds like the bill just deals with common sense, doesn't it? Anyway, utilizing advertising either personnel or advanced technology like drones to secure the elevated positions and rooftops within the perimeter. This measure aims to prevent a repeat of the attempted Trump assassination, where the shooter fired an AR-style rifle from a sloped rooftop at the former President, grazing Trump's ear, killing one rally attendee, and injuring others. In addition to focusing and addressing the security perimeter, Torres also introduced the Focus on Protection Act, which addresses another significant concern, the Secret Service's dual responsibilities. Currently, the agency is tasked not only with protecting the President and other dignitaries and other high-profile politicians, but also with investigating financial crimes, which is a legacy responsibility dating back to the service's origins in the 19th century. Torres argues that this dual mandate stretches the agency too thin and distracts from its core mission of protection. The proposed legislation would transfer the Secret Service's financial crimes jurisdiction back to the Treasury Department, allowing the agency to concentrate exclusively on its protective duties. Representative Torres stated, The Secret Service has too few resources, that's true, and too many responsibilities, adding, We should ask ourselves a simple question.

Do you want the Secret Service director thinking about protecting the President 100% of the time or only 50% of the time? He says, I would prefer 100. It's a rather simplistic statement, but I guess you get his point. This sentiment is echoed by Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah, who believes the agency should be dedicated entirely to dignitary protection. Now, in response to In his legislative efforts, the Secret Service has remained tight-lipped. Anthony Guglielmi, the agency's Chief of Communications, declined to comment on the specifics of the proposed bill, but noted that the Secret Service's dual missions, protection and investigation, are complementary. All right, finally, coming up in the back of the brief, we'll look at the bizarre story involving Russian leader Vladimir Putin, North Korean despot Kim Jong Un, and the 447 goats. I'll be right back. In today's back of the brief, the romance between Russian dictator Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un has taken on a new dimension. With the latest gift from Moscow, coming in the form of farm animals. Specifically, Moscow has sent the hermit kingdom a shipment of 447 goats as part of a wide-range agreement made in June.

As you recall, Putin and Kim signed a sweeping defense pact in June, pledging to expand ties and support each other against external aggression. Well, what better way to fight against external aggression than with a herd of goats? The goats were exported from Russia's Leningrad region and are just the first batch of farm animals that Russia plans on sending to their friends in Pyongya. North Korea has apparently been making preparations for the influx of animals, building large capacity farms in several districts to consolidate dairy production. State media claims the goats and other assorted farm creatures will be used to source dairy products for local children, providing relief from North Korea's long-standing food shortages, which were exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The The Group Human Rights Watch estimates that more than a third of North Korea's 26 million citizens are malnourished, with roughly 18% of children suffering from some impaired growth as a result of chronic malnutrition. That is Very sad. While agricultural support seems innocent enough, it is far from the only way Russia, of course, is helping the North Korean regime, but it is actually the most benign way that they're helping the North Korean regime.

As we've previously discussed on the PDB, in In exchange for ballistic missiles and military equipment for use in Ukraine, Russia is reportedly providing the Kim regime with technological assistance for their own ballistic missile and reconnaissance satellite programs. Putin has also, of course, personally showered Kim with lavish gifts since the year began, including two luxury Russian-made limousines, T-sets, so that's very posh, artwork, and even drones. Now, the gifts, of course, violate UN sanctions on the export of such goods to North Korea. Not that Putin or Kim care. The pair have frankly turned flouting UN sanctions and resolutions into something of a sport, whether to trade arms, weapons technology, or to bypass sanctions on oil. Now, there's no word yet from the UN as to whether the goats any existing sanctions. That, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Wednesday, 14th, August. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@thefirstteat. Com. Pdbtv. Com. We love to get your messages. We love to get your comments, your questions. Fax them in, hit my beeper, send a Western Union telegram, whatever is convenient for you. Of course, as you may have heard by now, to listen to the show ad-free Well, become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting pdbpremium.

Com. It just couldn't be simpler. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, well, you know the drill. Stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. With Super Odds from Novybett, you get the best Premier League odds for Premier League games and top European matches. So throw your favorite team in to win. Make it an acca if you want. Why settle for Championship-level odds? No offense, Championship, when you can get top price from Novy Bet. Plus, all new customers get €50 in free bets when they sign up. Simple. Super Odds from Novy Bet. Download the Novy Bet app now. Novy Bet. There's more than one way to win. Ties and Sees apply, 18 plus betresponsibly, gamblingcare. Ie.