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This episode is brought to you by Patriot Gold Group. Protect your retirement future. Talk with the experts at Patriot Gold. Now, they've been the top rated gold IRA dealer for seven years in a row. That's a lot of years in a row, frankly. Go to patriotgoldgroup. Com or call 1-888-621-3856 for a free investor guide. It's Wednesday, 21 August. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world's stage. Let's get briefed. First, a report has emerged signaling a major change in America's nuclear deterrent strategy by the Biden administration that shifts focus from Russia to China's rapid buildup of nuclear weapons. Now, the Biden Whitehouse is disputing the report. Also, as Israel continues to brace for an expected retaliation from Iran over the assassination of Hamas leader Ishmael Hanei, officials with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have indicated that the regime's already delayed response, well, could still be a long ways off. But first, our afternoon spotlight. I want to begin with a look at America's nuclear deterrent plan, following a report that suggests an unprecedented shift in strategy by the Biden administration that puts the focus squarely on China.

An exclusive report from the New York Times on Tuesday claims that President Biden signed off in March of this year on a classified nuclear strategic plan that for the for the first time, reorients the US deterrent strategy away from Russia to focus on China's rapid buildup of their own nuclear arsenal. The document, called the Nuclear Employment Guidance, also seeks to prepare the US for the possibility of coordinated nuclear challenges from China, Russia, and North Korea. While such coordination once seemed remote, the emerging partnership between Russia and China, and Moscow's increasingly cozy relationship with both North Korea and Iran, have increased anxieties in the defense establishment that our adversaries could work together to outmaneuver America's nuclear deterrence. If confirmed, the shift in focus would be a notable development given the current war between Russia and Ukraine, and the fact, Moscow still has the world's largest nuclear arsenal with more than 4,000 nuclear warheads. How many do you actually need compared to roughly 3,700 active warheads in the US arsenal. Still, officials of the Pentagon reportedly believe China's stockpiles will rival the size and capabilities of the US and Russia within the next decade, and they want to be prepared, of course, for that eventuality.

To be fair, the picture is far from clear. The report from the New York Times noted that the White House has not formally announced any such change in policy, but that sources said an unclassified notification would be sent to Congress before Biden leaves office. The White House's initial response has been to dispute the report. Further complicating reporting on this issue, the deterrence document, which is updated roughly every four years by the White House, is so highly classified that only a small number of hard copies, even exist, and they are only distributed to a select group of national security and Pentagon officials. As noted, the Biden administration has pushed back on the New York Times report, vaguely claiming that the updated nuclear guidance was routine and not a response to any single entity, country, nor threat. The US-based Arms Control Association also chimed in, saying they understood the revised guidance to be the same as what the Biden administration outlined in their 2022 to nuclear posture review, and that there was no formal shift in focus from Russia to China. Darryl Kimball, executive director of the US-based Arms Control Association, said that while the US estimates China will expand its nuclear arsenal from 500 to 1,000 warheads by the year 2030, Russia, quote, remains the major driver behind US nuclear strategy.

Kimball cited remarks made in June by the White House Senior Director for Arms, Control, Disarmament, and Nonproliferation, said that the US would pursue nuclear arms restraint with China and Russia in the coming years. But if China continued its buildup and Russia exceeds international limits, well, the US would then consider adjusting the size of the US nuclear arsenal. But Kimball noted that, per his understanding, the Biden administration does not think such changes will be necessary before the year 2030. He concludes that the Times report is significantly overstating the changes made to the US nuclear weapons guidance document. Government. Still, the story, as you might imagine, was enough to upset leaders in China and prompt a rebuke from CCP leaders who accused the US of creating, The world's largest strategic risk of nuclear threat. A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry added Wednesday, China is seriously concerned about the relevant report, and the facts have fully proven that the US has constantly stirred up the so-called China nuclear threat theory in recent years. Coming up after the break, while Israel continues to brace for an expected retaliation from Iran over the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Khanyeh, officials in Tehran are indicating that a response could still be a long ways off.

I'll be right back.

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Welcome back to the Afternoon Bulletin. Iranian officials are signaling to the world that, well, if you're waiting for it to retaliate for the assassination of Hamas leader Ishmael Khane, you might be waiting for a long time. On Tuesday, a spokesman for Iran's Revolutionary Guard, the IRGC, stated that, Time is in our favor, suggesting that the waiting period for a response could be long. The spokesman emphasized that Iranian leaders carefully consider their options and any response might differ from previous operations. Despite the delay, he assured that the response, whenever it ultimately happens, will be calculated and accurate. The US has been actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to to vent further escalation. Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, is currently in the Middle East, meeting with regional leaders to mediate and push for a ceasefire in Gaza. The US has urgent its allies with ties to Iran to help de-escalate tensions. However, Iran has dismissed US actions as insincere, labeling the US as a participant in the Gaza conflict. Meanwhile, Israel remains on high alert, not only due to the threat from Iran, but also because of recent developments on the On Sunday, an attempted suicide bombing in Tel Aviv raised alarms about potential Iranian or Hezbollah involvement.

The attacker, a Palestinian man from the West Bank, was killed when the explosive device he was carrying detonated prematurely, injuring one other person. While Hamas claimed responsibility, the sophistication of the terrorist bomb has fueled suspicions of Iranian or Hezbollah involvement, according to local reports. And that, my friends, is the PDB Afternoon Bulletin for Wednesday, 21 August. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@thefirsttv. Com. We love to hear from you. And word on the street is that if you want an ad-free PDB experience, well, you know the drill. Become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting pdbpremium. Com. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool.