The President's Daily Brief
April 9th, 2025: Chinese Fighters Captured In Ukraine & CIA’s New War on Fentanyl
Wed, 09 Apr 2025
In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his military has captured two Chinese nationals fighting for Russia in the Donetsk region—raising questions about Beijing’s role in the war. A new report reveals that the CIA is reviewing its legal authority to kill foreign fentanyl traffickers overseas before the drugs reach the United States. The Trump administration is revoking legal status for migrants who entered the U.S. under the Biden-era CBP One app, ordering them to leave the country immediately. And in today’s Back of the Brief: China is considering banning U.S. movie releases in retaliation for new tariffs, threatening to shut Hollywood out of one of its most profitable markets. 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 Chinese involvement has been discovered in the Ukraine conflict?
It's Wednesday, the 9th of April. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. We'll start things off on the battlefields of Ukraine, where reports indicate that Chinese nationals have been captured fighting alongside Russian forces.
President Zelensky is sounding the alarm and says there may be more where they came from. Later in the show, a report says that the CIA is weighing whether it can target and kill drug traffickers overseas. The mission? Well, that would appear to be self-evident. Stop the flow of fentanyl and other deadly drugs before they ever reach American streets.
Plus, Trump's DHS, the Department of Homeland Security, is now telling migrants who legally entered the U.S. using former President Biden's CBP One app to now leave the country immediately. The reversal throws thousands of individuals into limbo. And in today's back of the brief, Beijing may be preparing to strike back at Trump's tariffs by blocking American movies from Chinese theaters.
Oh, no, they might not be able to see Minecraft, a shift that could cost Hollywood billions. China is the second largest market of moviegoers on the planet. But first, today's PDB Spotlight. We'll start today with some surprising news from the front lines of the war in Ukraine.
Two Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian troops have been captured by Kyiv's forces, and officials warn that there are likely many more. The incident has raised alarm bells, of course, in Kyiv, as the two Chinese soldiers were captured on Ukrainian territory while engaged in combat in the Eastern Donetsk region.
A number of documents were found in their possession, including IDs and bank cards containing personal data, though Ukrainian officials have not said whether they believe the men were acting on orders from Beijing. That's according to a report from Politico. But Ukrainian President Zelensky is demanding answers from the Chinese Communist Party. Well, good luck with that.
His foreign minister summoned China's envoy to Ukraine on Tuesday to provide an explanation, saying it, quote, puts into question China's declared stance for peace and undermines Beijing's credibility as a responsible permanent member of the UN Security Council, end quote. Hmm, if only there were a clue as to where China stands in regards to Putin's war in Ukraine.
I mean, aside from the CCP propping up his war machine through their significant economic support over the past three years. If there were just other clues. Zelensky said that their intelligence suggests there are, quote, much more than just two Chinese citizens in the occupier's units.
He added, quote, Russia's involvement of China directly or indirectly in this war in Europe is a clear signal that Putin is going to do anything but end the war. He's looking for ways to continue fighting, end quote. Zelensky called on the US and allies in Europe to hold China accountable.
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Chapter 2: How is China’s support influencing Russia’s military efforts?
First, as mentioned, there's China's direct economic support of the Putin regime. Back in February 2022, just days before Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, China and Russia agreed to a quote, no limits partnership that many say has enabled Putin's aggression.
This partnership is credited with greatly accelerating the rebuilding and maintenance of Russia's defense industrial complex, filling the gap left by former European trade partners. The CCP has also done everything short of directly supplying weapons systems to Russia.
Instead, they've provided computer chips, advanced software, and dual-use technological components that have military applications, including for drones. This support has allowed Putin to rapidly patch holes in the beleaguered military and keep the war machine going. Neither China nor Russia has provided comment on the captured Chinese nationals, though an official with the U.S.
State Department called the incident, quote, disturbing. That's a classic State Department statement. They're the first reported POWs from China since the conflict began. And the revelation comes as North Korea continues to send troops to the front lines of the war, and in their case, well, they aren't bothering to hide their participation in the conflict.
In late March, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that roughly 3,000 additional North Korean troops were deployed to the region in January and February, on top of the estimated 11,000 that arrived last year. It's been a bloody affair for the North Korean military, with some 4,000 of the Kim regime's troops estimated to have been killed or wounded so far.
South Korean intelligence agencies attribute this staggering casualty count to a variety of factors, including North Korean troops' lack of experience with modern battlefield technologies like drones.
But Ukrainian officials say the North Korean troops have proven to be an effective tool for the Putin regime, playing a critical role in expelling Ukrainian forces from Russia's Kursk region during a counteroffensive in March. Ukrainian military officials say the North Koreans fight with an intense ferocity and are often ready to die.
Numerous reports have documented cases where North Korean troops opted to kill themselves rather than be captured. One Ukrainian commander recently told ABC News, quote, They do not surrender. I don't remember any cases where we've been able to take them captive.
As we've been tracking here on the PDB, the war in Ukraine is reaching a critical juncture as President Trump continues to press for a ceasefire. But these latest reports from the front lines suggest Putin is likely not negotiating in good faith, ooh, surprise, and is more than happy to keep the war going if he doesn't receive his desired terms.
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Chapter 3: What role are North Korean troops playing in the Ukraine war?
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Welcome back to the PDB. The CIA is reportedly assessing whether it can lawfully kill drug traffickers smuggling fentanyl and other deadly narcotics into the US in a move that would escalate the Trump administration's war on cartels.
According to a CNN report, the agency is pouring over legal frameworks and operational risks tied to lethal covert action drawing from anonymous officials and individuals briefed on the matter.
It's important to note that while President Trump has not issued a directive to kill drug smugglers, the mere existence of the review signals serious interest in using intelligence tools and force to combat the opioid crisis and dismantle cartel networks.
As our regular PDB listeners will recall, these deliberations come on the heels of a February designation that classified eight major Latin American cartels, including six from Mexico, as foreign terrorist organizations.
That designation opened up sweeping counterterrorism powers, typically reserved for groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, allowing the government to pursue cartel leaders through covert operations, intelligence missions, and financial sanctions. Trump laid the political groundwork in a State of the Union address back in early March, declaring, quote, It's time for America to wage war on the cartels.
That rhetoric has gained traction among Republicans in Congress, some of whom are now openly advocating for lethal measures. During a House Armed Services Committee hearing last week, Representative Derek Van Orden stunned top military officials by asking why the US isn't, quote, killing Chinese drug traffickers who are fueling the fentanyl trade.
Citing as many as 300,000 American deaths per year linked to overdoses, Van Orden argued that striking the traffickers directly could serve as a powerful deterrent. For now, the U.S. military lacks legal authority to use lethal force against traffickers. However, the CIA, operating under the framework provided by Title 50 of the U.S.
Code, allows the president to authorize covert action without congressional approval or public disclosure. Should Trump greenlight the directive, lethal missions could fall to the CIA or be coordinated with elite Joint Special Operations Command units. According to the American think tank Atlantic Council, such a campaign would represent the most aggressive U.S.
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Chapter 4: What are the latest developments in the CIA’s war on fentanyl?
Chapter 5: How is the US government changing legal status for migrants using the CBP One app?
Chapter 6: What are China's potential retaliatory measures against US tariffs affecting Hollywood?
Chapter 7: Who is Mike Baker and what is The President's Daily Brief?
It's Wednesday, the 9th of April. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. We'll start things off on the battlefields of Ukraine, where reports indicate that Chinese nationals have been captured fighting alongside Russian forces.
President Zelensky is sounding the alarm and says there may be more where they came from. Later in the show, a report says that the CIA is weighing whether it can target and kill drug traffickers overseas. The mission? Well, that would appear to be self-evident. Stop the flow of fentanyl and other deadly drugs before they ever reach American streets.
Plus, Trump's DHS, the Department of Homeland Security, is now telling migrants who legally entered the U.S. using former President Biden's CBP One app to now leave the country immediately. The reversal throws thousands of individuals into limbo. And in today's back of the brief, Beijing may be preparing to strike back at Trump's tariffs by blocking American movies from Chinese theaters.
Oh, no, they might not be able to see Minecraft, a shift that could cost Hollywood billions. China is the second largest market of moviegoers on the planet. But first, today's PDB Spotlight. We'll start today with some surprising news from the front lines of the war in Ukraine.
Two Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian troops have been captured by Kyiv's forces, and officials warn that there are likely many more. The incident has raised alarm bells, of course, in Kyiv, as the two Chinese soldiers were captured on Ukrainian territory while engaged in combat in the Eastern Donetsk region.
A number of documents were found in their possession, including IDs and bank cards containing personal data, though Ukrainian officials have not said whether they believe the men were acting on orders from Beijing. That's according to a report from Politico. But Ukrainian President Zelensky is demanding answers from the Chinese Communist Party. Well, good luck with that.
His foreign minister summoned China's envoy to Ukraine on Tuesday to provide an explanation, saying it, quote, puts into question China's declared stance for peace and undermines Beijing's credibility as a responsible permanent member of the UN Security Council, end quote. Hmm, if only there were a clue as to where China stands in regards to Putin's war in Ukraine.
I mean, aside from the CCP propping up his war machine through their significant economic support over the past three years. If there were just other clues. Zelensky said that their intelligence suggests there are, quote, much more than just two Chinese citizens in the occupier's units.
He added, quote, Russia's involvement of China directly or indirectly in this war in Europe is a clear signal that Putin is going to do anything but end the war. He's looking for ways to continue fighting, end quote. Zelensky called on the US and allies in Europe to hold China accountable.
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