The President's Daily Brief
January 21st, 2025: Putin Issues ‘World War III’ Warning to Trump & Houthi Rebels Back Down
Tue, 21 Jan 2025
In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: The world reacts to Donald Trump’s inauguration, with Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulating him on Russian television and urging him to avoid starting World War Three. Yemen’s Houthi rebels announce a shift in strategy, declaring they will stop targeting international shipping and focus exclusively on Israeli-affiliated vessels in the Red Sea. Over 80 people have been killed in Colombia’s Catatumbo region during three days of escalating violence. We’ll bring you the latest details from South America. And in today’s Back of the Brief, President Trump orders U.S. troops to the southern border after designating the Tren de Aragua gang as a foreign terrorist organization. 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chapter 1: What warning did Putin give to Trump?
During a televised meeting of Russia's Security Council on Monday, Putin offered his congratulations to Trump on his return to office, specifically praising the president's desire to re-establish direct diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Russia, which were severed following Putin's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
It was a marked departure from the Kremlin's stance back in early November when they refused to congratulate Trump on his victory, citing what they described as the U.S. 's unfriendly stance towards Moscow, according to a report from Reuters.
Putin said he was now ready to engage with the Trump administration on the subject of reining in nuclear arms and ending the war in Ukraine, though he qualified his statements, warning that Russia's territorial gains in eastern Ukraine must be accepted by the West if they want talks to get off the ground.
Putin said, quote, We see the statements by the newly elected president of the United States and members of his team about the desire to restore direct contacts with Russia. We also hear his statements about the need to do everything possible to prevent World War III. We of course welcome this attitude and congratulate the elected President of the United States of America on taking office.
Relations between the U.S. and Russia have, of course, significantly deteriorated over the last three years, falling to their lowest level since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis due to Russia's war on Ukraine. But Trump's return has fostered a cautious sense of optimism in international circles that the two global powers can begin mending fences
Tackling the issue of Ukraine will be easier said than done for President Trump. As we've been tracking on the PDB, Trump has previously stated that he could end the war within 24 hours of assuming office. Though he walked back those lofty ambitions earlier this month, telling reporters he hoped to resolve the conflict within six months.
Separately, retired General Keith Kellogg, Trump's nominee for special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, has set a goal of ending the war within Trump's first 100 days. Putin claims he's long been open to dialogue and diplomacy regarding the nearly three-year-old conflict, though many in the West remain skeptical that his supposed interest in a peace deal is genuine.
Those concerns are compounded by the fact that so far, the Kremlin's rough proposals for peace amount to little more than a full Ukrainian surrender.
Putin reiterated on Monday that Moscow has no interest in a limited ceasefire and will only accept a long-lasting peace deal that allows Russia to keep the roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory that they've seized since 2022 and prevents Ukraine from ever joining the NATO alliance.
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Chapter 2: What is the new strategy of Yemen's Houthi rebels?
Late last night, among the signing of many executive orders, Trump said to reporters, I have to speak to President Putin and we're going to have to find out. But he can't be thrilled. He's not doing so well. He's grinding it out. He made the point that many people thought Russia would defeat Ukraine in just a week. And here we are many years later.
Moving on from the war in Ukraine, Trump was inundated on Monday by well wishes from heads of state and leaders across the world. Whether from European allies, the Vatican, NATO leadership, or Eastern powers like India, the messages were universally positive.
Chapter 3: What recent violence occurred in Colombia?
Notably, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump for helping to secure a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, and said he and Trump will work together to, quote, raise the U.S.-Israel alliance to even greater heights. We expect the congratulatory messages to continue pouring in over the next few days as Trump kicks off his second term.
Chapter 4: How are world leaders reacting to Trump's inauguration?
Coming up after the break, Yemen's Houthi rebels announce that they'll stop targeting international shipping in the Red Sea. And over 80 are dead after violent clashes in Colombia's Catatumbo region. Details ahead.
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Welcome back to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Slater filling in for Mike Baker. Turning to the Middle East, the Iranian-backed Houthi militants of Yemen are shifting their strategy in the wake of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
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Chapter 5: What executive actions did Trump take after his inauguration?
The terror group said Sunday that they would stop their attacks on international commercial vessels and American and British naval ships in the Red Sea and instead limit their strikes to only Israeli-affiliated vessels.
Regarding Israeli ships, they said their attacks would only stop upon the full implementation of all phases of the ceasefire agreement, according to an exclusive report from the Associated Press.
The group warned, however, that any breakdown in the fragile truce or direct attacks in Yemen would prompt them to resume wider assaults on international ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which they described as a form of, quote, sanctions.
The militants said, quote, We affirm that, in the event of any aggression against the Republic of Yemen by the United States of America, the United Kingdom, or the usurping Israeli entity, the sanctions will be reinstated against the aggressor.
The Iranian-backed Houthis delivered their message in an email to international shippers on Sunday, though analysts say it will likely do little to encourage global firms to re-enter the critical shipping route, which, prior to the Houthi attacks, accounted for more than 12% of global trade volume and 30% of global container shipping volume.
Over the past year, Houthi attacks have significantly disrupted this vital economic lane, causing commercial traffic through the region to drop by half. Many shipping companies have instead been diverting their ships around southern Africa to avoid being attacked, leading to longer shipping journeys and, of course, higher costs.
For now, shipping companies appear to be taking a wait-and-see approach. The head of security for BIMCO, the largest international shipowners association, told the AP, quote, It is assessed that even minor deviations from the ceasefire agreements could lead to hostilities, which would subsequently prompt the Houthis to again direct threats against a broader range of international shipping.
Remarks on Monday from the Houthi Supreme Leader also left doubt over whether it is safe to return to the troubled waters. The group's leader warned they're, quote, ready to return to escalation again alongside our brothers should the ceasefire break down.
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Chapter 6: What did the Houthi rebels announce regarding international shipping?
As a reminder, the Houthis began relentlessly attacking Israel and international shipping vessels in the wake of last year's 7 October attacks by Hamas. To date, they fired more than 200 missiles and 170 drones at the Jewish state and carried out more than 100 attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea, sinking two vessels, seizing another, and killing four mariners.
Shifting to Colombia, more than 80 people have been killed in just three days of escalating violence in the country's northeast after fallout from collapsed peace talks between the government and the terrorist guerrilla group the National Liberation Army, also known as ELN.
This outbreak has plunged the Catatumba region into chaos, placing thousands of civilians who now huddle in shelters or seek refuge in remote mountainous areas. One displaced resident captured the desperation of the moment, stating, quote, We had no time to grab our things. We're helpless here. Government officials are calling this one of the deadliest spirals of violence in recent memory.
So why'd this happen? Well, the violence erupted last week after the ELN launched a coordinated assault on ex-members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, who have resumed armed activities to annex drug trafficking routes despite a 2016 peace deal. The Catatumbo region, a strategic nexus for drug trafficking, has long been a flashpoint as guerrilla groups vie for control.
For the ELN, securing this area is central to expanding its communist ideology and operations. Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who campaigned on advancing peace, suspended negotiations with the ELN on Friday, accusing the group of war crimes. In a post on X the same day, Petro stated, quote, the ELN has no will for peace.
It's the second collapse of talks in less than a year, underscoring the fragile nature of attempts to end Colombia's decades-long international conflict. With an estimated 6,000 fighters across Colombia and Venezuela, the ELN has long sought recognition as a political entity, a demand that would embolden the group.
As the government moves to stabilize the region, more than 5,000 soldiers have been deployed. The defense minister underscores the urgency, pledging to, quote, "...guarantee the security of communities." but civilians remain in the crossfire.
According to a government official's report, among the dead are a community leader and seven individuals who sought to sign the ELN and government peace deal. While the ELN denies targeting civilians, claiming its operations focused solely on former FARC guerrillas, their rhetoric offers little solace.
On Saturday, the ELN issued a statement accusing FARC factions of initiating violence against civilians, warning that continued attacks left, quote, no other way out than armed confrontation. The humanitarian toll is staggering. Over 8,000 people have been displaced, many lacking necessities. Government relief efforts sent 10 tons of aid.
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