March 31st, 2026: Russia’s Hidden Hand In Iran War & Trump Relents On Cuba Energy Blockade
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
It's Tuesday, the 31st of March. 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. First up, the war in Ukraine and the war with Iran may be starting to overlap or perhaps collide in a new way. New claims confirm earlier reports that Russia is helping Iran target U.S. assets in the Middle East, while Ukraine is working with Gulf states to help defend against that threat. I'll have the details. Later in the show, Beijing is making an effort to set the table ahead of the President Trump and Xi Jinping summit, inviting Taiwan's opposition leader, not their actual leader, for a visit in an effort to shape the conversation around U.S.
arms sales. But with American lawmakers pressing Taipei to accelerate defense spending, that effort may run into resistance. Plus, the Trump administration just allowed a sanctioned Russian oil tanker to reach Cuba, throwing a critical but temporary lifeline to a regime that Washington has been working to squeeze via a blockade at sea. And in today's back of the brief, after years of absence, the U.S. is reestablishing a diplomatic presence in Venezuela, pairing a reopened embassy with new licenses targeting Caracas' oil and mineral wealth. It's an opportunity for Venezuela to perhaps spur its post-Maduro recovery. But first, today's PDB Spotlight. It increasingly appears that Russia's support for Iran is going far beyond rhetoric.
Now, we've discussed this a few times here on the PDB, but the Kremlin's support may now be actively shaping battlefield dynamics. And if that's the case, it could help explain one of the most significant Iranian strikes of the war – As we covered on yesterday's PDB, an Iranian drone and missile attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia left at least a dozen American troops wounded, some seriously, and caused severe damage to U.S. aircraft, including what appears to be the destruction of a high-value airborne command and control platform.
How is Russia influencing the Iran War and targeting U.S. assets?
The strike immediately raised serious questions about how Iran was able to carry out such a precise and coordinated attack on a key U.S. installation. And now, well, we may be getting part of the answer. According to Ukrainian President Zelensky, Russia may have played a direct role in helping Iran identify and target U.S. military assets in the region. Zelensky said over the weekend that Russian satellites photographed several U.S. and allied facilities, including Prince Sultan Air Base, shortly before they were struck. He also claimed Moscow provided that intelligence directly to the Iranian regime to support its targeting efforts. Now, to be clear, those claims have not been independently verified, and it won't shock you to hear that the Kremlin has, of course, denied sharing intelligence with Iran.
But Zelensky is not alone in raising these concerns. European officials are also increasingly warning that Russia's support for Iran may be deeper and more operational than Washington has publicly acknowledged. Now, the White House has been dismissive of earlier reports indicating that both Russia and China have been supporting Iran with both targeting data and insight and advice on drone warfare. According to reporting from CBS News, multiple European allies have told U.S. diplomats that Moscow is providing intelligence to Iran on U.S. positions in the Middle East. France's foreign minister described the relationship as, quote, a two-way cooperation, while a senior U.K. official noted Russia's defense ties with Iran have expanded significantly in recent years, particularly, of course, due to the war in Ukraine.
The European Union's top diplomat, Kayakalas, went even further, warning G7 leaders last week that Russia is helping Iran target and, quote, kill Americans, while adding that Moscow is also providing offensive military hardware. Now, the US officials are publicly downplaying the impact of that cooperation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that Russia is not doing anything that is meaningfully affecting US operations or their effectiveness in the region.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:12–2:22
2
How is Russia influencing the Iran War and targeting U.S. assets?
2:22–4:33
3
What strategic moves is China making ahead of the Trump-Xi summit?
4:33–7:22
4
Why did the Trump administration ease the energy blockade on Cuba?
7:22–9:13
5
What diplomatic efforts is the U.S. reestablishing in Venezuela?
9:13–10:11
6
How is Russia's support for Iran impacting the battlefield dynamics?
10:11–25:03
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from The President's Daily Brief
PDB Afternoon Bulletin | September 24th, 2026: China’s Secret Lifeline to Iran’s War Effort Exposed & Trump-Xi Summit
September 24th, 2026: Iran Returns to the Negotiating Table as Sanctions Bite & Zelensky Seeks a Winter Arsenal
PDB Afternoon Bulletin | September 23rd, 2026: Iran Directed the Houthi Offensive & Hackers Claim FBI Breach
September 23rd, 2026: Britain Joins Saudi Arabia’s Fight With the Houthis & Russia’s $7 Billion Financial Network
PDB Afternoon Bulletin | September 22nd, 2026: Tehran Offers To Reopen Hormuz & North Korea’s New Weapon
September 22nd, 2026: Trump Calls Off Major Attack Against The Houthis & Chinese Ships Near Alaska