PDB Afternoon Bulletin | May 14th, 2025: Revealed: The Surprising Intel That Led Trump To End The Houthi War & Macron Floats Deploying France's Nuclear Deterrent Across Europe
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What led to the Trump administration's ceasefire with the Iranian-backed Houthis?
It's Wednesday, the 14th of May. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, we'll revisit the recent ceasefire struck between the Trump administration and Iranian-backed Houthis and the critical intelligence that led the White House to cut the bombing campaign against the terror group short. Later in the show, amid ongoing concerns about Russian aggression and whether the EU can rely on the US as a military deterrent, French President Emmanuel Macron has said he's open to deploying his country's nuclear weapons to other European countries. We'll have those details. But first, today's afternoon spotlight.
What intelligence influenced the sudden end to the US bombing campaign in Yemen?
It's been a little over a week since the Trump administration struck a breakthrough ceasefire agreement with the Iranian-backed Houthi militants of Yemen. Now, we're beginning to learn more about the intelligence that led the White House to opt for de-escalation. As you'll recall, the abrupt announcement of the truce on May 6th caught many by surprise as it came just seven weeks into a relentless U.S. bombing campaign that U.S. Central Command had recommended should last at least eight months. According to four anonymous US officials that spoke exclusively to Reuters, the administration was prepared to maintain their military pressure on the group over the long term, despite the hefty price tag of the strikes, but saw a diplomatic opening worth pursuing when they picked up intelligence that the beleaguered Yemeni militants were seeking an off-ramp to the conflict.
By that time, the US bombing campaign, which began on the 15th of March, had struck more than 1,100 Houthi targets, killing a significant number of mid-tier Houthi fighters who trained lower-level forces and significantly degrading their command facilities, air defense systems, weapons manufacturing, and storage facilities. Under increasing pressure, the sources said that the Houthi leaders began reaching out around the first weekend in May to US allies in the Middle East to essentially wave the white flag. One source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters, quote, "...we started getting intel that the Houthis had had enough." They added that the Iranian regime, which is engaged in delicate discussions with the U.S. over its nuclear program, also played a critical role in encouraging Houthi leadership to come to the negotiating table.
How did the US and Middle East allies respond to the Houthi conflict developments?
The Trump administration moved quickly to seize the moment, hoping to secure a deal that would allow the president to declare victory ahead of his Middle East tour that's taking place this week. On Monday, the 5th of May, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth organized a series of meetings at the White House to discuss the viability of a ceasefire, where officials agreed that there was a limited window of opportunity to find an off-ramp. Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who was already engaged in talks with the Iranian regime, immediately reached out to mediators in Oman, who brokered indirect talks with the chief Houthi negotiator and spokesperson. He, in turn, contacted the Houthis' top leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, and by Monday afternoon, a framework agreement had been reached.
Trump decided to take an unconventional approach to finalize the deal, notably bypassing Israel, which is not covered by the arrangement. The following day, President Trump made his announcement of the ceasefire, declaring that the Houthis had capitulated. In an Oval Office press conference, Trump said, quote, They said, please don't bomb us anymore and we're not going to attack your ships and I will accept their word, end quote. The group consented to stop attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait and to end their disruption of one of the world's most vital shipping lanes. The Omani foreign minister later confirmed the ceasefire, saying it would ensure, quote, freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of commercial shipping. It was an abrupt U-turn by the Houthis, who had previously maintained a defiant posture.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What led to the Trump administration's ceasefire with the Iranian-backed Houthis?
0:12–0:55
2
What intelligence influenced the sudden end to the US bombing campaign in Yemen?
0:55–2:39
3
How did the US and Middle East allies respond to the Houthi conflict developments?
2:39–4:14
4
What was the role of the Iranian regime in the Houthi ceasefire negotiations?
4:14–5:21
5
How did President Trump finalize the ceasefire deal with the Houthis?
5:21–7:57
6
What are the implications and challenges of the current Houthi ceasefire?
7:57–10:31
7
What is the significance of the upcoming BRICS summit and the 'Rio Reset'?
10:31–11:29
8
How might the BRICS summit impact the US dollar and personal investments?
11:29–14:11
Speakers
1 identifiedMore from The President's Daily Brief
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