The President's Daily Brief
PDB Afternoon Bulletin | January 2nd, 2026: Iran Protests Turn Deadly & China’s Hidden Role in Oklahoma’s Marijuana Boom
02 Jan 2026
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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I hope your new year is off to a very good start. 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, protests in Iran turned deadly as security forces opened fire, adding fuel to an already volatile situation, and drawing a sharp warning from the White House.
Later in the show, a New York Times investigation has revealed how a marijuana boom in rural Oklahoma led investigators to New York, shadowy ownership networks, and unexpected ties to China. But first, today's afternoon spotlight.
Earlier this week, we told you about growing protests across Iran, demonstrations driven by a collapsing economy, soaring prices, a lack of basic resources, and long-simmering anger toward the regime. Now, those protests have taken a deadly turn.
What began as scattered demonstrations has escalated into violent clashes between protesters and Iranian security forces, leaving multiple people dead and pushing an already volatile situation closer to the edge. According to reports, protests erupted across several Iranian cities as crowds gathered to denounce economic mismanagement, corruption, and the steep decline in living standards.
Witnesses described chants targeting senior leadership, with demonstrators openly challenging the authority of the Islamic Republic in a way that we haven't seen at scale since the nationwide unrest of 2022. And the response from authorities has been swift and now lethal. Iranian security forces, including riot police and paramilitary units, moved aggressively to break up crowds.
In several locations, live ammunition was used. At least a handful of protesters are now confirmed dead. Though the true toll may be higher. As is often the case in Iran, information is tightly controlled, independent reporting is difficult, and casualty figures, well, are likely underreported. The regime, for its part, claims it's responding to, quote, rioters and foreign-backed agitators.
State media has attempted to frame the violence as necessary to restore order. Hey, we're going to have to shoot some protesters in order to restore order. But human rights groups and eyewitnesses, well, they tell a different story. A story of unarmed civilians confronting a security apparatus controlled by the mullahs. Now, Iran is already, of course, under severe strain.
The economy has been buckling under sanctions. Inflation is eating away at household incomes. Current estimates have inflation rates at 42%. Basic resources are scarce. Corruption and mismanagement have created water and power shortages. And public confidence in leadership is on the outs.
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Chapter 2: What triggered the deadly protests in Iran?
They were sparked by a frustrated population increasingly fed up with a regime that spends billions on weapons programs and terrorist proxies while ignoring the basic needs of its citizens. If inflation destroys your savings, fuel and food costs keep rising, and there's no water when you turn the tap on, well, it might seem like taking to the streets is your next best option.
The key question now is what comes next. If the regime tightens its grip, deploying more force, making mass arrests, or cutting off communications, it may temporarily suppress the demonstrations, but it also risks igniting something larger, something more difficult to contain. And if the death toll rises, the pressure on foreign governments to respond will only grow.
We'll be watching for several things in the days ahead, whether protests spread to additional cities, whether security forces escalate further, and whether Tehran signals any willingness to negotiate. Iran has been here before. The difference now is just how fragile the moment appears. It feels different, and how little room the regime has left to maneuver.
All right, coming up next, a surprising link between Oklahoma's cannabis industry, organized networks in New York, and Chinese-connected money flowing through the heartland. I know, it's a strange game of connect the dots. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here.
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