April 2nd, 2025: Russia Rejects Trump's Peace Plan & Iran Mulls Strikes On Key US Military Outpost
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It's Wednesday, the 2nd of April. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker. Your eyes and ears on the world stage. And, yes, back on the road somewhere. Let's get briefed. First, the Kremlin is slapping down President Trump's proposals for ending the war in Ukraine.

which they say are unacceptable in their current form, suggesting that peace talks between Moscow and Washington, well, may have stalled. Later in the show, tension between the U.S. and Iran continues to heat up as the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC, reportedly mulls strikes against a critical U.S. military outpost in response to President Trump's threats to bomb their nuclear sites.

Plus, China launches a major military drill. Oh, things are just peachy keen all around the world, aren't they? China launches a major military drill off Taiwan's coast and calls the president a parasite in their latest escalation. That would be the Taiwanese president. Analysts warn the move is intended to send a message to the Trump administration that they won't back down on their territorial claims.

And in today's Back of the Brief, a tragic update out of Lithuania, where the bodies of four U.S. soldiers who were killed during a training exercise last week near the Belarusian border have been recovered. But first, today's PDB Spotlight. We'll begin today with another update on the war in Ukraine, as the Kremlin pushes back on President Trump's peace proposals, suggesting that diplomatic talks between Moscow and Washington may have stalled.

Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Rybakov, a trusted foreign policy advisor to Vladimir Putin, said Tuesday that while Moscow is taking American ideas on how to end the war in Ukraine, quote, seriously, really, are they? The current proposals from the Trump administration remain unacceptable. Rybakov said they don't go far enough to address Russia's long term strategic concerns and fail to take into account what he claims are.

are the underlying causes of the conflict. That's according to a report from the New York Post. Now, one could argue that the underlying cause of the conflict is that Russia invaded Ukraine in an attempt to take over a sovereign nation.

It's just the latest sign that the road to peace will likely remain a long and difficult one, as the Trump administration struggles to bridge the divide between Moscow and Kiev. Rybakov said, quote, We take the models and solutions proposed by the Americans very seriously. Uh-huh. But we can't accept it all in its current form. As far as we can see, he said, there's no place in them, meaning the proposals, today for our main demand.

namely to solve the problems related to the root causes of this conflict. It's completely absent and that must be overcome, end quote.

While Rybakov did not elaborate on Russia's specific demands, we can reasonably infer based on past statements and past demands from the Kremlin. First, Moscow has consistently ruled out the idea of a temporary break in hostilities, arguing that it would only serve the interests of Ukraine and their NATO allies, allowing Kiev to replenish their arsenals. Putin has said he will only accept a comprehensive accord that ensures a lasting peace.

Putin has also previously insisted that any ceasefire must include Ukraine abandoning its NATO ambitions and withdrawing from four Russian-occupied regions that make up nearly 20% of Ukrainian territory. And as we pointed out here on the PDB, a significant amount of the critical minerals that have been discussed during that so-called minerals deal, well, a significant amount of those in Ukraine actually are located in the 20%

of the Ukrainian territory currently held by Russia. Additionally, Putin has repeatedly rejected proposals for a European coalition of peacekeeping troops in Ukraine to enforce a potential ceasefire. That's something that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has said is a necessary security guarantee to deter future Russian aggression. For Russia, NATO's presence in Eastern Europe is really at the heart of their long-term strategic aims.

During the first round of bilateral talks between Russia and the US in late February, the Kremlin reportedly demanded the full withdrawal of NATO forces from the alliance's eastern flank. Oh, is that all they wanted? Putin has long sought the withdrawal of NATO forces, of course, from former Soviet and communist bloc countries, as it would obviously help restore Moscow's sphere of influence in Eastern Europe. While that demand was flatly denied by US negotiators at the time,

Analysts say that it appears that Putin is digging in his heels in an attempt to make the U.S. reconsider its position. An analysis published Monday by the Institute for the Study of War think tank concluded that Russia wants to quote "stall efforts toward a general ceasefire and extract additional concessions from the West." End quote. Well, not exactly a statement of rocket science. I'm not sure if you need to be a think tank to come up with that statement, but it's still true nonetheless.

But Trump remains adamant that both sides must agree to a ceasefire before more substantive negotiations are held on specific terms.

The remarks from Russia's deputy foreign minister are just the latest setback for the Trump administration in their quest for an end to Putin's war. As we've been tracking here on the PDB, the Trump administration brokered a very limited ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev last week that, well, in theory, halts attacks on energy sites and ensures the safety of shipping in the Black Sea.

While Russia claims to be adhering to the moratorium on energy-related strikes, Ukraine says Russian forces have continued to target their energy infrastructure. Moscow has also stalled implementation of the Black Sea Agreement, demanding the U.S. first lift sanctions leveled against the Putin regime at the onset of the war. Additionally, as we discussed on yesterday's show, Putin has ordered the conscription of 160,000 new troops.

And you could argue that's hardly the move of someone with peaceful intentions.

Zelensky accused the Kremlin of making a, quote, mockery of our partners' efforts to advance a peace agenda. And it would appear President Trump may at this point grudgingly agree with that assessment. Trump said Sunday that he's getting, quote, pissed off by the Kremlin's attempts to stall negotiations and will consider imposing new sanctions on Russia's oil trade within the next month if he feels Moscow is actively seeking to undermine his efforts.

But the Kremlin seems content with the status quo. A prominent Russian foreign policy advisor to the Kremlin was recently quoted as saying, quote, the continuation of the war, which we are slowly but surely winning, is in our interest, especially considering that the main sponsor, the U.S., seems to be backing out.

Why should we rush in a situation like this? End quote. Now, let me just repeat that for anyone who's been wondering about Putin's intentions. The Kremlin advisers said the continuation of the war, which we are slowly but surely winning, is in our interest, especially considering that the main sponsor, the U.S., seems to be backing out. Why should we rush in a situation like this? All right. Coming up next.

Iran reportedly considers strikes against a critical U.S. military outpost in response to President Trump's threats to bomb their nuclear sites. Plus, China launches a major military drill off Taiwan's coast and calls the Taiwanese president a parasite in their latest escalation in the South China Sea. You know, it's really nice to see peace and calm and stability and civility just breaking out all over the world. I'll be right back.

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Iran's military leaders are reportedly weighing a preemptive strike on the U.S.-U.K. military base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, warning they may act before it's used as a launch pad for attacks on the Islamic Republic. Someone should probably advise the mullahs that that wouldn't likely end well. As I'm sure our regular listeners are aware, tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated sharply since the return of Trump to the White House.

In February, the president reimposed his maximum pressure campaign, reviving efforts to cut Iran's oil exports to zero and forestall any path toward nuclear armament. For background, Trump withdrew from the 2015 Iranian nuclear accord during his first term, citing the agreement's failure to permanently block Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Since retaking office, he's pressed for what he describes as a "verified nuclear peace agreement," one that would dismantle Iran's nuclear program entirely in exchange for the phased lifting of sanctions. On Sunday, Trump issued a pointed warning to the mullahs, pledging "bombing the likes of which they've never seen before" should the regime reject a new nuclear agreement.

Tehran, in turn, refused direct negotiations and continues pushing for the reinstatement of the original deal on terms more favorable to themselves. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who retained sole authority to authorize the construction of a nuclear weapon, issued his own warning on Monday, saying, quote, if they commit any mischief, they will surely receive a strong reciprocal blow, end quote.

Now that brings us to the Diego Garcia base. As we've discussed here on the PDB, Diego Garcia, located on the British-controlled Chagos Islands, has long served as a cornerstone of American and British power projection in the Indian Ocean. The island was instrumental during the Gulf War and later in the early stages of the War on Terror.

Satellite imagery reviewed just last week confirms that the U.S. is currently moving a significant number of military assets to the base, including several B-2 Spirit stealth bombers capable of penetrating sophisticated air defense systems and delivering precision payloads. According to The Telegraph, an Iranian official disclosed that top commanders have been urged to, quote, "...launch preemptive strikes on the island and its base."

The official added that some Iranian military leaders advocate for missile launches, quote, not with the intent to hit anything, but to fall into the water to send a clear message to the Americans.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC, also issued broader threats this week One Iranian Brigadier General ominously said, "The Americans have at least 10 bases in the region. They're sitting in a glass house." That's a reference to the more than 50,000 US troops stationed across the Middle East A second commander noted that Iran's naval forces are capable of targeting US sea assets

Moscow, well, they've also stepped into the diplomatic fray on behalf of their despotic pals. Russia's deputy foreign minister issued a blunt warning on Tuesday that any American strike on Iranian nuclear facilities would have, quote, catastrophic consequences. He condemned the Trump administration's ultimatum-driven approach and offered Russia's assistance in mediating a new nuclear agreement. Isn't that swell? Yes, because Putin's Russia is all about peace and harmony.

Turning to Taiwan, China launched new military drills surrounding the island from three directions on Tuesday in what state media framed as punishment for what it calls separatist actions by "parasite" President Lai Ching-de. The operations, carried out by the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command, unfolded to Taiwan's north, south, and east and were described as a comprehensive test of combat readiness.

According to Chinese officials, the drills simulated blockades, joint air-sea strikes and intercept missions, precisely the tactics that Beijing would rely on in the event of a full-scale invasion. Taiwan's Defense Ministry tallied a total of 71 military aircraft, including drones, and 21 naval vessels operating around the island, with one group escorting the Shandong aircraft carrier positioned roughly 200 nautical miles east of Taiwan.

Taipei, for its part, did not stand idle. Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, dispatched naval vessels, and activated its missile defense systems in response. The Defense Ministry issued a sharp statement warning that, quote, we must ensure that they don't turn these drills into actual combat, underscoring the seriousness with which Taiwan is treating the maneuvers.

Lai's administration condemned the maneuvers outright, describing Beijing as, quote, a troublemaker bent on destabilizing the region. Yet the military dimension was just one element of Beijing's pressure campaign. Accompanying the drills was a torrent of propaganda aimed squarely at humiliating Taiwan's leadership.

In one video titled Shell, President Lai is depicted as a green bug held aloft by chopsticks over a flaming map of the island. You're welcome for that visual. The video labeled Lai as a, quote, parasite hollowing out the island due to his separatist actions and deepening alignment with the U.S.

Another production, dubbed "Subdue Demons and Vanquish Evils," opens with a warrior soaring through clouds before cutting to PLA jets streaking over imagined battlefields. Additional videos featured missile trajectories zeroing in on Taipei and computer-generated strike overlays that left, frankly, little to the imagination. The escalation comes nearly a year after similar war games that were staged last May, days after Lai's inauguration.

Tensions have only accelerated since March when Lai unveiled a sweeping set of 17 counterintelligence laws targeting Chinese infiltration, branding Beijing as a, quote, foreign hostile force. China, for its part, insists that the exercises are, quote, legitimate and necessary. That's a refrain often employed to justify military maneuvers under the guise of national defense.

Unsurprisingly, the U.S. weighed in on the alarming activity White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt reiterated Washington's position, stating the U.S. "opposes any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force" Though familiar, the language carried added weight considering the worsening U.S.-China relations

The drills also coincided with a regional tour by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who used stops in Tokyo and Manila to emphasize deepening military ties across East Asia and to issue pointed warnings about China's increasingly provocative behavior.

Intriguingly, Chinese state media noted that the drills did not receive a formal code name, unlike previous operations such as Joint Sword or Eastern Storm, suggesting a deliberate attempt to normalize such activities. The Global Times, a state-run outlet often used to telegraph Beijing's intentions, portrayed the operation as a calibrated show of strength that's aggressive enough to send a message, but restrained enough to avoid jeopardizing upcoming trade talks with Washington.

All right, coming up in the back of the brief. The bodies of four U.S. soldiers who were killed during a training exercise last week in Lithuania have been recovered. We'll have those details next.

Like a bull in a china shop, Donald Trump came in to drain the swamp in Washington, D.C. But with his bold reform and rejuvenation agenda comes so many legal questions. Nationwide injunctions. Are they constitutional? What's the deal with birthright citizenship? What about the administrative state? Can he actually clean the deep state and end the politicization of the federal bureaucracy?

I'm Josh Hammer, host of America on Trial with Josh Hammer. Subscribe to America on Trial with Josh Hammer for your daily updates on all of these questions and more.

Like a bull in a china shop, Donald Trump came in to drain the swamp in Washington, D.C. But with his bold reform and rejuvenation agenda comes so many legal questions. Nationwide injunctions. Are they constitutional? What's the deal with birthright citizenship? What about the administrative state? Can he actually clean the deep state and end the politicization of the federal bureaucracy?

I'm Josh Hammer, host of America on Trial with Josh Hammer. Subscribe to America on Trial with Josh Hammer for your daily updates on all of these questions and more. In today's back of the brief, we have a sad update out of Eastern Europe, where the bodies of four U.S. Army soldiers killed during a training exercise in Lithuania last week have been recovered.

They were reported missing on March 25th near Lithuania's border with Belarus after they didn't return from a tactical training mission involving an M-88 Hercules vehicle, which is essentially a giant armored tow truck. The following day, search teams discovered the 70-ton vehicle submerged in a swamp, leading investigators to conclude that the four soldiers became trapped inside the vehicle when it sank, according to a report from the New York Times.

but authorities refrained from officially confirming their deaths until their bodies were found. An extensive international search and recovery effort followed, involving hundreds of personnel from the U.S., Lithuania, Poland, and Estonia. Removing the vehicle from the muddy bog proved to be particularly difficult, and heavy equipment was subsequently brought in to dredge the swamp. Divers, dogs, and drones with ground-penetrating radar were then deployed to help locate the soldiers.

On Monday, the bodies of three of the four U.S. soldiers were recovered after authorities extracted the vehicle. The body of the fourth member of the team was found on Tuesday, bringing the week-long search to a sad conclusion. The four soldiers were part of the Army's 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, based out of Fort Stewart in Georgia. The Army released the identities of the three soldiers recovered on Monday,

They were all 25 years old or younger and served as M1 Abrams tank system maintainers. Officials have not yet disclosed the identity of the fourth soldier, as his family is still in the process of being notified. The U.S. Army and Lithuanian authorities said they're still working to determine the official cause of the accident, though the early indication is that the vehicle had inadvertently driven off the road and into the swamp during the course of the exercise.

Major General Christopher Norrie, the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, said Tuesday, quote, End quote.

We should note that U.S. and NATO forces stationed in Eastern Europe have significantly increased military drills in the years since Russian President Putin's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, particularly in the Baltic region due to its proximity to Belarus. Belarus, of course, is a critical ally of Moscow. In a statement, the White House said the tragedy was, quote, another stark reminder of the selfless sacrifice of our brave military men and women who

who risk their lives around the world every day to keep us safe. End quote. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Wednesday, the 2nd of April. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdbatthefirsttv.com. And if you're wondering what the show sounds like without ads, well, go ahead and indulge yourself. Become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by simply visiting pdbpremium.com.

I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. For a limited time at Verizon, you can get our best price ever for a single line. Just $45 per month when you bring your phone, which is less than you spend on too-tired-to-cook takeout every week. ♪

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