June 6th, 2025: Beijing's New Bioweapon?: Chinese Nationals Allegedly Smuggle Agroterrorism Pathogen Into US & Putin Plots Revenge
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It's Friday, the 6th of June. 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, a look at an alarming scheme by two Chinese nationals linked to the CCP, the Chinese Communist Party, to allegedly smuggle a biological pathogen that could be used as an agroterrorism weapon into the US, where they intended to conduct covert research at a university laboratory We'll have those details

Later in the show, President Trump says the Kremlin is preparing to retaliate against Ukraine over their crippling drone attack on Moscow's strategic bomber fleet. The warning followed a lengthy phone call between the President and Vladimir Putin and is further eroding hopes that a peaceful settlement to the war could be achieved. Plus, a new report reveals that a self-proclaimed, quote, Jew-hater, anti-Moscow,

and active participant in anti-Israel protests at Columbia University, had direct links to Hamas and the terror group's deadly al-Qassam brigades. So, wait, you mean that these anti-Semitic protests on college campuses weren't just organic, grassroots protests by sincere, gormless college students? Well, that is shocking.

And in today's back of the brief, the somber news out of Gaza, where Israeli forces have recovered the bodies of two hostages with dual Israeli-U.S. citizenship that were killed during Hamas's 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks that kicked off this current conflict. But first, today's PDB Spotlight.

We'll start things off with new reporting about an alleged plot by two Chinese nationals, including one with close ties to the Chinese Communist Party, to smuggle a dangerous biological pathogen into the U.S. in what one White House official called an attempted attack on the American food supply.

Officials with the Department of Justice announced a slew of charges earlier this week against the two Chinese researchers for plotting to transport samples of a dangerous crop-killing fungus described as a potential agro-terrorism weapon

One of the suspects in question is Yunqing Jian, a 33-year-old alleged Communist Party loyalist that works in an agricultural lab at the University of Michigan and reportedly received funding from the Chinese government for similar work that she conducted in China. The other is her alleged boyfriend, 34-year-old Zunong Liu, who works as a researcher at a university in China conducting similar studies.

on agricultural pathogens According to the DOJ's criminal complaint Liu was caught at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport last July with samples of the pathogen that he brought on a flight from Shanghai which he intended to bring to the University of Michigan laboratory to "further their scheme"

What exactly the intention of the scheme was remains unclear, but DOJ officials, FBI agents, and sources from the Trump administration that spoke exclusively to the New York Post painted an alarming portrait that feels all too reminiscent of allegations of "gain-of-function" research related to the COVID-19 pandemic

The fungus is capable of destroying crops and poisoning both livestock and humans. Specifically, the fungus causes something known as head blight, a disease of wheat and barley, corn and rice, that already causes billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year. If ingested by humans, the pathogen causes severe vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive defects. While the fungus is already present in the U.S., if it was manipulated to

become resistant to treatment or to spread more easily. The pathogen could potentially decimate American farms and spread disease throughout the population. That's according to experts that spoke to the New York Post.

At first, Liu lied about the origin of the 10 samples that he was carrying to agents who stopped him at the Detroit airport last July. Liu later fessed up, telling agents that he was attempting to smuggle the pathogen into the Molecular Plant-Microbe Interaction Laboratory at the University of Michigan to clone the different strains and make more samples.

According to the Post's sources, during a search of one of LeRoux's cell phones, agents found a PDF article titled, quote, "2018 Plant Pathogen Warfare Under Changing Climate Conditions" I suspect you probably already read that article, which specifically referenced the fungus in question. The FBI later interviewed Jian at the University of Michigan lab in February, where she denied assisting LeRoux and said she only learned about his efforts following his temporary arrest at the airport.

But messages uncovered by investigators dating back to August of 2022 show the couple discussing how to smuggle seeds past U.S. customs officials. Uh-oh. Well, that would be considered a clue. FBI officials also said they discovered a loyalty pledge document signed by Jian originating from her boyfriend's university in China, where she vowed to, quote, support the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

That document was reportedly signed in January of 2024, just six months before Liu was stopped with the samples. We should stress again that it's unclear what exactly the pair were planning to do with these samples

but the implications are potentially grave. A national security source who spoke with the Post suggested investigators tested samples for evidence of tampering, saying, "The key question is if the bacterial strain has been modified to make it resistant to treatment or to make it more pathogenic." One senior Trump administration official bluntly told the Post, "This is an attack on the American food supply."

After the news broke, members of Congress expressed their alarm over the potential role that the CCP played in this scheme. Republican Senator Joni Ernst praised law enforcement for intercepting what she called a, quote, potential bioweapon and warned of China's efforts to buy up U.S. farmland.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford told the Post, "The CCP will use every tool in its warfare toolbox to cripple the United States and bring us to our knees." Now, both suspects are charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the U.S., false statements, and visa fraud.

Lier has a warrant out for his arrest, but currently remains at large. Reportedly, he returned to China, so that's probably the last we'll ever see of him. Jian was detained on June 3rd. It's unclear if Jian is still employed, but the University of Michigan released a statement condemning any acts seeking to cause harm and stressed they received no funding from the CCP.

Alright, coming up next, President Trump says the Kremlin is preparing to retaliate against Ukraine over their crippling drone attack on Moscow's strategic bomber fleet. And a new report reveals that an active participant in anti-Israel protests at Columbia University, well, had direct links to Hamas. That, of course, should shock no one. I'll be right back.

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Welcome back to the PDB.

In their second phone call in a matter of weeks, Russian leader Vladimir Putin warned President Trump that Moscow will retaliate for Ukraine's crippling drone blitz on airfields, threatening to derail ongoing efforts to broker an end to the war. Spoiler alert: Putin doesn't want to end the war right now. Stop trying to make fetch happen. It's not going to happen.

The call came just hours after Ukraine's security service released dramatic footage of the attacks, which we've been tracking here on the PDB. The video shows swarms of drones streaking across Russian airspace before erupting in fireballs over rows of parked bombers. Ukrainian officials say at least 41 aircraft were hit, including long-range bombers and high-value surveillance planes, making it potentially the single most destructive day in the history of the Russian Air Force.

Now, those numbers have not been independently verified, and U.S. and allied estimates put the number at somewhere perhaps 15 to 20 bombers hit. Putin, according to both state media and Kremlin aides, told Trump the attack was a deliberate act of sabotage designed to derail the fragile talks still underway. Okay, well, first of all,

Russia has not been engaged in any serious talks, fragile or not. And second, of course it was a deliberate act of sabotage.

Kremlin mouthpiece Dmitry Peskov didn't miss words, calling Ukraine's leadership a "terrorist regime" and labeling the strikes "terrorism at the state level." Still, he insisted Putin remains open to working-level talks. You can't write this. Peskov apparently forgot that this whole mess started when his boss decided to invade Ukraine.

Trump confirmed the 75-minute call with Putin on Truth Social, calling it "a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace." The president relayed to media that Putin assured on the call that Moscow will respond to Ukraine's attack and that military options are on the table. He added that the two discussed "various other attacks" that have been taking place by both sides.

Aides familiar with the exchange described the tone as constructive, suggesting Trump remains committed to pursuing a diplomatic off-ramp. While he avoided criticizing Putin this time, his more measured approach is keeping both sides talking at the negotiating table, well, or something like it. Still, the lack of a sharper rebuke drew fire from some quarters. One Ukrainian lawmaker told CNN, "President Trump didn't say something like 'Vladimir, stop.'

It might look like he's given a green light.

That critique stands in contrast to Trump's tone just last week when he accused Putin of going, quote, absolutely crazy with missile strikes and warned he was, quote, playing with fire. For now, Trump says he'll reassess within two weeks whether Putin is serious about reaching a negotiated settlement. Pro tip, he's not serious, though he's yet to spell out what metrics he's using to gauge that. However, the fact that lines remain open and that both sides are still showing up is...

In Trump's view anyway, evidence that diplomacy isn't dead just yet A senior Russian official told reporters that Putin personally briefed Trump on the most recent negotiations

The latest round held in Istanbul earlier this week at Trump's urging yielded no major breakthroughs, but did produce agreement on additional prisoner exchanges. Trump has so far resisted bipartisan calls in Washington to slap sweeping sanctions back on Moscow, arguing that now is the wrong time to up the pressure.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in Washington with the head of Ukraine's presidential office to chart a forward-looking U.S. posture. A senior administration official said Rubio reaffirmed support for Ukraine's defensive goals, but made clear the U.S. would not revert to the Biden-era policy of blank-check military aid.

The weekend drone strike marked a new phase in Ukraine's war effort, demonstrating not just how far its drones can reach, but how exposed Russia's strategic deterrence has become. And it also tested Trump's two-pronged approach: pressure both sides to negotiate without re-avoid either for escalation.

All right. Shifting to the U.S., a self-proclaimed, quote, Jew-hater accused of carrying out anti-Semitic assaults near Columbia University maintained direct ties to Hamas, marking one of the clearest links yet between extremist campus agitators and the terror group.

In a New York Post exclusive report, the suspect, a 20-year-old New York man, Tarek Buzruk, was indicted last month on three federal hate crime charges and is being held without bail after prosecutors argued he posed a, quote, ongoing danger to the community. According to newly unsealed court documents, Buzruk,

was part of a private online chat group that received regular updates from the spokesman for Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades, that's the terror group's military wing Prosecutors say this is the first known instance of a US-based protester maintaining direct communication with a Hamas propaganda channel Federal agents also discovered that Bazaruk's phone was brimming with pro-Hamas and pro-Hazbala content

including a photo of Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the 7 October terror attacks killed by Israeli forces last year. Texts uncovered during the investigation paint a sobering picture. Buzruk referred to himself as a "Jew-hater," called Judaism "worthless," and praised violent resistance.

Though not a Columbia student, Buzruk was a regular presence at anti-Israel protests on campus throughout 2024, donning Hamas's green headband. During an April demonstration, he allegedly texted a friend that he had lit a flare and "wanted to light someone on fire." Well, that seems normal, doesn't it? But there were "too many people around to follow through."

Oh, that's not all. He was arrested on 7th of May when federal agents searched his Manhattan apartment and recovered a replica firearm, brass knuckles, spent shell casings, and multiple knives. Also discovered was $750,000 in cash stuffed inside a safe. Well, that sounds innocent enough. I'm sure most 20-year-olds in New York City have

At least three quarters of a million dollars stuffed somewhere in their walk-up apartments.

Travel records show Bezrouk spent nearly a month in the West Bank and Jordan last fall, fueling further concerns about his foreign connections. Yeah, these are all things that we would consider clues, especially given his repeated boasting about Hamas-linked relatives. His alleged hate crime spree began in April of 2024 when he reportedly assaulted three Jewish individuals during a Gaza war protest near the New York Stock Exchange.

In December, he was arrested near Colombia after allegedly punching a Jewish student while ranting about Hitler. That sounds like something Hitler would do. A month later, prosecutors say he struck another demonstrator wearing an Israeli flag scarf in Union Square, this time with his face concealed by a keffiyeh. He also encouraged friends to target students displaying Israeli flag stickers

on their laptops. This guy's a peach. U.S. Attorney Jay Clinton was blunt, stating Buzru, quote, remained undeterred and quickly returned to using violence to target Jews in New York City. Each hate crime charge he faces carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. Now, his defense attorney insists that he has no ties to Hamas or any other terror group. Well, that's because his defense attorney

is a moron. Federal prosecutors disagree and say his long record of anti-Semitic threats, his cache of weapons, and his clear ideological alignment with terrorist groups make him a threat to public safety. Not to mention that $750,000 that was stuffed in his apartment.

Jewish advocacy groups say the case underscores a disturbing trend. The American Jewish Committee noted that Hamas has repeatedly boasted about having operatives embedded on U.S. college campuses, and Buzruk's case may be the first real proof.

With anti-Semitism rising sharply on college campuses, federal officials warn that the possibility of foreign-linked extremists helping drive these movements is no longer theoretical. It's here. A pro tip. It was never just theoretical.

All right, coming up next in the back of the brief, Israeli forces recover the bodies of two hostages with dual Israeli-U.S. citizenship that were killed during Hamas's 7 October terrorist attacks in 2023. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here.

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In today's Back of the Brief, sad news out of Gossip Thursday as Israeli forces recovered the bodies of two Israeli-American hostages killed during Hamas's 7 October 2023 terror attacks The remains of 70-year-old Judith Weinstein Haggai and her 72-year-old husband Gad Haggai, longtime residents of kibbutz near Oz, were located in a joint Israeli military and Shin Bet operation, according to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu

The couple was among roughly 250 people, of course, kidnapped during the Hamas terror attacks that ignited the now 600-plus day war in Gaza.

Israeli officials say the couple's bodies had been held in Gaza by terrorists from the Mujahideen Brigades, that's the armed wing of the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement. The Israeli military credited "precise intelligence" with enabling the recovery, but stopped short of offering further operational details. For months, their fate remained uncertain. Back in December of 2023, then-President Biden acknowledged the couple's deaths, but until now,

There had been no confirmation that their bodies had been found, much less recovered. In a statement, Nanyangu vowed to keep working until all hostages, dead and alive, are returned. He also expressed condolences to the family, saying, quote, "...our hearts ache for the most terrible losses."

the hostages and missing families forum echoed that sentiment calling the recovery quote the closing of a circle and the fulfillment of the state's fundamental obligation the couple the group said can now be laid to rest in their homeland judith and god were two of four dual israeli american citizens confirmed killed and still held in gaza the other two ages 19 and 21

remain unaccounted for Their bodies, Israeli authorities believe, are still in Hamas's custody or in the hands of affiliated terrorist factions Meanwhile, the broader picture hasn't changed much Despite pressure from hostage families and international mediators negotiations for a broader ceasefire and hostage release have stalled in recent weeks

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum reiterated calls Thursday for the Israeli government to strike a deal that would secure the return of the more than 50 hostages, both alive and dead, still believed to be held in Gaza.

And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Friday, the 6th of June. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb at thefirsttv.com. And to listen to the show ad-free, well, you know you can do that. Just become a Premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting pdbpremium.com. And, of course, as you may have noticed when you woke up this morning, it's Friday and

And congratulations, we've made it to the end of another week. Now, your well-deserved reward is a brand new episode of our extended weekend show, the PDB Situation Report. Our great guests this weekend include smart guy and weapons analyst Ryan McBeth, talking about the Ukrainian attack on Russia's strategic bomber fleet, and Joe Truesman, he's from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, will be talking about the potential for a civil war or civilian uprising inside Gaza.

You can catch us this evening at 10 p.m. on The First TV. And of course, this and past episodes are always available on our YouTube channel, which you can find at President's Daily Brief. And of course, podcast platforms everywhere. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, and stay cool.