PDB Afternoon Bulletin | June 16th, 2025: Is Iran Already Signaling Surrender? & Manhunt For Minnesota Shooter Ends In Capture
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It's Monday, the 16th of June. 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, it appears that Iran may possibly be folding under the weight of Israel's heavy airstrikes across the country, as reports emerge that the mullahs have quietly reached out to members of the Gulf states to mediate a ceasefire. Now, at the same time, there are conflicting reports, with some sources reporting that the mullahs are not looking for a mediated end to the conflict. Later in the show, after an intensive two-day manhunt, a

Authorities have apprehended 57-year-old Vance Bolter, the gunman accused of murdering a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband and seriously wounding two others. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. As Israel's military campaign against Iran continues, there are some reports that the Islamic regime's leaders may already be considering raising the white flag of surrender. Now, according to a source familiar with the matter that spoke exclusively with the Jerusalem Post,

Iranian officials have reached out to Oman and Qatar to request that they mediate an immediate halt to Israeli airstrikes and help restart nuclear negotiations with the US. The unnamed official added that Saudi Arabia is also working behind the scenes to create a ceasefire framework built around resuming talks with the Trump administration.

A separate report on Monday from the Wall Street Journal, citing Middle Eastern and European officials, concurred, saying that Iran has told mediators it seeks an end to hostilities and resumption of talks with the U.S. as long as America doesn't formally join Israel's campaign. The report adds that Iran has even sent messages to Israel saying it is in both sides' interests to keep the current violence contained.

It's worth noting, however, that U.S. officials have already outlined clear parameters regarding any potential cessation of hostilities. U.S. sources that spoke to the Wall Street Journal said that only the full acceptance of the White House's nuclear proposal, which includes a complete halt to Iran's domestic uranium enrichment, will result in an end to Israel's military operations.

For his part, President Trump reiterated his hopes for a diplomatic solution on Sunday, posting to Truth Social, quote, we could easily reach an agreement between Iran and Israel and end this bloody conflict, end quote. Now, to be fair, I'm not sure that there's anything easy about this situation. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, meanwhile, has said the attacks will continue until Jerusalem achieves the full destruction of Iran's nuclear program and ballistic missile arsenal.

We should also note that publicly, Iran is pushing back on the reports of a looming surrender. A spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry said on Sunday that, quote, as long as the Zionist regime continues its attacks on the Iranian nation, participating in talks with its biggest supporter and partner is meaningless, end quote. That's a reference, of course, to the U.S.,

Another official with knowledge of communications with the Gulf states also directly contradicted the reports, saying claims that Iran has approached Oman and Qatar regarding a ceasefire are, quote, inaccurate.

The official told AFP that, quote, the Iranians informed Qatari and Omani mediators that they will only pursue serious negotiations once Iran has completed its response to the Israeli preemptive strikes. They added that Iran has made it, quote, clear that it will not negotiate while under attack.

Now, as we discussed on this morning's PDB, Israel and Iran have been trading blows for the better parts of four days following Israel's sweeping assault on Iran that began last Thursday evening and resulted in the deaths of a slew of top Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists. Iran has now launched hundreds of missiles and drones into central Israel, with at least 13 confirmed dead on the Israeli side and nearly 400 injured.

Israel is continuing with its own wave of airstrikes throughout Iran, targeting facilities across the country with near total impunity as Iran struggles to mount any meaningful air defenses. While reports of fatalities in Iran remain fluid and unconfirmed, one human rights group puts the death toll at more than 400.

Israeli officials told the Jerusalem Post that they hope Iran's continued rejection of the Trump administration's diplomatic overtures and nuclear proposal will convince the White House to formally join Israel's military campaign. While President Trump has so far resisted calls to directly join the conflict as he pushes for renewed talks, he did say Sunday that it's possible the U.S. will eventually get involved.

Meanwhile, we've also learned that President Trump reportedly vetoed a plan from Israel to take out Iran's Supreme Leader. According to an exclusive report from Politico, citing a senior U.S. official, Israeli leaders told the U.S. in recent days that a window of opportunity had opened to assassinate Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but that Trump said he was adamantly against the plan, insisting that a diplomatic path to end the conflict is still viable.

Netanyahu sidestepped when asked about the report on Sunday evening during a Fox News interview, but did say that regime change inside Iran is likely. The Prime Minister said, quote, it could certainly be the result because the Iranian regime is very weak, end quote. Coming up next, after an intensive two-day manhunt, authorities have apprehended 57-year-old Vance Bolter, the gunman accused of going on a deadly politically motivated rampage on Saturday morning in Minnesota. Now,

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Welcome back to the Afternoon Bulletin. The largest manhunt in Minnesota history came to an end late Sunday night with the capture of Vance Bolter, the man accused of carrying out a politically motivated double homicide targeting state lawmakers. Bolter was found crawling through thick underbrush in a rural field southwest of Minneapolis, tracked by drones and canine units after a trail camera snapped a photo of him. A

Authorities moved quickly, sealing off a one-square-mile perimeter before closing in. According to Deputy Police Chief Elliot Faust of Brooklyn Park, it's a suburb of the Twin Cities, Bolter was spotted from the air and taken into custody without incident by a SWAT team.

A photo released by the sheriff's office showed him in custody with his hands behind his back with the caption, quote, the face of evil. As we discussed on today's PDB, the 57-year-old had been on the run for 43 hours and is accused of launching a pre-dawn attack across the Twin Cities on Saturday while posing as a police officer.

Investigators say he was wearing a tactical-style vest and a rubber Halloween mask and was driving a police-type SUV outfitted with emergency lights, part of what they now describe as an elaborate ruse to get close to his targets without raising suspicion. Bolter is accused of murdering State Representative Melissa Hortman, the former Democrat House Speaker, and her husband Mark. He also allegedly shot and wounded State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their home just hours earlier.

Yvette Hoffman, relatives say, shielded her daughter from gunfire during the attack. Both she and her husband remained hospitalized after undergoing surgery. Melissa Horbin was pronounced dead at the scene. Her husband died shortly after at a local hospital.

After the shootings, Bolter fled into nearby woods, exchanging gunfire with officers along the way. His vehicle, later found ditched on the outskirts of town, contained a variety of items, including firearms, passports, and a handwritten manifesto.

Inside, investigators also recovered a so-called target list naming roughly 70 individuals, among them lawmakers, abortion providers, and activists. Officials say the list points to a broader plot driven by political ideology, though they've yet to confirm a definitive motive. Governor Tim Walz condemned the attacks and accused Bolter of exploiting trust in democratic institutions. State Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson echoed that sentiment,

saying Bolter "exploited the trust our uniforms are meant to represent," calling it "deeply disturbing." More troubling still is Bolter's past. Now, he served two terms on Minnesota's Workforce Development Board, appointed by both former Governor Mark Dayton and current Governor Walz. Records show that he sat on the 60-member board alongside Senator Hoffman, though the extent of any personal interaction remains unclear.

As the investigation continues, FBI agents and state officials are reviewing evidence pulled from the abandoned vehicle. Bolter currently faces two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. Officials say that additional charges may follow.

And that, my friends, is the PDB Afternoon Bulletin for Monday, the 16th of June. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdbatthefirsttv.com. And of course, should you be so inclined to listen to the show ad-free, just become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting pdbpremium.com. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.