November 25th, 2024: Ukrainian Forces Lose More Ground & Montreal Burns in Anti-NATO Unrest
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and shipped out within 48 hours of roasting. Go to blackoutcoffee.com, promo code PDB, for 20% off your first-time purchase. It's Monday, 25 November. Look at that. We are winging our way towards the end of another month. 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. Today, we'll start with an update on the situation for Ukrainian forces.

They're facing mounting challenges. Look, Kiev's troops are steadily losing territory, particularly in the Kursk region, where their previously ambitious offensive into Russian territory is faltering. Later, we'll head to Montreal, you know, that's in Canada, where a combined anti-NATO and pro-Palestinian protest, they smushed them both together, spiraled into a night of arson and rioting.

Then we'll turn to the Middle East, where despite hopes for a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, the deadly exchanges between the IDF and Hezbollah continue. Turns out that hope only takes you so far in a conflict as long-standing and complex as this one.

And in today's back of the brief, we'll profile Scott Besant. He's the pro-tariff billionaire tapped by President Trump or President-elect Trump, let's be accurate, as the next Treasury Secretary. And of course, Treasury Secretary in the U.S., that would be the most important economic job in the country. But first, today's PDB Spotlight.

As the bitter winter months approach, the outlook is becoming increasingly concerning for Ukrainian forces. Reports indicate that Russian troops are now advancing at their fastest pace since the beginning of the 2022 invasion by Putin. The most significant territorial losses are occurring in the province of Kursk in Russia, where Ukraine, as you'll recall, launched a what's somewhat risky invasion into Russian territory back in early August.

Now, according to a senior Ukrainian military official, Kyiv's forces have lost over 40% of the land that they had initially seized in that offensive into Russian territory. At its peak, the incursion saw Ukraine controlling as much as 530 square miles. However, recent updates from Kyiv's military suggest that figure has now shrunk to just over 300 square miles.

That initial push into Kursk was the first ground invasion into Russia since World War II, and it caught Moscow by surprise, obviously. But in the weeks that followed, Russia deployed tens of thousands of reinforcements to the area. The situation quickly turned, and Russian forces have not only stabilized the region, but have also begun reclaiming lost ground through relentless counterattacks.

Ukrainian President Zelensky addressed the deteriorating situation, stating that Vladimir Putin's objective is to push Ukrainian troops out of the area by January 20th of next year. That date just happens to coincide with the inauguration of President-elect Trump.

Now, the initial goal of the incursion was to draw Russian forces away from Ukraine's eastern front, and that would be the Donbas region, where Kiev's forces were struggling to hold the line. The logic went that the loss of territory inside Russia would be politically damaging, of course, to Putin, and it would force him to divert experienced troops and major assets to halt that offensive. Unfortunately,

This gamble doesn't appear to have paid off, at least not to the extent that they'd hoped. Ukrainian forces continue to lose ground in the Donbass, with Russian troops capturing village after village at a somewhat steady pace. Meanwhile, another development is looming on the horizon. As we've been covering here on the PDB, North Korean troops, as bizarre as that sounds, are preparing to join Russia's counteroffensive. According to most estimates,

Around 10,000 North Korean soldiers have completed their training alongside Russian forces. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the reports over the weekend while speaking in Fiji. He stated, quote, We fully expect to see them engaged in combat soon, as North Korean units are now being integrated into Russian military formations. All right.

Coming up after the break, chaos in Montreal as an anti-NATO protest turns violent, plus the latest on the deadly clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in the Middle East. I'll have those stories when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here.

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Turning our attention to Canada, where a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Montreal descended into chaos on Friday night as rioters clashed with police, resulting in arrests and widespread property damage coinciding with the NATO summit also being held in the city. The protest, organized by Divest for Palestine and the Convergence of Anti-Capitalist Struggles, try putting that on a bumper sticker,

began peacefully enough, but escalated, of course it did, after protesters burned an effigy of Prime Minister Netanyahu. Ah, the old burning the effigy shtick. That's always popular with the protesting crowd. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters hurled metal objects, small explosives, and smoke bombs at police, smashed windows of nearby businesses – that's always a smart move, isn't it? – and set two vehicles ablaze.

The convention center hosting NATO's annual summit was also left with extensive damage. The Daily Mail reports a minimum of three rioters were arrested, oh really just three, for assaulting police officers and obstruction of police work.

The NATO summit, which brought 300 delegates to Montreal to discuss critical issues such as support for Ukraine, climate change, well that was bound to be in there, and the alliance's future, continued under heightened security. By Friday evening, Montreal police confirmed the rioters had fully dispersed. Well, they did arrest three of them. On Saturday, senior Canadian officials strongly condemned the violence. That's nice. Speaking at the Halifax International Security Forum, Foreign Affairs Minister

Melanie Jolie called the events unacceptable, stating, quote, What we saw was not peaceful protest. What we saw was actually violence, hate and anti-Semitism. And this has no place on our streets. Well, apparently it did.

Defense Minister Bill Blair echoed her sentiments, describing the riots as, quote, anarchy carried out by a mob and emphasizing Canada's support for free speech and peaceful protest, but warning that, quote, violence crosses a clear line.

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, what was he up to? Ooh, he faced backlash after a video of him dancing at a Taylor Swift concert in Toronto on Friday night during said riots went viral, sparking outrage on social media. The clip posted on X shows Trudeau singing along to the song You Don't Own Me, don't know the song, before Swift's performance.

Critics quickly drew comparisons between Trudeau and Nero, the Roman emperor, who fiddled while Rome burned as the violent protests unfolded in his hometown of Montreal. Now, a little-known fact, Nero, the Roman emperor, also a big Taylor Swift fan. Don Stewart, a Toronto MP, criticized Trudeau, boasting on X, stating, quote, "...lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The prime minister dances."

This is the Canada built by the Liberal government." Stuart also called for a return to "law and order" in the country. In response to the backlash, Trudeau on Saturday condemned the riots, calling the events "appalling" and stating "acts of anti-Semitism, intimidation and violence must be condemned wherever we see them. There must be consequences and rioters held accountable." Okay.

So, perhaps the Canadian authorities can advise the public just how many of the rioters and vandals were arrested, perhaps there were more than three, and what charges they'll face.

As NATO delegates continue their discussions in Montreal, the fallout from Friday's riots linger. Trudeau's condemnation of the violence has done, well, frankly, little to quell criticism, as the video of his concert attendance fuels a broader debate over his priorities and direction of Canadian leadership. I would say it also calls into question his taste in music. Okay, turning now to the Middle East. Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon this weekend.

left dozens dead and scores injured as escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah continues to complicate ongoing ceasefire efforts. In the densely populated capital of Beirut, an Israeli airstrike on Saturday flattened a multi-story residential building, killing a reported 29 people and injuring 66. That's according to Lebanon's Ministry of Health. Rescue workers combed the rubble for survivors after strikes in what the state's

state-run national news agency reported as, quote, bunker-busting bombs. Notably, the Israeli Defense Forces, the IDF, did not issue evacuation orders for the area, unlike in previous Hezbollah-targeted strikes. A Lebanese security source told CNN that no senior Hezbollah members were in the building.

Lebanon's caretaker, Prime Minister Najib Mikati, well, he condemned the strike, calling it a, quote, direct bloody message rejecting all efforts toward U.S.-led ceasefire negotiations.

Saturday's attack in Beirut was the deadliest of several Israeli airstrikes reported across Lebanon. In eastern Lebanon, airstrikes killed a minimum of 13 people and injured 13 others. Additional strikes in the region claimed 11 more lives and wounded 32. In Tir, strikes on several buildings killed five people and injured 19.

In southern Beirut's suburbs, Israeli airstrikes targeted what the IDF described as "Hezbollah military infrastructure," causing significant destruction after announcing evacuation orders. The national news agency reported a "very strong" airstrike in the area. In retaliation, Hezbollah unleashed one of its heaviest rocket barrages in months on Sunday, firing approximately 250 rockets into Israel.

Some rockets reached as far as Tel Aviv. Israel's rescue service reported treating seven people. In Haifa, a rocket hit a residential building, which authorities warned was at risk of collapse. Meanwhile, international mediators continue to push for a ceasefire agreement. Joseph Borrell, the European Union's top diplomat, described the proposed deal as "pending," but noted its required final approval from Israel.

Borrell expressed skepticism about Israel's willingness to engage, citing its refusal to include France in an international committee to oversee the ceasefire's implementation.

As we've been reporting here on the PDB, the proposed ceasefire deal aligns with a 2006 UN Security Council resolution and would require the withdrawal of Hezbollah terrorists and Israeli troops from southern Lebanon below the Litani River, with Lebanese forces and UN peacekeepers taking over security. The EU has pledged reportedly $208 million to bolster Lebanon's military role in the agreement.

U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, who was in Beirut last week, is working with Prime Minister Mikadi and other Lebanese leaders to mediate the resolution. As airstrikes and rocket fire intensify, the path, frankly, to de-escalation remains uncertain, and I'm being very optimistic there by using the word uncertain as opposed to almost negligible. While diplomats remain hopeful, at least on the surface anyway,

The reality is the violence shows no signs of abating. All right, coming up in the back of the brief, we'll look at Scott Besant, the pro-tariff billionaire and former George Soros protege, whom President-elect Trump has picked to lead the Treasury Department. I'll have the details when we come back. I've heard generic financial advice all my life. Like, don't buy fancy coffee every day.

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In today's Back of the Brief, Scott Besant, a hedge fund titan, ooh, how would you like to be described as a titan, an advocate for tariffs, has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as Treasury Secretary, marking, of course, a key appointment in Trump's second-term economic team. Trump announced the nomination Friday evening, stating, quote, "'Scott will support my policies that will drive U.S. competitiveness and stop unfair trade imbalances.'"

Besant is a former chief investment officer for George Soros' fund and the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital. His nomination follows a competitive selection process that included candidates like Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, who Trump has since tapped for secretary at the Department of Commerce.

Despite his past ties to Soros, Besant emerged as a key Trump ally, donating $3 million to Republican causes this election cycle and defending Trump's economic vision. In an interview with Forbes last week, Besant called Trump, quote, very sophisticated on economic policy compared to Vice President Kamala Harris, whom he labeled as a, quote, economic illiterate.

Besson's nomination signals a strong endorsement of Trump's protectionist trade policies. In a Fox News column earlier this month, Besson described tariffs as a crucial "negotiating tool" and pushed back against critics who argue that they're inflationary. Instead, he emphasized their potential to bolster Treasury revenue and strengthen trade dynamics, as well as he mentioned their usefulness as leverage in trade negotiations.

In a Wall Street Journal editorial published on 10 November, Besson laid out a roadmap for Trump's economic agenda. He called for reforms in banking regulations, energy investment, and the Inflation Reduction Act and emphasized, quote, free and fair trade. Besson also proposed that Trump nominate a new Federal Reserve chairman before Jerome Powell's term expires next year, signaling a potential shakeup at the Fed as part of a broader effort

to realign U.S. monetary policy

Trump lauded Besant as one of the most brilliant men on Wall Street, reflecting the growing recognition of his expertise across the financial sector. And of note, if confirmed by the Senate, Besant will make history as the first openly LGBTQ plus member of a Republican cabinet. His confirmation process will likely center on his advocacy for tariffs and his ambitious vision for reforming U.S. economic policy.

And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Monday, 25 November. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdbatthefirsttv.com.

Now, I hope you had a chance over the weekend to catch this weekend's PDB Situation Report. And that would be, of course, on the First TV or on our YouTube channel. You can find that at President's Daily Brief or on whatever podcast platform you use to get your podcast stuff. This weekend, we had the always insightful Bill Roggio from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and the most excellent Jessica Vaughn from the Center for Immigration Studies.

Now, if you haven't watched it yet, or if you have, but you want to re-watch it for a second or a third or a fourth time, just head over to YouTube. And to listen to this show ad-free, well, become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief simply by visiting pdbpremium.com. It's that simple. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.