It's Wednesday, the 4th of November. Welcome to the PDP afternoon bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Alright, let's get briefed. First up, American military drones launch a deadly strike against Colombian insurgents inside Venezuela, revealing a new level of cooperation between Washington and Caracas. I'll have the details. And then, later in the show, might take on the midterm elections and what the results in the US could mean for American foreign policy and national security. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. American military drones are reportedly carried out a deadly strike against Colombian gorillas operating inside Venezuela, killing more than two dozen people in an operation that reveals a dramatic transformation in Washington's relationship with Caracas. According to the Wall Street Journal, the attack was conducted with the cooperation of Venezuela's government, the same government that under previous leadership was accused of providing sanctuary to the insurgents that are now being targeted. The operation took place before dawn, last Friday, the 30th of October, in Venezuela's southwest near the Colombian border. The target was a camp belonging to the National Liberation Army, better known as the ELN. That's a Marxist guerrilla organization with long-standing ties to drug trafficking and other criminal activities. According to the Journal and the New York Times, American drones struck a guerrilla position near the hamlet of Buena Vista del Mehta. Local residents reported hearing two major explosions as the drones attacked the camp. The site was reportedly being used as a cocaine distribution center with clandestine airstrips operating in the surrounding region. A Venezuelan human rights organization reported at least 23 people were killed, along with an undetermined number of wounded. Other local accounts suggest the death toll may be higher. However, investigators have not established the identities of everyone killed, and some of the victims may not have been combatants. There are also questions about the precise American role. The Times reports that US intelligence and drones supported the operation, while the Journal describes American military drones conducting the strike with the Venezuelan cooperation. It remains unclear who actually piloted the aircraft or directed the weapons. Neither government has publicly provided a detailed account of the mission, but the significance of the operation extends well beyond the strike itself. The National Liberation Army, or PLN, was founded in Colombia in 1964, inspired by Marxist revolutionary movements, including the Cuban Revolution. For more than 60 years, the organization has fought the Colombian government, carrying out bombings, kidnappings, assassinations, and attacks against military and civilian targets. Today, the ELN is Colombia's largest remaining guerrilla insurgency. It finances its operations through cocaine trafficking, illegal gold mining, extortion, and other criminal enterprises. The US designated the organization as a foreign terrorist group in 1997. And for decades, Venezuela has served as an important sanctuary for its fighters. Under former presidents Hugo Chavez and Nicholas Maduro, elements of Venezuela's government and military were repeatedly accused of tolerating or actively cooperating with Colombia and guerrillas. The ELN established camps inside Venezuela controlled smuggling routes and operated across large stretches of the border. In some communities, the guerrillas became powerful enough to function almost as a parallel government, collecting money, controlling territory, and enforcing their own rules. But that relationship began changing dramatically in January of this year, when American forces captured Maduro. As we've been reporting here on the PDB, his former vice president, Delci Rodriguez, has proven to be more cooperative with Washington, well as a result of considerable American pressure. And that cooperation has increasingly extended into security operations against criminal organizations. In June, American and Venezuelan forces reportedly conducted an operation inside Venezuela targeting the notorious Trendorragua or TDA criminal organization. President Trump subsequently announced that the group's leader had been killed. Now, the 30th October attack against the ELN appears to represent another step in that expanding military relationship. According to new reporting from the New York Times, Washington may be preparing to expand that cooperation even further. The Trump administration is negotiating a potential status of forces agreement with Venezuela. Secretary of State Marker Rubio is leading discussions with the government about establishing a legal framework for American military personnel to operate inside Venezuela. Such an agreement could eventually allow American troops to conduct training missions, military exercises, and joint operations alongside Venezuelan forces. There have also been discussions about expanding America's military presence, although officials emphasize that no agreement has been reached to establish permanent American bases. It was less than a year ago that Washington considered Maduro's government a hostile regime with deep connections to international drug trafficking. Now, Maduro is gone, and Washington is cooperating with his former vice president conducting military operations against armed groups inside Venezuela and negotiating arrangements that could permit an extended American military presence. Meanwhile, the ELN faces growing pressure from Colombia. The country's government has launched new military operations against the ELN and other guerrilla organizations, while Venezuelan forces have reportedly increased deployments along the border. But eliminating an organization that has survived for more than six decades is not an easy task. Analysts warn that the guerrillas could respond by dispersing into smaller units, moving deeper into Venezuela or blending into civilian communities. At that raises questions about just how extensive America's involvement could become. For now, the October 30 attack represents a significant escalation in American backed operations against armed groups inside Venezuela. All right, coming up next, Republicans lose the House, Senate, several key governorships. I'll break down what the results could mean for Trump's foreign policy agenda. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, we've all heard those radio ads about the IRS. You know the ones I'm talking about. They tell you to be afraid and they try to frighten you into calling. Well, tax relief advocates is different. If you owe money to the IRS, whether it's 5,000 or 50,000 or 500,000, TRA has a solution to your tax problem. Look, don't lose hope. TRA could reduce or even eliminate what you owe to the IRS. Their passion is taxes and helping individuals and businesses fix their IRS problems. They've got over 1,000 five-star Google reviews and an A-plus with a better business bureau. Look, here's the thing. You do not need to be afraid of the IRS any longer. Generous tax relief programs are now available, they can give you a fresh start. So don't wait. Simply visit tRA.com. That's tRA.com or you call the number 800-583-6515. Once again, that number 800-583-6515. Tax relief advocates, real solutions for real people. Well, it's that time of year. Here comes the holidays. And as you know, holiday shopping can be a complete nightmare when you're bouncing around from store to store trying to find something for everyone on your list. You know how that goes. Well, that's why I highly recommend that you check out Fab Lettics. Fab Lettics completely simplifies the entire process by bringing all your gift shopping into one place. Whether you're looking for cozy staples or high-performance athletic wear or just everyday essentials, Fab Lettics has you covered. You can easily knock out gifts for your partner, your family and friends across a variety of price points from stocking stuffers to premium pieces. Taking advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, let's you get way ahead of the holiday rush without breaking the bank. Shop now at Fab Lettics.com/PDB to get 70-80% off. You heard me write 70-80% off everything when you sign up as a new VIP. Take a quick style quiz and be sure to select PDB when prompted to unlock this offer. Don't wait to start checking everyone off your list. Again, that's Fab Lettics.com/PDB for 70-80% off everything as a new VIP. Welcome back to the afternoon bulletin. Well, President Trump kept encouraging voters to vote as if he was on the ballot. Now, one could argue that that is exactly what the majority of voters did. Republicans have suffered a sweeping defeat in the midterm elections losing control of both the House and Senators. Democrats won races far beyond the traditional battlegrounds states. Some of the biggest surprises came in states that Republicans have dominated for decades. Now, the results will have significant consequences for the final two years of President Trump's term, particularly when it comes to foreign policy and national security. In the Senate, Democrat James Dallarigom defeated Republican Ken Paxton in in Texas. Giving Democrats
there for a state senate victory there since 1988. In Kansas, Democrat Adam Hamilton defeated incumbent Roger Marshall, becoming the first Democrat to win a senate election in that state since 1932. I remember it well. Democrats also flipped seats in South Carolina, Ohio, North Carolina, and Maine, securing control of the chamber. They captured the House as well, defeating Republican candidates across suburban districts and traditionally conservative areas. The losses even extended to Governor's races. In Texas, Democrat Gina Inahosa, defeated the three-term Republican Governor Greg Abbott. Democrats also flipped Governor's offices in Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, and Nevada. Among those winners were former mayor Atlantic, Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, and Amy Acton in Ohio. For Republicans, the scale of the defeat reflects voter frustration, particularly over the cost of living, gas prices, and the continuing war with Iran. Even President Trump acknowledged that the "war" played a role. In a post-election interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump said, quote, "Iran was a piece of it," end quote. He pointed to higher fuel prices, particularly gasoline and diesel, but defended his decision to launch the conflict, saying, quote, "I did the right thing I would have done it again," end quote. Now, we're not going to spend the afternoon dissecting campaign strategy. That's not what the PDB is here for. The question for this program is what a Democratic Congress actually changes about American national security policy. Iran is the obvious place to start. Democrats will soon control the committees, responsible for military spending, and oversight. That means they can hold hearings into the war's objectives and costs, demand documents from the Pentagon, and investigate the administration's decisions. They can also try to restrict funding for future operations, or make additional military spending contingent on certain conditions. But control of Congress does not give Democrats direct command of the armed forces, of course. Trump remains commander in chief. He can continue conducting diplomacy and directing military operations under existing authorities, and he can veto legislation seeking to restrict him. Overriding that veto would require two-thirds majorities in both chambers. The change could also affect Washington's handling of Russia and Ukraine. Many Democrats favor additional military assistance to Kiev and tougher sanctions on Moscow, while scrutinizing any agreement that eases economic pressure on Putin and Russia. But the party is not united on Ukraine. At least five newly elected House Democrats were backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, an organization that is opposed to further American weapons shipments and military spending on the war, favoring a negotiated settlement with Russia's Vladimir Putin and Steadvom. Sure, that's going to go well. That doesn't necessarily mean that every one of those lawmakers will vote against additional aid, but it does mean the new Democratic majority could face divisions of its own, and even with bipartisan support, new legislation would still face negotiations with the White House, while Trump would retain control of the diplomatic talks. Israel is another area to watch, especially after Trump's announcement that the US will be ending nearly $4 billion in annual American military aid. The incoming Congress could examine the terms of that proposal, review weapons transfers, and debate future appropriations. None of that necessarily means Congress will abandon Israel. Certain issues do cross-party lines, including support for military assistance for Israel and criticism of particular aid arrangements. Beyond those flash points, you can expect closer scrutiny of intelligence agencies and American military operations in Latin America. Congressional committees can summon officials, demand testimony, and examine the legal authority behind operations such as the drone strikes involving Venezuela, or the past strikes unsuspected drug boats in the Caribbean. A Democratic Senate could also slow or block nominees for senior national security posts. The new Congress does not take office until January 3, until then Republicans retain their current majorities, and even afterward, divided government does not automatically translate into a reversal of foreign policy. What has changed is the balance of power now in Washington. For the next two years, the administration will face a Congress more willing and more able to question its military decisions, challenges, spending priorities, and demand answers about how America's wars are being conducted. And that, my friends, is the PDB. Afternoon Bulletin for Wednesday, the 4th of November. Now if you have any questions or comments, just reach out to me at
[email protected]. And to listen to the show ad-free, it's very simple to do. 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. Now, with a word about personal health and weight loss, right? Very important subjects. Everybody's talking about weight loss injections, perhaps you heard, because the results have been so dramatic. They work by lowering blood sugar and reducing appetite. But what if you're looking to lose weight and you're not interested in painful weekly injections, especially when you hear about some of those side effects? Well, that's why doctors created a weight loss supplement called lean. That's L-E-A-N. And the results are remarkable. The studied ingredients in lean have been shown to lower your blood sugar and burn fat by converting it into energy, and curb your appetite and cravings, so you're not as hungry. It's that simple. But listen, lean is not for the casual diet or with only a few pounds to lose. The doctors at Birkhaus Nutrition created lean for frustrated dieters with 10 or more pounds to lose. Let's get you started with 20% off and free rush shipping so you can add lean to your healthy diet and exercise plan. Visit TakeLean.com and enter PDB for your discount. That's promo code PDB at TakeLean.com.
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