PDB Afternoon Bulletin | April 1st, 2026: First Gulf State Ready To Join The War & North Korea Hacks U.S. Software

April 1, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The President's Daily Brief Afternoon Bulletin covers two key developments: the United Arab Emirates signaling readiness to join a U.S.-led military effort against Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and a North Korean supply chain cyberattack targeting U.S. software used by thousands of companies. Host Mike Baker highlights these as potential escalations in ongoing conflicts, with regional shifts in the Gulf and financial motives behind the hacking.

UAE Pushes for Strait of Hormuz Offensive

New Wall Street Journal reporting indicates the UAE is preparing to support a U.S.-led coalition to force open the Strait of Hormuz, marking a shift toward the first Gulf state taking an offensive role against Iran. Arab officials say the Emirates are lobbying for a United Nations Security Council resolution to authorize military action to clear the waterway, while urging the U.S., Europe, and Asia to form a capable coalition. Even if Russia or China veto the resolution—as expected—the UAE signals willingness to participate anyway.

Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.

Read Full Summary →

Free • No credit card required

Listen to Audio Summary Open in App

What you'll learn

1 (00:32) **Intro and Episode Teaser** - Mike Baker welcomes listeners and previews UAE joining Iran war and North Korean cyberattack
2 (00:43) **UAE Prepares to Join War on Iran** - WSJ reports UAE pushing to force open Strait of Hormuz as first Gulf state offensive move
3 (02:19) **UAE Posture Shift from Neutrality** - Emirates abandon mediator role after Iranian missile/drone strikes hit infrastructure
4 (03:06) **Broader Gulf Alignment Against Iran** - Saudi Arabia, Bahrain following UAE lead in anti-Tehran push
5 (03:40) **Challenges of Reopening Strait of Hormuz** - Narrow chokepoint heavily fortified by Iran with mines, missiles, boats, drones
6 (04:34) **Economic Stakes for Gulf States** - Strait critical for UAE energy exports, shipping, food imports
7 (04:51) **US Mixed Signals on War Endgame** - Trump signals possible victory without reopening strait; Pentagon preps escalation options

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:

First up—the war with Iran could be expanding, as new reporting suggests the United Arab Emirates is preparing to join the fight and help force open the Strait of Hormuz.

Later in the show—North Korean hackers slip malicious code into software used by thousands of U.S. companies, in what could become a major crypto heist.

To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com.

Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.

YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief

Superpower: Stop guessing about your health—get $20 off Superpower at https://superpower.com/pdb with code PDB.

Sundays for Dogs: Upgrade your dog’s food without the hassle—try Sundays for Dogs and get 50% off your first order at https://sundaysfordogs.com/PDB50or use code PDB50 at checkout

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices