The Presidential Daily Brief – One of the Country’s Most Controlled and Confidential Documents

What is the Presidential Daily Brief (PDB) and what is it used for? After personally delivering the PDB for more than a year to Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller, and occasionally into the White House during the Bush 43 administration, Dr. David Priess knows the answer all too well.

In this episode, David speaks with Fred about his book The President’s Book of Secrets, telling the story of why it was created nearly sixty years ago and what goes into this highly controlled, confidential report. David also offers valuable advice for executive protection professionals on how best to communicate with their CEO or principal.

David Priess is the chief operating officer of the Lawfare Institute and a writer and speaker on the presidency, intelligence, and national security. David served during the presidencies of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush at the CIA as an intelligence officer, a manager, and a daily intelligence briefer and at the State Department as a desk officer in the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau. He has written two books — The President’s Book of Secrets and How To Get Rid of a President: History’s Guide To Removing Unpopular, Unable, or Unfit Chief Executives.