Mike Drop

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 07 OCTOBER 2026France leads both papers again, so Mike skips ahead to the stories that matter here.The headlines: according to the New York Times, a Yemeni general warned weeks in advance that the Iran-backed Houthis were about to push along the Red Sea coast, and the U.S. and Saudi Arabia stood by. Vice President Vance is pressing Iran for a meaningful reduction in its nuclear capability to end the war, while Iran's president calls the talks meaningless. Germany arrested its former foreign intelligence chief on suspicion of espionage and treason, and a former CIA officer pleaded guilty to exposing a top-secret source to a foreign government. Tennessee is weighing its next step after Christa Pike survived a failed execution. And President Trump says he's considering suspending the federal gas tax as diesel hits a record national average.Mike's take: he has a theory about why the U.S. didn't help Yemen. If the Houthis take the whole country, it may be easier to fight them head-on than to prop up a government that has struggled with corruption. On Iran, he says months of "we're close to a deal" with no clear definition of success is the biggest problem with the whole campaign. He thinks the death penalty should be on the table for spies whose betrayal gets people killed, supports it for the most heinous crimes, and asks why states don't use the firing squad instead of lethal injection. On fuel, he says it's hard to argue prices would be this high without the Iran war, and that suspending the gas tax is a band-aid.Your turn. Why do you think the U.S. stood by in Yemen? What would a good deal with Iran look like? Should traitors whose actions cost lives face the death penalty? Tell us in the comments. Mike reads them.Timestamps0:00 Happy Wednesday0:15 Yemen asked for help and the U.S. stood by1:15 Mike's theory: let the Houthis take Yemen?2:55 Vance presses Iran on its nuclear program4:30 The messaging problem5:45 What would a good deal with Iran look like?6:15 Germany arrests its former spy chief6:40 Ex-CIA officer admits exposing a top-secret source7:45 Should spies who endanger lives face death?9:25 Tennessee's failed execution10:50 Is the firing squad cruel and unusual?11:40 Trump considers suspending the gas tax12:05 Diesel hits a record12:30 Is the Iran war behind fuel prices?14:05 How diesel raises the cost of everything14:30 Mike wants your feedbackFormer Navy SEAL Mike Ritland reads the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times so you don't have to. No cable news spin, no recycled talking points, just the actual front pages and a straight take on what they mean for you.On Mike Drop Newsroom, Mike picks the day's biggest headlines, compares how two of the country's largest papers cover them, and says what he thinks. That covers everything from AI and national security to the economy, foreign policy and the stories cable TV skips. He's not here to push a party line. As Mike puts it, if you want to put a label on him, he's an American who wants to see America succeed.Every episode ends with a question for you. Tell us where you land in the comments, because Mike reads them and your answers shape what we cover next. Subscribe so you don't miss a morning.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 06 OCTOBER 2026The biggest story today wasn't on either front page. Mike pulls in an AP report: soldiers seriously wounded in Iranian drone strikes say the military's medical system failed them. One soldier had a damaged artery that put him at risk of a stroke. He was sent to barracks and told to schedule outpatient appointments. Another waited more than four months for MRI results after having shrapnel removed from his head.Also in today's papers: Saudi and Yemeni forces are pushing back against the Houthis around the Red Sea port of Mokha. Germany and France are pushing the EU to get tough on Chinese trade. The FBI arrested a California woman accused of acting as an unregistered agent of China. Russia is investigating a death at a Siberian infectious disease lab. Brazil's right wing had a surprise surge. Superpowers are racing to put nuclear reactors on the moon. High interest rates haven't slowed the AI boom. And the DOJ is tightening visa screening for birth tourism.Mike's take: if you send troops to fight, you'd better be ready to take care of them when they're wounded, no matter which administration you are. He knows what waiting looks like. After a collarbone and bicep injury, the VA took so long to get him an MRI that surgery was no longer an option. On the Houthis, he says decades of U.S. involvement haven't worked, and he wonders whether pulling out completely would force Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the rest of the region to step up. On AI's energy demand, he makes the case for small regional nuclear reactors. On birthright citizenship, he doesn't think children of people here illegally or on temporary visas should become citizens automatically, and he invites anyone who disagrees to change his mind.Your turn. If you've been wounded or injured in service, how was your care? Would pulling out of the Middle East make the region step up, or would it be a disaster? Tell us in the comments. Mike reads them.Timestamps0:00 Happy Tuesday0:25 Germany and France push the EU to get tough on China1:05 Saudi forces push back the Houthis2:55 Why Iran is still flexing3:45 Would pulling out force the region to step up?6:30 FBI arrests an alleged Chinese agent6:55 A death at a Siberian infectious disease lab7:30 Should these labs exist?8:20 Brazil's right-wing wave9:35 Nuclear reactors on the moon12:30 The AI boom and high interest rates12:55 Data centers and energy demand15:00 The case for small regional nuclear reactors16:40 The price of convenience17:50 Wounded soldiers say military care failed them19:00 Mike's own VA story19:55 "Take care of the troops"20:45 DOJ targets birth tourism21:15 Birthright citizenship23:15 Coming up: DEA agent Steve MurphyFormer Navy SEAL Mike Ritland reads the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times so you don't have to. No cable news spin, no recycled talking points, just the actual front pages and a straight take on what they mean for you.On Mike Drop Newsroom, Mike picks the day's biggest headlines, compares how two of the country's largest papers cover them, and says what he thinks. That covers everything from AI and national security to the economy, foreign policy and the stories cable TV skips. He's not here to push a party line. As Mike puts it, if you want to put a label on him, he's an American who wants to see America succeed.Every episode ends with a question for you. Tell us where you land in the comments, because Mike reads them and your answers shape what we cover next. Subscribe so you don't miss a morning.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 04 OCTOBER 2026A long one for Sunday. There's no Wall Street Journal today, so Mike covers the New York Times and then shares the story many of you asked for: his path back to Christ.He starts by setting the record straight. After hearing from viewers, Mike walks back his comments on the Cornell case. He says he was guilty of the same rush to judgment he warns against, and he'll wait for the facts. He also shares what viewers in France told him the coverage of the riots there is missing.The headlines: protesters in canoes outside Chief Justice John Roberts' home in Maine. AIPAC has raised $233 million for the midterms. A report says President Trump directed $20 million in taxpayer money toward TV ads. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao's new role advising governments on crypto after his pardon, and his company's business ties to World Liberty Financial. And a Times opinion piece asking whether Democrats can win back religious voters.Mike's take: protest all you want where officials work, but leave their homes and families alone. He thinks any PAC tied to a foreign country, whichever country it is, shouldn't have a role in U.S. elections. Taxpayer money shouldn't fund ads praising any president. And no one in office should profit from policy they control, period. He also challenges fellow Christians to judge less and show more grace.Then the story: a Lutheran upbringing, a faith that fell apart through SEAL deployments, war and fatherhood, and decades of walking away. Then came the faithful men who appeared on the podcast, the week Charlie Kirk was killed, an unplanned Sunday at church that his kids shared without knowing it, and how he finally made peace with the question of free will.Your turn. Should protests at officials' homes be off-limits? Should foreign-focused PACs be banned? And if you've walked away from faith or found your way back, what made the difference? Tell us in the comments, and as Mike asks, be kind to one another.Timestamps0:00 Happy Sunday: a long one0:50 Mike walks back his Cornell comments2:55 What viewers in France say the coverage is missing5:45 Protesters outside Chief Justice Roberts' home8:20 AIPAC money in the midterms10:25 Should foreign-focused PACs be banned?12:05 Taxpayer-funded ads praising Trump14:10 A quick detour through Arts and Styles15:00 The Binance founder's pardon16:55 World Liberty Financial and conflicts of interest19:35 Mike's honest questions about crypto23:05 Can Democrats win back the faithful?24:35 Judgment, grace and how Christians treat others28:20 Mike's three morning books29:35 Mike's path back to Christ30:50 How deployments shook his faith34:10 War, fatherhood and the free will question36:15 Decades away from faith37:00 The faithful men who came on the podcast39:10 The day Charlie Kirk was shot41:15 Walking into church43:20 The call with his kids47:55 How the free will question finally made sense52:30 A story from an underground church in Iraq56:15 A resurgence of faith57:30 Closing prayerFormer Navy SEAL Mike Ritland reads the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times so you don't have to. No cable news spin, no recycled talking points, just the actual front pages and a straight take on what they mean for you.On Mike Drop Newsroom, Mike picks the day's biggest headlines, compares how two of the country's largest papers cover them, and says what he thinks. That covers everything from AI and national security to the economy, foreign policy and the stories cable TV skips. He's not here to push a party line. As Mike puts it, if you want to put a label on him, he's an American who wants to see America succeed.Every episode ends with a question for you. Tell us where you land in the comments, because Mike reads them and your answers shape what we cover next. Subscribe so you don't miss a morning.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 02 OCTOBER 2026A busy front page to close out the week. The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal split today, so Mike covers both.The headlines: the Pentagon is sending a third aircraft carrier strike group and more Marine Corps ships to the Middle East, adding roughly 10,000 troops to the region. OpenAI and Anthropic are spending to influence the midterm races and shape AI rules. Teachers and students warn that Google's AI push in schools is hurting learning. The FlyDubai captain who was stabbed by his co-pilot is being hailed for saving Flight 1073. Also covered: the Cornell case dominating social media, Tennessee halting executions after an inmate survived two doses of lethal injection, OpenAI firing researchers who shared information with an AI safety group, a global bond selloff, and high rates freezing the housing market.Mike's take: a third carrier group on top of an already heavy presence isn't just a show of force; he thinks it signals something may be about to happen, and he wants the administration to define what winning looks like. He calls lobbying a legal term for bribery and says he's baffled it's still allowed. On AI in schools, he compares it to map and compass versus GPS: AI is a great tool if you already know the subject, but kids who lean on it may never learn to think for themselves. He also tips his cap to the FlyDubai captain, the crew and the passengers who fought back, and asks for more civility, online and off.Your turn. Is the military buildup a signal? Can anyone make the case for lobbying? Is AI helping or hurting our kids? Tell us in the comments, and as Mike asks, keep it civil. He reads them.Timestamps0:00 Happy Friday0:25 The Times and the Journal split today0:50 The Cornell case2:55 Faith, family and how we treat each other online5:50 Tennessee halts executions7:30 AI giants spend on the midterms7:55 Is lobbying just legal bribery?9:10 Questions about the FlyDubai co-pilot's motive10:00 The captain who saved Flight 107312:05 OpenAI fires researchers over AI safety leak13:45 The global bond selloff15:00 Why interest rates aren't fixing inflation16:15 Texas home prices and a frozen housing market18:20 AI in schools: can kids still think?21:15 Map and compass vs. GPS22:05 A third carrier group heads to the Middle East23:20 What does winning look like?24:10 Weather and wrap-upFormer Navy SEAL Mike Ritland reads the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times so you don't have to. No cable news spin, no recycled talking points, just the actual front pages and a straight take on what they mean for you.On Mike Drop Newsroom, Mike picks the day's biggest headlines, compares how two of the country's largest papers cover them, and says what he thinks. That covers everything from AI and national security to the economy, foreign policy and the stories cable TV skips. He's not here to push a party line. As Mike puts it, if you want to put a label on him, he's an American who wants to see America succeed.Every episode ends with a question for you. Tell us where you land in the comments, because Mike reads them and your answers shape what we cover next. Subscribe so you don't miss a morning.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

WANT MORE MIKE DROP?Become a Mike Drop YouTube Member and get closer to the show with exclusive members-only content, bonus access, and perks you won’t get as a regular subscriber.👉 Click “JOIN” below the video to become a member.Former Navy SEAL Captain Bradley Geary joins Mike to reflect on 25 years in Naval Special Warfare—from SDV missions and DEVGRU to commanding BUD/S. They dive into leadership, modern warfare, faith, family, and the three-year battle with the Navy that pushed Geary to the point of being willing to give up his rank, his career, and even his SEAL Trident in order to stand for what he believed was the truth.See the unreleased photos and NSW Command 100-page Report: : https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/uw65fld4719wbl0hmcf70/ABo2Fsa7EygD8n6Dtvtr0I0?rlkey=ny7z5ax3t4oq2j7s8c6px78zp&st=5p4qroi5&e=1&dl=0If you like this, click subscribe, like and share with a friend.----------Support Bradley Gearyhttp://www.hardmindsoftheart.com/https://thekeynoteagency.com/speakers/brad-geary/https://standwithwarriors.org/https://www.instagram.com/bradleyandamy/https://x.com/bradleydgearyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-geary----------MIKE DROP PATREONWatch ad free never before seen content at https://patreon.com/mikedropWARRIOR DOG FOUNDATIONThese dogs served when we needed them most—now it’s our turn. Help Warrior Dog Foundation provide lifelong care for retired military and law enforcement K9s by donating today.https://warriordogfoundation.org/donateTEAM DOG FOOD, TREATS & SUPPLEMENTSBe Your Dog’s Hero: Veteran-owned by a former Navy SEAL and Special Operations K9 Trainer, Team Dog provides a complete diet of science-backed premium dog food, treats, and supplements to optimize your dog’s health, forged from rigorous standards and real-world expertise.https://www.teamdog.shop TEAM DOG ONLINE TRAININGMike Ritland – a former Navy SEAL & Special Operations K9 trainer – shares his simple and effective dog training program to build trust and control with your dog. Based on Mike’s bestselling book “Team Dog, Train the Navy SEAL Way”, join tens of thousands of families that successfully trained their way to a better dog. https://www.teamdog.pet NAVY SEALS FITNESS APP | HYBRID STRENGTH & CONDITIONING TRAININGTrain like a SEAL with Mike Ritland's App. Build real-world strength, endurance and resilience.https://www.coachos-app.com/navy-sealsSHOP ALL THE MIKE RITLAND BRANDS Get all your Mike Ritland branded gear - Mike Drop | Trikos | Team Doghttps://shop.mikeritland.com#MikeDropPodcast #MikeRitland #veteran #military #Geopolitics #MikeRitlandPodcast #AndyStumpf #DonaldTrump #PeteHegseth #ClearedHotPodcast #ShawnRyanShow #MikeGlover #NavySEAL #NickIrving #ValhallaVFT #Politics #JockoWillink #DavidGoggins #Tier1 #DeltaForce #SpecialOperations #SpecialForces #NavySEALs #BradGeary #NavalWarfare #DEVGRU #BUDS #ModernWarfare #SEALTraining #MilitaryService #MilitaryFamily #LeadershipPrinciples #ShawnRyan #MikeDropAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Former Diplomatic Security Service special agent and attorney Ryan Dalton joins Mike to discuss his career investigating human trafficking, protecting U.S. officials overseas, and his investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.Ryan explains why, after reviewing released Epstein files, prison records, and other anomalies surrounding August 2019, he believes the evidence raises the possibility that Epstein left his cell alive. He also shares what happened when he traveled to Little St. James as part of his ongoing investigation.If you like this, click subscribe, like and share with a friend.----------Support Ryan Daltonhttps://closedhorizon.comhttps://epsteinisntdead.orghttps://www.instagram.com/spokedriver----------SPONSORSHELIXGet 120-night sleep trial at https://helixsleep.com/mikedropTRUE NUTRITIONGet 20% off on your first custom protein blend with code mikedrop at https://truenutrition.com/mikedropMIKE DROP PATREONWatch ad free never before seen content at https://patreon.com/mikedropWARRIOR DOG FOUNDATIONThese dogs served when we needed them most—now it’s our turn. Help Warrior Dog Foundation provide lifelong care for retired military and law enforcement K9s by donating today.https://warriordogfoundation.org/donateTEAM DOG FOOD, TREATS & SUPPLEMENTSBe Your Dog’s Hero: Veteran-owned by a former Navy SEAL and Special Operations K9 Trainer, Team Dog provides a complete diet of science-backed premium dog food, treats, and supplements to optimize your dog’s health, forged from rigorous standards and real-world expertise.https://www.teamdog.shop TEAM DOG ONLINE TRAININGMike Ritland – a former Navy SEAL & Special Operations K9 trainer – shares his simple and effective dog training program to build trust and control with your dog. Based on Mike’s bestselling book “Team Dog, Train the Navy SEAL Way”, join tens of thousands of families that successfully trained their way to a better dog. https://www.teamdog.pet NAVY SEALS FITNESS APP | HYBRID STRENGTH & CONDITIONING TRAININGTrain like a SEAL with Mike Ritland's App. Build real-world strength, endurance and resilience.https://www.coachos-app.com/navy-sealsSHOP ALL THE MIKE RITLAND BRANDS Get all your Mike Ritland branded gear - Mike Drop | Trikos | Team Doghttps://shop.mikeritland.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Former Navy SEAL Jonathan Wilson sits down with Mike Ritland to share his path from getting kicked out of the Naval Academy to fighting his way into the SEAL Teams and deploying to Iraq. He opens up about combat, taking a life, rediscovering his faith, the toll his career took on his family, his own struggles after service, and the mission that ultimately led him to help other veterans navigate transition and mental health.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In the final part of this conversation, Tony Mayne shares the story he says he's never told publicly before—the loss of his soldier Hing Shaw to an IED, and the impossible decisions made in the seconds and hours that followed. Tony also opens up about being forced out by a medical board, the fight to stay in uniform, and the calling that led him to build Ranger transition and ministry programs for the veteran community. The conversation closes with reflections on accountability, faith, retirement, and what it truly means to give back after a life of service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Retired Major Tony Mayne joins the podcast to walk through 12 years in U.S. Special Operations Command, including nine years in the 75th Ranger Regiment's 3rd Battalion, where he took part in the regiment's historic combat parachute assault into Afghanistan after 9/11 and later jumped into Iraq — completing eight combat deployments in support of the Global War on Terror and earning induction into the 2024 Ranger Hall of Fame. We go deep on the night of October 19, 2001, standing in the door of a C-17 as one of the first U.S. Rangers to parachute into Afghanistan, and the fight for Haditha Dam, where his vehicle broke down mid-assault and later got caught in an ambush on both sides of the road. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Part 2 of this conversation with Mike Sarraille picks up inside the deployments that followed Ramadi, including the chaotic quick-reaction mission into Sadr City alongside a hastily assembled team from two different SEAL platoons. Mike breaks down the brotherhood built with Army infantry on the ground, the Sunni Awakening, and why he believes the Iraq War was ultimately a policy mistake despite the valor shown by the troops who fought it. He also opens up about the line he drew when ordered to move his men into an unnecessary risk, his transition to DEVGRU, the reality of Green Team versus BUD/S, the night Adam Brown was killed in Afghanistan, and the devastating loss of Extortion 17—including the brutal process of notifying the families left behind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In the final part of this Mike Drop conversation, Prime Hall traces his path from military transition into deep psychological healing. He details his first 5-MeO-DMT experience, a profound "hard reset" that showed him both the devastating and the redemptive paths his life could take, and how it launched an unexpected connection to Mike Tyson and Tyson Ranch. Prime opens up about the harder road that followed—relapse, medication struggles, and losing two close friends to suicide within days of each other—and how ayahuasca, integration therapy, and a structured approach to plant medicine helped him rebuild. The conversation closes on his new book, Permission to Heal, his work in the firearms tech space, fatherhood, and his personal relationship with faith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Mike Ritland sits down with Prime Hall — former Marine Raider, Marine Corps water survival instructor, co-founder of Deep End Fitness and Operation Resilience, founder of the Underwater Torpedo League, and recipient of the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Bronze Star, and Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. Prime is also the author of "Permission to Heal: Redefining Strength for Warriors, Athletes and High Performers" and features in the upcoming documentary "Air Hunger." In this episode, Prime opens up about being dropped into a Village Stability Operations post in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, the insider attack that changed his life, and how 5-MeO-DMT and ayahuasca journeys became the turning point in a healing process he now shares through his book and work with veterans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Part 2, Mike LeBlanc details how a chance call pulled him away from a private equity offer and into Silicon Valley, where he co-founded Cobalt Robotics before launching Foundation Future Industries. He walks through the brutal early days of building a robotics startup, a company crisis over fabricated sales contracts that forced him to overhaul the business, and the pivot into humanoid robots for the Department of War. The conversation turns to real combat testing in Ukraine, the ethical debate inside his own company over weaponizing robots, human-in-the-loop safeguards against battlefield mistakes, and why he believes America—not China—will lead the humanoid robotics race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy