OpinionStory

Shawn Ryan's Real Thoughts on Pete Hegseth 🤯

Shawn Ryan Show

Shawn Ryan discusses his interview with Pete Hegseth, which he initially didn't want to conduct. Ryan steered the conversation toward Secretary of Defense rather than Veterans Affairs, and five days later Hegseth was appointed to that position, leading Ryan to believe his interview may have influenced the decision.

Summary

Shawn Ryan reflects on his interview with Pete Hegseth, a Fox News personality who had a book to promote. Ryan admits he didn't initially want to interview Hegseth and had little interest in discussing the Veterans Affairs position. Instead, Ryan redirected the conversation to ask what Hegseth would do if he were Secretary of Defense. Five days after the interview aired, Hegseth was selected for the Secretary of Defense role, which surprised Ryan and inflated his ego regarding the show's influence. Ryan describes a subsequent encounter at the Army Navy football game where Hegseth pointed at him and said "Thank you." Ryan notes that other appointees like Cash Patel were also selected around the same time, and while he doesn't claim sole credit, he believes his interview with Hegseth had some influence on the appointment.

Key Insights

  • Ryan steered his interview with Hegseth away from the Veterans Affairs topic toward Secretary of Defense, despite initially not wanting to conduct the interview at all
  • Ryan was surprised and ego-inflated when Hegseth was appointed Secretary of Defense just five days after their interview aired
  • Hegseth publicly thanked Ryan at the Army Navy football game, acknowledging the interview's connection to his appointment
  • Ryan believes his interview had measurable influence on a major presidential appointment, though he acknowledges he's not claiming sole responsibility
  • Ryan expresses disdain for Fox News while acknowledging he interviewed a Fox News personality with a book to promote

Topics

Pete Hegseth interviewSecretary of Defense appointmentMedia influence on political decisionsShawn Ryan's podcast influenceFox News

Transcript

[0:00] Really? You're going to sit here and tell me the country is going great while the president of the United States kids are buying private islands with bunkers? Must be going great. Did you put your faith in Pete Higgs? >> Yep. What was your takeaway from your interview [music] with him? >> Pete wanted to be the secretary of the Veterans Affairs. I just don't really have much interest in the Veterans Affairs. And so I steered the interview into what would you do if you were Secretary of [music] Defense. I didn't even want to interview Pete. He had a book out and he's a Fox News guy and I hate Fox News. >> You didn't think…

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