The Shawn Ryan Show

Leah discusses her career in U.S. intelligence and corporate investigations, her traumatic childhood, and her recent work uncovering financial irregularities at TPUSA, alleged Israeli influence operations targeting American conservatives, and surveillance infrastructure like Flock cameras being deployed across the U.S. with minimal oversight.

AJ Gentile, founder of The Y Files podcast, discusses various conspiracy theories and paranormal topics including Planet Maldek, the Tunguska explosion, the Grand Canyon mysteries, ancient civilizations, psychedelic experiences, AI extinction risks, and secret societies. The conversation covers both fringe theories and mainstream scientific explanations, with Gentile emphasizing the importance of staying apolitical and focusing on unexplained phenomena rather than celebrity or political guests.

Frank Wright, 101-year-old last living original Marine Raider from WWII, recounts his experiences from joining at age 16 after Pearl Harbor through major Pacific campaigns including Guadalcanal, New Georgia, Guam, and Iwo Jima, where he was severely wounded multiple times but survived to become a drill instructor and author.

Pierogi from Scammer Payback discusses his mission to infiltrate and disrupt international scam call centers, revealing how scammers operate, steal hundreds of millions annually, and target vulnerable populations. The episode includes live demonstrations of accessing scammer computers, destroying their systems, and stopping active wire fraud in real-time.

Lieutenant Colonel Jim Lechner recounts his 27-year Army career spanning Somalia, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, with detailed accounts of the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu where he was wounded, followed by experiences in counterinsurgency operations, policy-level work, and contracting in Ukraine. He discusses lessons learned about foreign intervention, the importance of understanding local culture over imposing American democratic frameworks, and criticizes senior military leadership for poor strategic planning in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Wynonna Judd recounts her life story from poverty in Kentucky through record-breaking success with The Judds, her solo career, personal struggles with addiction and failed relationships, her husband Cactus's near-fatal motorcycle accident, and her mother Naomi's suicide in 2022. She discusses breaking family cycles of trauma, raising her granddaughter Kalia while her daughter Grace struggles with meth addiction, and releasing her album 'The Hard Truth' to help others.

Dusty Slay, a stand-up comedian from Alabama, discusses his journey from trailer parks and substance abuse to sobriety and success in comedy, while exploring his Christian faith, Old Testament dietary laws, and various conspiracy theories including moon landing skepticism and flat earth questions.

Jimmy Watson, a former Marine, Blackwater contractor, and Navy SEAL, recounts his extraordinary journey from combat operations in Iraq to working as bodyguard and confidant to technology icon John McAfee, followed by his spiritual redemption after facing federal charges. His story encompasses betrayal, addiction, near-suicide, and ultimate reconciliation with faith.

Mike Jones, a retired Air Force Special Warfare veteran and SEER specialist turned popular YouTuber, discusses his military career spanning survival training and tactical air control, his faith journey from Mormonism to Christianity, his extensive firearms knowledge from testing hundreds of weapons, and comprehensive prepping strategies for potential societal collapse scenarios.

Shawn Ryan presents his 2026 everyday carry (EDC) collection, showcasing personal items, tools, and gear accumulated over his SEAL and CIA contracting career. The centerpiece is the unreleased SIG Sauer P385, his new primary firearm, along with sentimental items, security tools, and practical gear he uses daily.

Katarina Szulc, an investigative journalist based in Mexico City, discusses the current state of Mexican cartels, their diversified criminal enterprises, human trafficking networks, and recruitment of foreign fighters from the Ukraine war. She details how cartels have evolved into sophisticated criminal organizations controlling legitimate businesses, infrastructure, and government institutions across multiple countries.

Byron Tau, investigative reporter and author of 'Means of Control,' discusses how governments and corporations extensively collect, aggregate, and weaponize commercial data on citizens without meaningful legal restrictions. He explains the ecosystem of data brokers, surveillance technologies, and the flow of data from consumer devices to government agencies, while offering practical privacy strategies.

Christian Craighead, a former SAS operator, recounts his unauthorized response to the 2019 al-Shabaab terrorist attack at Nairobi's Dusit D2 hotel complex, where he led the evacuation of over 700 civilians and engaged the attackers. He discusses the synchronicities that led him there, the 22-hour operation in detail, and the UK government's subsequent legal persecution attempting to suppress his memoir 'One Man In.'

Cardinal Raymond Burke provides a comprehensive overview of the New Testament, explaining the resurrection of Jesus, the four Gospels, the apostles' role, the Last Supper and Eucharist, the crucifixion and passion of Christ, and the early Church's rapid growth following Pentecost. He emphasizes that the New Testament fulfills Old Testament prophecies and that Christ's resurrection is the foundational truth enabling Christian salvation and eternal life.

Cardinal Raymond Burke provides a comprehensive overview of the Old Testament, explaining its structure, major covenants with Adam/Eve, Noah, Abraham, David, and Moses, and how all Old Testament prophecies point to Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God's promises. The discussion emphasizes that the Bible is God's inspired word given through human authors, with particular focus on the Ten Commandments, natural law, and how modern society mirrors the sinfulness of Noah's time and Sodom and Gomorrah.

Byron Boots, CEO of Overland AI, discusses how his company is building autonomous ground vehicles for the U.S. military by combining machine learning, robotics, and DARPA-funded research into production-ready platforms. The Ultra vehicle can operate autonomously off-road, carry various payloads from weapons to sensors, and enable single operators to control hundreds of assets simultaneously like a real-time strategy game.

Dr. Ed Barnhart, an archaeologist specializing in Mesoamerican civilizations, discusses his discoveries of Maya cities, the astronomical and mathematical sophistication of the Maya civilization, and recent LIDAR discoveries revealing vast pre-Columbian settlements across North and South America. He explores the collapse of Maya civilization, infectious disease's role in decimating indigenous populations post-contact, and his current projects mapping settlements in Cambodia, Easter Island, and potentially proving the Inca used hydrofluoric acid to fuse stone structures.

Clint Emerson, a retired Navy SEAL from SEAL Team 6's Black Squadron, discusses his 20+ year career in Naval Special Warfare, including early deployments, the development of advanced force operations programs, singleton intelligence operations targeting high-value targets like Somali pirates and Al-Qaeda leaders, and his personal journey through therapy and Ibogaine to address childhood trauma from his mother's abandonment.

George Christie, a 40-year Hells Angels member who served as president of the Ventura charter, discusses the club's origins, internal culture, evolution from a motorcycle brotherhood to an organization saturated with criminals, and his eventual departure in 2011. The conversation explores biker club hierarchies, patches and their meanings, territorial conflicts, the role of law enforcement infiltration, and Christie's personal journey toward faith.

Alex West, a retired Navy SEAL who led the assault team during Operation Neptune Spear (the Bin Laden raid), discusses his 20-year military career, 15 combat deployments, the psychological toll of war, his founding of One More Wave nonprofit for wounded veterans, and his journey to becoming a mental health therapist specializing in trauma and advocating for psychedelic-assisted treatments like Ibogaine.