The Shawn Ryan Show

Joe Lonsdale, co-founder of Palantir and managing partner of 8VC, discusses geopolitical threats from Iran, China, and radical Islamism, while highlighting investments in defense technology, AI, and autonomous systems. He expresses optimism about America's technological renaissance driven by AI advancements in healthcare, construction, aviation, and military applications. The conversation covers topics ranging from Christian persecution in Nigeria to the future of AGI and the University of Austin.

Cenk Uygur and Sean Ryan discuss what they see as the catastrophic influence of foreign governments—particularly Israel through AIPAC—and corporate donors on U.S. politics, arguing that both political parties serve donor interests rather than voters. They explore the economic consequences of the Iran war, the decline of mainstream media, and propose solutions including voting out incumbents in primaries, passing a constitutional amendment to remove money from politics, and uniting populists across partisan lines.

Andy Lowery, CEO of Epirus, discusses Leonidas, a high-power microwave directed energy system designed to neutralize drone threats by creating an electromagnetic interference field. The conversation covers the technology's development from microwave oven experiments to a $1 billion defense company, its deployment capabilities, cost advantages over kinetic systems, and the broader shift in modern warfare toward cheap drone swarms versus expensive legacy defense systems.

Jason Magnavice, a retired Navy SEAL with 26 years of service including 15 years at SEAL Team 6's Red Squadron, discusses his career from childhood influences through combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, his time in a classified JSOC aviation unit, and his post-military life as an airline pilot. The conversation covers his upbringing as a Jehovah's Witness, early SEAL team experiences, key combat operations including Roberts Ridge/Operation Anaconda, and his reflections on leadership, loss, and transition to civilian life.

Independent journalist Nick Shirley discusses his investigations into California's Medi-Cal fraud, which has ballooned from $108 billion in 2022 to a proposed $222 billion budget in 2026 despite minimal population growth. He exposes hospice fraud run by Armenian and Russian mafias in LA County, California voter registration vulnerabilities, the homeless industrial complex, and shares his meeting with Elon Musk after his Minnesota fraud exposé went viral.

Meg Applegate, founder of Unsilenced nonprofit, shares her harrowing experience as a survivor of the troubled teen industry, including being abducted from her bed at 15 and held in abusive facilities for 3.5 years. She discusses the systemic abuse in these unregulated facilities and her current advocacy work to protect children and hold institutions accountable.

Samuel Reineberg, an Army ROTC cadet at Old Dominion University, provides a detailed first-hand account of confronting and killing a terrorist who attacked his military science classroom on March 12, 2026. He and three other unarmed cadets eliminated the shooter who had fatally wounded their professor, Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shaw.

Pete Blaber, former Delta Force commander, discusses his involvement in major military operations including the Iraq invasion, revealing how disconnected leadership led to catastrophic decisions and covered up institutional failures. He also shares insights on common sense leadership and the neuroscience behind decision-making under pressure.

Former Delta Force Colonel Pete Blaber discusses his military career including operations in Colombia, Somalia, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. He provides detailed analysis of the Ukraine war, calling it a propaganda campaign orchestrated by the U.S., and criticizes military leadership failures during the Battle of Takur Ghar.

Dr. Jeremiah Johnston, biblical scholar and archaeologist, presents scientific evidence for Jesus's resurrection through analysis of the Shroud of Turin, ancient artifacts, and archaeological discoveries. He argues that the shroud is scientific proof of Christ's resurrection, supported by forensic evidence, pollen analysis, and advanced imaging technology.