The After-Action Report

The After-Action Report

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The After-Action Report
The After-Action Report
The Shawn Ryan Show

The Shawn Ryan Show

The popular podcast host—whose given name isn't Shawn Ryan—went from the SEALs to the CIA to running drug networks in South America.

Seth Hettena's avatar
Seth Hettena
Aug 29, 2024
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The After-Action Report
The After-Action Report
The Shawn Ryan Show
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Since its launch four years ago, the Shawn Ryan Show has become a powerhouse.

Hosted by a former Navy SEAL, the video podcast built a following by airing long interviews with special operators who spoke with sometimes surprising candor about their careers and personal struggles. Ryan built on that early success by hosting UFO cranks and, in recent months, added politics to the mix with guests like Tucker Carlson, RFK Jr., and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Today, the Shawn Ryan Show has nearly 3 million subscribers on YouTube, and this week, Ryan released his biggest interview yet: Donald Trump.

But the more interesting story may be that of the man in the interviewer’s chair. Shawn Ryan—which isn’t his given name—went from the Navy SEALs to CIA security contracting and then, by his own account, ran drug networks in South America.

According to a biographical summary the Navy sent me, Ryan enlisted at 18, shortly before 9/11. He graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training the following y…

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