Mike Drop

A major U.S. military buildup sends 10,000 sailors and Marines toward Iran, raising questions about amphibious warfare and the risks of ground combat. Meanwhile, ships remain under attack in the Strait of Hormuz while oil tops $100 a barrel. The discussion also examines shifting Russia-Ukraine policy, Starlink controversy, and how gas prices could shape American elections.

Tom Spooner, a retired Army veteran of the 82nd Airborne, Special Forces, and Delta Force, recounts his path from high-functioning alcoholism to recovery. He discusses the Gulf War, Delta selection, relentless combat deployments, a 2006 mortar strike and moral injury, and leaving the military after a brain injury. Today, he leads Warriors Heart, helping veterans and first responders heal.

Pete Hegseth’s surprise visit to Israel raises questions about a possible return to major strikes on Iran. The discussion weighs military action against continued economic pressure, Iran’s claim of downing a U.S. Reaper, and the risks facing American forces. Britain’s deployment of fighter jets to Saudi Arabia after a deadly Houthi attack adds another dangerous layer to the region’s escalating tensions.

Iran ties reopening the Strait of Hormuz to the withdrawal of U.S. forces, while attacks on ships reach a wartime high. The discussion examines the blockade’s strategic value and dangers facing American sailors. Also covered: regional warnings involving the Houthis, a fatal military demonstration, and unrest across France, including debates over immigration and national capacity.

Iran’s newly appointed missile expert defense chief threatens U.S. troops as questions mount over the Kuwait strike that killed six Americans. Two tankers burn in the Strait of Hormuz amid conflicting accounts. Meanwhile, $110 oil, $10 gas, and a Russia sanctions exemption reveal the economic and political pressures reshaping Washington’s foreign policy.

Iran launches a record wave of attacks near the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. forces remain within range. Debate intensifies over using a MOAB or bunker buster against Pickaxe Mountain. France deploys troops and air defenses to Saudi Arabia, while Russia strikes Ukraine’s power grid. The discussion also examines America’s looming $2 trillion deficit and Gen Z’s renewed interest in Christian faith.

U.S. officials say the military has built plans to drop the 21,600-pound MOAB on Iran's nuclear sites if the war resumes, with Trump saying no strikes before the Nov. 3 midterms.MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 16 OCTOBER 2026Former Navy SEAL Mike Ritland breaks down the Pentagon's MOAB strike plans for Iran and whether hitting the same targets again will work this time.Mike asks the question the headlines skip: if last summer's strikes knocked Iran's nuclear program back years, why are U.S. crews being asked to hit Pickaxe Mountain and the same sites again? He says the back-and-forth on timing helps nobody, and the smartest play is to say nothing and let the troops do the job. He also responds to viewer comments comparing the B-2 leak to the Hegseth Signal chat, drawing the line between intentional and careless.Also covered: Trump kills the Fort Hood execution livestream, Ukraine defies the U.S. on refinery strikes and the unconfirmed claims about Starlink, an OpenAI suspect with ties to Saudi Arabia, a new cancer-fighting drug, Tesla's 230-mph Roadster, and Mike's plans for live streams.Will the MOAB do what last summer's strikes didn't? Tell us in the comments.Subscribe for daily breakdowns from a former Navy SEAL on the stories that matter to America's military.Want ad-free Newsroom updates? Join our YouTube membership: https://www.youtube.com/@mikeritland/join0:00 U.S. builds MOAB strike plans for Iran0:50 Why Mike would say nothing about the timing1:40 The MOAB, and why we're hitting the same sites again3:45 Trump kills the Fort Hood execution livestream4:30 Ukraine defies the U.S. on refinery strikes5:20 Did Trump throttle Ukraine's Starlink? What's actually confirmed9:05 Your comments: the B-2 leak vs. the Signal chat12:05 OpenAI suspect kept ties to the Saudis15:10 A new kind of cancer drug16:15 Tesla's 230-mph Roadster17:10 KFC switches to Coke17:30 Live streams are coming: tell Mike how oftenAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

U.S. Navy sailors pulled the crew off an Iranian-linked spy boat watching American warships in the Gulf of Oman, then attack helicopters fired missiles and set it ablaze.MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 15 OCTOBER 2026Former Navy SEAL Mike Ritland breaks down the strike on Iran's spy boat and why boarding it first was worth the risk.Mike has done boarding and maritime operations in the region, and he explains the trade-off: pulling the crew off first is a treasure trove of intelligence, but a boat rigged with explosives can turn into another USS Cole the moment sailors step aboard. He also takes on President Trump's claim that a leak of B-2 departure times let Iran see a raid coming, and asks whether leakers should face the firing squad. And he says it plainly: Iran and the Houthis are sinking ships and hitting Saudi targets while the U.S. waits for the Nov. 3 midterms. Take the gloves off, or bring the troops home.Also covered: a Ukrainian special forces veteran on trial for blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline (and what a 250-foot sabotage dive really takes), and the Pentagon's expanding fight against cartels in Latin America.Should the Navy pull the crew off first, or just take the boat out? Tell us in the comments.Subscribe for daily breakdowns from a former Navy SEAL on the stories that matter to America's military.0:00 U.S. helicopters destroy an Iranian spy boat0:50 Pull the crew off first, or just take it out?2:05 The suicide-boat risk: remember the USS Cole3:20 Trump: B-2 raid leak meant Iran was waiting4:10 How leaks get troops killed7:05 Should leakers be shot?8:20 Iran and the Houthis ramp up attacks while the U.S. waits11:15 Take the gloves off or pull them out12:05 Ukrainian commando on trial for Nord Stream14:10 A combat diver on a 250-foot sabotage dive16:20 U.S. troops vs. the cartels in Latin America19:55 Cut the demand, not just the supply20:45 Wrap-upAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

President Trump says a decision on Iran is coming "very soon," the Pentagon has asked for new strike options, and Iran is reportedly fortifying its nuclear sites.MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 14 OCTOBER 2026Former Navy SEAL Mike Ritland breaks down what a second round of U.S. strikes on Iran would look like and who would be flying it.With the USS Abraham Lincoln gone, a fresh set of pilots and crews would carry out any new strikes. Mike asks the hard question: if Iran still has bunkers to fortify after months of strikes, why did the U.S. pause? He says the lesson learned in blood in Iraq and Afghanistan applies here: if you're going to do it, give the troops the mission and the support, and let them finish the job. He also bets the timing lands right before the Nov. 3 midterms.Also covered: how drones turned the Houthi threat into a real danger to U.S. ships and bases, a Tim Kennedy update, Britain's intelligence agency bracing for Iran and Russia, and new research showing AI models that can copy themselves onto everyday smart devices.Will the U.S. strike Iran before or after Nov. 3? Tell us in the comments.Subscribe for daily breakdowns from a former Navy SEAL on the stories that matter to America's military.0:00 Trump: Iran decision coming "very soon"0:50 Something is about to happen, before or after the midterms?1:35 Fresh crews: the Lincoln is gone2:30 If Iran can still fortify, why did we stop?4:10 Iraq and Afghanistan lesson: let the troops do their job5:25 The Houthi threat and how drones changed warfare7:55 What Mike would do with a carrier group9:10 Tim Kennedy update9:50 Britain's spy agency braces for Iran and Russia11:30 AI models that can copy themselves13:30 Hackers cook a grocery chain's freezers15:50 How smart is your home?16:15 Wrap-upAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 13 OCTOBER 2026The Houthis are warning of a "swift and painful response" if the U.S. joins Saudi strikes in Yemen, and American troops across the Gulf are already within reach.Former Navy SEAL Mike Ritland breaks down the Houthi threat and whether striking them now would put more U.S. troops in danger.Mike explains why the U.S. held off on Iran during the Iraq War, even with proof Iran was helping kill American troops, and why the same math applies to the Houthis today. With the Pentagon's Iran war toll now at 21 U.S. service members dead and 865 wounded, he asks every viewer a hard question: is this fight worth it, and would you say yes if it were your son or daughter?Also covered: retired Green Beret Tim Kennedy shot in a Congo ambush and the shadow war of private contractors, Europe deporting migrants back to the Taliban, and the bipartisan pushback on Trump's Russia-Ukraine energy deal.Should the U.S. hit the Houthis now, or let Saudi Arabia handle it? Tell us in the comments.Subscribe for daily breakdowns from a former Navy SEAL on the stories that matter to America's military.0:00 Houthis threaten America if the U.S. joins Saudi strikes0:50 Why threaten us at all?2:05 Why we didn't hit Iran during the Iraq War3:45 Would striking the Houthis put more troops at risk?4:35 Your call: hit the Houthis or let Saudi Arabia handle it?5:00 Pentagon raises the Iran war toll: 21 dead, 865 wounded6:40 Is it worth it? The existential-threat test8:20 A question for every parent10:30 Tim Kennedy shot in Congo and Erik Prince's shadow war11:15 Why special ops vets end up as contractors13:15 No air support, no medevac: the contractor's risk15:15 Europe deporting migrants back to the Taliban19:15 Congress pushes back on the Russia-Ukraine energy deal21:10 Wrap-up----------Former 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