The Shawn Ryan Show - Episode #268

Guest: Mike Waltz (Special Forces Green Beret, U.S. Congressman, UN Ambassador)

Date: January 5, 2026
Host: Shawn Ryan

Episode Overview

In this episode, Shawn Ryan sits down with Ambassador Mike Waltz—a decorated Special Forces Green Beret, U.S. Congressman, and current U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The conversation moves from Waltz’s humble upbringing through an extraordinary military and political career, to candid insights on U.S. foreign policy, the state of Congress, leadership, the growing threat of China, and efforts to reform the UN. Waltz’s perspective is shaped by both direct battlefield experience and high-level decision-making, offering a unique, unvarnished look at America's challenges and responsibilities in the world today.

Guest Introduction & Background

• Early Life & Family:
  • Grew up poor in Jacksonville, Florida; raised by a single mother who worked three jobs and eventually put herself through college ([02:21-04:05]).
  • Comes from a family with a strong military tradition (grandfather and father in the Navy, he “defected” to the Army).
• Military & Public Service:
  • First Green Beret ever elected to Congress, continued to serve in the Army Reserve while in office ([06:41-07:00]).
  • Served on Armed Services, Intelligence, Foreign Affairs Committees, and the China Task Force.
  • Co-founded the bipartisan "For Country" caucus to encourage more veterans to run for office and work together across party lines ([05:11]).
  • Author of three books, including Warrior Diplomat and Hard Truths.

“Only in this country, the most amazing country the world has ever seen…”
—Waltz on his journey from poverty to Congress ([01:00])

Key Discussion Themes & Insights

1. Overcoming Adversity: Upbringing & Personal Drive

• Waltz describes growing up fatherless with a mother who was “the rock” that instilled self-reliance and the importance of education ([08:18-14:13]).
• Sought out positive male role models through church and military connections—a deliberate effort by his mother to compensate for the absence of a father ([11:45]).
• On victimhood:

  “You can't let yourself become a victim of your circumstances…Bootstrap yourself, suck it up, dust yourself off and move forward.” ([10:53])

2. Path to & Lessons from the Military

• Fascinated by military history from childhood; inspiration for VMI and Special Forces ([17:31-18:32]).

• Recounts history and culture at VMI, especially the honor code, “I will not lie, cheat or steal…”—learned which rules are bendable and which are sacrosanct, critical for Special Forces ([18:33-21:27]).

• Emphasizes the value of failing and resilience—needed two tries to get through selection ([26:22]).

• Special Forces uniqueness:

  • Multifaceted mission, language immersion, unconventional war, partnering with allies (UAE, Afghans), strategic and cultural complexity ([22:40-25:18]).

• Notable Combat Story:
  Waltz recounts being embedded with a tiny U.S. and UAE task force, living “off the land,” multilingual communications, and the strategic trickery used to capture a Taliban commander by running a medical clinic ([23:06-24:57]).

3. From Combat to Policy-Making (and Back)

• After Special Forces, Waltz worked on narco-terrorism policy in the Pentagon, using field experience to inform strategy ([30:10-31:21]).
• Discusses frustration with international coalition limitations, especially constraining rules of engagement from NATO allies ([31:29-32:52]).
• “Bottoms-up” leadership—focusing on the needs of subordinates, whether as a CEO, in Congress, or at the UN ([33:06-33:40]).
• Memorable Ranger School “Skittles” Story:
  Lesson in discipline, servant leadership, and the importance of living one's values, not just earning a badge ([36:23-41:51]).

  “Earning it was the easy part. Living it is the hard part… Officers always eat last.” ([40:24])

4. Veterans Serving Again—Why It Matters

• Strong advocacy for veterans returning to public service:
  • “You're not done serving just because you went overseas and came back... The country needs you.” ([46:07])
• Observes a shift from veterans and business owners in Congress to lawyers and activists, and the need for teamwork and mission-centric focus ([46:53-47:48]).
• Noting the historical decrease in veterans in Congress (from 75% in the 1970s to 15% in 2018), but recent resurgence thanks to organizations supporting veteran candidates ([45:34-45:50]).
• Bipartisan moments:
  Washing the Vietnam Memorial Wall with 40+ veteran Congress members—shows the country unity is possible ([48:32-51:49]).

5. Leadership, Restraint, and the Weight of Command

• Waltz explores the moral complexity of combat decisions, such as refusing to kill a child spotter used by the Taliban, opting instead for a warning shot, and confronting the consequences ([71:56-77:06]).

  “If I had been sitting—if one of my guys had been killed... could I explain that to the family?… You have to give our junior officers and leaders the latitude to make those calls.” ([75:56-79:16])

• Stresses the need for leaders to rise above “mud slinging” and to have the courage to speak truth to power—relates an instance of challenging unrealistic general officer claims about Afghan Army progress ([82:23-85:16]).

6. America’s Challenges: Bureaucracy, Policy, and Global Threats

• Critiques Washington risk aversion and “accumulation of rules” as undermining battlefield effectiveness ([85:32-90:43]).
• Reassures listeners military sacrifice in Iraq/Afghanistan was not in vain—no 9/11s for 20 years, terrorist plots thwarted ([90:58-93:13]).
• Gives examples of veteran-driven reforms: death benefits, VA service dogs, medical malpractice litigation ([91:00-92:44]).

7. US Foreign Policy: Israel/Gaza, the Abraham Accords, and Burden Sharing

• Details the new U.S.-led Middle East peace plan:
  • U.S. President chairs a "Board of Peace" with international support, reconstruction funding through the World Bank, and stabilization force with Muslim-majority nations ([95:41-97:35]).

  “If anybody can do it, it's [Trump]… they’re focused on results.” ([97:38])

• Observations from recent trips to Israel, Jordan, and the region’s fragility and opportunities ([99:22-101:33]).
• On Gaza: Humanitarian efforts, reforming corrupt agencies, balancing aid and security ([101:42-103:39]).
• Emphasizes that American leadership is necessary to hold back Iranian aggression and not leave a vacuum ([103:33-105:58]).

8. America First and Domestic Investment

• Responds to question about spending billions overseas while U.S. cities and borders suffer ([108:29-110:58]):
  • Points to recent administration’s focus on internal security, border infrastructure ($150 billion), crime reduction, and “America first” policies ([110:58-113:00]).
  • On foreign aid: focus on “burden sharing”—getting NATO allies to shoulder more, shifting UN missions to global partners ([113:00-117:50]).
• The importance of American leadership in global regulatory bodies to protect commerce, industry, and national interests ([117:52-124:36]).

9. Reforming the United Nations

• Overview of UN structure: General Assembly (193 members), Security Council (5 permanent members with veto), Secretary General, multiple agencies—US pays 25% ([121:03-125:47]).
• Points to historic inertia and “bureaucratic bloat”—7 UN climate agencies, for example ([121:13]).
• Recent US-led reforms:
  • Committed to cutting staff, budget, and imposing salary reform ([125:58-126:08]).
  • US withholds funding until real changes; proposes “back to basics” approach—focus on stopping wars, fighting for American industry, and ending “all this other nonsense” ([128:28-130:11]).
• Uses Green Beret skills (coalition-building, negotiation) to forge alliances within the UN; successfully blocked the proposed global shipping carbon tax ([116:49-117:52, 132:55]).
• Considers the UN to be a necessary global forum for diplomacy—even as it needs “cleaning up” ([122:20-124:36]).

10. The Chinese Communist Party: America’s Greatest Threat

• Waltz singles out the CCP as the only adversary to challenge the US across all fronts:
  • Economic scale, global influence, rapid military shipbuilding, advances in space/cyber, massive infiltration/intelligence ops ([133:55-136:17]):

  “We have never faced an adversary... with rival economic might that openly talks about surpassing us technologically.” ([134:03])

• Discusses vulnerabilities in U.S. supply chains (ex: antimony, ammunition production) and progress revitalizing domestic production ([136:28-138:51]).

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On American opportunity:
  “Only in this country, the most amazing country the world has ever seen...” —Waltz ([01:00])
• On victimhood:
  “You can’t let yourself become a victim of your circumstances.” —Waltz ([10:53])
• On Skittles & Leadership:
  “Earning it was the easy part. Living it is the hard part. And as an officer, officers always eat last.” —Ranger Instructor to Waltz ([40:24])
• On veterans in politics:
  “You're not done serving just because you went overseas and came back, that doesn't mean you get to sit in the VFW hall and drink beer and tell war stories. The country needs you.” —Waltz ([46:07])
• On restraint in war:
  “You have to give our junior officers and leaders the latitude to make those calls, the right training... but they stick with you.” —Waltz ([79:16])
• On Chinese competition:
  “We have never faced an adversary... with rival economic might that openly talks about surpassing us technologically.” —Waltz ([134:03])
• On American leadership at the UN:
  “If we walk away, they're going to do it without us.” —Waltz ([124:36])
• On military families:
  “It’s the families that bear the burden of service... We don't come home. We come home missing limbs, or not right up here anymore.” —Waltz ([140:06])

Important Timestamps

• Upbringing, Mother’s Influence: [01:00] - [08:18]
• Role Models & VMI: [11:45] - [21:27]
• Special Forces Realities: [22:40] - [26:22]
• Ranger School Skittles Story: [36:23] - [41:51]
• Veterans in Congress, Bipartisan Moments: [45:34] - [51:49]
• Embedded Combat Story (Singleton, Escape & Evasion): [56:46] - [67:44]
• Moral Dilemma—Child Spotter Story: [71:56] - [77:06]
• Policy Feedback—Speaking Truth to Power: [82:23] - [85:16]
• UN Overview/Structural Explanation: [121:03] - [125:47]
• China as Existential Threat: [133:55] - [138:51]

Additional Notable Moments

• Gifts Exchanged: Waltz gifts Shawn a bottle of Horse Soldier Bourbon, a "Make the UN Great Again" hat, and his latest book, Hard Truths ([14:28-16:58]).
• Praise for Scott Mann: Story of 40-hour combat escape & evasion operation while embedded with UAE forces in Helmand ([56:46-67:44]).
• On Gold Star Support: Stories about being with bereaved families and President Trump's personal involvement at Bedminster ([140:00]).

Final Thoughts

Ambassador Mike Waltz delivers a compelling mix of personal testimony, strategic insight, and leadership vision. His experience spans the front lines of combat to the halls of policy and international diplomacy. Waltz’s core messages: cherish opportunity, do not surrender to victimhood, veterans belong in public life, American leadership is indispensable, and the greatest national security challenge of our time is the Chinese Communist Party. The episode is both a call to action and a nuanced reflection on the burdens of command, moral choices, and the importance of family and resilience.

For listeners seeking a rich blend of real stories, policy depth, and motivating leadership lessons, this episode delivers on every front.