Mike Drop

Former DEA Special Agent Steve Murphy—credited with taking down cartel kingpin Pablo Escobar, serving as a technical consultant for Narcos, and co-authoring Manhunters—sits down with Mike Ritland for an in-depth conversation. After watching the hit series depicting Murphy’s career, Ritland explores the real-life history behind the story, diving into the operational friction, the uncredited role of U.S. special operations like Delta Force and SEAL Team 6, and the harsh realities of combating the Medellin Cartel on the ground.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 06 OCTOBER 2026The biggest story today wasn't on either front page. Mike pulls in an AP report: soldiers seriously wounded in Iranian drone strikes say the military's medical system failed them. One soldier had a damaged artery that put him at risk of a stroke. He was sent to barracks and told to schedule outpatient appointments. Another waited more than four months for MRI results after having shrapnel removed from his head.Also in today's papers: Saudi and Yemeni forces are pushing back against the Houthis around the Red Sea port of Mokha. Germany and France are pushing the EU to get tough on Chinese trade. The FBI arrested a California woman accused of acting as an unregistered agent of China. Russia is investigating a death at a Siberian infectious disease lab. Brazil's right wing had a surprise surge. Superpowers are racing to put nuclear reactors on the moon. High interest rates haven't slowed the AI boom. And the DOJ is tightening visa screening for birth tourism.Mike's take: if you send troops to fight, you'd better be ready to take care of them when they're wounded, no matter which administration you are. He knows what waiting looks like. After a collarbone and bicep injury, the VA took so long to get him an MRI that surgery was no longer an option. On the Houthis, he says decades of U.S. involvement haven't worked, and he wonders whether pulling out completely would force Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the rest of the region to step up. On AI's energy demand, he makes the case for small regional nuclear reactors. On birthright citizenship, he doesn't think children of people here illegally or on temporary visas should become citizens automatically, and he invites anyone who disagrees to change his mind.Your turn. If you've been wounded or injured in service, how was your care? Would pulling out of the Middle East make the region step up, or would it be a disaster? Tell us in the comments. Mike reads them.Timestamps0:00 Happy Tuesday0:25 Germany and France push the EU to get tough on China1:05 Saudi forces push back the Houthis2:55 Why Iran is still flexing3:45 Would pulling out force the region to step up?6:30 FBI arrests an alleged Chinese agent6:55 A death at a Siberian infectious disease lab7:30 Should these labs exist?8:20 Brazil's right-wing wave9:35 Nuclear reactors on the moon12:30 The AI boom and high interest rates12:55 Data centers and energy demand15:00 The case for small regional nuclear reactors16:40 The price of convenience17:50 Wounded soldiers say military care failed them19:00 Mike's own VA story19:55 "Take care of the troops"20:45 DOJ targets birth tourism21:15 Birthright citizenship23:15 Coming up: DEA agent Steve MurphyFormer 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

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 05 OCTOBER 2026The Journal and the Times split again today, and Mike gives the edge to the Times.The headlines: the U.S. is moving its B-1 bombers out of the UK over security concerns. Investigators say authorities in three countries missed chances to keep the FlyDubai attacker out of the cockpit. President Trump repeated a promise of $5,000 to every adult American if Republicans win the midterms. A new White House task force has 120 days to report on the risks and opportunities of AI. Russian oil assets are now part of the Ukraine peace talks, with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the table. Phoenix teenagers are running an illegal weapons pipeline into Mexico. AI is getting better at predicting breast cancer risk. And China is worried its citizens are relying on AI too much.Mike's take: if the U.S. is pulling bombers out of the UK, one of our closest allies, then Iran's reach is a bigger problem than anyone's admitting. He wants Republicans to win the midterms, but he still calls the $5,000 promise a bribe paid with taxpayers' own money. On the AI task force and the Ukraine talks, his question is the same: who picks the people in charge, and what do they stand to gain? On the cartel gun pipeline, he argues that supply will always find a way, so the real fix is cutting demand, starting with strong families and better-raised kids. And he finds two positive AI stories: earlier cancer detection, and China possibly recognizing the risks.Your turn. How is Iran still able to threaten us in the UK? Would $5,000 change your vote? What's the single most effective way to cut demand for drugs, weapons and trafficking? Tell us in the comments. Mike reads them.Timestamps0:00 Happy Monday and a quick housekeeping note1:35 The Journal vs. the Times1:55 Brazil's presidential election2:10 B-1 bombers leave the UK3:00 How can Iran still reach our allies?4:10 How the FlyDubai attacker reached the cockpit5:30 Incompetence or something more?5:55 $5,000 for every adult if Republicans win7:05 Paying voters with their own money7:45 The White House AI task force8:10 Who picks the people watching the people?9:45 Russian oil in the Ukraine peace talks10:45 Conflicts of interest at the negotiating table12:20 Phoenix teens running guns to Mexico13:15 Supply vs. demand15:20 Fixing the root cause16:35 AI that predicts breast cancer risk17:45 China worries its citizens love AI too much20:20 Wrap-upFormer 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

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 04 OCTOBER 2026A long one for Sunday. There's no Wall Street Journal today, so Mike covers the New York Times and then shares the story many of you asked for: his path back to Christ.He starts by setting the record straight. After hearing from viewers, Mike walks back his comments on the Cornell case. He says he was guilty of the same rush to judgment he warns against, and he'll wait for the facts. He also shares what viewers in France told him the coverage of the riots there is missing.The headlines: protesters in canoes outside Chief Justice John Roberts' home in Maine. AIPAC has raised $233 million for the midterms. A report says President Trump directed $20 million in taxpayer money toward TV ads. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao's new role advising governments on crypto after his pardon, and his company's business ties to World Liberty Financial. And a Times opinion piece asking whether Democrats can win back religious voters.Mike's take: protest all you want where officials work, but leave their homes and families alone. He thinks any PAC tied to a foreign country, whichever country it is, shouldn't have a role in U.S. elections. Taxpayer money shouldn't fund ads praising any president. And no one in office should profit from policy they control, period. He also challenges fellow Christians to judge less and show more grace.Then the story: a Lutheran upbringing, a faith that fell apart through SEAL deployments, war and fatherhood, and decades of walking away. Then came the faithful men who appeared on the podcast, the week Charlie Kirk was killed, an unplanned Sunday at church that his kids shared without knowing it, and how he finally made peace with the question of free will.Your turn. Should protests at officials' homes be off-limits? Should foreign-focused PACs be banned? And if you've walked away from faith or found your way back, what made the difference? Tell us in the comments, and as Mike asks, be kind to one another.Timestamps0:00 Happy Sunday: a long one0:50 Mike walks back his Cornell comments2:55 What viewers in France say the coverage is missing5:45 Protesters outside Chief Justice Roberts' home8:20 AIPAC money in the midterms10:25 Should foreign-focused PACs be banned?12:05 Taxpayer-funded ads praising Trump14:10 A quick detour through Arts and Styles15:00 The Binance founder's pardon16:55 World Liberty Financial and conflicts of interest19:35 Mike's honest questions about crypto23:05 Can Democrats win back the faithful?24:35 Judgment, grace and how Christians treat others28:20 Mike's three morning books29:35 Mike's path back to Christ30:50 How deployments shook his faith34:10 War, fatherhood and the free will question36:15 Decades away from faith37:00 The faithful men who came on the podcast39:10 The day Charlie Kirk was shot41:15 Walking into church43:20 The call with his kids47:55 How the free will question finally made sense52:30 A story from an underground church in Iraq56:15 A resurgence of faith57:30 Closing prayerFormer 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

MIKE DROP NEWSROOM | 03 OCTOBER 2026The Saturday papers split again, and this episode includes something new: a private intelligence summary from Mike's friend Max at Asylum Security, a former SEAL sniper who now works in executive security. It's not classified, but it comes from serious sources, and it covers threats that never make the front page.The headlines: Russia is pushing migrants across Latvia's border as a tactic against the West. Student protests over school conditions have turned violent across France. The U.S. added a lower-than-expected 29,000 jobs in September. Chinese officials' unusual requests at a recent summit are raising new questions about Xi Jinping's health. DHS is paying local police departments for help with immigration arrests. And the Wall Street Journal reports that more voters dislike both parties than in any recent election. From the intel brief: Iran is reviewing retaliation options that reach beyond the Middle East, tankers were struck in the Strait of Hormuz, cyber threats are aimed at critical infrastructure and personnel data, and China's spy satellite network is growing fast.Mike's take: he doesn't understand why secure borders became a partisan issue, since knowing who is coming into your country is common sense. He supports students fighting for better schools but says violence defeats the purpose. On Congress, he argues that both parties have to hold their own side to the same standard they hold the other. And he has a simple fix for the budget: if the government shuts down or the budget isn't balanced, Congress doesn't get paid. On Iran, the intel brief brings him back to the question he keeps asking: months of strikes later, Iran can still hit shipping and plan attacks abroad, so what does success actually look like?Your turn. Should Congress go unpaid until the budget is balanced? What does winning in Iran look like to you? And who do you think takes over China after Xi? Tell us in the comments. Mike reads them.Timestamps0:00 Happy Saturday and a special intel brief1:15 Why wildfires in Indonesia led the Times1:50 FlyDubai: the mother's scream that alerted passengers2:15 A new inquiry into the Cornell case3:20 Russia uses migrants against the West4:35 Why secure borders shouldn't be partisan6:15 Student protests turn violent across France8:20 A weak September jobs report9:25 Xi Jinping's health and who comes next12:05 DHS pays local police for immigration arrests13:45 A hurricane-free summer and El Niño14:40 "Double haters" and the midterms16:35 Holding your own side accountable19:10 No balanced budget, no paycheck for Congress20:40 The intel brief21:45 Iran's retaliation planning23:20 What does success in Iran look like?24:20 Tankers struck in the Strait of Hormuz25:50 Cyber threats to infrastructure and personnel data28:55 China, Russia and the race for space30:25 A Sunday preview: faith and suffering31:40 Wrap-upFormer 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