NEW EPISODE · SEPTEMBER 22, 2026 · EP 629
629 EPISODES SUBSCRIBE →
Vol. V · No. 629Tuesday Edition
Righteous MediaSince 1776. Est. 2019

Episode 127

Matt Zeller

As American troops pull out of Afghanistan, the Taliban is advancing. Violence is widespread.

The Brief

→ Four things from today’s episode
01

Andrew Yang’s CNBC warning that AI researchers are freaked o. Andrew Yang’s CNBC warning that AI researchers are freaked out because models are “breaking containment” — and Congress is gone until November

02

Why Trump makes his biggest moves when Congress is on break. Why Trump makes his biggest moves when Congress is on break and his poll numbers are underwater

03

Reaper drones being repositioned to Southern Command and why. Reaper drones being repositioned to Southern Command and why Cuba is still on Trump and Rubio’s vision board

04

Joint Chiefs chair Dan Cain telling troops to prepare to wag. Joint Chiefs chair Dan Cain telling troops to prepare to wage and win wars “on and around the moon”

As American troops pull out of Afghanistan, the Taliban is advancing. Quickly. Violence is widespread. And tens of thousands of men and women who helped US efforts there are facing imminent danger. The numbers are shocking. 20,000 of our allies and thousands more of their family members are facing slaughter. It’s a terrible and disgraceful betrayal of our allies. And the ramifications will impact our national security forever. But what’s the real situation on the ground? How bad could it get? What should Biden do now? What can we do to help from here?

Our intrepid host, Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) breaks down the national security components, the media coverage, and the political dynamics from a truly independent viewpoint. And we’re joined by the heroic Matt Zeller (@mattczeller). Matt is America’s leading voice on the issue. The courageous Co-Founder of No One Left Behind, Truman National Security Fellow and author of Watches Without Time: An American Soldier in Afghanistan joins host and fellow Army veteran Rieckhoff for a gripping conversation that goes deeper and hits harder than anything you’ll hear anywhere else.

Matt knows first-hand what it’s like to have fought alongside these brave men and women. He’ll tell you how after a ferocious firefight in Afghanistan, one saved his life. And became his best friend. Now, they’ve made it their mission to save the lives of others who have been left behind. It’s as real as it gets—and this conversation will leave you better informed and better prepared in the coming months as events unfold.