The Team House

We speak with retired FBI agent Wayne Barnes about his career in counterintelligence, from undercover work with the Black Panthers and a hidden Nixon assassination plot to debriefing Cold War defectors and recruiting Soviet intelligence officers. We also dig into his book A Traitor in the FBI, the hunt for a Russian mole inside the Bureau, and the tradecraft, deception, and lucky breaks that shape...

Jack Murphy joins us to break down his new High Side investigation into JSOC’s planned mission to recover highly enriched uranium from Iran, a raid some insiders compared to “Eagle Claw 2.0.” He explains why the operation would have required far more than a small special operations team, the risks of fighting in a CBRN environment, and why the mission may have been too dangerous to greenlight. The...

We break down Ukraine’s deep strike campaign inside Russia, the fight over Crimea, and whether Moscow’s war machine is starting to crack under pressure. We also get into the NATO summit, Trump’s unpredictable foreign policy process, Iran’s reconstitution after the ceasefire, and the growing split between the U.S. and Europe. Support the show on Patreon:⬇️ https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse Marc'...

We speak with journalist Colin Freeman about covering wars from Iraq and Somalia to Ukraine, including his own kidnapping by Somali pirates and the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion. We also dig into his book The Mad and the Brave, the foreign volunteers who joined Ukraine’s International Legion, and the chaos, courage, and darker realities they faced on the front lines. Colin's book: htt...

original air date 12/1/23 Michael Vickers joins us to discuss his path from 10th Special Forces Group to the CIA, including Cold War missions, Berlin tradecraft, Grenada, Beirut, and Ground Branch. We also get into the covert war in Afghanistan, the Reagan Doctrine, working with foreign partners like Pakistan and China, and how the U.S. helped drive the Soviet Union out by all means available. Gra...

This week we break down the collapse of the Iran ceasefire talks, the escalating tit-for-tat strikes between Tehran and Washington, the fight over the Strait of Hormuz, and why the current MOU may be far more fragile than it appears. We also dive into the war in Ukraine, Russia's growing military and economic problems, the future of NATO support, and what these developments could mean for the broa...

Brad Colbert, retired Marine Force Recon veteran and one of the real Marines behind Generation Kill, joins us to talk about his path into the Corps, recon selection, 9/11 while forward deployed, Camp Rhino, and the early days of the war in Afghanistan. We also get into the 2003 invasion of Iraq, how recon Marines were used as shock troops, his Royal Marines exchange, HBO’s Generation Kill, and the...

We break down the Iran MOU, the fight over the Strait of Hormuz, Lebanon’s role in the deal, and why the panel sees the agreement as a major strategic win for Tehran and a serious problem for Washington. We also dig into Iran’s nuclear program, Hezbollah, U.S. military messaging, bad battle-damage assessments, and whether the United States still has any real leverage left in the next 60 days of ne...

Stephanie Rotolo joins us to talk about her path from Mortuary Affairs and MP work to joining the Cultural Support Team program and deploying to Afghanistan with Special Operations Forces. She breaks down CST selection, working with Afghan female tactical platoons, going out on missions with ODAs, and how those experiences shaped her later work in Civil Affairs across West Africa. Find Stephanie h...

original airdate - 7/21/23 Frank retired from ATF in 2014 after 25 years of service, most of it as a Supervisory Special Agent focused on complex investigations and undercover operations. He personally infiltrated three outlaw motorcycle gangs and supported undercover operations targeting the Outlaws MC, Hells Angels MC, Pagans MC, Warlocks MC, and others while also serving in leadership roles acr...

We break down the latest Iran deal rumors, the Strait of Hormuz crisis, Hezbollah’s role in Lebanon, and whether any new agreement can realistically improve on the JCPOA. We also dig into broader U.S. foreign policy failures, the risks around Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, and the national security implications of Anthropic, AI export controls, and the emerging AI arms race. GhostBed ⬇️ https:...

Taamir Ransome joins The Team House to discuss his path from the 82nd Airborne to EOD, the 75th Ranger Regiment, and eventually Delta Force, including deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. He also opens up about getting blown up repeatedly, the toll of the job, writing Mind of a Soldier, and the brutal reality of transitioning out of the military after a career in special operations. Grab T...

Mike Yeagley joins me to break down how mobile devices, ad tech, commercial location data, and data brokers create major OPSEC risks for service members, case officers, and anyone working in national security. He explains how adversaries can buy or exploit pattern-of-life data, why privacy settings often don’t go far enough, and what the future of tradecraft looks like in an age of ubiquitous tech...

Mick Mulroy and Jonathan Hackett break down the latest on the Iran war, including the stalled ceasefire talks, the Strait of Hormuz crisis, Israel and Hezbollah, sanctions, and whether the U.S. air campaign has created more strategic problems than it solved. They also dig into Israeli spying concerns, the ODNI shakeup after Tulsi Gabbard’s exit, and how Russia and Iran are using gaming platforms,...

Former Army officer and CIA operations officer Delbert Roll joins us to discuss his path from Third Special Forces Group to the Agency, including joining CIA just before 9/11 and working counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan. He breaks down CIA training, running sources, building targeting packages against al-Qaeda, working with JSOC and indigenous forces, and the realities of protecting asse...

In this in-depth interview, former Green Beret Mike Taylor shares his expert insights on the current geopolitical situation in the Middle East, focusing on Iran, Hezbollah, and U.S. strategies. We explore historical context, regime change tactics, and potential paths forward for peace and stability. Grab Vitamin 1 WATER HERE: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Vitamin+One+Water GhostBed ⬇️ https://www.gho...

The guys break down the still-unresolved Iran ceasefire talks, the Strait of Hormuz crisis, possible sanctions relief, and whether the U.S. is about to reward Tehran just to return to the status quo. They also dig into nuclear inspections, Iran’s hardliners, Israel’s push deeper into Lebanon, Hezbollah’s drone threat, and the political bind Trump now faces. The episode also covers the CIA executiv...

Former British Foreign Office official Chris Merritt joins us to discuss his time as a diplomat in Iraq, Gaza, and Jerusalem, including Basra’s deteriorating security situation, Iranian-backed militias, Hamas, the Fatah split, and the realities of doing diplomacy in war zones. He also breaks down how those experiences shaped his later work as a trauma psychologist and spy novelist, including Commi...

Jack Murphy, Sean Naylor, and Zach Dorfman break down the hidden world of JSOC non-official cover operatives — the military’s version of deep-cover spies — and reveal how elite units conducted clandestine missions in places like Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Iran. The episode dives into secret front companies, undercover tradecraft, failed training exercises, and why modern surveillance and AI may be...

The guys break down the proposed Iran ceasefire extension, the Strait of Hormuz crisis, frozen assets, sanctions relief, and whether the war actually left the U.S. or the Iranian people better off. They also dig into Gulf security concerns, Israel and Hezbollah, the political backlash from Iran hawks, and what the conflict means for U.S. military posture in the Pacific. The episode then shifts to...

Former CIA targeting officer Brittany Butler joins us to discuss her path from a small town in Georgia to the CIA, where she helped build target packages against extremist networks in Iraq and Afghanistan. She breaks down what targeting officers actually do, the realities of working with detainees and liaison partners, and how the fight evolved from AQI toward ISIS and Taliban senior leadership. B...

Gary Linderer is the publisher of Behind the Lines, a magazine that specializes in US military special operations. He served in Vietnam with the LRPs of the 101st Airborne Division, earning two Silver Stars, the Bronze Star with V device (for valor), the Army Commendation Medal with V device, and two Purple Hearts. Gary's books : https://www.amazon.com/stores/Gary-A.-Linderer/author/B001KHOOIG?ref...

In this episode, Dee and Marc Polymeropoulos analyze recent geopolitical events including the China Summit, Iran tensions, and the new US counterterrorism strategy. They explore the implications of diplomatic moves, military actions, and strategic failures, offering insights into current US foreign policy and military operations. GhostBed ⬇️ https://www.ghostbed.com/team FOR 10% off!  Support the...

World War II Pacific veteran Arthur Lewis joins us to look back on a remarkable life, from growing up in Brooklyn and training on classified Navy radar systems to serving aboard LSM-238 during the Iwo Jima campaign. He shares firsthand memories of the landing force, Japanese prisoners, ship damage, mine sweeping after the war, and the humanity he witnessed in the middle of combat. Arthur also disc...

David Carmichael joins us to discuss his memoir Gray Man: A Life Lived Under the Radar, tracing his life from growing up in missionary communities across West Africa to surviving abusive boarding schools and eventually finding his way into the U.S. Army. He breaks down his path through 5th Special Forces Group, the old Q Course, Somalia, HUMINT work, Korea, and the mindset that shaped a career spe...