Pod Insights The Jedburgh Podcast #161: Don't Bet Against America - Representative Don Davis (NC-1) About this episode Veterans are once again dominating Congress. The start of the 119th Congress has 100 Veterans across both sides of the aisle. Veterans by and large focus on teamwork and getting results.
To kick off the excitement behind the new Congress, Fran Racioppi https://www.linkedin.com/in/francisracioppijr/ spent a few snowy days on Capitol Hill with the members of the For Country Caucus https://withhonor.org/for-country-caucus/; a bi-partisan group of House of Representative members who have each served across America’s military.
Representative Don Davi https://dondavis.house.gov/s is an Air Force Academy graduate, a two term Congressman representing North Carolina’s 1st District, and the Vice Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, as well as a member of the Subcommittee on Readiness and the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces.
With the strength of American military power front and center, Fran asked Congressman Davis to explain just what the next battlefield may be, how ready the American military is to combat both terrorist organizations and near-peer nation states, as well as the role of Special Operations in the next conflict.
They also broke down the efforts of DOGE, Elon Musk and the application of the age old military sayings “slow is smooth, smooth is fast” and “speed and violence of action” gets things done.
Watch, listen or read our conversation from Congressman Davis’s office. Don’t miss our full coverage from Capitol Hill. Special thanks to For Country Caucus for setting up this series.
HIGHLIGHTS
0:00 Introduction2:05 Welcome to Capitol Hill4:02 Veterans leading Congress8:37 Expectations of Veterans in the Cabinet10:51 Joining the Air Force15:04 Joining State Politics before Federal Politics21:37 Military Readiness24:07 The Next Conflict28:28 Defining the battlefield30:43 The Terror Threat33:28 Investing in Special Operations36:01 Trump Administration actions
QUOTES
“When the orders came down we didn’t ask, ‘are these Democratic orders or Republican orders.’ We executed the mission.”“The fundamental basis of that oath is to protect the constitution.” “What I think was most important going back to eastern North Carolina was an opportunity to really shape future leaders.”“There’s these potholes people are craving to be filled.”“When there is a mission…are we capable?”“We have to make sure the innocent civilians are kept safe.”“Clearly there’s a willingness to target us.”“Don’t bet against America.”“At the end of the day try to make life better in communities.”
The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by University of Health & Performance https://university-hp.com/, providing our Veterans world class education and training as fitness and nutrition entrepreneurs. Follow the Jedburgh Podcast https://www.instagram.com/jedburghpodcast/ and the Green Beret Foundation https://www.instagram.com/greenberetfoundation/ on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform https://pod.link/1558608802, read on our website https://greenberetfoundation.org/jedburghpodcast/investing-in-military-infrastructure-jumping-in-with-arkansas-senator-john-boozman, and watch the full video version on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jedburghpodcast as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.
The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are an official program of The Green Beret Foundation https://greenberetfoundation.org/.
The opinions presented on the The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are the opinions of guests and host Fran Racioppi. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Green Beret Foundation and the Green Beret Foundation assumes no liability for their accuracy, nor does Green Beret Foundation endorse any political candidate or any political party.
Transcript Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
0:02 Fran Racioppi? Veterans are once again dominating Congress. The start of the 119th Congress has 100 veterans across both sides of the aisle. Veterans by and large focus on teamwork and getting results. To kick off the excitement behind the new Congress, I spent a few snowy days on Capitol Hill with members of the Four Country Caucus, a bipartisan group of House of Representatives members who've each served across America's military. Representative Don Davis is an Air Force Academy graduate, a two-term congressman representing North Carolina's 1st District, and the vice-ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, as well as a member of the Subcommittee on Readiness and the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces. He's also the co-chair of the Four Country Caucus. With the strength of American military power front and center,
0:46 Fran Racioppi? I asked Congressman Davis to explain just what the next battlefield may be, how ready the American military is to combat both terrorist organizations and near-peer nation-states, as well as the role of special operations in the next conflict. We also broke down the efforts of Doge, Elon Musk, and the application of the age-old military sayings. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and speed and violence of action gets things done. Watch, listen, or read our conversation from Congressman Davis's office. Don't miss our full coverage from Capitol Hill. Special thanks to the Four Country Caucus for setting up this series. The Jedberg Podcast is brought to you by University of Health and Performance, providing our veterans world-class education and training as fitness and nutrition entrepreneurs.
1:30 Fran Racioppi? Follow the Jedberg Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform. Read on our website and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show you why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.
1:45 Fran Racioppi? The opinions presented on the Jedberg Podcast and the Jedberg Media Channel are the opinions of my guests and myself. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Green Beret Foundation, and the Green Beret Foundation assumes no liability for their accuracy, nor does Green Beret Foundation endorse any political candidate or any political party.
2:04 Fran Racioppi? Representative Davis, welcome to the Jedberg Podcast.
2:07 Speaker 01 Hey, I'm glad to be with you. Thank you.
2:09 Fran Racioppi? We're kicking off the 119th Congress. It's a lot of years, a lot of folks have been in this building. You represent North Carolina's first district. So the wide portion of the state and the northeast part of the state, including Greenville, Rocky Mount, Wilson, Goldsboro, Henderson, Roanoke Rapids. I'm familiar with it, although I was further south for a good amount of time in Fayetteville. So that was my transit path. This is your second consecutive term in Congress. You were part of the 118th Congress. You graduated the US Air Force Academy, spent eight years on active duty, and then you built a career in state government. And I think it's really important, I want to talk about that in a couple of minutes.
2:48 Fran Racioppi? But you've also been heralded as one of the most bipartisan members of the House of Representatives. You serve not only the people of North Carolina, but the American people, as the ranking member of, on the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets and Rural Development, and the vice-ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee with us, on the subcommittees for readiness and also tactical air and land forces. And we're going to talk about readiness in just a minute. But since the 119th Congress has just kicked off, well, we're about five or six weeks in, I figured we'd start there if it's all right with you.
3:23 Speaker 01 Absolutely. Well, let me say to you, only snow, I think, can slow Washington down. And I don't know how well it's doing right now, but you're here, so we're glad to have you.
3:33 Fran Racioppi? We made it. And I would argue, and I think we'll talk about it in a minute, is that Washington is moving at a breakneck pace over the last couple of weeks.
3:42 Speaker 01 Not even the snow can slow it down.
3:45 Fran Racioppi? But there are 100 veterans in the 119th Congress. This is the most in eight Congresses. Veterans, by and large, as you know, from where I come, as we know, results-oriented people. People who put teamwork and value teamwork above so much else. America, I don't care what side of the aisle you sit on, would probably argue that we just endured the longest political campaign in history, and it was divisive in a lot of ways. And so, America, we know, has to come together. And that's been the rallying cry from all sides, is we've got to find a way to come together. How are you now that the 119th has kicked off, coming together with other veterans now
4:26 Fran Racioppi? with this enormous number, how are you coming together to work as a cohesive unit to drive America forward?
4:34 Speaker 01 Let me start by talking about Four Country Caucus. Four Country is just an incredible caucus. The members are amazing. We have over 30 members of the caucus, those who have worn our uniform, men and women, served our country, and now serving in the Congress. When you look back on the 118th Congress, remember lead bills? We had about 35 that were endorsed bills. Of the 35, 13 became law. So this group of Democrats, Republicans, those who have worn the uniform, when we come together, we are showing our strength.
5:16 Speaker 01 And as we move forward to the 119th Congress, I believe there's a lot that's in the making and, you know, that's being discussed right now. We'll continue to talk about our national security. There's so much going on around the world right now. We talk about Russia, concerns of Iran, terrorists, the proxy groups, China. I mean, there's so much that's going on in the world and we'll continue to, leading voice in Congress on national security issues. We're also, I would believe, start looking at biosecurity and the importance of biosafety as we've learned so much from COVID.
6:00 Speaker 01 The commission's delivering a report and we're looking, you know, how we can improve. And there's always that looming conversation of modernization, modernizing the force. And we've always dove, to some extent, into veteran issues. How can we deal with those now who have taken off the uniform, but perhaps are serving in different ways? So I'm excited about the 119th Congress, excited about Four Country Caucus in particular. As a co-chair, leading with my Friend Representative Jake Elsie. We're looking forward to getting some good things done in the 119th Congress. And again, when we think about the members of Congress who have served our nation wearing
6:45 Speaker 01 the uniform, that's amazing that we're seeing more former service members to actually come and serve in the Congress. And I can tell you, going to the root of your question, growing up in Snow Hill, North Carolina, going on, I cropped tobacco, making ends meet and went on to serve our country. I graduated in 94 from the Air Force Academy. And when I was serving as a mortuary officer, I'm putting the last ribbons on to that member. We didn't ask, are you Democrat or Republican? When the orders came down, we didn't ask, are these Democratic orders or Republican orders? We executed the mission.
7:27 Speaker 01 And I think the mission becomes our focus. And as we continue to focus on mission, the mission driven, especially for country caucus members and being that example here in the Congress, that it's going to make us even better as a nation and as a Congress. We're going to move beyond that like single double low double digit approval rating.
7:53 Fran Racioppi? Transitioning out of the military is about more than polishing a resume or attending a LinkedIn workshop. It's about rediscovering your purpose and forging a new path that's worthy of your service. At the University of Health and Performance, veterans are offered transformative GI Bill approved programming designed to help take them to the next level with confidence. Nestled in the heart of the Ozarks, their 800 acre, all-inclusive campus features world-class training facilities, modern living spaces, and miles of trails for reflection and growth. Here, veterans find a structured, immersive environment where they can explore their strengths, develop new skills, and build a life that not only honors their past, but prepares the future.
8:34 Fran Racioppi? No, I agree. I think it's critically important for the nation to be able to get things done. That's what has to happen. One of the things that we've seen with this administration is a lot of veterans now taking key cabinet positions. And we have Pete Hegseth at the Secretary of Defense. We have Mike Waltz as National Security Advisor. Tulsi Gabbard, we're expected to be confirmed as the Director of National Intelligence, and the Vice President was a former Marine. What do you expect out of them in those key positions and their ability now to work across the aisle with Congress to get things done?
9:10 Speaker 01 Let me say out of the group you name, I knew and know Mike Waltz personally, having served on Armed Services Committee. And I'm saying this, I mean, Mike is a true American. He truly, not only is he wearing the uniform, but my experience is working with him, he's always tried to do what's best for the American people. So it's good to see people like him excel to go on with the administration. You know, the unfortunate side of that, it pulls them out of the Congress and, you know, in a selfish way, have been able to work with him to tackle some of our tough issues. We're just now working in a different light. But
9:53 Speaker 01 my expectation would be of anyone who's worn the uniform and now serving on the cabinet. It was, oh, it is. We all remember, you remember, taking your oath of office. Actually, if you serve the career over time, you took many of them. And the fundamental basis of that oath is to protect the Constitution. I would expect everyone to, they all in to protect the Constitution of the United States. And I would expect everyone to wake up every single day.
10:31 Speaker 01 And asked themselves the question, how can I make sure we're doing everything to keep the American people safe?
10:41 Fran Racioppi? That's the job. I want to get into your military career because you brought up a little bit of it, but you went to the Air Force Academy. We won't hold it against you as an Air Force officer. We need those out there. It's an important part of what we're doing.
10:54 Speaker 01 Now, we came from the Army now, right? Okay. All right.
10:57 Fran Racioppi? That's true. It was the Army Air Corps. So at the end of the day, you're kind of an Army guy, I guess. But you served eight years on active duty. You had a pretty cool job running the operations center for Air Force One. I mean, that's got to be absolutely incredible. But talk for a second about, you know, growing up in North Carolina and thinking, hey, I want to go in the Air Force and that's something that I think would be impactful to my life and my career. Why?
11:21 Speaker 01 I was born, literally downtown Snow Hill, small town, small community. Everybody knows each other. And I worked in tobacco fields, just helping the family make ends meet. We didn't think anything about it. I mean, it was hard work, dedication and truly love for community and country. Those were basic things that I was raised by my grandmother and instilled in me at a young age. And as I began to just think about the future, I wanted to serve our country. I'm so I applied for the United States Air Force Academy and went on to go to attend
12:03 Speaker 01 the United States Air Force Academy and graduated in 1994. After that, I stayed four year in admissions office and my first assignment out of all places, Axle was Andrews Air Force Base, Joint Base Andrews Air Force, right here in the Washington area, so on the Maryland side. I served my career field, was a services officer. I worked and did special duty assignments. You were talking about the protocol. So I served as a protocol officer, obviously overseeing Air Force One and not only that.
12:41 Speaker 01 But the different heads of state coming in and out of the US engaging in many of the ceremonies that we see when whether we were doing a red carpet or we were giving tribute to someone who had passed, a military member that may have died or was killed. So it was really interesting work and I had an opportunity of actually engaging with families and I'm just being candid with you, it wasn't what I thought I would be doing, but I learned so much having done it. And you know, that's the thing about the military that I appreciate so much is salute
13:21 Speaker 01 smartly, tell me, give the orders, the direction, salute smartly, carry on, do the best you can. And I remember going down in one case, we had an A-10 that went down Eastern Shore, leading a search and rescue team and eventually became a recovery effort and engaging with the mother. And I mean, I still remember and have so many of those experiences today that helped to shape me and my leadership. I went on to East Carolina University, serving as an assistant professor of aerospace studies, served as commandant of cadets there, taught military history, national security
14:05 Speaker 01 affairs. And the thing about that assignment, what I think is most important, going back to Eastern North Carolina, was an opportunity to really shape future leaders. And to think now, so many of my former students are over at the Pentagon and just doing amazing things. For me, it's just so fulfilling to see how we can shape and make a difference in our society. And, and actually, I believe it's an obligation that we have, not just to wear the uniform, but once you even get to the point at different times to take it off, to continue, look at ways to make meaningful contributions.
14:48 Fran Racioppi? Well, when you took the uniform off, you went into state government. There's an interesting conversation, I actually had this conversation last week with somebody where we were talking about The difference and the value, the pros and cons of when you take the uniform off, if you decide to pursue a career in elected service, do you go directly into the House or the Senate? And you know, what's that path look like? Or does it make sense to gain experience and try to come up through state government? Understand how government works at the state level? And then try to cross over into the federal side? Talk for a second about about your decision to enter state politics, be there for a while, gain that experience and then come into the federal side.
15:31 Speaker 01 So I moved back to Snow Hill, my hometown. And I took the uniform off on the last day of filing for mayor of my hometown. And I took the uniform off. I put my suit and tie on. I was at my home church and I came out and announced I was filing for mayor on the last day. I filed for mayor. We were running against an incumbent and you know, the odds is so much against you. And we went to work and by the time it was over, we won that election with 63% of the votes. But let me share, and this is what life was like for me and my experience.
16:12 Speaker 01 So I moved back to Snow Hill, but I remember as a child, we liked riding our bikes. We did WWE, all kinds of things, you know, pretending things the kids would do. And I remember there was a hill in the neighborhood and we would like to take the bikes and jump wheelies, you know, jump the hill. And long story short, you couldn't take a direct path to that hill because there was a pothole in the road. Well, I came back in my adult life and the pothole was still there. And I just thought, how many people have driven by this pothole? How many people, it was a street, a subdivision, how many have just walked by it? And it's done nothing.
16:55 Speaker 01 Or how many people have actually even taken the time to call in and, but why is it still there? And I was definitely moved and inspired to do something. So I ran for mayor. We won, we had to fill that pothole.
17:11 Fran Racioppi? First order of business.
17:12 Speaker 01 I was like, okay, we gotta take care of that pothole.
17:14 Fran Racioppi? Did you have an executive order? Was that the first executive order, fill the pothole?
17:20 Speaker 01 Well, let me share, there are so many potholes that are still out there. You know, when we look at rural America, places like eastern North Carolina, there's just so many challenges that are out there. You know, when we look at our country, I mean, there's still in ways, potholes that people are just, they're craving to be filled. And to me, that is a lot what public service is about. So from there, I served as mayor, was reelected, served seven years and I stepped down because I was elected to the North Carolina Senate. I served 12 years in the state senate.
18:00 Speaker 01 And from there, I ran for house and, and obviously, as you mentioned earlier, in my second term. I shared it all to say that coming from local government, state government to federal government, it really provided so much perspective. And it's those lessons and experiences that stay with me today. Being the mayor, it was about filling the pothole, keeping the lights on, water, responding to issues, emptying the trash, making sure everything was taken care of. And guess what? I'm gonna continue to say this. People reached out to the mayor. Everybody kind of knew each other in a small town. And they reached out and when they had concerns.
18:44 Speaker 01 It wasn't, oh, is he a Democrat or Republican? No, it's I have a concern and I wanted addressed. And I'm saying all this to say, that's what mayors do. And it didn't matter. Matter of fact, sometimes because I knew him, the phone kept calling, would continue to ring and at all times. But for me, it is that level of service. It is about coming to Congress, bringing those experiences, understanding what state legislators are perhaps experiencing. I remember even the time in the state senate. I mean, we couldn't do everything alone. And I mean, we had to, you know, rely and coordinate with the federal government on issues.
19:25 Speaker 01 So, I mean, having that perspective, I really believe is so valuable. I'm coming to Congress and obviously, not every member has that perspective, but it is great perspective to have.
19:38 Fran Racioppi? Yeah, I mean, there's something said about what we call effective intelligence, which is the term we use in the assessment of special operators, that you gain something from the experiences of your past.
19:50 Speaker 01 That's right.
19:51 Fran Racioppi? And we're all a byproduct of our experience in our past. And the more that you understand about things, I call that not always the longer you are on earth, but sometimes the more experiences you have, then that helps you to shape your opinions in the future.
20:05 Speaker 01 Absolutely. And that's been the case. I mean, I see a lot of issues that we discussing here. I mean, in some shape or form, we may have had similar conversations, if not exact conversations at the state level. So great experience, a wooden shai way. And at the same time, it just makes for a larger learning curve for someone that may not have that experience. And it doesn't mean that they cannot come and serve honorably. But again, I value those experiences of serving at the local and state levels.
20:42 Fran Racioppi? I want to talk about national security.
20:44 Speaker 01 Yeah.
20:45 Fran Racioppi? Top line issue today. You serve as the vice ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, and you're on the Subcommittee on Readiness and also the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces. A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to come down to DC and sit down with the former Sergeant Major of the Army, Dan Daley, who also happened to be my first Command Sergeant Major, my first battalion when I was in the infantry. So that was a great conversation and reminiscent about history and going to Iraq 20 years ago and how things have changed.
21:15 Speaker 01 And let me say again, I always thank you too, again, for your service and for, you know, those that are listening in to you. We can never take for granted your service and your contributions.
21:28 Fran Racioppi? Well, thank you. You forged the path, so we came behind you. We talked about readiness and we defined readiness and the Army defines readiness as the ability to defeat, deny, or deter hybrid, near-peer threats and meet operational demand requirements. Congress defines readiness as the ability of military forces to fight and meet the demands of assigned missions. Readiness by doctrine has four pillars: manning, training, equipping, and leader development. As you sit on the Subcommittee for Readiness, how are you defining readiness today?
22:04 Speaker 01 I believe the most simplistic way of defining readiness is when there is a mission and a call then to respond to that mission, are we capable? Now, when you begin to look beyond and stretch that out, it has so many components. Obviously, you are concerned about the troops, personnel, you're concerned about equipment, you have to deploy equipment as well. I mean, there's so many different parts of this. If you then step back even in a broader context, when we think about readiness, you can't have a conversation without talking about recruitment and retention, quality of life, that's part of that.
22:48 Speaker 01 Making sure that you have the equipment that is necessary when we talk about modernization, how do we balance all of this? So, I mean, I can go from the most simplistic terms to what it really means for the day to day, and I believe it's such a broad concept, but at the end of the day, it comes back to our ability to successfully respond to keep the American people safe. That's the bottom line.
23:21 Fran Racioppi? When faced with a challenge, Green Berets adapt, overcome, and keep moving forward. Now's your chance to stand with them. Join the 1952 Society with a monthly gift of just $19.52 to provide critical medical devices for wounded, ill, and injured Green Berets. Your support fuels their recovery, helping them return to duty or continue serving their communities. A Green Beret's mission never stops. Neither should our support. Join the 1952 Society today and stand with those who stand for us.
23:52 Fran Racioppi? I like how you use the word respond because oftentimes people will say react, but react is a failure of preparation. Responding is when we think proactively about the situation that we're gonna encounter and we prepare, which is also the byproduct of, which is readiness, being prepared. We've spent 20 years plus fighting what we termed the global war on terror since 9/11. We had this fighting spirit across the military for so long, yet, as you mentioned, over the past few years, recruiting has gone down to near all time lows. And we have an entire generation of global war on terror veterans who are getting out
24:37 Fran Racioppi? and not for the sheer reason it's been 20 years. And it's a, the military is a pyramid, like all organizations, and you move up or you move out at the end of your 20 years, every year, there's gonna be less and less of the GWAT generation left. The image, in a lot of ways, of our military has also been a bit softer, a bit kinder than it was if you think back to the post 9/11 days, invasion of Iraq days, where it was really hard charging. What is the next conflict in your mind that we are preparing for?
25:10 Speaker 01 Well, obviously, when we look across the globe right now, we have to be concerned about Iran, proxies, we've seen Hamas terrorists. I was in Israel in August prior to October 7th. I'm literally down, I'm at the border, Gaza border. And matter of fact, I remember I was taking a picture and later seeing terrorists, Hamas terrorists, in the same area, Kfar Azah and Kibbutz. And I'm saying all this to say, we have to make sure that innocent civilians are kept
25:52 Speaker 01 safe and that we guard against terrorists and terrorism. And in fact, I believe if we're not careful, if we fail to do it, then we'll find ourselves even more having to fight terrorists and terrorism right here on American soil. It goes beyond Iran and proxies, whether it's Hamas.
26:14 Speaker 01 Hezbollah, Houthis, I mean, we see that movement. Obviously, when we talk about Russia and Putin's aggression, we have to always be mindful there. But shifting, we all know that China is a great threat that we have to be a concern about. And not only China, but when we speak in the terms of China, it changes the landscape. I mean, I see our modern or contemporary battlefield being tied to our economy. Looking at the global economies as well as technology is shifting, quickly shifting.
26:58 Speaker 01 And as we see more innovations, it is important for us to make sure that we stay on top of those innovations. And literally, I've traveled to Ukraine, Kiev, and we have to always look at how technology is influencing our ability to respond. And so I would say there's a lot going on. This is a dangerous world. There are threats out there and we're going to continue to do everything we can on the earth. And with God's help, to keep the American people safe as the priority.
27:40 Speaker 01 We can come up here to all this fussing and fighting. I mean, this is a polarized environment, so polarized. Fundamentally, we have to keep the American people safe. And that is a charge of mine and many members of the Four Country Caucus.
28:00 Fran Racioppi? I think when you talk about China, it's very interesting. You brought up, we have to broaden our definition of conflict. Because we tend, being military background, you know, being on the Armed Services Committee, you always tend to think about conflict in terms of bombs and bullets, right? You know, like, we gotta be in a war, we gotta fight. But we have to define what is the battlefield that we're on with China? Because the battlefield that we're on with China is not the battlefield that we're on with ISIS.
28:34 Speaker 01 It is dealing with our economies, it's dealing with information. I mean, it is a very complex battlefield. It's a different battlefield.
28:44 Fran Racioppi? So you could even tie in, I had an opportunity several years ago to interview former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. And
28:51 Speaker 01 We saw him a few days ago at the inauguration.
28:54 Fran Racioppi? He's still on TV every day. But we had the opportunity to talk about DIME, the doctrinal term, diplomatic, informational, military and economic levers that get pulled by governments to influence national power, the elements of national power. And it's so important to really contextualize the battle that we are in. Because I don't think, and I think people will disagree, what does it take? I'll ask you the question, what does it take to have a military conflict with China?
29:26 Speaker 01 Well, I'll put it this way, we have to always make sure that we're looking at every scenario under the sun. Even troops and equipment. But we would not be wise to not look at the context in particular. You know, when we talk about the economy, the interconnectivity of our economies. And, you know, what it comes down to is how do you then take the most strategic approaches?
30:06 Speaker 01 Balance approaches and make sure too, we're very vigilant. And not only that, but we're unyielding at the same time, maintaining that American spirit. I'm so, I mean, it is dynamic.
30:22 Fran Racioppi? There's a lot of conversation that's been had over the last couple of years and even in as different leaders within the national security infrastructure have come and testified before Congress and they'll tell you the red lights are blinking. The days we're closer to another 9/11 than we are removed from 9/11 itself and that there are still terrorist organizations that are out there. A lot of folks, especially from the special forces community, have called the situation with the withdrawal from Afghanistan a moral injury. They've accredited the resurgence of Al Qaeda coming out of Afghanistan to the withdrawal from that, from there several years ago.
31:05 Fran Racioppi? Terrorism is a difficult challenge and we fought a counterterrorism fight for 20-plus years and in that it comes down to intelligence, it comes down to information. We have to be so much more proactive in understanding what's happening with our adversaries and sometimes we don't know who those adversaries are. What's your assessment right now, when we look at the threats between a broader dying conflict with China or an actual potential victim of a terrorist attack, you know, what's your assessment of our terrorist adversaries' capabilities now within the United States or their willingness to target us?
31:41 Speaker 01 Well, clearly there's willingness to target us. I mean, we keep seeing whether they're, you know, lone wolf and people, again, through information, whether it's the internet, you know, feeling somehow sympathetic to causes and going from those situations to, I mean, Iran has been very active, obviously, you know, with getting weapons, training. I mean, we didn't get to October the 7th overnight. I mean, that was a process, it was very well orchestrated and organized and, I mean, literally,
32:22 Speaker 01 you could see it in Gaza, you know, in terms of, you know, their capabilities, the rockets and so forth. So I would say we can never take it lightly. We cannot rest on our laurels that they will not attempt other attacks on the American people, whether it's here or abroad. And, you know, that's part of the task that we have upon us as members of Congress again to always... Make sure to make sure that we're attuned, we're listening, that we have good intelligence as well, and that we're doing everything with that information to keep the American people safe.
33:05 Fran Racioppi? In your role on the Armed Services Committee, you obviously have a firsthand view and decision-making into the presence of our special operations forces and also into the integration of our special operations forces with our conventional forces. A lot of focus has been put over the last couple of years on building up our conventional forces, investment in big Navy, investment in Air Force and long-range strike capability, investment in, as we've seen, and rightfully so, in our long-range artillery that has been used extensively in the Ukraine conflict that we've supplied to Ukraine to fight the Russians.
33:45 Fran Racioppi? We understand that in a near-peer or peer-to-peer conflict, that those type of assets are going to be critical in our deep strike capability. However, our special forces, their job is to prevent nation-state on nation-state conflict. They operate what we call and have termed left-of-bang, left-of-conflict. We want to keep the term near, as Sergeant Major Weimer, the Sergeant Major of the Army, told me, "Special Forces' goal is to keep the term near in front of peer for as long as possible." So how is Congress looking at special operations forces right now and the utilization of them as they prepare and ready for the next conflict?
34:30 Speaker 01 What I think is most important, and when we talk and think about our special forces, is to continue to make sure that there's that level of coordination, collaborations taking place to make it easier to perhaps even engage within our units. But where I'm hitting is we have to make sure that they have the resources they need to be able to respond. And there's a lot of activity across the globe. And I believe we're increasingly rely upon our special forces to play critical roles across the globe.
35:15 Speaker 01 So it is important, you know, for me, one of the greater concerns is just making sure there are the resources they need to respond to those global threats. Do you think we're ready? Well, I'll put it this way, I feel very confident that we are still the world's leading force. That does not mean that, you know, we're perfect and it does not mean that there's not opportunities for us to continue to grow and realize efficiencies, but don't bet against America. I mean, we are ready to keep the American people safe.
35:52 Fran Racioppi? We would be remiss if we didn't discuss the, as we joked about at the beginning, the rapid change that has been going on here in Washington and across the country as the Trump administration has taken power over the last couple of weeks and solidified their base. To date, President Trump has signed close to 60 executive orders, ranging in everything from tariffs to pausing foreign aid, illegal immigration, bans on transgender people serving in the military, various medical care issues, Super Bowl Sunday, the Gulf of Mexico has been renamed the Gulf of America. We now have Gulf of America Day of February 9th.
36:33 Fran Racioppi? There was no doubt in anyone's mind that when President Trump took office, that he would shake the tree. I'm not sure that everybody thought the tree would be shaken so violently. If you remember from our days in the military, we said that slow is smooth and smooth is fast, but we also know from our days in the military that speed and violence of action gets things done. What's your perspective on the Trump administration's rapid action across the board over the last couple of weeks?
37:03 Speaker 01 My perspective, let me ask a question. I'm gonna ask you.
37:06 Speaker 02 All right. Okay. I like being in the hot.
37:07 Speaker 01 Hold on. Let's see. Has it been barely three weeks or three years?
37:15 Speaker 01 There's been a lot coming during a short, narrow window here. And I will definitely convey what I hear from constituents. I hear some who want and feel we definitely need to shake up government some. There are some that maybe, you know, don't embrace the entire magnitude of the shakeup, so to speak. And then there are those, another spectrum that's just afraid, how far will this go? And I think there are definitely mixed reviews to say, as we look at this. Immigration, you know, personally, travel to the border. And we need to secure the border.
37:57 Speaker 01 And we have, I mean, just an amazing fentanyl crisis that's taken place before our very eyes. I think of the screening that we're doing, less than 5% or so. These illicit drugs make it to distribution points into private vehicles, onto interstates, into communities, deadly, dangerous. But when we think about the border and the illicit drugs that are making it into communities across America. Vehicles will come in to distribution points, private vehicles through interstates, into communities. And this is not just a border state issue, it's all of ours.
38:39 Speaker 01 You know, so when I see responses on immigration. But then at the same time, I must admit, I would have never in my wildest imagination thought we would even talk about using US troops and eventually setting up resorts in Gaza. I mean, you know, so, or just a person born in America, you know, that would no longer be an American citizen. You know, so there are definitely, you know, mixed reviews. But what I would come back to is when I look at my election, the first district of North Carolina. This is a Trump-Davis district. And I'm sharing this to say, the only mandate that I believe is out there,
39:22 Speaker 01 even with the trifecta and the narrow majority in the House, I think the only mandate is to come to Washington DC, do everything you can to speak up for your constituents, to be a voice for them, those conversations they have at dinner tables and at church and, you know, with people across the community, and to be a strong voice, to speak up and to advocate and share what's taking place and, and, you know, at the end of the day, try to make life better in communities. So for me, it is important not to lose sight.
40:06 Speaker 01 There were people hurting, struggling, costs high for so many, not quite understanding how they'll make ends meet or how they would eat, especially for some at the end of the month. Those issues did not go away just because we held an election. Those issues are still there. There's still people who are struggling right now, struggling to make it. In eastern North Carolina, our economy is sluggish, it remains sluggish. People always are looking, how do we get good paying jobs into the area? They're looking for opportunities to realize the American dream. And I believe it's important for us to make sure the voices are heard,
40:51 Speaker 01 that we're engaging in a way to say, hey, there's hope. In other words, I believe we should be bridges. Look at how we can bring people together to bring them along with us.
41:07 Speaker 01 I believe that's part of leadership and that's what I've tried to do and will continue to do. And I also believe it is meeting people where they are, not expecting them to change who they are, but meet them where they are to understand their experiences. I think we have that obligation. That's my commitment. In the midst of all this that's going on, it's not to lose sight and to be a uniter and bring people together for the greater good of our country. We are the United States of America.
41:40 Fran Racioppi? I think what we take from our military service is that character matters above all else. And the strength of a person's character is what perseveres in the good times and the bad times. And as we seek to bring America together, regardless of what side of the aisle you sit on and where your opinions lie, I think, and my hope is that America will come back to putting people in place who are people of character, regardless of what their background is, but they trust them and those people are going to do the right thing no matter the challenge.
42:10 Speaker 01 I believe it matters that people have a sense of a person who is fighting for them. That doesn't mean that we're gonna agree, anyone's gonna agree 100% of the time, but they want to know that you care and that you're in the fight to help them live a better life for not only them, but most importantly, most people say for our children.
42:38 Fran Racioppi? Well Congressman, I gotta get you back to work. You got a busy day, couple hours left here. You know, I think, I think you got about eight or eight more hours left in the work day before the new one starts, but I appreciate you spending time with us here, sharing your perspective and most importantly, leading for the people of North Carolina and leading for the American people.
42:58 Speaker 01 Thank you so much.
43:00 Fran Racioppi? Thank you.
43:07 Fran Racioppi? American Jedbergs went on to form the foundation of the United States Special Forces and the Special Activities Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Thanks for listening to the Jed Burke Podcast, an official program of the Green Beret Foundation. I'm your creator and host, Fran Rychowi. Join us next week for a new episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Check us out on YouTube for full episodes, highlights, and other long and short form content. If you like what you heard, give us a like and leave a review. Follow the Jed Burke Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, or Threads. Send your comments and inquiries to [email protected] . As former members of Special Operations Forces, the Jed Burke Media Channel and the Green Beret Foundation remain committed to supporting all generations of US Army Special Forces and their families.
43:52 Fran Racioppi? Thanks for joining us on this episode. How you prepare today determines success tomorrow.
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