Tim Kennedy: Retired US Army Special Forces sniper and former UFC fighter; founder of the Sheep Dog Response training company, the Apogee schools, and an NGO (Save Our Allies) that evacuates Americans and allies from war zones.
What this episode covers
Tim Kennedy joins Joe Rogan after returning from Israel following the October 7th Hamas attack, recounting how he was personally involved in four consecutive humanitarian crises in three years: the Afghanistan withdrawal, the Mexican border, Ukraine, and now Israel. He argues that propaganda funded by Iran, Russia, and China is destabilizing America while citizens grow physically soft, medicated, and disengaged. Much of the conversation centers on the Israel-Palestine conflict, the plight of Gazans held hostage by Hamas, and the spread of antisemitism and misinformation in the US and on campuses. Kennedy makes a sweeping case for individual responsibility and 'sovereignty' through fitness, hunting, family-centered education, and entrepreneurship. They close on censorship of figures like Mike Glover and Andrew Huberman, and an appreciation of combat sports, including Francis Ngannou's boxing debut.
Recommended on this episode
Shot IQ
Joel Turner
“are you familiar with Joel Turner's work the shot iq's history yeah fantastic yeah for sure changed everything for me and so many other people”— Tim Kennedy
Prepared
Mike Glover
“Mike Glover wrote great book prepared and that in that one of the big takeaway ways was like it doesn't have to be your purpose”— Tim Kennedy
The New Rules of War
Sean McFate
“there's this amazing book called the new rules of War and the new rules of War lines out all of the ways that America is not prepared”— Tim Kennedy
Montana Knife Company knives
Montana Knife Company
“the company's only been around for a couple years and is gigantic it's huge it's killing it they make great knives they make amazing knives amazing”— Joe Rogan
The guest's own work
The Purpose of Pain
Tim Kennedy
“so I'm I'm writing a book right now called the purpose of pain and my sniper partner during sniper school he is dealing with a bunch of stuff”— Tim Kennedy
Also referenced (named, not recommended)
Black Rifle Coffee
Black Rifle Coffee Company
“be fully transparent the um I only like the bougie Black Rifle Blends the bougie Blends yeah like the Ethiopian stuff”— Joe Rogan
Cookie G3 skydiving helmet
“he sends me this like super fancy um designed helmet from Black Rifle a Skydive helmet a G3”— Tim Kennedy
Fitbit
Fitbit
“she's got a Fitbit now she's 13 she's a Savage she likes to tell me like did 28,000 steps today”— Joe Rogan
M118LR match-grade ammunition
“so they get me an m118 LR it's a 175 grain match grade Bullet for My 308”— Tim Kennedy
Nerf gun
Hasbro
“my son and I were playing Nerf and it was a video in like first person of me chasing my at the time seven-year-old”— Tim Kennedy
Speed Goat (knife)
Montana Knife Company
“he puts on the handle of the speed goat then he makes it black and then he takes the crest and he puts it on the blade”— Tim Kennedy
Big reveals from this episode
- Kennedy says he was personally involved in four consecutive humanitarian crises in three years: Afghanistan, the Mexican border, Ukraine, and Israel.
- He describes cartels at the Del Rio River grabbing babies and pushing them into the water to divert US personnel while smuggling fentanyl upriver.
- He claims roughly 28% of missiles launched from Gaza by Hamas land inside Gaza on the Palestinian people.
- Kennedy argues the United States is the most vulnerable it has ever been due to unprepared, unhealthy, disengaged citizens.
- He tells how Mike Glover volunteered to shoot with him as his sniper partner, risking his own go/no-go sniper-school graduation.
- Instagram forced him to delete posts (Epstein, missing trillions, a Nerf video with his son) to keep his account, and still shadow-bans him as 'misinformation.'
- He says Wikipedia removed all of Andrew Huberman's peer-reviewed papers after Huberman commented favorably about Joe's RFK Jr. interview.
Worth remembering
- A peregrine falcon can dive at roughly 220 mph and change direction instantly.
- About 2.4 million people live in Gaza, an area the size of Washington DC.
- Iran pumps roughly $70 million a year into Hamas, Kennedy says.
- There are 22 Arab nations and 40+ Muslim nations but only one Jewish nation, and no Muslim country accepts Palestinian refugees.
- The Romans coined the term 'Palestine' for the region after destroying the temple in 80 AD.
- A good electrician in Austin averages around $200,000 in income, Kennedy says.
- An M118LR sniper round is a 175-grain match-grade bullet for a .308, traveling about 2,600 feet per second.
- Kennedy and Rogan argue Francis Ngannou actually beat Tyson Fury in Ngannou's first-ever boxing match despite the decision.