Ex Navy SEAL Who Killed Osama Bin Laden On The Raid & Fear | Robert J. O’Neill | FO579 Raj Shamani

You were the man who shot Osama bin. Ladin. >> Osama bin Laden has been killed. >> When you were training on day one, you. didn't know that you're actually going. to eliminate Osama bin Laden. >> No, we didn't know on day one, but we. knew about 3 weeks before they found. Osama bin Laden. And it sort of hit me. and I'm like, "All right, this is the. team. I'm on it. We're going to [ __ ]. kill him.". 3 weeks to the day we're standing over. his [ __ ] body.

>> I have a mock of the house. So I can. show you that and then you tell me. explain me on that. >> We went up and so it was two of us that. went up these set of stairs. Osama was. right here. So his wife was right in. front of him. He had his hands on his. shoulders and he wasn't surrendering to. me. Because he did that I turned. So I. shot Bin Laden twice in the head, foot. of the bed right there. And one of my. buddies who's coming in, he grabs me, stop him, and he goes, "Hey, you just. killed Osama bin Laden. Your life just. changed.". >> Osama bin Laden. Osama bin Laden. >> America's number one public.

>> How did you feel when you when you see. his body after you've just shot him? >> I don't feel anything. We flew into Bram. so we could give all the stuff that we. found there and then they could get. professional pictures, all the. professional DNA. And Bin Laden's body. is right there. And Barack Obama came. down a red carpet with a red tie and. said, "Tonight I can report to the. American people and to the world. The. United States has conducted an operation. that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader. of al-Qaeda. >> Why do you want to kill him and not. capture him and take him? >> Because Khalichek Muhammad is on trial.

in 2 years, 3 years from now. I don't. want him on trial for 30 years. I want. him dead. >> Before you went to eliminate Osama bin. Laden, you wrote letters to your kids. and wife. >> Yes. >> That you might not come back home. >> That one was a one-way mission. My. middle daughter was seven at the time. I. wrote a letter to her, but not to the. seven-year-old. I wrote a letter to the. 27-year-old and I just said, "Hey, uh, thanks for taking care of your sisters. and your mom. I'm sorry I missed your. wedding and explained what we did and. and here's why I couldn't be here.". Tears hitting the page.

>> What were you thinking when you were in. the cop? >> Dead. I'm going to die. >> By who? >> Pakistan military. Why? >> On the way in. Well, we're invading. Pakistan knew he was there. There's no. doubt about it. >> Yeah. >> You had the best air force. You could. have just taken your plane or a copter. and it drop bomb on that house because. you guys knew that this is the house. where he is. >> because we didn't know if we killed. We. would never have been able to prove he. was there and technically we haven't. shown the pictures but we have a lot of. pictures of him. We just haven't. released him. >> And what did you do with that body? >> The story I got was they threw him in. the ocean but I didn't see it. So I'm at.

a point in my life where if I didn't see. it physically I don't believe it. >> But why? >> They said that they don't want a shrine. to bin Laden where people can go. worship. I disagree with that. Rather. they get to see it. This is what happens. to you when you [ __ ] with us. I have a small favor to ask you. I need. you to subscribe to our channel. The. more subscribers we have, the better and. bigger guests we can bring and provide. you more value through these. conversations. And the full audio. experience of this show is also. available on Spotify where you can.

follow us and listen to the new episodes. as well. You know that feeling when you. need to send just one small thing to a. customer or another business? That's. when you realize how hard it is to find. a reliable transport partner. And most. transport options charge you way too. much for small goods. That's why I use. Porter. Their two wheelers can carry up. to 20 kg. And for things that need a. little more space and care, Porter. scooter is available with the same 20 kg.

capacity. The best part is that it's. affordable and there's no negotiating. What you see on the app is exactly what. you pay. So, whatever you need to send, Porter makes it simple and stress-free. To know more about our title sponsor, Porter and their services, check out the. link in the description below. >> You are the man who shot Osama bin Lad. >> You were a Navy Seal. >> Yes. >> We're decorated more than 54 times. >> You've done incredible stuff in your.

life, right? And it's an honor to have. you on the show, by the way. >> I appreciate that. Thank you. >> I'm really grateful at this point. >> Well, I appreciate that. No. And it is. too. You got to I I joined the Navy just. like anybody can. I well because I tried. to join the Marine Corps because I was. my plan was basketball. I was going to. play college basketball which I was. doing. I was going to get a degree and. then work with my dad and I got dumped. by a girl and said [ __ ] it. I'm joining. the Marine Corps. That was it. And my. family is not military. >> Things got really serious before you.

went to eliminate Osama bin Laden. Because I remember I was reading. somewhere that before you got on that. helicopter, you wrote letters to your. kids and wife. >> Yes. >> That you might not come back home. >> That was a that one was a was a one-way. mission. We cuz when we it all uh the. frequency was there when the war. started, uh guys went to Afghanistan first. When. they came back, I remember the two I'll. never forget how ser because SEALs are. funny. Special forces are funny.

Soldiers are funny everywhere. uh that I. always love working with other countries. military because once you get to that. sense of humor it's awesome but the two. things the guys that got back. immediately said was uh um I said how. was Afghanistan and the first thing he. said was you wouldn't believe me so just. go see it and uh second thing he said. was all that [ __ ] that we've learned. meaning everything forget it uh this is. a whole different animal we're using. Vietnam tactics in jungles uh when you. get shot at here you're going to find.

the largest rock which is going to be. that figure you're going to put your. entire body behind it. It's [ __ ]. different. So that so we go over there. and then uh you know having never been. in real combat obviously uh edge of my. seat here. But then you start to meet. people you start to what I started to. realize that was crazy was most people. here are just trying to do what I'm. trying to do. Raise their kids and have. a decent life. That's it. And so you. start re Oh [ __ ] There's there most. people are trying to kill each other. Iraq, same thing. I go there now I'm. repumped up again. There's suicide. No, there's not suicide bombers everywhere.

There's [ __ ] people trying. There's. Sunnis over here, she over here, and. they're just trying to live. That's it's. other instigators come in and try to. whatever. But you start to realize, okay, nine out of 10, maybe more are not. a problem. So the the issue is. complacency will get you killed. If you. get in a certain if you lull yourself. into safety, you that's when the. terrorists need needs to be right once, but also you don't want to [ __ ] up the. person who's not doing anything. the one. one woman in particular in Iraq. It was. 2007 in her house in Ramani. I I went in.

there 2 3:00 in the morning. I remember. and it's the wrong house. Okay. So, I. step in there. I'm on her white carpet. I think I blew up her door and she came. out and she the only other person in the. house with her was her daughter. And her. daughter was my age. My sorry, my. daughter's age. And I'm thinking about. my daughter. This woman, this big ugly. American, [ __ ] mud all over her carpet. My. first thought was, I understand why they. hate us. And you need to the human. element of everything is so important. If they hate us, we're never going to. win. So just just [ __ ] like that. So.

you're you're measuring the um the good. with the bad, I guess. And but also the. realization that not everybody's bad. Um. the the it doesn't matter what your. intention is. If if you if I'm in in. your country for uh long, you're going. to see me as an invader. It's that. simple. But we we're as Americans, we're. terrible about that. We don't know our. history. We don't know the culture. We. certainly didn't respect the culture. I. know that because I was never I had to. start respecting the culture because I I. noticed like, wait a minute, this is. [ __ ] up. So, we got really good at.

um getting to know the locals, getting. to know the environment, when to be. serious, when if if you throttle it up, you're going to lose your mind. You need. to be able to back it off. You need some. downtime. But the bin So, I was always. good about the morale [ __ ] too. But the. bin Laden raid, now we're talking about. brand new helicopters. The president. just found out about them a few weeks. ago. The pilots's only been flying them. for 5 days. We have the four best pilots. in the world. They didn't know about. these things. Um it's a 90-minute flight. to his house over first world um. defenses.

We are going to get in a gunfight as. soon as we land. If anyone's going to. kill everyone in the building, it's bin. Laden. Or we're going to run out of. fuel. We're we can't refuel on the way. in. We might have to sprint over the. Hindu Kush. We're pro. And then with. knowing combat, I brought this point up. I'm like, "Hey, here here's my issue. If. we if people respond to Bin Laden's. house, it's not going to be the Pakist. or the Pakistani military. It's going to. be local police and I didn't go there to. kill local policemen because they don't. know what we're doing there and he just. he's doing his job to feed his family.

I'm not going to kill some policemen. So. these are all the issues that we're. having. Uh but when we you know when we. were training I I it's like you need to. be serious now because we're not coming. home. So you need to make sure your life. insurance is good. Your wills are no. [ __ ] Cuz we would joke about um Yeah. Hey, at my uh uh at my funeral I want. turbo singing tiny dancer ac cappella. But then you start to realize, okay, this is seriously where the money going. Here's what you do with my kids. Here's. the schools. Uh and then the letters I. wrote were to my daughters, my my three. daughters at the time, handwritten. Um.

so my middle daughter was seven at the. time. And I remember I wrote I wrote a. letter to her, but not to the. seven-year-old. I wrote a letter to the. 27-year-old. And I just said, "Hey, uh, thanks for taking care of your sisters. and your mom. Uh, I'm sorry I miss your. wedding. You know, what we did was. noble." And explain what we did and and. here's why I couldn't be here. Tears. hitting the page literally. And then so. I got letters to each one of my. daughters and then I have letters to my. other family members, my close family.

and my wife, and I had to put them in um. in a manila envelope because normally. we've written sort of letters like that, but not always cuz you don't want to get. in that mindset. [ __ ] that. I'm coming. back. But this one's you need it legit. I couldn't give it to a friend. I can't. just say, "Hey, you know what to do with. this because he's going to die with me.". And the mission's so secret, no one. knows about it. I had to find a Navy. intel guy and say, "Here's a Manila. envelope with instructions. I want this. back tomorrow. If I don't come to get it tomorrow, the. instructions are inside." And he.

literally said, "How will I know?" And I. go, "You're going to [ __ ] know." And. then I saw him again the next day. I. took them from him and I shredded the. damn letter. I wish I would have kept. them, but I shredded them. >> And. so, but when you were training for this. and when you got to know on day one, you. didn't know that you're actually going. to eliminate Osama bin Ladin on day one, right? You didn't know. >> No, we didn't know on day one, but we. knew about 3 weeks before. >> Okay. >> At first, we didn't know because they. only told us.

>> what happened at first. Like, tell me. the whole thing. Like, what when did it. start? What was the time when you guys. were chosen? We were just we just. finished a a deployment to Afghanistan. I was the senior enlisted adviser for um. five or six or seven different places. and I was actually working on the CIA. based in Jalalabat, Afghanistan where we. would launch. I didn't know it at the. time. So I'm working there from. oh I don't even remember um December to. February, March November to March. And.

so we got done with that deployment and. then we start training again. So, I took. my guys to Florida because. I figured we could practice diving, combat diving in currents. >> I don't know what's going to happen off. the coast of East Africa and there's. piracy and I just want to get good at. diving. Just [ __ ] we never thought of. So, we were and other guys would do. that, too. You You want a trip where you. can train, but because you just finished. war, you want to go to somewhere fun. We. went to Miami, South Beach. Go there. I'll I'll go with you. It's a good. place. Other guys went to Las Vegas. because you can climb rocks out there.

and you're still in Las Vegas. And guys. went skydiving. But they recalled about. 28 of us, senior guys to Virginia Beach. I was I was in the middle of a cocktail. at happy hour on the beach in Miami. I. got a call and four of us had to go. back. So we flew back and and when you. know we all ran into each other. They. brought us in a room and sat us down. And here's how it started. They said, "Okay, this is real, not a drill. We. found a thing in a house and this house. is in a in a bowl in a in this mountain. range in a country and you're going to. go there and get it and you're going to.

bring it back to us and you're going to. show it to us. and what's that? >> That was it. Yeah. So, we're like, "Okay, a few questions. What is this. thing?" Well, we can't tell you. Okay. Um, which mountain ranges? Can't tell you. What country? Can't tell you. How are we. getting there? Can't tell you. How much. air support do we have? None. Okay, that. and literally start with that. That's. good. That's an answer. I don't have any. help. Okay. What else? They said, "Oh, you can't they this.". >> So, you don't know what country, what. building, what time. And then they said. this person, nothing at all. >> Nothing. And then they said you Oh, and.

you can't bring any air force. This is. all Navy Seals. What that means is when. we bring Air Force, we bring a par. rescue who is a basically a surgeon. He's a surgeon who can shoot. He's a. shooter first actually, and then a. surgeon, a badass air force. And the. other Air Force guy would be a combat. controller who controls the radio. He. controls everything up here. every. single aircraft to uh medicac casualty. evacuation, all the bombs. You've. probably never heard of combat. controllers in the air force. They are. without question the silent warrior, the.

most dangerous man on the battlefield. That's your guy. We can't bring them. All seals. So, if you knew how to do it. before, how to be a a medic or a radio. guy, guess what? Get your gear ready. So, that's all we know. So we're like. we're down in our gear fixing [ __ ] and. dudes from other parts of SEAL team 6. would come I remember dude come up to me. Kyle come up to me and he goes hey the. super secret mission man what is it and. I would say I don't know and he he'd go.

come on you can tell me. I'm like I have. no [ __ ] idea what this is. We didn't. know. So we're getting gear ready. walking around the super the guys are. already getting jealous because I'm at. Seal Team 6 the best of the best. Why. don't I know? And I'm like I don't. [ __ ] know. Then we went into a room. on a Friday. Everyone's frustrated. And. the boss said, "Okay, go home, be with. your kids, come back on Sunday at like. 05. We're going to take vans. We're. going to drive somewhere else and we're. going to read you in on this mission, what it actually is." And we're like, "Okay, cool. Who's going to be at the.

readin?" And we're [clears throat] just. over it. And he goes, "Um, the vice. president of the United States, Secretary, Defense Secretary." And he's. going down this list like, "What the. fuck?" And he's going down a list and he. said something like CTC pad and blah. blah, State Department. And I caught. that. CTCP pad is a CIA counterterror. Pakistan, Afghanistan. We think we're. going to Libya because. they weren't telling us how we're. getting there. It's a flat top with. Ospreys that the helicopter that turns. into planes. Shitty track record. It's. April the Arab Spring. They're We're.

going to get Gaddafi for sure. That's. what this That's what we're thinking. I. forgot to say that part. Got to be. When. they said CTC pad pack Afghanistan, I'm. like, wait a minute. if we're going to. get kaddafi, they wouldn't be there. I didn't say. anything. So, we go home with that [ __ ]. and have some I I used to drink at the. time. Had some scotch and [ __ ] And we. came back on um Sunday morning and we. get in vans. Four guys per van. I don't. know why. And we're driving. I'm in a. van. My boss is next to me in the back. Two dudes are driving. I said exactly. that to them. Like, they said CTC pad's.

going to be here. I got to tell you. guys, this isn't Gaddafi. They found. Osama bin Laden. And my boss looked at. me and he goes, "That's exactly what I. was thinking." So he and I are having. this calm conversation. We think we're. professionals over. >> drinks. >> And the guy looks at me in the mirror, the guy driving, my my one of my best. friends. And so my nickname was Nisro. and Navy Seal Rob O'Neal. NSRO. They. called me Nisro, right? So he looks at. me in the rearview mirror and goes, "Man, Nisro, if we kill Osama bin Laden, I will suck your.

just like that.". Funny. Three weeks to the day, we're. standing over his [ __ ] body and I'm. out of my mind, but right there for. sense of humor, right? And I I nudge him. and I go, "Hey, homie, now's as good a. time as any." And he goes, "Oh, [ __ ]. you." And I go, "Your bet we can do." I. was totally kidding with him, but he. remember the bet. Yeah. But then we uh. we get down to the spot. That's when we. met the Bin Laden team with the woman. who found him and she was just like the. woman in Zero Dark 30 and they stood in. front of us and they said, "All right, gentlemen. the reason you're here is. this is as close as we've ever been to.

Osama bin Laden. And she said that I'm. looking at my team and there was no high. fives. There was no smiling. We're just. like, sweet. Can we go right now? >> So, who was the first person to whisper. that this is Odam? >> That that was it right there. So, we. >> the woman. >> the woman well the commanding officer. Seal Team Six was and he introduced her. and then she told us how she found him. >> How did she find him? Well, she started. explaining it to us and after about 3. hours, we're like, "We just believe you. cuz there like I'm smart enough to carry. a hammer and a gun." She would show show.

me where to go and I'll go there. But. she, you know, the movie gets into it, but the it was painstaking. And this. woman was working 7 days a week, 20. hours a day with no days off for years. with a team. But she was she she was so. confident. I believed her. >> But here's what blows my mind. Like. nobody nobody ever actually saw his face. right in that house. in the h well no. >> yeah like like you were told that this. is the house this is what where the. country. >> what okay tell me what were you told and. then I'll tell you what I've read and.

then maybe we can. >> I mean the way she was so convinced it. was him she told us the pattern of life. >> but what did it what did she tell you. like one 3 weeks before the mission you. guys have been called now she's telling. you that. >> she she told us the way that she. >> who all were there at that time when she. was telling you. >> the whole team. >> the whole team and then the vice. president and all of these. >> no they didn't show up uh it was just. the highest ranking guy there was a. commanding officer Seal Team Six. I. don't know why they said that other. stuff. They didn't show. Um, no, sorry. Admiral McCraven came. So, he was a. three star admiral. He he was in charge. of joint special operations. He was the.

one talking to President Obama. So, that's how they got all the word from. >> Okay. And then this woman came and then. she told you that what building, what. country, >> she said exactly where he was. Uh we. would get done training for a night and. after a long day of all day long. helicopters, all night long helicopters, hours of standing around a table talking. about it, she every day she would say, "Okay guys, um right now Osama bin Laden. is on the third floor of that building. I don't understand why we're not going. tonight. Sleep well.". >> And for how long did she do that? >> A couple weeks.

>> For a couple of weeks. >> And I think what she kept saying is he's. going to leave on September 11th of this. year. We got to go cuz we wanted to go. during 0% illumination. So we basically. had two days and then in a month you. have two days. So like we got to go now. We have till September. Like she but she. was so cool. She's like I'm just telling. you we're going to lose him. >> But then. what I was telling you this is what. blows my mind that nobody saw Osama bin. Laden in that house. People just saw. that there's this CIA confirmed that. they they just saw this tall man walking.

in circles in a courtyard and they was. assuming that it was Osama. Everyone was. assuming except she was 100%. She was. 100%. She wasn't assuming [ __ ] She was. like, "I'm sure." And she would even. say, I think they depicted in the movie, she said, "Okay, it's 95% cuz I know you. don't like certainties, but it's [ __ ]. 100%." Like that. Like she was certain. She was 100% right on every single. person in that house. I don't know how. But the way that I mean, what convinced. me was she said, "Here's a guy." She. explained what he looked like. They had. it, I think, in color. They measured his.

his stature, his shadow certain times a. day. the fact that he would would walk. past people doing menial tasks and never. help. He was a shake of some sort. It's. him like that. I just was when she was. talking I was like I'm tired of. listening to you. I [ __ ] believe you. >> But. but did you guys ever question that what. if it it's not him? >> Not really. Um it was I was always. convinced. I mean it's going to be at. least some highle dude. There's probably.

going to be a gunfight and it's exciting. to go into Pakistan. We're gonna get. out. Hopefully, we get out. If it's not. bin Lan, we're definitely going to get. out. Maybe we got to kill a bunch of. people. >> Why was it exciting to go to Pakistan? >> I mean, at that point in my career, gunfights are [ __ ] exciting. They. just Your night gets better. Like, when. you hear bullets flying, it's like, "All. right, tonight got cool.". >> But then when you guys, let's say you. had the best military, you had the best. air force. You could have just taken. your plane or a copter and drop bomb on. that house because you guys knew that. this is the house where he is. >> Why did you not like drop a bomb? When. uh when President Obama asked the chief.

of staff of the Air Force what he would. need to completely guarantee a kill, I. think it was 22 2,000lb bombs. So you. drop that many J dams, joint direct. action munitions, you you're never going. to find anyone. And then we got to take. their word through reporting. President. Obama actually said um he didn't tell us. before, but he told us after that he. said, "I was never convinced Bin Laden. was there, but after seeing you, I was. convinced you could go find out and come. back." Which is good enough for me. And. also he was a badass uh for that.

mission. You'll ne I lean to the right, but you'll never hear me say a bad thing. about Barack Obama for that mission. because the the few times his decision-m. impacted me, it was great. When we we. presented him with we're flying in two. helicopters, we don't have a refueling. spot, a maximum of 23 minutes on the. ground, we're going to leave. We might. need to put the birds down and run. across. Um, if we get compromised, we. don't want to shoot a local cop. So, we're going to hardpoint with security.

We're going to need someone to go to the. embassy in Islamabad or to the to the. president and negotiate our release or. something cuz we don't want to kill the. cops. That's that's our plan. And Barack. I wasn't there for this one, but the. word I got was Barack Obama heard it and. was said, "That's interesting." And he. looked again to the chief of staff of. the Air Force and said, "What do you. need to reign hell on Pakistan? My. [ __ ] guys aren't surrendering to. anybody." And it's like, "Hell yeah, South Chicago politics, baby. give me. some air force. So then we we we built. it up. So we had our two helicopters. He. gave us six more helicopters full of.

dudes. So like it's on. So when we if we. get in trouble, we had our IRF, our. immediate reaction force, full of steel. team, six guys on a mountain top, blue. squadron, and we were red squadron. And. it was just And then we had Rangers. waiting. And I guess we had Air Force. dudes up there. >> So if anything would have gone wrong, they were like this backup. >> Yeah. And that's the point, too, where I. want to know everything except that. [ __ ] If [ __ ] goes sideways and we're in. a helicopter and they launch our F-16s. at us and you got it, I just trust you. I don't need to know any of that [ __ ]. It's way too complex for me. I'll just. ride and hopefully I don't blow up and. when I get to the promised land, I guess.

we got hit. That's my job is on on the. ground in the house and then get back. That's it. >> But why didn't you blow up that house. that you had? Exactly. >> There were too many people because we we. didn't know if we killed him. We would. never have been able to prove he was. there. >> And technically, we haven't shown the. pictures, but we have a lot of pictures. of them. We just haven't released them. >> So now, okay. So now you're you're there. and there are thousands of special. operators. But why just 23 of you? What. was so special about Discord?

>> Well, it was because we were the best. ones available, the best guys available in the entire US. military. And and we also happened to be in a spot. where if we went somewhere, they. wouldn't notice. Like they meaning. people in Virginia Beach, the locals, cuz we're supposed to be training. places. That's why we were just down in. Florida. I was going to go somewhere. else. If we leave, they no one will. notice. Uh that's a part of the reason. this there was already a SEAL team six. squadron in Afghanistan. and if I was on that team and they flew. another team from SEAL team six in to. kill Assam bin Laden. Imagine how pissed.

off. and that squadron was and they were a. rescue team. I they were such. professionals. I cannot I cannot commend. the men of blue team blue squadron seal. team 6 enough. Total professionals cuz. dude imagine if you're overseas already. in Afghan already fighting and some. other group of [ __ ] jackasses shows. up all clean and they go get bin and. leave. [ __ ] you. No, totally. professional. They haven't said a bad. word yet. Amazing. >> Crazy.

>> Wild. And then how did you guys practice. and rehearse? Because. >> uh you built a mockup of the house and. like try to do all of these drills. Yeah, the mockup was already there and. it was just more of us to get a uh to. see what the exterior looked like. If if. someone's trying to find a house, I. don't want if they haven't been in the. house themselves, I don't give a [ __ ] if. someone was in there with a camera. If. you weren't in there, don't you tell me. what it looks like. I'll figure it out. because they will tell you, "Okay, it's. definitely a left turn. As soon as you. go in, it's a left turn. Train on it. It's a left turn. As soon as you go, there's going to be right. Everything's.

off." When they would say, "Okay, there. are there are six women, six children, and six men." I would say, "Don't tell. me that. You tell me there's 18 people. I'll figure out who they are when I get. when I see there. Don't because it could. be uh oh, there's six 4 foot tall men. with guns. Just I'll figure it out. Like. that. So, just tell me what you. definitely know and I'll figure the rest. out. So, we knew what the exterior of. the house looked like. That's it. And. that saved us at the end because when I. got to the wrong spot, I knew where a. door would be to breach it. And that. turned out to be a fake door. So, [ __ ]. But at least I knew where it was. >> Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. We get.

there. We get there so soon. >> But, okay. So, let's say you you get in. this helicopter. How many helicopters. are going there? Two. too. >> Yeah. >> What are these? >> Uh they are they look like Blackhawks. They were special Blackhawks. They they. they had uh. >> stealth mode. >> Something like that. Yeah, that's that's. the part that I don't quite understand, which is good cuz I can't spill any. secrets. Uh I just stick with Yeah. Some. aliens came down, made these. helicopters, let us borrow them for a. night. We had to blow one up, so they're. probably still pissed. >> That'd be a good joke. That's why we. have all these alien sightings. They're. still mad about the helicopter.

>> No, we that's why we we went to. >> Two Two helicopters, 23 men. >> All of What all equipment did you have? Like Cairo the dog. >> Uh, Belgian Melon won't be brought with. nothing special. Um, >> why dogs? >> We brought a dog in because I need his. nose. If someone is hiding, he'll find. him. If someone is running, he'll catch. him. >> Uh, non-lethal. >> So, one dog. >> Yep. >> One dog. >> Cyro, the best the best dog the Navy has. ever had was Cairo. There's a book. written about him called No Ordinary. Dog. >> Why? What was so special about him?

>> I don't know. He was just a The dogs are. special because they know they're a pack. animal and the way that they handle it. is uh his handler is his dad and you're. his uncle. Everyone is his uncles. So, he's part of the pack and you need to. realize that he's going to compete with. everyone except except the the alpha. male, his handler. So, you need to. understand how to deal with them. The. dog knows that when he's wearing his. stuff, there's no more play. When he's. not, you can play with the ball. And. they're so well trained. They'd rather. have a ball than a treat, which is. crazy. They want to work. But Cairo.

could turn it on and off better than any. dog I've ever seen. I've got pictures of. me with him. I'll get you one. We're in. San Antonio chilling in my hotel room. Like I'm wearing this green no two. religion shirt sitting with it looks. like a German Shepherd just chilling. with Cairo and and sitting it's crazy. sitting on the same level as a working. dog. Normally you push him off like I'm. higher than you. With Cairo he's not. wearing his vest. He's chill. So me and. Kyle would chill. We went out the river. walk and walked around looked at people. like he's totally chill. Dress him up. He's good. So uh Kyro had been shot in. the chest before. He got hit twice and.

lived. and and he went on the mil right after. that. Like he's a badass. Cyro has two. silver stars. Read no ordinary dog. I'm serious. >> So that's Cairo. The 23 of you, two. helicopters, and what guns? What. grenades? It's like what what. >> I carried an HNK 416 which is 5.56. millimeter um. with an EOTech. and uh PE 5 invisible and visible laser.

just because I I didn't carry a lot of. extra [ __ ] on there cuz I ounces and. pounds if I'm running through the. mountains I don't want a bunch of. weight. That was it. I didn't carry a. pistol because if you get in a gunfight. with a pistol you might as well just. pick up rocks and throw them at the. people. It's not going to work. And then. I carried a rapid rod always because you. can pull that out and get I've I've been. in gunfights before in the snow where I. fell and it froze my bore and under fire. at night. I had a I remember taking my. gun apart like literally charging handle. out pulling this out rapid rod thinking. to myself in a gunfight at night in. Kandahar, Afghanistan that well this is.

why we do a blindfold literally in a. fight and then put it back together. It's funny. Um and then I carried a. thermal barrack grenade. This can blow a. whole room down. Uh no frags. I never. carry frags. I don't need flash crashes. because those are useless. I'll just. shoot and um. >> night vision or anything. >> Night vision. Yeah, I even stayed with. the old ones. So, we have the old I. think they were PVS 15s or 18s. I forget. which one they are. The It's a double. But they have the quad the the forods, but those are new and I don't want new. [ __ ] I want stuff that I know that when.

the battery runs out cuz it's not. supposed to, but it will. I know where. it goes. I know where my spirit [ __ ]. like that. I don't need to go on this. I. don't need to look sexy and have. everything break. I know this [ __ ]. works. I've done skydive with so the the. nods and then I carried four total. magazines. Three here, one there. Um an. algene bottle, med kit, uh DNA kit. >> Each magazine had how many bullets? >> Uh 30. >> Okay. And. >> yeah, 30 because Yeah, that again you. generally want 28 because something with.

the spring. No knives. >> No knives. Cher rod will do the. >> Yeah, if I need a knife, I'll just shoot. you. Like it's literally ounces of. pounds. I'm serious like that. It's like. uh if I need. >> But then when the gun fails, what do you. do? What's your backup? >> My buddy. I got to get my gun working. That's it. There is no backup. I'll take. his gun. >> No, that's why you never do a oneman. injury. We have a thing in SEAL teams. called a swim buddy. That you it is. ingrained in your head that you always. have your swim buddy. >> Like in SEAL training, if you get caught.

alone, you're done. They're going to. [ __ ] you up because you don't have your. swim buddy. And it's ingrained in you to. always have one. And that's why I. stopped carrying a pistol because when I. came into a room as soon like if if it. went down he's killing him like it's. over. We're fast and it's just extra. weight I'm carrying. >> So then okay so all of these things then. you what were you thinking when you were. in the copter? >> I was counting from zero to a,000 1,000. to zero because. and this is good advice for life right. now. If you're worried about something. that your worry is not going to solve it.

you're wasting energy. So if I'm worried. about getting shot down, my worry is not. going to stop a missile. So why are you. worried? >> But what all did you think about? I'm. sure. >> I counted. I just counted. I Well, well, what I was. >> before also like in those three weeks. probably there'll be one night or. somewhere where you're imagining things. >> Oh, dead. I'm going to die. >> And what do you think? Like what was. going to kill you? >> Well, we're going to get shot down. >> by who? >> Uh Pakistan military. They're going to. hit. >> You see yourself? >> What did you say again? Pakistan.

military is going to shoot us down. Why? On the way in. Well, we're invading. We're flying into uh Abadabad, which is. a little bit north of the capital. We're. flying in from a war torn country in. helicopters they don't recognize. Like. they they I wouldn't even have been mad. at them if they shot us down. They show. us. >> But you you guys are US. You were. friends with them. >> Uh yeah, but we didn't tell them we were. coming. They could have justifiably shot. us down. So, we're in a conundrum. because if we told like they that was. one course of action. And they said, "You can you guys can do a a unilateral. with Pakistan." Every assaulter in the.

room laughed. Like, "Dude, you tell the. Pakis they're [ __ ] Banan's gone, bro. [ __ ] that. No, we're going alone or. we're not going. That's it." Um, >> what made you so sure that if you tell. them? [clears throat]. >> I've just worked. It's not It's nothing. against Pakistan. It's nothing against. Afghanistan or foreign partners, but if. you tell you tell another country, one. of them is going to leak it. Pakistan. knew he was there. There's no doubt. about it. >> And it doesn't matter. It's. >> and it was right next to the military. base. It was not like far as well. >> Yeah. I mean, there's an ISI guy, the. pack intel right there. >> And why do you think like they never.

told Why didn't. >> they have every They have every interest. in um in in. >> Why why do they want to keep terrorists. alive? I mean, we've seen this time and. again. It's. >> because they don't want al-Qaeda to get. so pissed at them that they try to take. over uh Islamabad. like you have to you have to play you. have to. >> I don't think there's anything wrong. with putting your country first for. yourself and they're invested in. >> they're also scared. >> well you know they they knew he was. there but they don't want they just. don't want to rock the boat and get a. load of this [ __ ] I ease my um I ease my.

assaulters's minds too I was like don't. really worry too much because they're. they're not concentrating on us they're. looking at India so they might not see. us that's one little thing may maybe. they won't see us coming like there you. again mindset but Yeah, I mean I could. worry about getting shot down or I could. just not worry about it. So I was. counting and then I was looking I it was. actually funny as [ __ ] because uh you. can't help what you think off the bat. Like if I tell you don't think of a pair. of glasses, you think of glasses like. [ __ ] But it's a controlling your. thought. So what I was doing is I was I.

was counting but I wanted to see what. all my guys were doing cuz they're all. in the same mindset. So what are you. doing to not concentrate? Here's Cyro is. right next to me. I'm sitting in this. trifold chair. Cyro's right here. I'm. like pet I'm got my hand you know you. don't pet the dog but on this one [ __ ]. it Kyra I'm going to pet you cuz we're. going to die right now right now or. right now and there's cheese right here. handler Chzn and he's back there. whatever and uh I think I yelled don't. rock the boat we used when we would. skydive me and Chzn me and cheese um. would always sing don't rock the boat. like before you jump don't rock the boat. baby and jump so I think I said don't.

rock the boat and I'm trying to see what. my guys are my point of not helping what. you think was I looked down one of my. really good friends who I've been. working with at least 10 years every. night he's asleep sleep and he's got his. headphones in and I what I thought was. cuz you can't help it was you're asleep. literally on the ride to Osama bin. Laden's house like you have ice in your. veins and I actually see why women find. you attractive like how the [ __ ] did you. just kind of just a joke like whatever. we bank to the south and I'm kind of. laughing in my own head I'm 556 557 and.

then I just I don't know what hit me but. I said freedom itself was attacked this. morning by a faceless coward and freedom. will be defended. that's what George Bush on 911 to. address the world. [ __ ] counting. How. did I remember that? And I have a tattoo. right there. Freedom itself was attacked. this morning by a faceless coward and. freedom will be defended. And it started. now I shift though from funny to. serious. And and it sort of hit me and. I'm like, "All right, this is the team. I'm on it. We're going to [ __ ] kill. him." Then the air crew guy reaches over.

and he opens the door two minutes out, right? And now, okay, now I'm starting. to take snapshots because I'm going to. die tonight. I need to remember what. whatever next is. I want to remember. this. I want to be able to tell my. family when they get to me what we saw. So, what I thought was that guy right. there, the crew chief, he's army. He. just reached over and opened the door. That's his job. Keep this thing flying. Open the door. What if we couldn't have. figured that out in 8 seconds or so? That's an eternity. That was his job.

Holy [ __ ] If we got hit with a missile, his family's going to miss him just as. much. That's a That's a hero. Then I. look out and it's no longer a training. area and there's electricity. There's a. [ __ ] golf course here somewhere. This. is a a resort town in the middle of. Pakistan. My last normal thought, almost. cocky cuz I'm getting my confidence back. is this is some serious Navy Seal [ __ ]. we're about to do. Everything was fine. until then and then it all went to [ __ ]. because. >> What time was it? >> The time probably 2:00 in the morning.

>> So So um. >> dead night, dark night. >> Oh yeah, dark as [ __ ] And these. helicopters are pretty quiet for. helicopters especially. And all that was. going to happen was the -1-2. The first. helicopter one is going to hover right. in front of his house. Ropes are going. to come out. Guys are going to go down. as fast as they can. It's called the. fast robe, right? They're going to come. down with snipers watching. As soon as. they're down, snipers come down, drop. the ropes. They take off. What we're. going to do is we're going to put our. snipers, Cairo the dog, and cheese the. handler. We're going to drop them off. We're going to the rooftop. We're going.

to fast up onto the roof. We're going to. jump down there and then we're going to. get them. We think there's going to be a. GL glass going to that balcony cuz that. he did come out there. I'm going to. shoot him through there. One of us will. or we're going to get him that way. because we got a team coming up, team. coming down. Perfect plan. As soon as. this helicopter got here to hover, the. first one, the pilot realized he. couldn't hold a hover. And there was. some effect, I forget the name of it, or something like that, some effect of. an updraft. And it was 1° C warmer than.

we anticipated, which means he wasn't. getting the lift. We had the four best. pilots in the world. The US Army has the. best helicopter pilots in the world. We. had the four best. He told me later that. when he felt that an inexperienced pilot. would have powered it up, that's going. to roll it. We kill everybody on board. In the blink of an eye, he realized if I. can turn it clockwise, put the tail on. the 15t wall there, and pin the nose at. the same time in the dirt, we might. live. So, it went thump. That's how fast. it happened. I didn't know any of this.

[ __ ] Neither did anyone else. We drop. our guys off and we're going up to the. roof. This pilot sees that happen and. says, "Fuck it." Goes right back down. And I guess what he's thinking is he. couldn't hover. I c I can't hover. I don't have time to. explain. So all this nothing was said. It was get the [ __ ] out. So we get out. That's it. The effect of. >> after the crash like in. >> We didn't know what happened. We went. up, came down. I I just know get out. Like something happened. This helicopter. broke. The [ __ ] pilot just got shot. in the face. I don't know. I'm getting. out. So I get out with my right foot. I.

I'm looking up above a 20 foot wall and. I can see Bin Lan's house. And I. remember my thought process was [ __ ] it. We start the war from here because of. the preparation of what the exterior. looks like. I'm very comfortable. I know. that house is here. I know that's his. house. I know that's the northeast. corner. There's a double door. We're. going to blow it. Let's go. So, I'm. doing the breacher [ __ ] We're going to. go up everyone. Now, the good thing. about this team when I say we're the. most qualified guys available. Everyone. there was a sniper. Everyone there was a. breacher. We've all got these. We've all. redundant as [ __ ] We can all be the. ground force commander. We can all be.

the [ __ ] admiral, but I know who's. carrying the big bomb. I call him up and. he wanted to use a 7 foot charge of C6. on a double door. And that a C6 will is. a master key that's opening everything. including the walls. So he puts the C6. on there. We back off. He clacks it. It. blows up. You see the huge flash. We go. up to it and the door had opened, but. there's a brick wall behind it, like. another wall. And it the reason it was. so good to have such experienced dudes. there was we saw it and he said. something like failed breach because. that's what you'd say in a situation.

failed breach meaning it didn't this is. bad but then immediately every head. there's like no no no this is [ __ ]. good this is good that's a fake door. nobody does that he's in there so now we. got to go in front of his house so this. is all by a wall the fake door's over. here on northeast corner we know if we. cross in front of bin Laden's house. right here there's another door that the. cars come in and out of called the. carport. And as we're going there, I. remember either me or the sniper outside. said, "Okay, fail breach northeast. corner, we're going to blast the. carport, meaning we're putting another.

bomb on." What we had been hearing the. other helicopter say the entire time was. dash one going around, dash one going. around because we assumed someone shot. at them. They're doing a racetrack, which happens. What they were saying was. dash one going down. Dash one going. down. So they crashed inside. I thought. they were still in the air. So we said, "Hey, fail breeze northeast corner. going to blast a carport. They just. said, "No, no, no, no, don't, don't.". And it opened and a thumb came out with. a glove. I recognized the thumbs up. My. guys are in there. Very important.

tactically right now to realize it. doesn't [ __ ] matter why. Forget about. it. They're just in there. >> When I talk to professional football. teams in the NFL, the offense, I'll say, "It doesn't matter why it's second and. 15. It just is. We can argue about it. Who missed an assignment?" But guess. what we have in common? The clock is. ticking. [ __ ] go. It doesn't matter. So I I go in there. The pilot. >> How do you know that he's in there? You. have not seen him today. >> No, I know he's the fake door. He's in. there. The woman told us he's got to be. in there. There's a gunfight explo. >> Oh, you're just going with this feeling. that I haven't seen. Oh, yeah. He's.

>> Nobody has seen it. So there's this like. big W 20ft wall. >> Yeah. Well, no, there's other guys. inside. The guys inside had crashed. >> So they had already killed three. terrorists. They're in the gunfight when. the thumb came out. They're already. shooting. So I could hear it going on. So I don't know. >> There was like no other military. support, no security, nothing. Nobody. was shooting at you. No, but we were so. fast. We killed everybody. They killed. everyone before I got there. Um, they. killed the the courier in the guest. house. They shot. the guy in the main house and his wife. who was trying to be a human. Shield. killed her, too. I already got in there.

They they've already smoked three. people. I I saw the pilots from the. other helicopter and I still didn't know. they crashed and they're standing there. I literally asked them, "Who the [ __ ]. are you guys? Who are you guys?" It. still didn't register, but I know my. guys are in there. I'm just going with. it. Right. So, we get in. of a mock of. the house. So I can show you that and. then you tell me explain me on that. That'll be like incredible. >> Perfect. Look at that. >> So I have this exact. >> Look at that. >> three floor. >> Oh [ __ ].

I'm impressed. So this one here the uh I. came into this room. >> Okay. >> So I'm in here long hallway and they. just blasted uh the guy there and his. wife. So, I'm in here with another guy. and I'm watching guys breach down here. So, they're working that problem. I'm in. here and I'm look cuz. the joke I make is I hope you never find. yourself in this situation, but if. you're in a gunfight in a house, get out. of the hallway every time. Get out of. the hallway. The bullets will come down.

the things. So, we're in here and I. didn't know the other helicopter. crashed. And the guy next to me, he's. cuz I'm I'm looking for bombs now. anywhere I can find him. And he goes, "Uh, helicopter." We don't talk at all, by the way. He goes, "Helicopter. crashed.". And I said, "My god, what helicopter. crashed?" Because we had those two. behind us 45 minutes that weren't. stealth, full of guys, and I assumed. they got hit. And he goes, "Uh" I go, "Which helicopter crashed?" He goes, "Bro, our helicopter crashed in the. front yard. You probably walked right. past it." I'm like, "Okay, that makes. sense." Okay, that makes sense. Now then. this register as we're having this um.

there's a big fence this way around the. whole thing. >> Okay. and the sniper and cheese and the. dog Cairo were supposed Chznney were. supposed to run around the whole thing. twice um and make sure no one escaped. They didn't know the helicopter crashed. So they got to a point right about here. where the helicopter was in the front. yard where the pilot had put the tail on. the fence. So they're outside and he. looks up and sees that and he he got on. the radio and said, "Hey, everyone. inside, be on alert, okay? They're. definitely ready for us. They have a. training mockup of our super secret.

helicopter right in the front yard." And. there was an awkward pause and the. ground force commander came out and. goes, "No, jackass. That's ours because. we [ __ ] crashed." And the sniper. goes, "Yeah, that makes a lot more sense. than the [ __ ] I was [laughter] saying.". So it's like, "Okay, okay, makes sense.". So we're here and then I'm watching this. guy breach. So I'm looking out. We I. know the guy that he's So he's one of my. friends. >> Okay. >> I just said as And we will use this as. your friend. This just keep it as. >> we'll let him be bin Laden because he's. taller than all of us. >> All right. So Bin Laden and his wife.

keep it here. >> Perfect. So, uh, this is the human. element part of it where I'm in this. room and I'm looking down and and I'm. looking for bombs cuz this house is. supposed to blow up, of course, but I'm. not seeing any. And we've killed the. there's not a lot of shooting going on. The woman that found Bin Laden said, I. said earlier that I don't want you to. tell me where [ __ ] is. I'll figure it. out. She goes, "Look, I know you don't. like certainties, but you will run. You. will find a stairwell to the second. floor. You will run into Khaled Bin. Laden. It's his 20-year-old son. he will.

be armed. And she she was so careful not to say. certainties, but she sort of paused and. goes, "If you can ace him, you get a. shot at the big guy." Like she was all. giddy. I'm like, "Fuck yeah, that sounds. cool." So I'm in here watching him. breach. And I'm like, "Okay, that is the. stairwell." But I'm looking and the. human element was I'm watching my. friend. I can tell by his height he's. taller than me. I know who that is. >> And I'm like, "I remember going through. training with you in 1996. Remember the. [ __ ] we were saying in the pool?" Mhm. >> I remember checking into Seal Team, I'm.

sorry. I remember checking into Seal. Team 2 with that guy in the '9s. And we. used to go this I'm thinking watch. I'm. like, remember we used to go out to Hot. Tuna on Wednesday nights. It's a bar. restaurant on Shore Drive. Every. Wednesday night, all the Seals would go. there. All the Top Gun Pilots would go. there. That means all the girls would go. there. And we'd have the best time on. Wednesdays, but we wouldn't drink too. much cuz we're explosively breaching on. Thursdays. And I remember breach school. with that dude. I And uh um I remember. going to Seal Team Six Selection with. him. And I remember being on the. mountain to rescue Marcus. The trouble. with that dude. I remember jumping into.

the Indian Ocean with that guy to rescue. Captain Richard Phillips. And my boy's. [ __ ] breaching Osam Bain's house. right now. And I'm watching. I'm like. this. I'm just boom. Let's go. Now we're going. So now we're on this. stairwell. Yeah. Second floor right. here. >> This is where this Yeah. So here's the. landing right here, right? >> Okay. So this guy came here. >> So this is. >> You also came here. >> Yeah. So everyone's here. So check it. out. So going No, it would be more right. here. Hang on a second. So, this is all. going up these stairs. >> Okay. >> So, we'll put a whole bunch of dudes. right there. And I'm like eight guys.

back or some [ __ ]. >> Okay. >> So, these stairs go to those stairs. >> And Khaled popped out right there. >> Like right here. >> Right in here. So, if we're coming up, I'm trying to. >> kind It looks like he kind of came. around cuz this is the second floor. right here. >> So, there's somewhere in here. And. Khaled was right there and she was. right. Khaled was there. He was armed. and he backed off. and we're really good. at being quiet. And so the the guy up front just started. whispering. He khaled. And he said.

something like uh delta rasha or some. [ __ ] like that in Arabic or uh or deck. would drop and something like drop your. in okay my language sucks but he said. something in Erdo in Arabic. Come here. Come here. And that confused him and he. literally goes what? >> So he and we're quiet one shot. >> So your guy. >> stepped over him right there and then. now we're going up. So now we're on the. second floor. >> No, no, this one. Okay, so this like. Khaled was right here. >> How we out here? No, the balcony's here. Yeah.

>> Yeah. Okay. So Khaled was here. somewhere. >> Oh, then these stairs go up. >> Okay. Yeah, like right somewhere. >> Yeah, they might be backwards or. whatever. >> So this is Khaled's dead on the stairs. So he's in here. >> and then and then the other guy just. called him. He's like, "Hey, come here. Come here. He's on the stairwell." And. then other guys start clearing here. Oh, and on the second floor, >> so other guys are, we don't even need. all these. But, uh, second floor. Hang. on a second. I'm screwing this all up. Sorry about that. >> So, from here to here, everyone now is.

clearing all of these. >> and K's dead. >> K's dead on the stairwell. And other. guys are now clearing all this [ __ ] And. we're down to two of us to come up here. And I think this is off a little bit, but whatever. So, now there's two guys. on the bottom set of stairs here. >> H. Um, everyone else is clearing and now. we're down to two going up. >> Okay, >> not even this guy. >> Okay, so this is in these rooms clearing. all this [ __ ]. >> Okay, >> now we're down to two. We have no more. guys to go up here and at the top of.

>> the just two guys. This is you. >> Yeah. So, the stairs are here. >> and he sees people before I got there. The guy the first guy pointing up had. taken a shot. I didn't see it. I heard. it. Everyone else comes into these rooms. on the second floor. So, they're all. clearing in here. and swim buddies and whatnot. And then. so it was down to two of us. He had. already taken a shot. We're at the. bottom of those stairs looking up and. there's a curtain. Instead of a door, there's like a curtain. He can sort of.

see through it. His job is to look up. and wait for me. I'm the twoman to. squeeze him. And that squeeze is. effective communication, letting him. know we have enough guys. It's time to. go. My job is to count. His job is to. look. He'd already taken a shot. We're. very quiet. Guys are clearing here. And. he just he didn't know it was me, but he. knew it was one of his guys just based. on we we've done this a million times. together. And he started pimping me like. we're come on. Like he's pulling me. He. doesn't want to talk. But he said. something along the lines of.

those are the suicide bombers. We can beat him. This is going to suck. We have to go right now. Like we're. going. And I knew it. So I look I. remember looking down and I don't uh it. wasn't bravery. I I just remember seeing. my tan lower boots. wasn't bravery and I. just thought to myself, we're going to. blow up now and I'm tired of thinking. about it. Go. And so we went up and so. there was two of us that went up these. set of stairs. Uh he tackled right. around here and I'm not a 100% I think. it was in the room. It was either in or.

right next to it. >> But where's where's Osama and. >> Well, Osama was right here. So his wife was right in front of him. >> Okay. >> So he must have tackled them down here. I all I know is he he grabbed these two. people. Sorry, this would be me and him. He grabbed two what he thought were. suicide bombers right around here and. tackled them. It was on either side. It. was but because he did that I turned. Yeah, there it is. I turned in here and. there's Osama bin Laden in a mall. So I. shot Bin Laden twice in the head and. once more and he fell in the foot of the. bed right there and being right here.

knowing there's guys but there there's. only two of us at the time. Two of us. went up there but I know my guys are. going to be fast. We're also the good. guys. I don't want her to get hit. She'd. already been shot by the way. >> Whatever. >> She got shot. She'd been hit and um in. the leg in the thigh, I think. So, but. me being here just killing Bin Laden, I. need to get her out of the way because. other guys are coming. We're gonna. sensitive side exploit exploit. It's. called sensitive side exploitation. We're going to exploit it sensitively. So, um I am moving her back. I need to. get her to the bed. The bed's right.

here. He's dead here. I'm moving her so. I can sit her on the bed. And actually, as I got there, his 2-year-old son, Hussein, was there. This is the human. element. I looked down at him and I'm a. dad. And that was a moment where I. thought, "This kid has nothing to do. with this, and he should not have seen. this." And almost like a, "What are we. all doing to each other?" Like a. 2-year-old kid saw this. So, I I move. him back with them all right here, his. mom. And then I I got to come back here. to take a picture of this dead guy. And. as I'm walking back, other seals are now. coming in the room up in here. More.

seals. More seals. We have a rule that. if you kill it, you own it. So, I need. to take his picture, but I'm a little. bit slower than normal because it's. starting to sink in. And one of my. buddies who's coming in, he grabs me, he. stops me. He goes, "Hey, you good?" And. I said, "Yeah, um, what do we do now?". And he smiled at me. He goes, "Now we. find the computers. You do this every. single night. You've done this hundreds. of times." And I said, "Yeah, holy. shit." And he goes, "Yeah, you just. killed Osama bin Laden. Your life just. changed. Nobody [ __ ] cares. Get to. work." And that kind of snapped me out. of it. Then we go over to got to pour.

water on his face, get some pictures of. him. We get pictures. We're doing SSSE. and [ __ ] And then it starts like, "All. right, we can get out of here. [ __ ]. yeah. So then uh we're starting to do. all our [ __ ] here. I get bed downstairs. I ran into cheese and Cairo, Will Chzn, and his dog Cairo on the second floor. >> But wait, wait, like I want to finish. here first. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And then so you entered and Osama put. his wife in front of him. >> He was. >> like he was hiding behind the wife. Now. >> it's hard to say. He he was he had his. hands on her shoulders and he wasn't.

surrendering to me. And he he had less. than half a second to convince me not to. kill him. He didn't do it. If if I. I was going to kill. So I don't know if. he was holding or not. He's going to. die. He was taller than an easy shot. 3. ft away. I'm going kill him. There was. not a capture mission for me. >> So he didn't have any gun or anything at. all with him? >> No, but I thought he was a suicide bomb. He wasn't he was not surrendering. >> So you thought like he'll have a suicide. bomb and then you'll just blow. >> when when I went in the room the way he. was the way he had his arms on her. He. was he was not as he was not.

surrendering. There was nothing. I mean, okay, if he was naked with his hands up, maybe I'll capture him. Maybe. But you. send Seal Team Six, we're gonna [ __ ]. kill you. >> But why why do you want to kill him and. not capture him? >> Because Because uh um. Khalil Shake Muhammad is on trial in two. years, 3 years from now. I don't want trial for 30 years. I want. him dead. Literally, that's it. I mean, send. someone else if you want them captured. You want them on trial, send somebody. else. We have a history of killing.

people when we're in we're we're the. we're the easy button. We went to rescue. Richard Phillips uh after Obama got. elected three months later and we. [ __ ] killed the the guys. We became. his easy button. He wanted him dead. since he team six. >> And your idea was simple. Let's just. kill him and not not maybe get him and. rot him in the prison. I mean, hindsight. being 2020 and and maybe. asking like getting intel out of him,

but it it would it I would have had um I. would have had 30 minutes with him. and then what I get is the then the. lawyers show up and we'll have Americans. defending Osama bin Laden in New York. So I I want Bin Laden dead even in 2001. >> And you just. Okay. So you just went there. You want. him dead? Mhm. >> You got him dead. >> You killed him in a fraction of second. Were there other people like actually.

helping him, protecting him in this. house? Because there's a massive 38,000. house with like the middle of like. >> the [snorts] only people that tried to. protect him were I think his daughters. in the room and they were just they. wouldn't quite say it was him. They they. made up a name and then one of them. finally said, "Okay, that that's Shake. Osama is what she called him.". >> That's how you got confir It got. confirmed. And that's what we call. forgotten country Jeronimo. >> But in a half a second, how did you know. that it's him that you're killing? >> I mean, I've seen his face. I was.

expecting to see him and expecting him. to blow up, but seeing him was literally. he's taller than I thought. He's. skinnier than I thought. He's older than I thought. But I mean, when I saw him, he's he's not. surrendering. And I know and it's to be. fair, too, it's easy for me to talk [ __ ]. now. Um, being the good guys at the whatever. I'm. going to kill the guy. We I got dressed. up. I kissed my kids goodbye. Not tell. him where I was going out to [ __ ]. die. He's dying, too. [snorts].

>> And at that point, you knew that the. moment you kill him and you you got a. shot done. >> Did you know that the mission has been. accomplished and you're going home. nicely or were you scared of like. >> No, it wasn't wasn't scared of anything. The No, the entire time wasn't fear. And. and I'm not a I'm not afraid to tell you. that I was afraid on most missions. because that's because I really think. fear is healthy. I think that fear will. make you think more clearly. >> if you without fear there wouldn't be. courage. >> but then you were not feared. >> well well not well no but. >> but [ __ ] we might live now let's get out.

of here and now now we got to start. rounding guys up we got to get him on a. body bag we're bringing him home we got. to blow up that helicopter in the front. yard you two get on that uh we got to. call in a 40 one of the 47s. >> what what happened then and then you. killed it and then the guy came in and. they said hey just check the computers. hard drives whatever. >> we were so good at the time is literally. Uh uh Geronimo EKA commence SSE. >> and then a sensitive site exploitation. Get all the [ __ ] and relieve him. Literally that fast. >> Did somebody shout like Geronimo? Like. >> no.

>> Before you even saw him. >> Oh, no. No. Geronimo was a pro word for. we're with him. We we named Okay. A pro. word is saying I'm with Raj. And let's. say we said um Cleveland Browns. I My. people back home know the pro word for. meeting you is Cleveland Browns. When I. say it to them, they know I'm with you. So the pro word Gono, believe it or not, was out of respect for Chief Geronimo, a. Native American warrior. And the reason. is because I'm bringing him with me and. he's looking forward. Chief Gerono is. coming with me. That's an honor. And.

when I when my boss said forgotten. country, Geronomo, Gerono, Gerono, EK, that meant Bin Laden. EK is enemy killed. in action. And the reason is so we're. not sending over the frequency. Hey, we. kin Dono. They can look at the paper. Okay, that's bin Laden. Uh his his. target name was actually Cakebread. >> Cake bread. >> Cakeb bread. The name of the wine. because I think the the women that found. him liked that wine maybe. >> And it was Neptune's spear was the. objective. Not Neptune spear. Neptune's. And then um yeah. So then we had to find. everything and we knew we had about we.

wanted 32 minutes on target. I think we. stayed for about 47 minutes. But you got. to gather stuff up. I need you guys to. blow it up. We got to call in another. helicopter that's up on a up on a. mountain top somewhere. Bring them in. get outside. Uh you got to do something. with the women and children, which is. generally just get them in a room, tell. them don't come outside until the sun. comes up because we have planes above. you, which we do. Just stay inside. We're leaving. And they did. And then we. went outside. We called in the first. helicopter that my team came in on. We. put the second or the first team on my.

helicopter with his body. We took DNA. and called in a Chinook to Kareas out, which is another story of heroes that. doesn't get mentioned because this. helicopter coming in now is not stealth. It's huge. which is one of the big. school buses. Yeah. Uh new pilots from. the army. >> and a new squadron from Seal Team 6, the. guys from Blue Squadron flew in there to. get us. So the Army and Seal Team 6. rescued Seal Team 6 on that mission, which is insane cool. Crazy Navy Cross. type [ __ ] The pilot of that should have.

a Medal of Honor. And they people just. kind of blow it off. So then we get on. the Dude, we went outside and there's a. guy, you can look him up. He's outside. tweeting. It was Twitter at the time. He. was tweeting something about why would. they be doing a training exercise on a. Sunday night. [ __ ] Like I saw him. We're calling in a helicopter. I see a. dude with a phone in his face. I can. kill him if I want. He's within my rules. of engagement because we just took that. house down. Explosions and killing. He's. obviously trying to set up a bomb. I can. kill him. But that's another reason they. sent guys with experience. I'm not.

hungry for another kill. I just look at. him and my first thought was he has no. [ __ ] idea. It's us. They have no. And. then I started thinking that dude right. there has no idea the gun that just. killed Osama bin Laden is pointed at him. and I choose not to kill him. He's alive. because I decided he should live. That's. deep [ __ ] isn't it? He's still It. doesn't follow me on X [ __ ] He's. still out there. [laughter]. But uh again, the human element, but now. the helicopter comes in. We get in. Now. we're leaving. >> But now there's the big helicopters. coming in. Still the army, the military,

people of Assama. Nobody did anything. >> I don't know. Uh I don't. >> he didn't have any security. Like I. would assume that he. >> I would assume. >> he was the like the most dreaded. terrorist in the world. So there would. be like thousands of people protecting. him. >> I don't know. Um we just it's time to. literally that's just [ __ ] that I wonder. about but it's not important. I just. it's time to leave. You know what's on. my mind right now? I've got to live for. 90 minutes. If I can get in that. helicopter, if I can survive for an hour. and a half, I get to see my kids. I get 50 more years. That's that's what.

I'm thinking. But they probably know. we're here. I know Pakistan has F-16s. because we sold them to them. They're. going to shoot us down. Their jet. against our helicopters are bet, but. we're going to try. [ __ ] it. Get on the. helicopter. So, we get on and now we're. leaving. And we. start the watch. >> And then nobody came there. You faces. zero problems getting out. >> I don't know. But I mean, we're. >> And the body was with you in the body. >> Nobody was in the other helicopter. And. they're going to fly to a a mountain top. to get fuel from another bird. So, we're. just going to leave. We're We're flying.

out. And here's [clears throat] where it. gets surreal. So, we're leaving. One of. the dudes who's from Blue Squatter next. to me is from Manhattan. I know him. really well, but he wasn't on the. mission, but he was on the this He's. from Manhattan. >> And so, what he said to me was he asked. me the question that I've I actually. heard guys in the house asking who got. him. I heard funny conversations about. that because my name my name was Nisro. I heard the conversation, get a load of. this because I was known for telling. stories like we talked about. I heard. people say, "Who got him?" Nisrael. [ __ ] we're never going to hear the end. of this. literally heard that [ __ ] Now.

we're on a helicopter leaving. This guy. from Blue Squad and he asked me the same. thing. Who got him? And I said, >> "I did.". >> And he said to me, a SEAL team 6. operator said to me, "On behalf of my. family, thank you. >> He's from New York." And that's is. surreal. >> Um the guy next to me now is the sniper. that rescued Richard Phillips. I didn't. realize that he's right next to me. And. what happened with him? So something at. that level of Navy Seals, Seal Team Six. level, if you do something that. significant, you're going to get hate.

from you're going to get jealousy. I. guess hates a strong word. Jealousy from. your peers. Because you want to get to a. SEAL team six level where you are the. best of the best. Why didn't I do it? Type [ __ ] The sniper right next to me. up until the Bin Laden raid had done the. most significant thing in the history of. the SEAL teams. He he [ __ ] rescued. Richard Phillips. When we got home from. that mission, everyone in his chain of. command was giving him [ __ ] because they. didn't shoot. He did to the point where. they were almost gonna fire this guy for. what? For right, his gun was sighted in. for the most difficult shot of his life. And he took it and he hit twice,

actually. Uh, every time he was getting. [ __ ] I would give him a can of my dip. I always had I I would walk up to him, say, "Bro, take a take a dip. Don't. listen to them. You're a [ __ ] hero. You take a dip from me." I would say. that every So now, okay, we're on a. helicopter flying out of Bin Lad's. house. He's sitting next to me. I don't. realize it. What's going through my head. right now? What just h this can of dip. comes in front of my face. And I hear. him go, "Take one of mine. Now you know. what it's like to be a [ __ ] hero.". And I'm thinking, "You cannot script. this any better. Take a dip. Give it.

back. [ __ ] It's been 30 minutes. I got to get to 90. Holy 40 minutes.". And you're just sitting there in a lot. of You can hear it. We've been on this. before. 50 minutes. 60 minutes. I got to. get to I'm going to see my kids. 70. minutes. I started thinking about a no hitter at. Yankee Stadium, right? Top of the. seventh. I'm not going to say anything. He's [ __ ] fishing. No hitter. 80 minutes. I got to get to 90, right? And then um I love sports analogies. because.

any any sport that you watch, baseball, cricket, [ __ ] football, anything. Um. the team the team got us there. Uh uh be. part of the team. The to me the greatest. sporting event in the history of sports. is 1980 Winter Olympics. Lake Plac said. team USA hockey is playing the greatest. hockey team of all time, the Soviet. Union. The the Soviets have never been. haven't lost a game since like 1960, 20. years. They're beating Olympic teams in. this Olympics by 10 goals, which is. crazy for hockey. We've got a team of. Americans who are all in college. They.

[ __ ] hate each other. They despise. their coach. They have no business being. on the ice with this team of Russians. But now they're winning. It's the third. period, 4 to3 in the [ __ ] Olympics. I. could hear Al Michael's voice on the. helicopter about 85 minutes. 5 seconds. left. Do you believe in miracles? [ __ ]. like that. The pilot came over the radio. that's flying our bird in the monotone. pilot voice and said, "All right, gentlemen. For the first time in your. lives, you're going to be happy to hear. this. Welcome to Afghanistan.". High fives everywhere. Okay, good. Now,

this bird lived. We're all alive. We. land. That other bird had to go get. fuel. [ __ ] So, we're kind of standing. there. I realized that this we land um I. realized I had a can of I have bottle of. pee in my pocket because I was supposed. to throw it out but we crashed. [ __ ] I. just didn't. So I got to go throw this. away. There's like there's uh mechanics. and [ __ ] They already got the word. They're like that's the guy that killed. him. Okay, easy. The other bird lands. Everyone gets off. They're unheard. My. entire team made it. Holy [ __ ] Uh I the.

point man who led me up the last set of. stairs is right there. I got to go see. him now. I got to talk to him. Holy. [ __ ] I give him a big hug. He and I, we. we've been at war together forever. He. was the point man going upstairs. His. first question to me was, "Where the. [ __ ] was everybody?" He was pissed off. Where was everybody? And I'm like, "Bro, we're spread thin. I I look, I don't. know." And he's pissed, but he goes, "There she is. There she is. You got to. go give her something." And she being. the woman, the woman, the found. He's. telling me, "Go give her something. You. killed him." I'm like, he his words. were, "Give her something. You own.

this." Is what he said to me. I go, "Okay." I pulled the magazine out, jacked the last round out and I've got. the magazine and the bolts below the. three that killed Bin Laden. I walked up. to the woman that found him and I said, "Do you have room for this in your. backpack?" This is in Jalalabad. We've. flown back, right? And his body's over. there. Do you have room for this in your. backpack? And she said, "I think I do.". I said, "Cool. Um, we have something to. show you." So, we walk her over to Bin. Lad's body. Now, the movie Zero Dark 30. is is great, but it's not excellent. because of the very end. The whole movie. is excellent up until the end of the.

movie because the seals bring her to Bin. Lan's body. They open the body bag and. she looks and starts to cry and they. give her a moment. She cries and gets. in. It horrible. The way it actually. happened was hilarious. We we and me and. the point man and some other guys are. walking her to Bin Lad's body and it. sort of is sinking in now with all the. conversations the flight out that this. is historic because we're so close to. the flame like but now people this is. going down in the history books and the. only reason we're here is because of. her. >> She gave up her life for this. She. doesn't have a husband. She has no kids.

She's been working seven days a week. 20our days for decades. And [ __ ] I just killed Bin Laden. I. gotta say something cool. So I put the. pressure on myself. We walk over to his. body. This would have been Hollywood. enough. This God, this line was perfect. I point down to his face and all I said. was, "Is that your guy?". And she looked down for half a second. and hits someone in the back and goes, "I guess I'm out of a [ __ ] job." And. she left, right? So, she's leaving. Doesn't even look at him. Just looks.

leaves. And like I'm watching her leave. and it's like a really shitty movie. ending where where I just got dumped by. a girl and she's going to look back, right? She's got to look bit. No. Walked. out. I was like. >> zero strings. >> Literally. I guess I'm out of a [ __ ]. job and left. >> And she's she's an American woman. >> And I promise I'd never describe her to. anyone. >> Of course. No. Yeah. >> Yeah. But but I. >> She's this like American woman who has. like no strings attached at all. She's. not this Afghani woman. I think no I.

think she got recruited out of high. school in the United States and that. when she was asked I think they'd said. in the movie too they asked her what. else do you do for the agency and she. said nothing I do this I find him. and then she I mean literally she was. with us the whole time knew everything. about this and as soon as he's dead she. just took off. I saw her a couple months. later actually here in New York and uh I. said cuz cuz not everyone wanted to. believe her and they weren't backing her. up and she was staking everything on. this and when she got back I guess.

everyone got awards. and she said I didn't even get a [ __ ]. parking place. But the advice I have is whoever's. listening to this if you find her and. you run a company just hire her. Doesn't. matter what you do hire her. She'll make. your company. >> way better hero. >> Yeah. >> Like nobody knows her. She just. disappeared out of the. >> true silent professional. If anyone. should never pay taxes again, it's her. >> True. >> Yeah, she's out there. She's out there. She's winning something. >> Did she get anything?

>> I have no idea. I saw her um when I saw. her, it was actually uh the opening day. for NFL on a Sunday here in New York. And I went to I was a Washington. Redskins fan. I knew their kicker was. from Australia. So, I found an. Australian bar knowing the game would be. on. I went with my cousin who was a tax. attorney. Has nothing to do with the. story, but I texted her and she I knew. she was in town. I said, "Hey, come meet. us for a beer." So, I told my cousin, "Hey, here's who's coming to meet us. You can't say a word about Bin Laden.".

Like, cuz this is like a couple months. later. Don't say a [ __ ] thing. Whatever. So, she came in and I saw her. I gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. and she sat down. The first thing she. said, she looked at my cousin goes, "Does he [ __ ] know?" And I said, "Yeah, he he knows everything." She. goes, "Good. Now we can talk about. anything. And I think she ordered a. bottle of tequila or something. That's. the last time I saw her. >> And then wow. Nobody knows her name. >> Obviously, she'll never be. >> I don't even know her name. The name. they told me was probably fake. >> How did you feel when you when you see.

his body after you have just shot him? >> Recoil. That's what I felt. >> I didn't feel anything. >> Nothing at all. >> No, I mean it was a surreal. >> Were you proud? Were you Were you sad? Were you I I think the emotion. was just holy [ __ ]. >> That's it. Just holy [ __ ]. >> Like what did we do? >> Well, we're still alive. That's when you go down a rabbit hole. We're still Or are we? Did the house. blow up? Are we in the next life? I'm.

kidding. No, it was just um the relief. wasn't the relief wasn't until we cross. the border and then it's uh what happens. next? We don't know. Literally, that was it. We're supposed. to die. Now we're alive. Like, what do. you do? I mean, now I uh I'll have to if. I get stressed out about something. stupid, something workrelated now or. whatever, I I can take a deep breath and. say, "Okay, you're living, you're. playing with house money. You every day. is a gift. You should have died 15 years. ago with your whole team.".

>> And did at any point after killing him, did you feel like. maybe we'll face some kind of push back. from that side? Maybe. >> from Pakistan. >> Yeah. Or maybe from al-Qaeda from her pe. from his people. Second in line or third. in line would do something, take. revenge, find. >> the opposite that uh we have proven that. it doesn't matter who you are, we will. we have the people to come kill you or. capture you depending depending on which. branch of the service. >> So you were certain that nothing will.

happen because you've just proved your. metal which exactly turned out to be. true. >> to to me or to the team. >> To the team to you to anyone? >> Oh, I mean I I we accept. >> or to America. We had no um we had the. well it was when we started going. through the offices in the house we were. finding intelligence we couldn't believe. and I think we killed the number three. guy a few days later we didn't but we. bombed him somewhere and I mean it was. just it was like business as usual it. was it's crazy. >> then it just became one thing after. another after another. >> uh I think the bin Laden raid.

on May 1st May 2nd 2011 was one of 11. missions the joint special operations. command was running that night we had. guys everywhere all over the place and. they found intel based on that. Yeah. I. mean, it was good. The the biggest issue. we had when we got back was. a lot of guys want to be silent and they. they they started taking us places, showing us off to politicians and like. the secretary of defense and uh we went. to get awards and it was just guys. really started to get uncomfortable just. with the the. >> a lot of fame. >> Yeah. Well, I mean, my entire life.

changed. I was going to stay in the Navy. for 30 years and then now what? And then. we lost a helicopter on August 6th. Same. year we lost 31 Americans. uh one shot. So it's like, okay, a bullet needs to be. right once. I want to see my daughters. get married. I gotta get out. That's why. I got out at 16 and a half years. >> So, and then when you were there, like. when you killed him, the body bag was. there, right? Like the moment you got on the. helicopter at that time, did you inform. the top authorities here that you have. killed him or after?

>> Well, they knew when we said for. forgotten country Gono EK was a a call. that was made back to the United States. So, they knew we got him. They knew he. was dead. And when did the President. Obama announce it? >> Uh we were still in No, we we took Bin. Lan's body to Jalalabet, Afghanistan. We. showed Admiral that's so we gave Admiral. McCraven a uh a proper debrief when we. had his body and actually it was it was. kind of that's when it started to get. awkward for me because the ground force. commander said to the admiral, "Do you. want to meet the guy that killed him?". And and he said, "Yeah." He came over,

introduced, we're standing over Belon's. body and I remember Admiral McCraven's. hand came over my neck and he said. something similar. He's like, "Yeah, you. your life just changed." And it's it's. weird. Like, I don't want it to change. I'm happy being here. I don't want this. [ __ ] that's about to happen. But then we. flew him to um we showed the woman she. left. We flew him to Bram so we could. give all the stuff that we found there. and then they could get professional. pictures, all the professional DNA. Uh I. think I I'm I might have taken my body. armor off. I'm just in my cammy still.

and the army brought us breakfast. sandwiches and bin Laden's body is right. there like my feet I could kick his feet. and the whatever's do whoever it is. doing pictures and DNA [ __ ] they had a. TV right there big flat screen and. Barack Obama came down a red carpet with. a red tie and said tonight I can report. to the American people and to the world. the United States conducted an operation. that killed Osama bin Laden the leader. of al-Qaeda I hear the president of of. the I did say Osama bin Laden. I look at.

Osama bin Laden and my first thought was. how in the [ __ ] did I get here from but. Montana and then I took a bite and I'm. like and this is easily the best. sandwich I've ever had in my [ __ ]. life. And that's it. I mean that's now. what do you do? Find a shower. Find the. CBS the Navy CBS construction battalion. They build [ __ ] and they fight. That. means they'll have showers. They'll have. pizza ovens. They'll have scotch and. beer. That's where I'm going. We went. there. Showered up. um had pizza and. scotch and then we someone typed an. email like oh [ __ ] Seal Team 6 is all.

over the internet everywhere and that's. when again more [ __ ] got weird. It's. like [ __ ] everyone knows Seal Team 6. now. >> Damn. >> Yeah. Right. >> And what did you do with that body? >> Well, okay. We handed him off to the. army in Bram after they got done and. that's it. That's the last time I saw. Milan's body and they were army dudes. They took him somewhere and the story I. got was they threw him in the ocean but. I didn't see it. So I'm at a point in my. life where if I didn't see it physically. I don't believe it. >> But they say that they they gave him a.

sea burial, not the land burial. >> That's what they said. >> But why? >> That I disagree with that because they. said it it shows how little research. Americans do. They said that they don't. want a shrine to bin Laden where people. could go worship. They don't understand. the Sunnis don't do that. That would be. uh like drawing Muhammad. You get pissed. off. You don't. That's adultery. You. don't you don't worship a false idol. Bin Laden is a false idol. You worship. Allah. >> But why didn't they put pictures? Like. I'm still not. >> I think they must be saying. >> they would have I mean just dead him.

Put our pictures all around. >> I don't know. That's I told them to. I I. said you don't need to bury him at I. want him in New York. Hang him from the. Brooklyn Bridge. I don't care. Release. the pictures. I mean at least it'll. solve the Oh, he did get shot in the. face. Like he's dead. >> Like it's Bin Laden. It's him. Is it I I read somewhere that they. didn't want. uh his picture to become like an iconic. scene for a lot of his supporters. >> This picture would not be an iconic. scene for anything. This this is.

>> a lot of his supporters. It it can. easily be used to increase more hatred. towards United States. >> in some sort of manner at least for that. small section minority. >> I think that the people on the level of. al-Qaeda don't need more motivation to. hate us. They just do. I would rather. they get to see it because uh. this is what happens to you when you. [ __ ] with us. This is. >> But that could have been used to. manipulate and recruit kids, right? >> They can do that. Whatever AI right now, they whatever that's fine.

>> Again, if you don't see. >> in your opinion, you think they should. have pitch right now. If there's someone. in the Department of War listening to. this podcast, I know where those. pictures are. Go get them out of that. file cabinet at Langley and release. them. It's not It's not my decision. Way above. my pay grade. If I If I made all the. decisions, there would be world peace. We would all be laughing. [laughter]. Hippie Hippie Rob is much better than. Davy Seal Rob. [laughter]. [gasps]. >> You did Did you know where was President.

Obama on the night when you guys were. doing this? >> He was uh he was at the White House and. then I think he played golf that day to. take his mind off it a little bit. And I. don't have a problem since we're saying. I don't have a problem with presidents. golfing because you can work on the golf. course too. Like if you can relieve. stress, get them out there, I think. personally. >> But and and do you think that. >> Well, he was in the he when we killed. him, he was in the in a room adjacent to. the situation room because that the. famous picture with with Hillary's hands. over her face was not in the situation.

room. That was in the room next to it. because they couldn't get the feed in. the situation room. General Webb, a one. star at the time, got the feed in the. side room. That's why he's sitting in. front of a computer. And Barack Obama. came and said, "I'll just take the. folding chair in the back corner. That's. why he's sitting there." That's that's. what they were doing. And I think that's. when we crashed. It's kind of cool. >> Yeah. And did after that, did President. Obama come to you, offer you something? >> We met him. We met him at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. >> And what did he tell you guys?

>> He was just cool. He went down there to. see the I think the 101st Airborne. They. just got back from Iraq, so the cabinet. could make a trip there to thank them. for their long deployment. Welld. deserved. And then he could sneak to a. back room where we were waiting. And he. did. And that was just that was a moment. where you had Democrats and Republicans. in the same room. Uh I remember when. Barack Obama came in and said, "Hey. everybody, I recognized the voice. Joe. Biden was there all happy. Everyone. except Hillary Clinton was there and the. mood was awesome." Like it was I. remember thinking, "This is so great. because uh we're all going to be best.

friends forever. We've won the war.". That was the vibe in the room. It was. really good. Um, >> what did he tell you? >> Um, we. brought him a. signed flag that one of the guys carried. on the mission. We had it framed and. every single one of us signed the back. of it and we presented to him when he. gave us all the presidential unit. citation award. He didn't know he was. getting the award. After he gave it to. us, we handed it to him. And Barack. Obama is an exceptional speaker.

rarely stutters. He was at a loss for. word. Never is a president at a loss for. words. We handed it to him and he looked. at it and he said uh after a moment he. said, "What do you think, Mr. Vice. President?" To Joe Biden, "What do you. think, Mr. Vice President? Think I'll. find a place to hang this?" And he said, "I think Mr. President, that'll look. very nice in your library." And he said, "Fuck that. This is going in my. bedroom.". I I I I forgot that until right now. That was pretty pretty badass. That was. just a dope time. Very cool time to be.

alive. Did he tell you anything specific? >> He actually asked I was I was standing. with a few dudes and he he asked us who. got him, who actually got him and I. remember saying we all got him to to and. whatever. And the guy next to him, I. know his full name. He hasn't come out. yet, though. He after President Obama. left, he goes, "I was hoping you were. going to tell him you did it." But, you. know, it is what it is. That that'll. come out later, I assure you. [laughter]. >> But why didn't you go up front and. >> it wasn't about I didn't do anything on. that mission. I I because we crashed in. the or landed in the front yard because.

they crashed. I wasn't on the rooftop. I. had a front row seat to the the most. important mission in modern history. I. watched pretty much everything happen. I. watched the failed breach. I watched the. door. I saw the pilots. I you know, I. obviously missed the helicopter. I saw. the dead people here. I saw the train. I. saw Khaled. I saw this. I watched a very. brave guy go up the last set of stairs. in front of me. And because he decided. to jump on suicide bombers, because he. went left, it was very simple. You go. left, I go right. There's Osama bin. Laden standing there. And now I just. know the story really well. Wasn't. bravery at all. I just literally, like I.

said at the beginning, wherever you are, be there. >> That's a good way to look at it. >> And it wasn't like I was never a tough. guy. I wasn't the fastest guy up the. stairs. I wasn't the best shooter there. Just a dude that I was a dude that could. work with the team. >> And. And once you've done all of this, were. you ever scared at any point? Oh, every. time. >> Why? >> It It's um It's okay to be afraid. because we could blow up. Uh I'm not. afraid of dying or getting hurt. Uh I.

don't you know, my kids are going to. miss me and I'm afraid of that. That. sucks for them. It just sucks. >> But why are you scared? >> That's it. I'm I'm I'm. >> like somebody will blow you up. Is that. the thing? >> Well, I mean, you're going to get. adrenaline. Think you're thinking of If someone. tells you they weren't afraid going to. come, they're lying to you. They You get. the butterflies. The bin one was. different though because I wasn't afraid. because we're going to die. It's it's. it's it's. an it's going to happen. I was taking. snapshots. I remember looking at the.

outside of his house. I remember looking. at K. I remember looking at the my buddy. breaching. It just didn't happen. >> So, it just proved that like uh if. you're worried about [ __ ] that ain't. going to happen, why are you worried? >> No. No. No. I agree with that part. And. now that everything's over, like done. You've you're home and it's going on. Now, do you get scared? >> No. But at any point like after doing. the mission, did you get scared? >> No, I'm not scared. I'm aware. I'm smart. enough. I'm tact. I'm not afraid. I. mean, >> but were you at any point scared that. because you are the guy who did it?

>> Not scared. >> Somebody Somebody might hurt you. >> Not scared. I am ready. >> Are you ready? >> Oh, [ __ ] yeah. I'm ready. The next. person I kill will be in my own house. I'm not looking for it. But if he finds. me, he's going to have a very short. night. He'll be lucky if he hears the shotgun. charge. Like I leave it like that so you. hear it just to give you a chance. Oh, you're in my [ __ ] house. If I can. kill you in your [ __ ] house. >> My house is a fun house for me. I'm. going to I'm going to have fun with you. Come on in. My kids know how to use.

shotguns. Let's [laughter] do this. It'll be a race. Can I get a kill before. dad? I have I have a rule in the house, too, with the wife. Like, put the shotgun. again. Leave the door to the bedroom. locked and point the shotgun at the. door. Let him steal everything in the. house. When that door cracks, kill every. that ain't you. Very easy rules. Keep it. simple. If I was in Iraq and I was going as a. Navy Seal from Seal Team 6, if I heard. someone [ __ ] a shotgun, I'm leaving. That's not a fight you want to be in.

>> I love the way you I love your attitude. >> But I mean, it's just it's just life. It's just it's it's just it's something. that happened and just. >> But then I'm I'm still troubled. Um I'm. I'm finding it difficult to digest that. you have zero fear. >> Yeah. I'm well I have fear but not of. repercussion. Just you I'm prepared. There's a difference. I mean and I'm not. going to get into how. >> has anything happened with you ever. after that? >> Uh anyone try to contact you comments? >> We have we have things in place where if.

there are messages or traffic like. people find people all the time and I. have people that find people. So if. there's a threat they know about it. Uh. when I travel there's threat assessment. It's. >> I'm not going to get into it, but I I'm. prepared for it. I'm not afraid of it. >> Once you went out with the story that. you're the guy who killed Osama bin. Laden, you're the guy who shot at it, went to his house, checked out, and you. actually hit it right in his head. And. then did you start getting any emails? >> No. Uh there's different traffic again.

on social media [ __ ] like that, but. >> but I mean, no. Uh. it was everyone started asking who. killed Bad in Bin Laden's house. Seals. there didn't know who did it. They were. asking. Uh people were asking on the. flight back. People people back in. Virginia Beach who knew were telling. each other. People were going to bars. and the bartender was saying don't tell. anybody. But my name was out uh whether. I liked it or not. When I went public. public like it's just like you can. pretend they don't know and keep your. head in the sand but when you run into.

them they knew and you didn't. It's out. I'm aware of it. You're aware of it. It's just it's just life. You can't. unring a bell. >> But did it cost you anything? >> Yes, it cost me a lot of stuff. It's. it's it's Well, it cost me friendships. It cost me my career in the Navy. Uh. it's it it everything. >> Why? >> How do you. How do you deal with professional. jealousy? How um how do you deal with 31. Americans, well, including Bart the Dog,

get killed. we have to backfill and I. have to deploy with a different. squadron. Um, how do you deal with going. from planning missions to planning. funerals? Because it's the whole thing. where you don't realize your living. history till you tell it's over. So. living in the moment, it's like, uh, I. want to see my kids get married. I can't. be in the Navy forever. It's well, it's. all it's what I'm known as a guy that. killed Bin Laden. H what now? I don't know. I mean, it's it's it's. it's a it's a story that's still writing. itself. When you look back in your life, your phase, all your missions, 50 to 54. times when you've gotten decorated, your.

time in the Navy, time in the training, time when you actually shot the most. dreaded terrorist in the world, all of. it and the cost that you paid after it. and then you c the friendship that. costed you. All of these things when you. look back, what is the most difficult. phase? What was the most difficult phase. of your life? The my only regret is. a after the Bin Laden raid.

there's just weirdness. We just killed. the number one terrorist in the world. It was Seal Team 6, not Delta Force. It. was supposed to be Delta Force. Now it's. us. How do we deal with this [ __ ] Uh I. went to my friend's house. Robert James. Reeves is his name. He's Gold Squadron. guy. Probably the best seal we had ever. >> Why? He [snorts] was just a dude that. didn't get rattled. I went through. selection with him for a green team. I. went to Red Squadron. He went to Gold. Squadron. And I'm kind of a hotthead. sometimes. I would I remember like he. was always smooth. He always had an. answer. Like I would here's what we're. going to [ __ ] do. I got an idea blah. blah. We're going to do this. That's.

what we're going to do. And he would. literally calmly go, you know, that's. probably not a good idea, is it? It's. like, yeah, [ __ ] man. You're right. And. and then like his gear was always. perfect. He was insanely good look. He. looked like a Navy Seal. Robert James. Reeves. Uh his girlfriend Kendra, I. think they were engaged. And she would. always say to me, cuz I'm Robert James. O'Neal. She would always say, "Hey, how's my one or my number two Robert J. O'Neal? How's my how's my number my. second Robert J." She'd always [ __ ] with. me like that. I went to his house uh. after the bin lottery, which just weird.

for me, too. I don't my name's out. I. don't know what to do. He poured a glass. of red wine and asked me if I wanted one. and I said no. That's my regret. I. didn't take a glass of red wine right. there. And I was drinking at the time. He took a sip of his red wine and he. said, "One of these days a lot of us are. going to die on one of those. helicopters.". And then a few weeks later, he died on. one of those helicopters. He was on. extortion 17 on August 6th, 2011. He. died with uh all the best deals we had. And I ran into his girlfriend Kenny that. used to say my my and she said, "How's.

my one and only Robert J." And I'm like, "I [ __ ] don't need that shit." And I. don't I wish I would had that glass of. wine with him. He was right. And so I. named my son uh Reeves Thomas O'Neal. I. named him after Robert James Reeves. Um. because I I asked his family permission. He's the greatest guy I knew. Can I name. my son? And they said, "We can't say yes. fast enough." So, uh, he's a junior. technically. Reeves Thomas O'Neal was. named after Robert James Reeves. So, he's Robert James Reeves Thomas O'Neal, >> which is kind of cool. >> So, that was the only regret. >> My only regret because every decision.

has got me here. >> If I didn't get out of the Navy at the. time and didn't meet my wife at a speech. she didn't want to hire me for, but she. did, I wouldn't have my kids right now. because I got remarried after the Navy. and I married her and I have my kids. I. have I have Valor and I have Reefs. So, it's like every every decision, good or. bad, that you've made got you right to. this table. So, don't regret too much. I. am proof that it doesn't matter what you. look like or where you're from, you can. do anything you want in life as long as. you don't do one thing. Don't quit. >> Wherever you are, be there. Uh, and.

every decision that you make, good or. bad, will lead you somewhere. And I. don't think anything's by accident. I'm. proof. If uh I call myself a skinny fat. white guy that couldn't swim, if a. skinny fat white guy who didn't know how. to swim can become the Navy Seal in. Osama bin Lan's bedroom, you can do. anything you want to. And it was just. because uh um don't quit. Enjoy the. moment and uh little goals, not a huge. goal, not not what I'm going to do in 10. years, it's what am I going to do for. lunch? That's my next goal in life. And. even there was a there's a part of SEAL.

training that is called hell week. And. if you study seals, you'll know that. that's you you're awake for basically 5. and a half days. My long-term goal to. stay awake from Sunday to Friday was sun. up on Wednesday. So the long-term goal. is Wednesday. Every meal is the. short-term goal, but the if I figured if. I can see the sun on Wednesday, that. means I've been up for about 72 hours, it'll mean I'm so delirious that I won't. quit there. So there's your long-term. goal. Short-term goals till Wednesday. and then hopefully I get carried out. That's it. >> And there's no other goal which is like. a year long or like 10 years.

>> No, no, that's silly. You never know. where you're going to be. And uh the. only time that plan exists is when. you're planning as soon as like we could. make a plan right now and we're going to. leave and do it. As soon as you leave. something uh a taxi runs a red light and. hits someone in front of you. What? Something anything. I got the advice uh. there was a a SEAL instructor. because SEAL training is not like boot. camp in the movies where everyone's in. like I said before where everyone's in. one room and we're all whatever. You. need to be at a certain place at a. certain time with a full headcount. So.

they sat us in a room about just over. 220 sailors that want to be seals. And. this instructor came in and said, "I. know you've read the books. You've. probably seen the movies. Regardless of. what you've been told, this course is. not impossible. People graduate.". And he's literally like snapping like, "Look at me. I'm living proof. People. get through this. I'm never going to ask. you to do anything impossible. But I. will make you do something very hard, followed by something very hard, followed immediately by something even. harder day after day after day for eight. straight months. That sounds like a lot.

to get from now to 8 months from now, but don't think about it that way. That's not how you achieve a long-term. goal. Here's how you get through SEAL. training. And here's actually how you. get through life. Wake up in the morning. on time, make your bed the right way, and then brush your teeth. Three wins. Your day just started with three wins. Make it to the 4 a.m. workout on time. That's your fourth win. As I'm beating. you, don't think about the pain. You. concentrate on your next goal in life, which is breakfast. After breakfast, your next goal in life is lunch. After. lunch, your next goal in life is dinner. and after dinner, do everything you need. to do to get back inside that perfectly. made bed because you took the time for.

yourself in the morning to make your bed. the right way. Regardless of how bad. today was, and it's going to be bad, tomorrow is a clean slate. Tomorrow was. it's nothing. It's a fresh start. And. when you feel like quitting, you're. going to feel like quitting. Never quit. right now. That's purely emotion. Quit. tomorrow. And do that every day. If you. can wake up at 6:00 a.m., whatever. Today sucks. I quit tomorrow. If you can. keep quitting tomorrow, you can do. anything. You just you always have one. more day. That's that was very simple. compartmentaliz compartmentalized advice.

that that flew uh forward into combat. When we're training for missions, mi. make it simple. Keep it simple. And the. the way that I the two things that I. would say to guys to to get in their. mind is um is uh uh master the basics. Don't die because you got bored. Just. keep it simple. That's it. The the don't. talk yourself into an ass whapon. Okay? When you leave this room, the ass woman, if it's there, it's coming. So, just. take it when it come. Don't look for it. Just simple advice. Don't invent a. scenario in your head that stresses you.

out. Wait till you see it face to face. And chances are the [ __ ] you're worried. about won't happen. How is it in your. hell week? >> Hell week, the same instructor said, and. again, everything's a mindset. Never has. anyone said, "Yeah, my mind flipped, but. my body carried me." No, your if your. mind goes, your body follows. If if your. if your mind stays, your body, you know, where your mind goes, your body follows. same instructor. So hell week the five. and a half days he said you're about to. go to war for the first time and the. enemy is all your doubts. It's all your.

fears and it's every back home that told. you you couldn't do this. Think of them. Keep your head down. Keep moving. forward. When you feel like quitting, quit tomorrow. And so that's hell week. And then you meet your guys. Um I met. them in 1996. I just talked to Wjo, one of my guys. today. I talked to Rut yesterday. I went. through hell week with those guys in. 1996 and we're still in touch. Like it's. just, you know, it's it's uh. don't talk yourself into an ass. Don't. let someone else talk you out of. something they're afraid to do. That's a. good one. I'm going to write that down.

>> But it's everything's a mindset. And. even when I said um if you portray calm, your people will be calm. If you even if. you're scared shitless, you you portray. that confidence, they're going to follow. you. >> That's and then and then you being. confident, watching their confidence is. going to inspire you. It's it's it's a. it's my favorite saying is well I'll. always say my favorite saying but the. self-licking ice cream cone. It's just. there licking itself. It's fine. Take it. to combat. >> And if you have to pick up one thing. which was the most difficult thing for.

you in your training in your hell week, what was it? The most difficult would have been. there's an exercise called pool. competency and no one ever hears about. it and I think it gets more people than. hell week does. Maybe not more but a lot. because hell week is a is a uh. hell week is a spot of training where. they won't put you back. If once you. make hell week it's it you graduate from. there and you're the next one is called.

pool competency where you what they say. is you need to simulate diving in open. water. So we're we're going to simulate. what the ocean might do to you which is. complete [ __ ] but you're you're. diving on open circuit scuba which is uh. you scuba diving in and out but they. have they they use uh World War II. technology. You inhale air and you. exhale. So, it's inhalation, exhalation, and all you know is you need to go back. and forth at the deep end of this pool. until you can't breathe any something. like that. Like, that's the you don't.

know what the test is, but. you know, all you know is the procedure. when you get a surf hit. And I might be. [ __ ] this up, but it's something like. you need to reach back and cuz what the. instructors are going to do, they're. going to hit you, take your mask, take. your fins, they're going to turn your. air off, and then tie your [ __ ] and do. knots. That's what they're doing. So as. soon as you get hit, you got to find air. as your first one. Try and that and. that's good advice, too. If [ __ ] gets. stressful, breathe. Stop everything. Breathe. So what I tell people is. breathe. I can't breathe. So you reach. back, turn it on, put it in, I can.

breathe. Keep crawling. No problem. If. you can't breathe, what? Okay. Well, or. if you can't get it here, you have to do. the procedure. So the procedure would. be, okay, weight belt, put it on my. knees so it sinks me. And then so weight. belts here belly strap, chest strap. Take it off. Look at look at the knot. Try to and have there. Try to look at. get it out. Whatever. As soon as you get. a little bit, you want to breathe, right? And try to undo the knot. Then. you have to put it back on in order. And. it' be, you know, chest wrap, waist, and. then keep going. And you don't know. You're just going. And they hit you. again. They keep doing again. So it's.

about an hour of this [ __ ] At some. point, there's a there's four levels of. knots that at one of them um you're. supposed to say, "I can't, and I got to. go up." So, you're doing your whole. thing, the whole whatever. You can't get. it out. You look at the guy and you say, "I got to go up." And he will look at it. and go, "Okay, now you have to put your. lips to the floor, kiss the pool deck, because you need to consider Boil's. law." And Boil's law is pressure and uh. volume inversely related. So, if you're. breathing compressed air down there and. you go up 15, what does that do to your.

lungs? It explodes arterial gas. embolism. You might [ __ ] die. So, we're being safe. So, you have to go. down, kiss it, turn, exhale. Now, you're. exhaling all the way up. put your hand a. free a free or whatever the [ __ ] they. call it. Hand comes out, you come out. and then here's the last thing you say. Your instructor's right with you and you. say, "I feel fine." And the reason you. say that is because if you get an. arterial gas imp. your your speech is going to be off. because there's a [ __ ] bubble in your. brain and it might like that. They need.

to take you for a chamber ride. You just. what you're So that's all that thing. I. feel fine. So an hour of that [ __ ]. whatever. They look at you and they go, "One O'Neal, fail." The [ __ ] Yeah, that's it. Um, you get four tries. So, I. got two tries that I failed on Friday. >> and I have the entire weekend to think. about it. I got two tries on Monday. If. not, I'm [ __ ] out. So, that weekend. was long. I actually watched the movie. Heat with Val Kilmer and Alpacino and. and Dairo. I don't even remember what. happened in the movie still because even.

when I try to watch it, I can't. concentrate except on tying knots. Then. I get so I get back on um Monday. A. whole weekend of thinking about this. [ __ ] Do the whole damn thing. Uh and. then we came up and I'm just I'm s and. so now the guys that have passed are. done. They're going they're advancing in. heel training. My entire life is on the. line. Just finished the whole thing. I'm. like, "All right, I probably failed. I. got to do one more. I'm [ __ ] out of. here." And he goes, "One passed." I'm. like, "Fuck yeah." Didn't even ask then. That's that. So that was the hardest. thing. No one's ever heard of that [ __ ]. But my class, I think we lost half of so. half of the class washed out. And so.

finished hell week fail poolcom and. that's the first two weeks of dive phase. and then you got five more weeks of dive. phase and then nine or 11 weeks of of. third phase. So that's like one part but. it's not sexy enough to make the movies. >> Crazy. >> Yeah. And that's all the breath holding. and mindset and and just to remember. okay now I I've been holding my breath. for a minute and a half. I got to get. up. I've got to kiss the pool deck. I've. got to exhale. And even if you open your. mouth, that's enough because like if. you're rescuing someone that's breathing.

compressed air is one of the part of the. thing is you once you get control get. their chin up and as you start doing it. the air will automatically come up. It's. so the first nine weeks of seal first 11. weeks of seal training is all getting. your ass kicked hell week all that. stuff. And then you have dive phase dys. medicine. So you got to be smart. Then. you get into uh the third phase which is. I think 9 or 11 weeks is um explosives, electrical, non-elect electrical time. fuse, all that electric [ __ ] uh. weapons, ballistics, blah blah blah. So, this is SEAL training that I joined on. accident. And then San Clemente Island.

is third phase. 40 straight days of. nothing but work. No days off. Uh and. then you get back [snorts] and I'm in. really good shape. And they're like, "Okay, on Monday they said, "Okay, you. need to go to medical and um whatever. and get your medical record, your dental. record, and your service record, and. then you're going to Seal Team 2 on. Friday." And I'm like, "What the [ __ ]. does that even mean?" Yeah, you got. picked up by Seal Team 2. I'm like, "This isn't supposed to end. I'm. supposed to be in hell forever. No, you. graduated. Like, so that's how you get. your buds and then you're not a SEAL for.

another year after that. That's part of it. That's the hardest. part. But then, yeah, the whole thing's. tough. >> But then does it ever end or just even. when you join it? >> It gets it gets harder. >> It just keeps getting harder and harder. >> because then So, the way it would work. is so we when I went through it's it's a. lot more structured. It's a lot smarter. I think this the Seals are probably in. better shape now checking into the team. Um I I think they got smarter about. nutrition and prep and because before. it's like just beat them till they cool. it or die. Now it's like look we need. seals in combat too. So then we checked.

into SEAL team 2 and so I checked in. there. The reason I wanted I actually. wanted a SEAL team. I was lucky to get. it was because the only place to go was. Bosnia. I deployed to Europe um in 1998. 2 years after I enlisted as a SEAL. But. pre 911 we did get to Albania which you. know was we got shot at but I think it. was more of someone was having fun with. the driveby. So technically it's like oh. sweet I got shot at. Uh but we were. doing um security work on airfields for.

graduations of different exercises. So. there was Navy admirals some Albanian. um cabinet members. We'd heard that. al-Qaeda wanted to hit the airfield but. no one really knew al-Qaeda really. because it's 4 911. So we you know had. sniper rifles out and all that [ __ ] I. did go to sniper school. The recruiter. wasn't lying, but that was it. No, I. deployed a couple times and and then we. did get to Kosovo. I did a 40-day stint as a sniper in. Kosovo in 2001, which wasn't much. Uh. it's mainly a peacekeeping mission, so.

just go out in the woods. And. >> yeah, >> it was actually really good training. because it was real world. We got to. make real hide sites. We're watching. real people. We also learned that if you. try to go in someone's backyard and. hide, they're going to find you. 90% of. the time you're just going to someone's. house. So that was great training. Like. holy [ __ ] we were not as sneaky as we. think. So we do 40, didn't shoot at all. It's kind of a peaceful place. We get. back to we had a unit in Germany and. that's where our gear is and that's. where whatever deploying out of Germany. Uh and then I was up in the operations.

shop sending out emails and it was. September 11, 2001 and we look up at the. thing like wow a plane just hit. What. the [ __ ] was that? And so we're talking. to our guys still. Kosovo on our mind and then the second. plan it's like well all right we're this. our life just changed. So we're kind of. looking around the room like we don't. really know this so are we going to. Sudan cuz we know this is obviously. al-Qaedaish. Uh Banana was in Sudan. So I guess we. start [ __ ] those dudes up. We really. didn't know where they and they sent us. back to Virginia Beach. So we were we.

had been overseas. They sent more guys. over and then it's like, "All right, we. got to So then that's when I screened. for Seal Team 6 to they're going to get. in the fight." I did one more. deployment. So before 911, I did three. deployments with Seal Team 2. I did one. with Seal Team 4 and we were heading. over to invade Iraq. No idea how we figured we're going to. invade Iraq. But we, as we all know, we. [ __ ] did. And and as a as a. 28-year-old Navy Seal, I would have. invaded Canada. I'm [ __ ] ready to. fight. But we're ready to Iraq. were.

steaming over on the USS Lasal, which is. a Navy ship, going with some Marines, I. think, through Turkey into Iraq. I was. pumped. Young sniper, me and another. sniper going with Marines to invade a. country. Morality and everything off. I'm excited to invade a country cuz I'm. a young warrior, right? They turn us. around and they said, "There's a problem. in Liberia, which on the west coast of. Africa. There's a civil war in there and. Marines need to go. We're on a ship. Marines Marines need to go rescue the. embassy." and there's a civil war and we.

need SEALs to go in and clear it. Like. not clear it as Marines can handle. themselves. That's not what I'm saying. But for them to come in, they need to. make sure there's no obstacles in the. water. That's what we do. And that goes. back to our our history. Uh underwater. demolition team, UDT, so was UDT SEAL is. the thing. And even before underwater. demolition team was the Naval Combat. Demolition Unit, NCDUs. Those dudes were. going to Omaha Beach in World War II. Like that kind of [ __ ] So it's kind of. an honor. We're going to do that. So, we. had to swim into Liberia. So, we turned.

around not going to Iraq, going into. Liberia, which was funny because. we're really good at briefing everything. that we do. Uh, before you go in, I'm. going to tell you about the weather. I'm. going to tell you about sunup, sun up, moon, all the [ __ ] [ __ ] One of. the things we never paid attention to. was dangerous marine life, like [ __ ] in. the water. I don't care. Like, I'm. getting in the water, whatever. But this. dude was So, we're off the This dude was. giving us the dangerous marine life. thing. And he he he has to brief. everything. And Africa is a big. continent. But he said, "Uh, okay. So, you're swimming in on the west coast of.

Africa. Needless to say, every. man-eating shark is there." Like, okay, cool. Now, you're not going to cuz. they're a lot further south, but if you. see a saltwater crocodile, do whatever. you can to get away from them cuz. they're 20 ft long. They will swim after. you and eat you. They're man-eaters. Like, okay, that's bad. You won't see. them, but if you do see a hippo, they. kill more things in cry. The only thing. that kills more people in Africa are. mosquitoes. And then, anyway, here's. where you insert in this place called. Blackmamba Point. And the reason we call. it black mamba point it's full of. [ __ ] black mambas that it's like. what and then and then we get there that.

you can fight in the civil war it's like. the [ __ ] are we doing? So [laughter]. and the way it just it again see that's. why you never s it gets funnier. So the. way that it works on an amphib ship so. it's a big navy ship on the back it's. square and they can put the ramp down. and that's where the ships come out. So. they flood it, right? So the ballast and. [ __ ] they sort of flood and water comes. in. You you put the boats out. So we're. going to put our boats out. They flood. the thing. Three hammerhead sharks are. swimming in the ship. We're like, "Dude, there's sharks in the boat." So, yeah.

So, we got it. And then, but then the. funniest part was we uh it's sharks. aren't a problem. I'm not worried about. shark. They're actually They're They're. cool as [ __ ]. >> Why? >> All of them are cool. Bull sharks are. not cool. Everything else is white. sharks are great. The bigger the better. >> Why? >> They're not going to hurt you. If they. conceive, you're fine. >> Yeah. If you run into like a 15-footer, you're good because she is 35 years old. and knows she doesn't like to eat. humans. So, you're better off. Now, if. you run into a nine foot male, don't swim with him because he doesn't. know he's a shark yet. And so, the like. a baby and the only way a you know how.

babies like to grab and bite, they don't. have arms. They're going to bite you. So, get out of the water. Bull shark. [ __ ] them. Get out. But, uh, we we've. been watching on the ship TV Fox News, which is hilarious cuz I ended up. working at Fox News, but they were they. were monitoring Liberia. So, the crew. that's not, you know, everybody wants. the war, this skeleton crew in Liberia. There was a I was single at the time and. there was this woman named Jennifer. Ecklesson, hot girl. I'd see her on TV. and I'm like, "Oh [ __ ] we're swimming. in there." So, as luck would have it, we.

swam in. I was on the left flank and. there was a movie crew there. And so, I'm like, "This is too [ __ ] funny.". So, I walk up to them. I got a And if. actually, if you Google my name, O'Neal, Seal, and Liberia, this picture will. come up. Pull pull it. >> I'll do it right now. >> So, there's a bunch of Liberia pictures, but that's So, I'm trying to look tough, but uh I have my my water headphone and. it's not high speed. a huge dip in my. mouth and then uh I'm trying to look. like I'm actually working. I'm not. trying to pick up a chick. >> But what was the most difficult phase? What most difficult time? >> What am I going to do when I get out? I.

don't have a retirement. I don't have a. college degree. >> That made you anxious? >> Yeah. What am I going to do? I know the Navy. I know killing. I'm. good at tactics. I know bartenders. I don't know what I'm going to do. So, the transition is hard. What uh all the. Navy said is don't wear your shiny shoes. with a suit. Literally, that's it. Oh, and uh um don't write a book and and. thanks for coming. And I said, "When's. my healthcare um done for my kids? What's the grace period?" They said, "Midnight tonight, you're done." So,

thanks for coming. Nothing. Is what it. is. So, that was a you know, it's a. moment where I got to get my [ __ ]. together. Better figure this out. And. so, I did. >> And then what did you do? What made you. >> Well, what made your life? >> I I learned that the skills that I have. as a special operator and as a teammate. are applicable to normal life. Why were. we good? >> Uh we were good to each other. We. learned how to take emotion out of the. decision-making process. We're good at. effectively communicating. I know how to. communicate with people and we don't. quit. So, let me come up with examples.

of that that I can tell and I'm going to. try this public speaking thing. And I I. met uh with a speaking agent in DC, a. place called Leading Authorities, and we. I didn't talk about Bin Laden. I said, "I'm from Seal Team 6, though, and. here's blah blah blah. Here's our. thing." You can't really advertise a. speech. You just got to be good at it. You can't market it, but if you're good, someone in the audience will hire you. So, I got out. I did one more. deployment, one more war deployment, four more months overseas. And then when I got done, I um I started. speaking and my I got out in August of.

2012. My first speech was in November. I. had three in December. I had five in. January, 10 in February and started. speaking and that turned into a thing. And then um got a a little more street. cred. I started working at Fox News as a. as a former special operator. I'll give. you my opinion. I uh got my journal. approved by the powers that be. It. turned into a book called The Operator, firing the shots that killed Osama bin. Laden in my years as a SEAL team warrior. bestseller. Um I wrote a book with. Dakota Meyer, who's a Medal of Honor. recipient called The Way Forward. I.

started a company called the Operators. Collective. that um I became an in demand speaker. If I wasn't available, somebody else. might be. So, other special operators. like Jeff Gum or Kaj Larson or Dakota. Meer, again, a Medal of Honor recipient. wrote a book with Dakota Meyer. Now, we. do um team building exercises, [ __ ] like. that. And. >> nice. >> just one day at a time, right? >> That's fun. >> Yeah. >> Here are the last two questions that I. ask almost all my guests. >> Yes. Good. >> One is. what is one advice nobody should follow? advice no one should follow.

Uh, get on social media. [snorts and laughter]. So, there's the best advice I can give. you is don't do that. The worst advice. is get get an account. Yeah. [laughter]. >> Why? >> Uh, it's not real. It's fake. You're. going to be a lot more depressed staring. at your phone. You should go outside, take your shoes off, stand in the grass, look at the sun. The people that told you the sun is. unhealthy are the same people that told. you to get a Facebook account. [laughter]. Sounds healthy.

>> And what. what personal cost did you pay to go. from the guy who was probably nobody to. become one of the most decorated Navy. Seal officer and the guy who killed. Osama bin Laden and the most dreaded. terrorist in the world? >> What did I learn? What did it cost you? >> It was uh it proved. that with your your mindset you can end. up where you want. Um.

>> have you sacrificed anything to become. this person who you are? >> Well, no, because. good and bad decisions got me where I. am. A sacrifice. Yeah. I had friends get. killed. Um. I've seen marriages dissolve. Uh I. missed my kids growing up. I was away. from home for 350 days a year. um you know my the college. you know but again every decision got us. here so I'm not going to sit I'm not.

going to piss around in the I I mean. what what did I learn I learned to keep. it simple and I learned that you're. going to be a lot more successful if you. leave the house that simple. Like I'm. depressed. Did you go outside yet? No. Well then go outside. Put your phone. down and go outside. Take your shoes off. and stand in the grass. That simple. Go. do it. Do it. Do anything. You You um The best advice I ever got in. life though that I gave that I give now.

is someone said, "If you could go back. in time and give 16-year-old Rob O'Neal. one sentence of life advice, what would. that sentence be?" And my answer is, "Ask her out.". That's it. Ask her out. Take the shot. At 16, she's going to say yes. So, get. rid of the anxiety. She's going to say. she wants to go out, too. Take the shot. Leave the house. Join the military. Why. aren't you doing it right now? Take the. shot. Ask her out. Keep it simple. >> Love it. Thank you so much. >> Of course. >> Thank you. [laughter].

>> It was a pleasure having you. >> I've had a blast talking to you today. This has been great. Thank you. >> This is really good. You're you're an. exceptionally. well articulated [laughter]. story. >> Well, that's how I got a beautiful wife. Cuz I'm not good-looking. I can talk my. way into it. [laughter]. >> Raj, nice to meet you. >> Nice to meet you, too. >> Pleasure to meet you. >> How you doing today? Very good. >> Good. I'm walking around Time Square. trying to get pictures of Mac Energy, handing them out and drank them all. fired up. >> Lovely. >> Do you have kids? >> No. >> When you have a daughter, have a shotgun when you meet the first.

guy that's going to take her on a date. and just be just messing with it. Just. Yeah. Have fun with And then I heard. that I heard I heard a joke from a. comedian. This is not my joke, but it's. so funny. As you're looking at your. shotgun, you kind of mumble, I got no. problem going back to prison. Like that. [laughter] Just it's a deterrent. I. would rather deter than kill again. I. want to deter. [laughter]. >> Did Did you actually do that? >> I haven't done it yet. Okay. No. And I. don't want to meet I don't want to meet. the boys that are taking my girls out. I'll I'll uh I'll trust their mom and.

then I will meet them before they ask. for her hand in marriage. That's We're. good. >> Thank you for watching this episode till. the end. We would love to know what you. liked or disliked about this episode and. which guests you would like to see on. the show. Let us know in the comments. Your feedback help us improve and make. every episode a little better. I'll see. you next time. Until then, keep figuring. out.