Mike Waltz - Special Forces Green Beret Turned UN Ambassador Warns About China | SRS #268

In this podcast episode, Mike Waltz shares his journey from growing up in a challenging environment in Jacksonville, Florida, to becoming a Green Beret, a U.S. Congressman, and now an ambassador to the United Nations. The conversation delves into his military experiences, the personal struggles he and his family faced, his transition into policymaking, and his current role addressing global issues such as reform at the UN and the rising threat of China. Waltz also offers insights into the importance of veteran leadership in politics, the complexities of warfare, and American foreign policy challenges in the Middle East, Venezuela, and beyond.

Early Life and Military Path

Mike Waltz grew up on the west side of Jacksonville, an economically disadvantaged part of town, raised primarily by his mother, a strong and hardworking single parent who juggled multiple jobs to support her family and valued education and discipline. His father was absent from his life until Waltz sought him out in adulthood. With a background rich in military tradition—his grandfather and father were Navy chiefs—Waltz developed a passion for military history early on, driven by his curiosity and commitment to serve.

Despite the hardships, his mother instilled independence and responsibility in him, pushing him toward educational opportunities and positive male role models in his church and community. Waltz eventually attended the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), where he graduated as a distinguished military graduate and became commissioned in the Army. His military education emphasized discipline, honor, and leadership, traits foundational to his later career.

Special Forces Experience

Waltz's early service began in Armor, but he felt drawn to the unconventional warfare mission of the Army Special Forces. He endured grueling training, including multiple attempts to pass the qualification, Ranger School, and eventually became a Green Beret. His deployments took him across Afghanistan, where he worked closely with coalition forces, local militaries, and foreign special operations units such as the United Arab Emirates' Special Operations Task Force.

He recounts intense combat situations, including battles with Taliban forces employing various tactics like trip wires and mortars, and highlights moments where unconventional strategies—such as running medical clinics to gain intelligence and earn local support—proved effective. Waltz emphasizes the need for adaptability and building relationships, reflecting the Green Beret ethos of "by, with, and through" local partners to achieve strategic objectives.

Transition to Policy and the Pentagon

While serving in the reserves, Waltz also stepped into policymaking roles, working in the Pentagon and the Bush administration to address Afghanistan's narcotics challenges and broader counterterrorism strategies. This dual role of policymaker and combat leader gave him unique "ground truth" insights, which he describes as critical for informed decision-making. He acknowledges the challenges of navigating bureaucracy and the sometimes frustrating disconnect between policy and operational realities on the ground.

Waltz was candid about disagreements with some decisions, such as the Iraq War, and shared observations on coalition limitations due to national caveats and political constraints. Despite friction, his honest feedback was valued, and he has continued to advocate for more realistic understanding and leadership within military and political structures.

Leadership and Discipline

Drawing from military experiences, Waltz highlights the importance of discipline, especially in leadership roles. He shares a formative lesson from Ranger School revolving around rationing and self-control, and the spiritual dimension of servant leadership rooted in his Christian faith. Waltz reflects on how these principles influenced his political and business careers, emphasizing accountability, integrity, and putting others first. He contrasts military teamwork and mission focus with the fractious nature of politics, underscoring the need for collaboration and shared purpose.

Veteran Leadership in Politics

A significant theme of the conversation is the value of veterans continuing public service beyond the battlefield. Waltz co-founded a bipartisan veterans caucus in Congress, seeking to encourage more veterans to run for office and contribute their unique leadership skills. He discusses the decline in veteran representation over decades and attributes it to both the nature of modern military service—longer, more frequent deployments unlike the previous draft era—and the complexities of political campaigning.

He stresses that veterans bring essential qualities like teamwork, discipline, and mission focus, which are crucial for effective governance. Waltz points to recent increases in veterans entering politics and expresses hope for this trend to continue, arguing that active engagement is necessary to influence policy and uphold the republic for which they fought.

Combat Stories and Moral Challenges

Waltz shares poignant combat anecdotes illustrating the harrowing decisions faced in warfare. He recounts moments where restraint had to be exercised, such as sparing a young boy suspected of spotting for mortar attacks, invoking historical examples where restraint prevented further bloodshed. He also talks about battlefield sacrifices, including the loss of a fellow Green Beret, Matthew Pacino, who volunteered to lead dangerous reconnaissance efforts and was ultimately killed.

These stories highlight the complexity of combat ethics, the emotional burden on commanders, and the importance of understanding context before making life-or-death choices. Waltz also underscores the need for political leaders to appreciate and support military service without micromanaging battlefield decisions.

Military-to-Congress Feedback Loop

Waltz describes his role in Congress as an extension of service, constantly bringing field experience and "bottoms-up leadership" to legislative discussions, especially on defense and intelligence committees. He advocates for policies grounded in operational realities, pushing for improvements in military readiness, veteran affairs, and reforming bureaucratic inefficiencies.

However, he expresses frustration with risk-averse culture and excessive regulations that hinder mission success, especially in counterinsurgency operations. Waltz argues for empowerment of junior leaders and clear standards that balance safety with effectiveness. Despite challenges, he remains proud of legislative achievements, highlighting reforms that improved care for veterans, introduced service dogs into VA programs, and addressed issues like wrongful medical diagnoses.

Foreign Policy and Middle East Engagement

In his current diplomatic role and previous political work, Waltz has been deeply involved in complex foreign policy arenas, particularly the Middle East. He discusses recent diplomatic efforts that have led to stabilization in regions affected by conflicts, including Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, and Jordan. Waltz credits American leadership, especially under the current presidency, for brokering peace initiatives such as the Abraham Accords, facilitating hostage releases, and orchestrating international cooperation against extremism.

He stresses the significance of international burden sharing and constructing pragmatic peace plans that involve funding mechanisms, technocratic governance structures, and multinational stabilization forces. Waltz remains cautiously optimistic but realistic about the challenges ahead, emphasizing the necessity of sustained engagement to ensure long-term stability.

Venezuela, Border Security, and Cartels

Waltz addresses the intertwined security issues of Latin America and the U.S. southern border. He highlights the dangers posed by cartels, which have evolved into powerful armed groups with state sponsorship, especially from Venezuela under the Maduro regime. Waltz calls for treating these criminal enterprises as national security threats rather than mere law enforcement problems.

He praises recent efforts by the U.S. and Mexican governments to extradite cartel leaders and deploy security forces along the border but insists more decisive action is required. This includes increased funding for border security, law enforcement, and infrastructure investments in American cities suffering from crime and social decay. Waltz advocates an "America first" approach prioritizing domestic security along with strategic burden sharing internationally.

The United Nations: Reform and Role

Waltz offers a detailed overview of the United Nations structure, funding, and functions. Established post-World War II to prevent global conflict, the UN has since expanded into a sprawling bureaucracy with many agencies often overlapping in purpose, such as multiple climate-focused bodies. He stresses the need for substantial reform to cut waste, reduce staffing, streamline operations, and refocus the organization on its core missions: maintaining peace and preventing war.

As U.S. ambassador, Waltz is tasked with pushing these reforms, leveraging America's significant financial contributions to demand accountability and efficiency. He describes the diplomatic balancing act of working with allies and adversaries within the UN framework, building coalitions to advance American interests, and combating efforts that increase costs or restrict innovation, such as proposed international carbon taxes on shipping.

The China Challenge and Global Competition

Waltz voices grave concerns about the Chinese Communist Party's rise as a comprehensive strategic competitor. He highlights China's massive shipbuilding capacity, technological ambitions with space programs, and aggressive influence operations targeting academia and politics worldwide. Waltz stresses that China represents a threat unlike any the U.S. has faced before, combining economic might with military modernization and global ambitions.

He believes America must maintain technological and manufacturing leadership through resilient supply chains and robust investments in innovation. The competition requires unity of purpose domestically and globally, with an emphasis on "economic resilience as the big stick," complementing military strength.

Diplomacy, Burden Sharing, and American Leadership

Throughout the discussion, Waltz underscores the importance of American leadership on the global stage combined with equitable burden sharing among allies and partners. He credits the current administration with advancing NATO contributions, enforcing reform at the UN, and spearheading peace processes in conflict zones. Waltz argues that abandoning international institutions would cede influence to rivals like China and Russia, so the focus should be on reforming and leveraging them effectively.

His vision includes a diplomacy-first approach backed by credible military power, emphasizing coalition-building with like-minded countries to address global challenges while avoiding unnecessary U.S. entanglements.

Personal Reflection and Family

Waltz closes by acknowledging the sacrifices made by military families, including his wife Julia, an Army veteran and former State Department hostage negotiation expert who has been a steadfast partner through his career. He reflects on the personal toll of service and the rare moments of joy amid hardship, such as President Trump's comforting presence with families of fallen soldiers.

He emphasizes that support for those who serve and their loved ones remains a core motivation throughout his varied roles, from soldier to congressman to diplomat.