The Shawn Ryan Show

Ethan Thornton is the Founder and CEO of Mach Industries, a defense technology company developing next-generation unmanned systems and hydrogen-powered weapons platforms to redefine modern warfare and energy logistics. Ethan left MIT after one semester in 2023 to focus on building Mach full-time.

Originally from Texas, Ethan grew up on a farm where he began prototyping weapons in high school. Funded through car tech jobs, knife and furniture sales, and small engineering projects. His early hands-on ingenuity and deep sense of urgency, intensified by the war in Ukraine—motivated him to accelerate U.S. innovation in unmanned aircraft and weapon systems to help deter China and strengthen national defense capabilities. Under his leadership, Mach Industries has attracted backing from top venture firms including Sequoia Capital, Khosla Ventures, and Bedrock, and has secured major U.S. Army contracts while expanding manufacturing operations.

Ethan’s work reflects a broader vision beyond defense. He frequently speaks on the strategic significance of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, the U.S. dollar’s reserve status, the challenge of social decay and neo-feudalism, and the need for productive, post-partisan solutions that secure America’s technological and economic future.

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Ethan Thorton Links:

X - https://x.com/ethanrthornton

Mach Industries X - https://x.com/mach_industries

Mach Industries - https://www.machindustries.com

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Father Chad Ripperger is a Roman Catholic priest, theologian, philosopher, and exorcist serving in the Archdiocese of Denver. He is the founder and superior general of the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother (Doloran Fathers), a religious community dedicated to spiritual warfare, deliverance ministry, and the traditional liturgy.

Born in Casper, Wyoming, and raised in a devout Catholic family as the youngest of six children, Father Ripperger was ordained in 1997 with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP). In 2012, he established the Doloran Fathers, serving as exorcist for the Diocese of Tulsa from 2012 to 2016 before moving to the Denver Archdiocese, where he continues his ministry. Bound by the discipline of clerical celibacy in the Latin Rite, he frequently teaches on marriage, family, virtue, and the spiritual life.

A classically trained Thomist, Father Ripperger holds degrees in theology and philosophy from the University of San Francisco, master’s degrees from both the University of St. Thomas and Holy Apostles College, and a doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. His scholarship and experience make him a respected authority on demonology, angelology, spiritual warfare, and the integration of theological principles with psychology.

Through Sensus Traditionis Press, he has authored several influential works, including Deliverance Prayers for Use by the Laity, Dominion, and Introduction to the Science of Mental Health. Known for his clear, no‑nonsense teaching style rooted in Thomistic philosophy and Church tradition, Father Ripperger continues to give talks, conferences, and guidance on prayer, virtue, the sacraments, and protection from spiritual evil.

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Schlep, real name Michael, is a 22‑year‑old YouTuber and content creator known for his hard‑hitting investigations exposing child predators on Roblox. Through sting operations and decoy accounts, his channel has uncovered widespread grooming networks using the platform to target minors.

A survivor of Roblox grooming himself—exploited as a young teen by a prominent developer once promoted and partnered with the company. Schlep turned his personal trauma into a mission for accountability. His YouTube channel has directly contributed to multiple arrests of alleged predators who used Roblox to move victims to Discord for explicit content and real‑world encounters.

A vocal critic of Roblox’s safety failures and profit‑driven approach to its child‑heavy user base, Schlep has consistently challenged the company’s moderation practices and its pattern of deplatforming whistleblowers. In August 2025, Roblox permanently banned him and issued a cease‑and‑desist letter threatening legal action, triggering the viral #FreeSchlep movement and major online backlash.

Despite being banned from the platform, Schlep continues his predator‑catching work independently, collaborating with law enforcement to secure convictions and raising awareness of how Roblox profits from developer programs that can enable exploitation. Today, he is a leading advocate for stronger child safety laws and transparency in online gaming, exposing the gap between Roblox’s “safe and educational” image and its systemic moderation failures.

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Schlep Links:

YT - https://www.youtube.com/@RealSchlep

X - https://x.com/intent/follow?screen_name=realschlep
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AJ is a former senior CIA operations officer and twice-selected Chief of Station who served across the full spectrum of clandestine operations, including warzones, denied areas, and austere overseas postings. A U.S. Naval Academy graduate with a B.S. in Physics and a former Marine combat arms officer, AJ spent his career leading high-risk missions in defense of U.S. national security.

In 2021, while serving in Southeast Asia, AJ experienced what he describes as a directed energy attack associated with reported Anomalous Health Incidents (AHIs). He recounts an acute neurological event followed by lasting cognitive, physical, and autonomic symptoms. Subsequent medical evaluations documented biomarkers consistent with brain injury and confirmed dysautonomia, among other measurable abnormalities.

Drawing on historical research into directed energy programs and Cold War-era microwave investigations, AJ has spoken publicly about the broader national security implications of emerging non-kinetic weapons.

Following his medical retirement, he became an advocate for transparency, proper medical protocols, and full implementation of the Havana Act, engaging with congressional oversight bodies and senior national security officials to push for accountability and care for affected personnel.

Follow the market - https://polymarket.com/event/us-confirms-havana-syndromecausing-device-by-march-31

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Nik Seetharaman is a special operations–trained cyber leader turned founder, known for bringing an operator’s mindset to some of the most sensitive security programs in American industry. A former JSOC advance‑force operator attached to an East Coast Naval Special Warfare squadron, he ran advanced cyber warfare and close‑range reconnaissance missions before crossing over into the world of high‑stakes defense technology and enterprise security.

In industry, Nik helped build and lead security at three of the most influential defense‑tech companies of the last decade. He served as head of cybersecurity operations at SpaceX and later led international cyber defense programs at Palantir, giving him a front‑row seat to how software, data, and security shape modern national power. He then became CIO and CISO at Anduril Industries, where he built the company’s cybersecurity and weapons‑system security programs from the ground up while Anduril was racing to field autonomous systems for the Pentagon.

Today, Nik is the founder and CEO of Wraithwatch, a cyber defense company born from his frustration that defenders are almost always forced to react second. At Wraithwatch, he is focused on “weaponizing” AI for defense at scale—using advanced models to help blue teams pre‑empt and out-iterate attackers instead of learning only from breaches and red‑team reports. Across each chapter of his career, he has carried forward the same core idea: apply special operations discipline, speed, and clarity of mission to how software, security teams, and AI‑driven defenses are built and run.

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Nik Seetharaman Links:

LI - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikseetharaman

Wraithwatch - https://www.wraithwatch.com

X - https://x.com/nikseeth
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