This Episode:

This week on Goat Rodeo, Garrett Smith, Dave Caudle, and Simon Coon dive into the intersection of the Iran war, artificial intelligence, and the politics of modern warfare.

The conversation begins with the controversy surrounding a school strike in Iran and what it potentially reveals about AI-assisted targeting entering real combat operations. The crew explores how systems like Maven are accelerating the kill chain and what that means for decision-making in war.

They also unpack the growing clash between the Pentagon and Anthropic after the company’s models were banned from government systems, and what that fight signals about the future relationship between Silicon Valley and the national security state.

Finally, the discussion turns to the defense tech market, where massive venture rounds and rising valuations are reshaping the defense innovation and investing landscape.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

https://linktr.ee/GoatRodeoPodcast

This Episode:

This week on Goat Rodeo, Dave Caudle and Simon Coon are joined by Chris Booth, a former CIA officer with more than two decades of experience working Middle East and Iran-related issues.

The conversation focuses on the rapidly evolving conflict with Iran, including the decapitation of senior leadership, the uncertainty surrounding Tehran’s internal power structure, and what a potential collapse or fragmentation of the regime could mean for the region.

They also explore how the conflict is playing out operationally, from drone exchanges and maritime risk in the Strait of Hormuz to the economics of modern munitions and the limits of U.S. and allied stockpiles.

Finally, the discussion turns to Washington, where war powers debates, a DHS shutdown, and looming midterms are shaping how Congress responds to the conflict and what it could mean for defense spending and U.S. strategy going forward.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

https://linktr.ee/GoatRodeoPodcast

This Episode:

Four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Garrett sits down with Chris Naganuma for a frontline look at how the war has evolved and what it means going forward. They walk through the arc of the conflict, from the early days of trench assaults and artillery dominance to a battlefield now shaped by drones, jamming, and constant technological adaptation.

The discussion covers how casualty patterns have shifted, how supply chains matured from improvised imports to domestic production, and how movement on the frontlines has changed as automation and electronic warfare intensified.

The episode also examines morale, negotiation dynamics, and what the West should realistically be learning from Ukraine, including the role of decentralized innovation and the growing importance of a professional NCO corps in modern warfare.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

https://linktr.ee/GoatRodeoPodcast

This Episode:

This week on Goat Rodeo, Garrett, Simon, and Dave cover a wide-ranging set of defense and national security topics that all point back to one question: what happens when military capabilities, politics, and public space start colliding closer to home.

The conversation moves from airport air defense and domestic security friction, to allies accelerating defense spending and industrial activity in response to growing pressure and uncertainty.

They also dig into how acquisition and execution are adapting to these shifts, including what APFIT looks like in practice and what it says about the Pentagon’s push to move faster when the stakes are rising.

As always, the discussion sits at the intersection of geopolitics, defense technology, and the realities of fielding real capability in an increasingly contested world.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

https://linktr.ee/GoatRodeoPodcast

This Episode:

The Goat Rodeo crew is joined by Chris Booth, who’s worn a lot of hats across a long national security career. He’s served as a Soldier, an attorney, a national security professional, and a writer and thinker, most recently retiring from the CIA. He brings a sharp, grounded perspective to a wide-ranging conversation on where power, money, and institutions are colliding right now.

The group unpacks the ripple effects still moving through Washington and the national security community, what renewed interest in U.S. shipbuilding really signals, and how venture capital is pushing deeper into intelligence and defense spaces that were once closed off. They also dig into what happens when private capital meets government secrecy, how incentives shift when investors enter the IC ecosystem, and where the risks actually lie.

As always, there’s no shortage of candid takes on markets, institutions, and the uncomfortable tradeoffs shaping the future of national security.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

https://linktr.ee/GoatRodeoPodcast

This Episode:

This week on Goat Rodeo, the crew kicks things off with a quick review of BattleLab Episode 2 before jumping into a geopolitics trifecta covering Iran, Greenland, and the expiration of New START and what it signals for global nuclear policy.

From there, the conversation shifts to defense modernization, including the new Drone Dominance program, Golden Dome, the role of DIU, and the Shield IDIQ. The team also discusses how these initiatives fit into the broader acquisition landscape and where real capability delivery can get lost in “acquisition theater.”

To close, the team does an update on the DHS shutdown, what it means for federal employees, and what a positive outcome might look like.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

https://linktr.ee/GoatRodeoPodcast

This Episode:

This week, the Goat Rodeo crew digs into a fast-moving moment for U.S. defense and global security. They look into the latest government shutdown drama, why DHS funding has become the political choke point, and what a short shutdown actually means for defense programs, contracting officers, and acquisition timelines.

From there, the conversation shifts to the newly released 2026 National Defense Strategy. The team breaks down what it signals about a pivot toward the Western Hemisphere, homeland defense, and more transactional alliances, and debates whether this strategy will meaningfully reshape budgets, force structure, or acquisition priorities.

They also unpack major developments inside China, including the unprecedented purge of senior PLA leadership. What does it say about readiness, internal trust, and Beijing’s real appetite for a Taiwan conflict?

Finally, the episode turns to the defense venture landscape. With capital flowing, valuations heating up, and bold claims about startup-led national security, the crew debates what’s real, what’s aspirational, and where innovation actually fits alongside primes, the industrial base, and long-term defense realities.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2mTJ1oJEgB3rCbQouCL7XD?si=9b2647b843144469

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goat-rodeo/id1801310605

YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast

This Episode:

This week on Goat Rodeo, Garrett, Simon, and Dave cover a wide range of defense and national security topics, from Arctic posture and Greenland’s strategic relevance to renewed excitement around DIU and defense innovation.

The conversation moves through Ukraine, where battlefield realities are colliding with venture-backed defense tech, and into broader questions about testing, maturity, and responsibility when deploying new capabilities in live conflicts. They also discuss acquisition reform, transition challenges, and how incentives inside the defense ecosystem shape what actually gets fielded.

Rounding things out, the crew looks at budgets, policy dynamics, and what defense companies should be paying attention to as geopolitics, innovation, and procurement continue to converge.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics; serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare.

Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take, because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2mTJ1oJEgB3rCbQouCL7XD?si=9b2647b843144469

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goat-rodeo/id1801310605

YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast