This Memorial Day, we remember not only the men and women whose names are etched into stone, but also the quiet professionals whose sacrifices may never be publicly known. In recent weeks, another star was added to the wall at Central Intelligence Agency headquarters, a solemn reminder that some gave everything in silence, far from recognition, applause, or headlines.
Having worked alongside many of these individuals, I have seen firsthand the weight they carry and the sacrifices they make, not for recognition, but because they believed deeply in protecting this country and the people in it. Some spent years away from their families. Some operated in places where even a small mistake meant they would never come home. Some gave their lives, and much of what they did may remain classified forever.
Many Americans will never know their names. They will never hear the stories of the officers, targeters, analysts, and sources who stood in the shadows to stop attacks, track terrorists, warn of threats, and protect our homeland from enemies most people will never see. Yet their work mattered every single day.
Today, we honor all of the fallen, including those whose families carry their grief quietly, often unable to fully speak about the service and sacrifice of the person they lost. The stars on that wall are not just symbols. Each one marks a life dedicated to protecting this nation in silence. Behind every star is a story of sacrifice, courage, and a family that carries that loss forever.
We remember them. We honor them. And we owe them far more than most will ever know.
Please help @MrsMcAfeeShow, Mackenzie, and I welcome Midas Robert McAfee to our family.. Due to Samantha having a high risk pregnancy and severe preeclampsia, the decision was made to have an emergency C-Section on Friday night. Baby boy officially entered the world on May 22nd at 10:42PM as a 6lb 6oz screaming young legend… 10 Toes, 10 Fingers, full head of hair.
Literally in his first moments of life, Midas was working... He was able to get his O2 Levels high enough to be able to come hang with us in our room and because of that we got to do all of the immediate magical newborn moments.. Skin to skin, 10,000 kisses, tons of love, all of that.. inevitably, since he came into the world at 36 Weeks (40 is full term), he had to develop his lungs a little bit more, get some fluid out of him, and adjust a bit to life outside of Sam’s stomach.. So, he was sent to the NICU to help the transition from the womb to the world.
As mom was recovering like a badass from the mind boggling C-Section surgery, little dude was DAHN the hall.. They put a CPAP on our guy, a feeding tube, and put him in a heated pod with a heating lamp to help him develop a bit more. There wasn’t much I could do other than bring positive vibes as I bounced back and forth between the 2.
Watching Samantha battle thru her recovery has been nothing short of inspiring, WE APPRECIATE YOU @MrsMcAfeeShow, I will be sure that our kids will know how much you went thru for them.. And every time I went and saw boy, I couldn’t help but fantasize about what his life could become.. So many dreams and opportunities waiting for this young stud. We had a sneaky suspicion that he was a dawg and a fighter but, it is a bit scary to see your baby hooked up to so many “very serious” things.. He ended up staying roughly 36 hours in the NICU before being released back to our room… a FULL CELEBRATION occured. We’ve been floating around this room.. sleeping and burping and feeding and changing diapers ever since. We’re looking to get back home to our 3 year old baby girl today or tomorrow. We can’t wait for her to meet her baby brother.. Her grandparents have been doing a PHENOMENAL job of keeping her informed and also distracted while we’ve been living in this hospital.. we are VERY THANKFUL for them.
The name “Midas” has been the name I’d hoped to name my baby boy, if I was to ever have kids, since my Freshman year of high school when Mrs Nonnenberg (RIP Legend) taught me about Greek Mythology.. Like most, when you come from not a lot, the thought of everything you touch becoming gold was certainly an immediate draw for me but in this world that we live in, gold can only come from working your ass off, getting lucky, and having great folks around you. The name is perfect for the boy that Sam and I would like to raise. He will be an asset to society, he will treat folks right, and he will work his ass off to help his community achieve their own form of “gold.”
“Robert” is a tribute to Samantha’s dad and best friend.. A man that we lost way too soon a couple of years back and will now live on forever thru Mighty Midas. Midas will know his grandfather thru our stories and pictures.. and we know Bob will be looking out for Midas for all of time.
So on this Memorial Day we say Thank You to those who gave everything to this country that we call home.. and we will use their stories as guidance for our young boy about a life lived right.
We Love You Midas… Welcome to the McAfee family. We will do everything we can for you, brother.
p.s. Midas has already watched the closest Indy 500 of all time. The Vegas Golden Knights HUGE game 3 comeback… AND of course, Top Gun Maverick.
Memorial Day is a solemn reminder that freedom is never free. Today, we honor the brave American heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.
We remember our fallen warriors, pray for their loved ones and Gold Star Families, and give thanks for those who gave everything.
God Bless America. 🇺🇸🇺🇸
Nine years ago on Memorial Day:
President Trump met Christian Jacobs at Arlington National Cemetery, where Christian honored his father, Christopher, who gave his life in service.
The tradition of folding the American flag requires exactly thirteen folds to show a field of stars on blue, symbolizing the original thirteen colonies. Each Memorial Day, we honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. To all those who served, we thank you.
Today we honored the names etched into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial through the humble act of washing the wall. It’s our way of saying welcome home and remembering their sacrifice. It’s also a reminder to those in the future, that if you don’t step up as well, this freedom we have, is not there.
Our new 250th Anniversary collection is a nod to the American grit that founded our nation. Limited release available now.
@jockowillink@originpete@prattprattpratt
We need more Americans outraged over this! Our generation went to war against these terrorists and now it’s perfectly fine our government funds them. It’s like bizarro world, where did all the warriors go?
Hello Joe Rogan — Over $40 million is flown to Afghanistan weekly. This has been going on since the Taliban’s takeover during the Biden Administration. Pallets of U.S. cash are flown by chartered jets into Afghanistan. It’s then auctioned by the Taliban’s Central Bank and converted into Afghani currency.
The converted cash is then distributed to local and international NGOs. All NGOs operating in Afghanistan are licensed by the Taliban. They pay taxes and fees to the Taliban. Their employees are vetted by the Taliban’s intelligence. The NGOs purchase goods and services only from a list of pre-approved Taliban businesses.
Areas with Taliban supporters receive multiple rounds of aid, while the anti-Taliban communities get little to none. We have even documented multiple cases of U.S. cash and aid reaching the families of Taliban fighters and suicide bombers.
We exposed the cash shipments to the Taliban with the help of @ShawnRyan762. It led to the No Tax Dollars For Terrorists Act introduced by @RepTimBurchett. This legislation passed the House on June 23, 2025, and almost a year later, the U.S. Senate and Senator @JohnThune have still not voted on it.
Our legislation (H.R. 260) will make it mandatory to report all cash shipments to Afghanistan and then defund the Taliban. They are a terrorist group. They don’t deserve a penny.
Thank you for having @TimBurchett on your show. He’s the real deal. God bless.
@joerogan
Received this letter from Schlep’s mother the other day. Schlep came on my show about two months ago to expose how predators prey on children through online video games, including games made for kids, one of them being Roblox.
On the show, Schlep spoke publicly about his abuser and shared details he had never told his parents before. Although we may never know the full impact that episode made and continues to make, I hope parents, soon-to-be parents, and friends will share this message and learn how to better protect children from online predators.
@RealSchlep