Joe Rogan was joined by acclaimed showrunner and writer Taylor Sheridan for a sprawling three-hour conversation touching on espionage, ranching, combat sports, politics, and Sheridan's creative process behind hit shows like Yellowstone, 1883, and Lioness. Sheridan, who also operates a large Texas cattle ranch, opened with stories about horse genetics and cowboy culture, explaining how his ranching background deeply informs his writing. The discussion turned darker as both men dissected the state of American governance and media credibility in the wake of COVID-19. Rogan disclosed that outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard recently accused Dr. Anthony Fauci of lying to Congress about U.S. funding of gain-of-function research at the Wuhan lab, a story largely ignored by mainstream outlets. Sheridan and Rogan also explored the January 2025 raid to capture Venezuelan President Maduro, during which Trump publicly confirmed the use of a classified sonic weapon that disabled both personnel and equipment. The two criticized the homeless industrial complex in California, citing multi-billion-dollar fraud schemes exposed by independent journalist Nick Shirley. Rogan revealed he personally lobbied President Trump to expand access to ibogaine—a psychedelic proven to treat addiction and PTSD in veterans—bypassing pharmaceutical lobbyists. Trump signed the measure within a week. Sheridan discussed the meticulous research behind 1823 and Lioness, including his use of family journals from the 1840s and consultations with intelligence operatives. The episode concluded with praise for UFC fighter Justin Gaethje's upset victory over Ilia Topuria at the White House, and Sheridan promoting his new book How to Not Die in Prison, co-written with a former inmate and personal trainer.
Rogan disclosed he bypassed pharmaceutical companies and took the case for ibogaine—a powerful psychedelic shown to treat addiction and PTSD—directly to President Trump. Within a week, Trump signed an executive order. Rogan and Rick Perry are pushing for expanded access for veterans. Pharmaceutical companies were reportedly unhappy about being sidelined.
Read this moment →Rogan reported that outgoing DNI Tulsi Gabbard held a press conference accusing Dr. Anthony Fauci of lying to Congress about U.S. funding of gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology via EcoHealth Alliance. Rogan noted mainstream media outlets largely ignored the allegations, despite their explosive nature. The claim follows years of controversy over COVID-19's lab origins.
Read this moment →Rogan and Sheridan discussed Trump's public admission that U.S. special forces deployed a classified weapon dubbed the 'discombobulator' during the raid to capture Venezuelan President Maduro. Trump stated it disabled both Russian and Chinese-made rockets and radar as well as incapacitating personnel with sound. Trump refused to provide technical details but called it a sonic weapon that left enemy forces unable to respond.
Read this moment →Sheridan endorsed a 1984 interview with former KGB defector Yuri Bezmenov in which Bezmenov predicted America would be subverted from within through ideological demoralization. Sheridan argued Bezmenov accurately forecast Marxist infiltration of universities, erosion of patriotism, and division engineered by foreign adversaries including Russia, China, and Qatar. Rogan and Sheridan framed the current political climate as confirmation of decades-old Soviet psychological warfare strategy.
Read this moment →Rogan revealed that Shane van Boening, widely considered one of the greatest pool players ever, is deaf and deliberately turns off his hearing aids during competition to achieve total focus. Van Boening has won the U.S. Open—the hardest tournament in pool—five times, a feat matched only by one other player in history. Rogan suggests this unique ability to eliminate auditory distraction may contribute to his dominance.
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