National Security and Global Leadership with 4-Star Gen. Michael Minihan

2026-02-16

#40: In Part 2 of our conversation with Retired 4-Star Gen. Michael Minihan (U.S. Air Force), we go deeper into the realities shaping the world right now—China’s long-term strategy, threats across cyber and critical infrastructure, what “preparedness” looks like without panic, and why modern defense priorities are shifting fast. Gen. Minihan also explains the concept behind the “Golden Dome” (integrated air and missile defense), shares a grounded perspective on nuclear deterrence, and opens up about the personal side of leadership—worthiness, presence, resilience, a...

Gen. Minihan also explains the concept behind the “Golden Dome” (integrated air and missile defense), shares a grounded perspective on nuclear deterrence, and opens up about the personal side of leadership—worthiness, presence, resilience, and navigating real-life trials during a major career transition.

Finally, we connect the dots between human performance, wearables, and Soaak’s frequency technology, discussing why the future belongs to integrated toolkits that support service members (and everyday people) from day one through retirement—and beyond.

00:00 Introduction

03:49 Pilot Training Pressure and Finding Confidence

07:38 Nobility, Discipline, and Command in Early Squadrons

11:27 Thyroid Cancer and Fighting Back to the Cockpit

15:16 “Real Life Happens” Deployments, Family, and Resilience

19:05 Favorite Deployments and the Weight of Medevac and KIA Missions

22:54 AMC Tempo: Kabul, Ukraine, Pacific, Israel, Haiti

26:43 China as a Whole-of-Nation Threat

30:32 Should Americans Prep? Infrastructure and Cyber Reality

34:21 “As Ready as We Are, We Can Be More Ready”

38:10 Golden Dome Explained: Integrated Air and Missile Defense

41:59 Nuclear Deterrence: Why You Can Sleep at Night