Cleared Hot, Ep. 423: Dan Crenshaw – Insider Trading, Public Threats, Silencing Speech, and Questioning Faith

Host: Andy Stumpf
Guest: Congressman Dan Crenshaw
Date: January 2, 2026

Episode Overview

In this wide-ranging, often candid conversation, Andy Stumpf welcomes Congressman and former SEAL Dan Crenshaw to break down public controversies surrounding Crenshaw, including accusations of insider trading, public threats and feuds, lobbying, silencing speech, and questions around his faith and personal conduct. The episode navigates current political tribalism, transparency in media and politics, shifts in conservatism and liberalism, the healthcare debate, and the challenge of public trust in government. The tone blends policy wonk deep-dives with the ex-operator banter fans expect from Cleared Hot.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening and Ukraine–Russia War Analysis ([01:13]-[09:10])

• Crenshaw’s take on US involvement in Ukraine:
  • Describes American fatigue in foreign conflicts but clarifies that US support is mainly financial/arms, not “boots on the ground.”
  • Highlights Trump’s approach: leveraging “peace through strength,” arming Ukraine, tightening sanctions, and brokering diplomacy – contradicting the narrative that Trump is "soft" on Putin.
• On media narratives vs. reality:
  • Andy: “Depending on where you get your information from publicly, you’re going to hear an opposite narrative...” ([09:10])
  • Crenshaw: Advocates for judging by action, not rhetoric, and laments the lack of nuanced, accurate media coverage.
• Explores tribal politics and echo chambers, with Andy sharing his approach of distancing himself from social media noise to assess reality.

2. Tribalism, Civic Education & Media Literacy ([12:40]-[19:21])

• Kids pressured early into picking political “sides,” unlike previous generations.
• Crenshaw lists media recommendations for both conservative and liberal perspectives; insists on personal critical thinking over influencer soundbites.
  • “My podcast… is from a conservative point of view, but I think that’s pretty transparent.” ([13:01])
• Critiques the logic of dismissing entire outlets based on occasional errors.

3. Shifts in Conservatism & Progressivism ([19:21]-[28:46])

• Crenshaw: Conservatism is in a “civil war” between traditional and populist wings; liberalism has fundamentally shifted to progressivism.
• He describes “classical liberal” principles (negative rights, God-given rights) as pillars once shared by both sides, now largely forsaken by modern progressives.
• Outlines three pillars of conservatism: cultural (hard work, meritocracy, Judeo-Christian values), political (checks-and-balances, federalism), and economic (free markets, small biz focus).
• Trump’s tariffs: Not un-conservative; “conservatives maybe…became overly enamored with unhindered free trade.”

4. Healthcare Policy, Government Shutdowns & Reform ([35:38]-[57:11])

• Deep dive into health care reform, why the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) failed to deliver, and how subsidies perversely benefit insurers, not patients.
  • “Why are we subsidizing [insurance companies]?” ([40:48])
• Crenshaw’s prescription for reform:
  1. Universal Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) for everyone.
  2. Price transparency mandates.
  3. Reinsurance/risk-pooling for the high-risk healthcare population.
• Calls for sunsetting premium tax credits; sees voucher-based assistance as more effective.
• Claims bipartisan progress on price transparency and regulatory reform, but blames Bernie Sanders for blocking such efforts:
  “He wants the system to fail so he can get Medicare for all.” ([44:03])
• Discusses single-payer pitfalls via UK and Canada models—long wait times, stifled innovation.
• Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) described as “the middleman” and a key driver of cost opacity.

Memorable exchange:
Andy (on U.S. bureaucracy): “The reality is, in my day-to-day when I sit down and talk with people…the concept of figuring out a way…where [at-risk individuals] can do something about it… I actually haven’t encountered anybody who’s like, That’s a horrible idea. Online? Different story.” ([25:27])

5. Psychedelics, FDA Regulation & Veteran Mental Health ([62:25]-[66:41])

• Crenshaw describes championing FDA reform for stem cell treatments and legislation forcing DoD clinical trials for psychedelics (MDMA, psilocybin, ibogaine) for service member mental health.
• Motivation came from hearing multiple personal transformations attributed to psychedelic therapy within the military-veteran community.

Crenshaw: “If we can destigmatize this treatment [in the DoD], it’ll trickle down. And I think I’ve been proven right.” ([65:55])

6. Confronting Public Controversy: “The Most Hated Congressman?” ([68:32]-[81:11])

• Andy raises high-profile criticisms: threats to journalists, public feuds, alcohol “incidents,” pro-Israel lobbying, anti–free speech accusations.
• Crenshaw dissects specific stories—such as the Mexico incident (“alcohol-related incident” was just “laughing at a toast” in Mexico with military officials; mainstream coverage highly sensationalized).
• Discusses disconnect between online vitriol and “real world” feedback:
  “In seven years, two people…have just come up to me in public to have anything negative to say.” ([73:03])

7. The Sean Ryan Saga: Threats, Cease and Desist Letters, and Podcast Feuds ([81:11]-[97:46])

• Timeline:
  1. Sean Ryan (podcaster/former SEAL) referenced “rich congressmen” allegedly hiring Steve Aoki for events—Crenshaw private-messages correcting the record.
  2. Ryan later claims Crenshaw threatened him with “boys from six” (referring to SEAL Team 6).
  3. Crenshaw’s letter demanded a public correction to avoid spreading allegations of criminal threats.
  4. Ryan published the lawyer letter, escalating “free speech”/“silencing” accusations.
• Crenshaw reads and unpacks his actual message, insisting it wasn’t threatening:
  “It says, ‘…why don’t you just reach out to me if you have a problem with me. My boys at six told me about this... you’re going off trending narratives instead of facts.’ That’s the message. Never responded to. Not a threat.” ([87:52])
• On sending the lawyer letter: “You can say I suck at healthcare…That’s protected speech. But you can’t accuse people of crimes and get…no accountability there. That’s why people get sued for libel.” ([91:30])
• Crenshaw says he’ll appear on Sean Ryan’s podcast to clarify facts directly.

8. Insider Trading Accusations & Congressional Stock Trading ([98:04]-[108:28])

• Andy: “Do you think people who are in elected office should be able to trade?”
• Crenshaw: “I’m co-sponsoring the bill that says you can’t trade individual stocks…Who cares, let’s just remove all doubt.” ([98:28], [103:32])
• Crenshaw provides his personal trading records, claiming only minor gains (~$18k realized in six years), debunks public memes that claimed “millions.” Emphasizes transparency and misinterpretation of financial disclosures (“range” reporting fosters confusion).
• Acknowledges public perception of corruption is a major problem—regardless of actual wrongdoing.
• Both agree: the real issue is pervasive mistrust; “Perception is reality.”

9. Lobbying, Campaign Finance, and Influence in DC ([112:07]-[121:03])

• Crenshaw details PAC/lobbyist limitations (“max donation is $5,000”; “They already agree with you…”).
• Warns new corruption is via undisclosed influencer pay-outs (PBMs using media companies to drive anti-reform sentiment).
• Contrasts legal obligations for campaigns vs. unregulated “influencer” attacks, expresses concern over this loophole.

Andy: “Why not make it easier and put all re-elections on a same budget?”
Crenshaw: “You can’t…because of our First Amendment…unless we change the Constitution.” ([119:23])

10. How Policy Gets Made, Why Bills Are So Long, and Budget Gridlock ([121:03]-[135:42])

• “1500-page bills” explained: legal code amendments, word definitions, technical requirements.
• The expectation is staff and members understand the content, not just summaries.
• Why “single-issue bills” (vs. omnibuses) rarely solve the budgeting deadlock—much is out of Congress’ hands due to “mandatory spending” (Social Security, Medicare, VA).
• U.S. debt problem breaks along demographic, not strictly partisan lines; “pushing the problem” is politically safer than telling voters hard truths (e.g., needing to raise the retirement age).

11. The Town Hall 10-Year-Old & Questioning Faith ([142:48]-[144:16])

• Viral clip of Crenshaw supposedly “attacking a 10- or 12-year-old” over faith was, he claims, a misrepresented event: the person was a campaign operative, not a child, and her edited question omitted context.
• Says passages questioning his Christian faith were deliberately misconstrued.

12. Term Limits, Career Politicians, and Keeping or Restoring Trust ([144:19]-[149:12])

• Crenshaw nominally supports term limits (because voters want them) but details why they may backfire (loss of experience empowers bureaucracy and staff, not constituents).
• Notes average congressional term is only 7 years, and turnover is high.
• The “trust gap” is at historic lows, fueling demands for reforms, even if "solutions" can introduce new issues.

13. Personal Reflections, Motivation, and What Keeps Him Running ([151:57]-[156:23])

• Crenshaw emphasizes his real work—flood mitigation, veterans’ services, combating cartels, healthcare reform—as what drives him to tolerate public attacks.
• “There’s a lot of cons to doing this job right. I tell high schoolers: depends what kind of cost you’re willing to bear.”
• Says the benefit is being able to “actually affect more for the good of your constituents” – and citizens have the power to “throw [representatives] out every two years.” ([151:57])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Ukraine war reporting:
  “I watch people talk about peace…Ceasefire is followed immediately by notifications of drone strikes and bombings. It seems to be the record going around.” – Andy ([01:13])
• On online vs. real life:
  “In seven years, I can think of two times where someone is…negative to me in public. There is ground truth and there is internet truth.” – Crenshaw ([73:03])
• On defending himself:
  “You can say so many things…but I can take action when you’re accusing me of criminal activity.” – Crenshaw ([97:46])
• On why he sent the lawyer letter:
  “You’re calling me a criminal or inferring that I’m a criminal, at least…when you’re accusing me of a crime, things change.” – Crenshaw ([91:30])
• On term limits:
  “You want a platoon full of new guys?…You need members who know how to stand up to staff…Being honest gets you in a lot of trouble. That’s why I hated congressman—because I just tell you, I'm going to tell you how it is.” – Crenshaw ([149:12])
• On the role of public service:
  “My real job is doing things for my district…destroying the cartels, stopping flooding…That’s why I even keep running.” – Crenshaw ([151:57])
• On regret:
  “The one thing you’ll get me to say I regret is definitely the Tucker Carlson thing…I do. As much as I hate threaten people's lives, Dan, you shouldn't threaten people's lives…It was just dumb.” – Crenshaw, Andy ([165:40])

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [01:13] – Ukraine, Trump, and US foreign policy deep dive
• [12:40] – Why tribalism is worse; advice for young people/civic education
• [19:21] – How the meanings of “conservative” and “liberal” have changed
• [35:38] – Health care reform, shutdowns, and US budget negotiations
• [62:25] – Psychedelics, VA, and FDA reform for veteran treatment
• [68:32] – “Most hated congressman” online, real-life vs. internet
• [81:11] – The Sean Ryan podcast feud deconstructed
• [98:04] – Insider trading accusations, stock trading, transparency
• [112:07] – Lobbying, influencer payment loopholes, campaign finance
• [121:03] – How long bills are created; single-issue vs. omnibus legislation
• [135:42] – US debt, Social Security, and the politics of fiscal reform
• [142:48] – Faith, town halls, and viral “10-year-old” clip explained
• [144:19] – Term limits: pros, cons, structural realities
• [151:57] – What motivates Crenshaw to stay in office; constituent work

Closing Thoughts

This episode is a revealing inside look—sometimes defensive, sometimes self-deprecating—at a congressman fighting both political and personality-driven battles online and off. The discussion patiently works through policy complexity but doesn’t shy from the mud of modern politics. Both host and guest emphasize the gap between internet and real life, the importance of direct dialogue, and the enduring hard work of public service amid chaotic times.

For those seeking clarity on the Ukraine war, healthcare overhaul, stock trading and lobbying in DC, or just how political social-media feuds metastasize, this episode is a comprehensive, honest, and at times entertaining primer.