Matt Strickland - The Cost of Standing Up for Constitutional Rights

Matt Strickland - The Cost of Standing Up for Constitutional Rights

In this episode, Matt Strickland, a Virginia restaurant owner and former intelligence analyst, shares his relentless fight against government overreach. From challenging unconstitutional COVID-19 mandates at his restaurant, Gourmeltz, to blowing the whistle on politically biased intelligence reports and illegal surveillance at the Department of Homeland Security, Matt exposes the corruption and inaction plaguing federal agencies. He discusses the misuse of taxpayer funds, the refusal to address fentanyl as a chemical weapon, and the bureaucratic resistance to accountability, even under the Trump administration. Join us for a candid conversation about standing up for constitutional rights and the urgent need for transparency in government.

Matt Strickland, a fifth-generation Virginian, joined the U.S. Army at 17, inspired by his grandfather’s WWII service. He served multiple deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, both as a soldier with the 25th Infantry and as a Blackwater contractor, later fighting ISIS until 2016. Transitioning to civilian life, Matt pursued his passion for cooking, opening a successful food truck business in 2016 and later Gourmeltz restaurant. In 2020, he defied unconstitutional COVID-19 mandates, keeping his restaurant open and winning a legal battle against Virginia’s Attorney General. In 2024, Matt joined the Department of Homeland Security as an intelligence analyst but was fired in 2025 for whistleblowing on politically biased reports and illegal surveillance. A vocal advocate for constitutional rights, he continues to run Gourmeltz and speak out against government corruption.

Connect with Matt on X /x.com/MattForVA @MattForVA

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