Benghazi Survivors Speak Out Amid Heated Controversy

Multiple men involved in the 2012 Benghazi attack took to social media over the weekend to address the growing controversy around the role of Delta Force operators in the fighting that night.

The September 11-12, 2012 attack on a diplomatic consulate and CIA annex in the Libyan city left four Americans dead, including Ambassador Chris Stevens.

The attack turned into a massive scandal for the Obama administration, and is back in the news after new claims about what the Delta operators did – or didn't do – went viral.

Specifically, the "Antihero Podcast" - a popular military and law enforcement podcast - floated the possibility that the two Delta Force operators might have details the public doesn't know about. Co-host Brent Tucker is a former member of The Unit and knows the men involved.

The two Delta Force operators involved in the rescue operation received the military's second highest award and have never spoken out.

You can watch the comments that got things rolling in the tweet below.

Benghazi survivors speak out

Following the clip above going viral, there was significant backlash online from the men involved with "13 Hours," the book and movie based on the events in Benghazi. Specifically, John "Tig" Tiegen hit back at the video.

I reached out for comment over the weekend and was met with a vulgar message. He claimed Delta Force "didn’t do Jack f*cking sh*t that night" in Benghazi.

Following Tiegen's tweets, other members of the team who fought against the attack also responded on X. Kris Paronto, who claimed on Shawn Ryan's podcast that he had no idea what the Delta guys were doing, tweeted in support of Tiegen and the team.

Mark Geist, another member of the team, also tweeted that he stands by the story told in the movie "13 Hours."

Tiegen also claimed on X that the two Delta Force operators, whose names I will not publicly share, lied and fabricated the stories that earned one the Distinguished Service Cross and the other the Navy Cross.

I reached out to multiple Unit members who said the two Delta operators on the ground have outstanding integrity.

Sarah Adams also weighed in suggesting the awards for the Delta operators were "highly exaggerated and not factual."

The core of the issue comes down to claims about what the two Delta Force operators did during the attack. Neither has ever spoken out nor publicly addressed the situation, but as Brent hinted, that could someday change. If it does change, people might hear a new perspective.

Meanwhile, other members involved in fighting the terrorist attack have publicly floated that they either don't know what the two highly-decorated soldiers were doing the entire time or that they flat out weren't really involved.

That cuts against reporting and on the record statements. Former Delta Force operator Dave Nielsen told me in a 2024 interview that they helped secure the return of Stevens' body, and a 2013 Fox News report claims at least one of the secretive operators actually went to the hospital where Stevens was believed to be. Nielsen also said in the same 20124 interview that he actually saw "13 Hours" with one of the two Delta operators there. You can watch Nielsen's explanation starting around 38:00 into our interview.

TOPSHOT - An armed man waves his rifle as buildings and cars are engulfed in flames after being set on fire inside the US consulate compound in Benghazi late on September 11, 2012. An armed mob protesting over a film they said offended Islam, attacked the US consulate in Benghazi and set fire to the building, killing one American, witnesses and officials said. (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)

It's also worth noting the DSC and Navy Cross aren't handed out for no reason. There is a significant process for those awards to be signed off on, and both operators received them.

Is it possible they earned those awards for not doing "Jack f*cking sh*t that night" or lying? Seems like something that would be a significant scandal if true.

The other option to explain the differences in stories is that the security team might honestly not have had any idea what the Delta guys were doing because it wasn't their concern. Is it possible the GRS members weren't read into what Delta's mission was during the attack?

It's certainly something to consider. As I always say, more information is always the best outcome, and I hope more and more information comes out. That includes from the two secret operators who have faced criticism without being able to respond.

Former Secretary of State and Democratic Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton testifies before the House Select Committee on Benghazi on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, October 22, 2015. Clinton took the stand Thursday to defend her role in responding to deadly attacks on the US mission in Libya, as Republicans forged ahead with an inquiry criticized as partisan anti-Clinton propaganda. (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

We will continue to update the OutKick audience as more information about Benghazi and the men involved comes out. What's clear is that this issue isn't going away. Let me know what you think at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.