Matt Bissonnette is a former United States Navy SEAL known for his participation in the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden, as detailed in his bestselling book No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama bin Laden (2012), written under the pen name Mark Owen.
A DEVGRU (SEAL Team Six) operator, Bissonnette served multiple combat deployments and was one of the SEALs who entered bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
The book, which became a New York Times bestseller, sparked controversy for not being cleared by the Pentagon, leading to a 2016 settlement where Bissonnette agreed to forfeit royalties and speaking fees.
He has since advised on the CBS series SEAL Team (2017–present) and maintains a low public profile.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:56 New Book and Legal Battles
02:39 Background and Identity Reveal
10:39 Government Injustice and Media Exposure
20:26 Childhood in Alaska
34:06 First Deployment and Combat Experience
37:50 Screening and Training for SEAL Team Six
42:57 Joining Red Squadron and Delta Integration
59:48 First Kill and Reflections
01:03:52 Captain Phillips Rescue Operation
01:20:20 Planning and Executing the Bin Laden Raid
01:33:04 Aftermath and Political Encounters
01:52:03 Final Assault and Securing the Compound
02:09:23 Return Home and Leadership Reflection
02:21:02 Publishing the Book and Facing Legal Backlash
02:32:34 Interrogations, Accusations, and VA Struggles
03:05:04 Corruption and Malpractice Allegations
03:22:12 Tax Issues and Book Review Process
03:33:10 Reflections on SEAL Community and Future Plans
03:57:12 Final Thoughts and Recommendations
More About Matt Bissonnette
After retiring, he received criticism along with fellow SEAL Robert J. O’Neill for their books and differing accounts of events.
No Easy Day became a New York Times bestseller and generated controversy because it was not cleared by the Pentagon.
This led to a 2016 settlement where Bissonnette agreed to forfeit royalties and speaking fees.
Perspectives
Navy SEAL Matt Bissonnette faced investigations and criticism for revealing classified information
Bissonnette was under investigation by the Justice Department and the Navy for revealing classified information in his book No Easy Day
A DoD investigation found that Bissonnette and six other SEALs acted as consultants for the video game Medal of Honor: Warfighter without seeking clearance from superiors and shared some of their gear with developers
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service expanded an investigation after Bissonnette agreed to turn over a hard drive containing an unauthorized photo of Osama bin Laden’s corpse
Bissonnette’s book No Easy Day sparked controversy for not being cleared by the Pentagon, leading to a 2016 settlement where he forfeited royalties and speaking fees
Matt Bissonnette, the author himself, acknowledges the challenges of telling his story and adhering to security clearance.
Bissonnette expressed that if it were up to him, his story would not have been told, and his identity would have remained obscure (his name was aired by an anchor on Fox News, which only took off like wildfire afterwards)
He stated that anyone who has signed a top-secret clearance must have all their works reviewed, though he noted that this is not always enforced across the board, and they “just go after who they want to.”
Bissonnette discussed maintaining his faith and finding solidarity after war-fighting, stating it is easier to keep faith when he has “been in the trenches, when [he’s] been in the fight.”
