Malcolm Nance talks a lot. A lot. And most of it, unsurprisingly, is about one person: Malcolm Nance. The former MSNBC military “expert” has once again managed to paint himself into a corner—this time, courtesy of his own towering claims and the scrutiny of actual veterans who are, shall we say, less than impressed.
For years, Nance has spun elaborate yarns about his military service. While his LinkedIn resume reads like a mashup of James Bond, Jason Bourne, and Rambo, those who’ve served in the military—particularly veterans of the cryptology and special operations communities—have long questioned the credibility of his claims. The latest chapter in this saga? A meltdown on X (formerly Twitter) that spiraled into a showdown with Dave Parke, a veteran with a sharp wit and a knack for exposing posers.
Nance’s resume boasts some jaw-dropping credentials: a Naval Intelligence career specializing in counterterrorism, field interrogations, and combat operations in the Balkans, the Middle East, and Africa. It’s the kind of stuff Hollywood action flicks are made of. But dig a little deeper, and the cracks start to show.
Take his 2017 interview with Brian Lamb on C-SPAN’s Q&A. Nance declared that all enlisted SEAL Team 6 operators are “Chief Petty Officers” and that Delta Force enlisted personnel are “Master Sergeants and above.” Both claims? Flat-out false. To underscore the absurdity, retired Navy SEALs and Army Delta veterans, including Medal of Honor recipient Randy Shughart (a Sergeant First Class, for the record), would beg to differ.
When Lamb asked if Nance had ever “killed a person,” his response was peak Nance: vague yet grandiose. He had “seen” people killed and once “put his finger on a map.” Riveting stuff.
Even within the Navy’s cryptology community, where Nance purportedly built his illustrious career, he’s less respected hero and more persona non grata. Retired Senior Chief Peter Morlock recounted a telling incident from their time at the Naval Reconnaissance Support Activity (NRSA) in Rota, Spain. Morlock’s commanding officer explicitly ordered him to document that Nance was “persona non grata” and could be removed from their spaces by force if necessary. Not exactly the glowing endorsement one expects of an intelligence virtuoso.
Nance’s claims of being a combat veteran have also come under fire. While he sports a Combat Action Ribbon (CAR), Morlock explains that Nance likely earned it under the Navy’s fleet standard—not for direct combat but for being near missile launches or SCUD splashdowns. That’s a far cry from the combat valor he implies.
Fast forward to 2022, when Nance traded his MSNBC gig for a stint in Ukraine. Photos of Nance in his “combat kit” quickly went viral—for all the wrong reasons. Veterans called out the glaring issues: empty magazine pouches, an unseated magazine in his rifle, and an overall vibe more akin to cosplay than combat readiness. Nance’s explanation? He was busy “clearing his weapon.” Sure.
The latest flare-up came when Nance went toe-to-toe with Parke on X. After Parke questioned Nance’s credibility, Nance upped the ante, challenging Parke to a $25,000 bet to answer questions on national TV or radio. Parke, like many veterans, simply wanted straight answers—no theatrics, no grandstanding.
Ignore Nance. He’s a pile of lies pretending he did more than he actually did in the Navy. He’s turned the mystique of being a crypto-linguist into the grift of being an intel officer and some kind of CT expert and now his grift is running dry so this is all he has.
— Dave Parke (@Dave_Parke) November 10, 2024
Then the conversation continued…
Who will have you on national tv? Weren’t you kicked off the MSNBC circuit? Why have you said you were a Naval Intelligence Officer when that’s not true? Why have you claimed you were with the Agency when that’s not true? You can’t humiliate me because I know all of your lies
— Dave Parke (@Dave_Parke) November 10, 2024
Questions abound. Did Nance really train SWAT teams in “leg whips”? Did he actually attend Scout Sniper School, or did he pick up that tidbit during a Netflix binge? What exactly does “putting his finger on a map” mean in the context of military action?
Unsurprisingly, Nance began backpedaling, shifting the terms of the bet and limiting it to answering a single question. The pattern is clear: Malcolm Nance is great at talking—just not when it comes to specifics.
In a world where combat veterans and intelligence operatives pride themselves on humility and integrity, Nance’s larger-than-life persona sticks out like a sore thumb. While he’s managed to carve out a niche on cable news, where hyperbole reigns supreme, the scrutiny of his peers has repeatedly left his stories in tatters.
What’s even worse is Nance has now attacked a fallen soldier, adding to the list of his lesser qualities.
Some people are the lowest types of people you can imagine. @MalcolmNance proves your imagination wasn’t even close. Not only does he try to use Shannon Kent’s death to establish bona fides in “SIGINT Special Operations” but he feels the need to denigrate her heroic service. pic.twitter.com/DTBdz0MUTv
— Dave Parke (@Dave_Parke) November 19, 2024
Perhaps someday, Nance will sit down for a long-form interview with someone like Joe Rogan and lay it all out. Until then, he remains a walking contradiction—part self-styled war hero, part MSNBC darling, and part punchline.
In the words of one exasperated veteran: “The really great ones don’t need to talk this much.”
