Former CIA officer John Kiriakou reveals the shocking truth: no US President truly controls the CIA, as intelligence officials simply “wait out” leaders they dislike while implementing their own agendas.
Key Takeaways
- John Kiriakou, a former CIA operations officer, was targeted by both the CIA and FBI after exposing the agency’s torture program, resulting in imprisonment
- Career intelligence officials remain in positions for 25-35 years while presidents serve only 4-8 years, allowing them to outlast administrations they oppose
- The CIA had favorable views of Obama but significant conflicts with Trump, supporting the existence of what many conservatives call the “deep state”
- President Trump’s second term strategy includes appointing loyalists like John Ratcliffe and Kash Patel to counter intelligence agency overreach
- Kiriakou confirms that the “deep state” is real, describing it as entrenched federal bureaucracy that operates beyond presidential control
The Deep State is Not a Conspiracy Theory
In a riveting interview with Tucker Carlson, former CIA counterintelligence operations officer John Kiriakou confirmed what many conservatives have long suspected: the intelligence community operates largely beyond presidential control. Kiriakou’s firsthand experience as a CIA whistleblower who spent time in prison after exposing the agency’s torture program provides a rare window into the shadowy world of American intelligence operations. His testimony reinforces President Trump’s frequent warnings about the existence of an entrenched bureaucracy working against the will of elected officials.
“Donald Trump took a lot of guff in his first term when he used on a regular basis the term ‘deep state.’ I argued from the very beginning, it is a deep state. Maybe you don’t like the terminology. You don’t have to call it the deep state. You can call it the federal bureaucracy. You can call it the state. But the truth is that it exists,” said John Kiriakou, Former CIA Counterintelligence Operations Officer.
How the Intelligence Community Maintains Control
Kiriakou explained the fundamental power imbalance between elected presidents and career intelligence officials. While presidents serve limited terms, CIA operatives can remain in their positions for decades, allowing them to simply outlast any administration they disagree with. This systemic advantage enables intelligence agencies to maintain consistent policy priorities regardless of who occupies the White House. The revelations support President Trump’s ongoing efforts to reform and depoliticize these agencies through executive orders targeting governmental overreach.
“This is another problem. It’s that presidents come and go every four years, every eight years. But these CIA people, they’re there for 25, 30, 35 years. They don’t go anywhere. So if they don’t like a president or if a president orders them to do something that they don’t want to do, they just wait because they know they can wait him out, and then he’s not going to be president anymore. They can continue on with whatever plan the blob or the deep state wants to implement,” said John Kiriakou, Former CIA Counterintelligence Operations Officer.
The Personal Cost of Speaking Truth to Power
Kiriakou’s decision to expose the CIA’s torture program came at an enormous personal cost. Following his revelations, he became the target of an extensive FBI investigation that lasted for years and ultimately led to his imprisonment. The vindictive nature of this response highlights the intelligence community’s determination to silence whistleblowers and maintain operational secrecy at all costs. Even more troubling was Kiriakou’s claim that John Brennan, who later became CIA Director under Obama, harbored particular animosity toward him for exposing the agency’s illegal activities.
“An interesting interview between Tucker Carlson and Former CIA Counterintelligence Operations Officer John Kiriakou about being targeted by the CIA and FBI after telling the truth about CIA torture ops,” said Tucker Carlson.
During the interview, Carlson probed deeper into the power dynamics between presidents and intelligence agencies, asking Kiriakou directly about who actually controls whom. Kiriakou confirmed that despite organizational charts showing presidential authority, the reality is quite different. This revelation explains why intelligence agencies have often appeared to undermine President Trump’s policies while advancing their own agendas. The strategic appointments of John Ratcliffe as Director of National Intelligence and Kash Patel to other key positions represent Trump’s determination to bring these agencies under proper civilian control in his second term.
The Deep State’s Selective Loyalty
According to Kiriakou, the CIA’s relationship with different presidents varies dramatically. He noted that the agency viewed Obama favorably, likely due to his willingness to empower intelligence operations with expanded drone strike authorities and other executive powers. In contrast, President Trump faced unprecedented resistance from these same agencies. This selective loyalty further demonstrates how intelligence officials operate according to their own interests rather than serving as neutral executors of presidential policy. The political targeting of Trump allies through law enforcement adds further evidence to this troubling pattern.
“I know we’re getting far-field, and we will get back to your story, but it doesn’t sound like, so if you look at the org chart, the president controls the CIA. But you’re describing a situation where the CIA kind of controls the president,” said Tucker Carlson.
The interview also touched on historical controversies involving the CIA, including the MKUltra program, the agency’s transformation following 9/11, and the accumulation of wealth by intelligence officials who leverage their connections after leaving government service. These patterns of behavior have continued for decades, regardless of which party controls the White House. Kiriakou’s testimony adds significant weight to conservative concerns about unelected bureaucrats wielding enormous power without proper oversight or accountability to the American people they supposedly serve.
