A recent interview has shed light on the often-discussed concept of the "deep state," as ex-CIA officer John Kiriakou spoke candidly with Tucker Carlson on "The Tucker Carlson Show" about the enduring power of career intelligence officials. Kiriakou, who served at the CIA from 1990 to 2004, asserted that long-serving agency members have the capability to undermine elected leadership by simply waiting out their terms in office.
This discussion comes against a backdrop of ongoing debates about the balance of power within the U.S. government. Kiriakou emphasized the problem of continuity within the intelligence community, where career officers serve for decades, as opposed to the relatively transient nature of presidential administrations. "Presidents come and go every four years, every eight years. But these CIA people, they're there for 25, 30, 35 years," Kiriakou stated. "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."
Carlson highlighted the contradiction between the organizational hierarchy and the real-world dynamics of power. Kiriakou's remarks echo concerns cited by former President Donald Trump early in his second term, as reported by The Daily Caller. Trump's executive orders aimed at reducing what he saw as the "weaponization" of federal agencies included directives to cut off benefits to ineligible illegal aliens and to prioritize the enforcement of laws to protect American communities from criminal aliens.
Trump also sought to restructure federal leadership by nominating former Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) as CIA director and Kash Patel to lead the FBI. Ratcliffe, who faced resistance from Democrats but had strong Republican backing, vowed to depoliticize the intelligence community during his tenure.
Kiriakou, who became a whistleblower in 2007 by revealing the CIA's use of waterboarding, accused former House Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Jane Harman of dishonesty regarding her knowledge of the agency's controversial interrogation methods. He was later convicted for disclosing classified information and a covert officer's identity, leading to a 30-month prison sentence.
The interview with Tucker Carlson, which included segments on Kiriakou's whistleblowing and the alleged animosity from former CIA Director John Brennan, provided an in-depth look at the internal workings of the intelligence community and the struggles between elected officials and career operatives.
