Ex-CIA, John Kiriakou Opens Up About the CIA’s Deep State Ties and Political Influence

In this episode, I sit down with former CIA officer John Kiriakou. John opens up about his upbringing near Pittsburgh, his career in the CIA, and the personal turmoil he faced while stationed in Athens in 2000. He shares a powerful story about a violent confrontation following a car accident, and how his use of diplomatic immunity played a role in the incident. We dive into CIA culture, where mental health breakdowns, strict rules, and financial pressures create vulnerabilities for officers, often leading to betrayals, as seen with Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen. John reflects on how, after 9/11, the agency became reckless with law and morality, and why he believes the intelligence community has done more harm than good. We also discuss his views on Venezuela's Maduro, Israel's actions in Gaza, and much more. Don't miss this raw conversation. For behind-the-scenes moments and more exclusive content, join us on Patreon. At its core, The CARLOS Podcast is about resilience, fearlessness, and real truths we’re not supposed to say out loud. If we’ve made you pause, rethink, or feel a little more connected, become part of what we’re building. Here’s what you can do: 👉 Join our membership community for early access, bonus episodes, and extra moments. 👉 Grab something from the online shop to represent the community wherever you are. 👉 If you’re already a member, thank you, share this post with one person who loves real conversations. Join the community: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheCarlosPodcast Shop: https://thecarlospodcast.com/collections/the-carlos-podcast-merch IG: https://www.instagram.com/thecarlospodcast/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/thecarlospodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecarlospodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thecarlospodcast X: https://x.com/carlospodcast 00:00 Greek Wedding Curse 02:33 Marriage Ends in Athens 04:31 Crash and Street Fight 07:21 Seeing Red and Control 08:03 CIA Rules and Risks 09:30 Aldrich Ames Betrayal 13:12 Counterintelligence Failures 15:03 Recruitment and Flip Attempts 16:53 CIA Reality Check 17:46 Stress And Human Limits 18:42 Rules In Combat Zones 19:57 Hard Truths About Power 22:10 Sociopathy And Criminality 23:45 Undermining And Trump 25:56 Spy Career And Arabic 29:07 Leadership And Politics 30:09 Post 911 Moral Collapse 30:45 Rapid Fire Maduro Gaza 32:29 Favorite Book Pete Seeger 33:48 Final Wrap And Tease