Inside the CIA: Secrets, Scandals, and the Price of Whistleblowing W/ John Kiriakou

This week on The Disinfo Detox, host Nolan Higdon sits down with John Kiriakou—whistleblower, author, journalist, and former CIA officer—for a raw and revealing conversation about the intelligence community, courage, and the costs of telling the truth.

Kiriakou made history as the first U.S. official to confirm the CIA’s use of waterboarding. For speaking out, he was sent to prison. In this powerful episode, he shares:

👉 What life inside the CIA taught him about power and secrecy
👉 The personal price of exposing torture and challenging the system
👉 His time in prison—and how it reshaped his view of justice in America
👉 Why whistleblowers matter, and what “profiles in courage” look like today

If you want to understand the dark underbelly of intelligence operations, the courage it takes to resist, and the lessons Kiriakou’s story holds for democracy, this is a must-listen episode.

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