[00:00] We are we are deprogrammed with Ted R and John Kuryaku. We're here every Monday through Friday 9:00 am Eastern time. Thank you for liking, following, and sharing the show. Uh we are as usual ready to go. We've got producer Robbie West uh bringing up the rear in about 30 minutes. In the meantime, you'll have to put up with my incompetent use of the board, but Robbie did school me on how to try to avoid packet loss. Uh, so hopefully whatever that is, I don't even
[00:30] know. Uh, they threw me out of engineering school. Um, and with good reason. I think that was like one of the, you know, better things, one of the better bad things that happened to me that was good for society. You would never want to drive across a bridge that I designed. Um, okay. So, let's let's move on. We have lots to talk about. Please, uh, you know, as usual, chime in with your questions and comments, uh, if you're watching live on Rumble or YouTube. And thank you for doing that. By the way, um if you want to comment, we are thinking about possibly figuring
[01:01] out a way to take voice calls. Um so, uh if that's something that sounds stupid or annoying or sounds great, um you know, we'd love to hear your opinions about that. Um Ukraine, uh it looks looks like, um uh Trump is turning his attention to the conflict there. Um there's a 28-point plan that appears to be gaining some traction in light of domestic uh events there in Ukraine. We'll get into that. Um there's a uh special military delegation on there uh
[01:32] on route to Kev. Um so they're there. Um and then John, there's a story that I'm sure you'll have some Robert Hansen related thoughts um about. Uh the uh an FBI whistleblower has stepped forward. um you know you you've helped um inspire a lot more whistle bl whistleblowers have occurred as a result. Um anyway it turns out that this is kind of crazy when I read the story I was like wait what? So uh basically the FBI is decided that they they they have they have a
[02:03] counter espionage cell which is in charge of looking for moles but you know they're exempting the executives. >> Yes. So, you know, because after all, it's not like a high ranking executive of the FBI has ever be a mole. >> Oh, never, right? Never. Never would that happen. >> May I interrupt you for a second? >> I went to I went to an event last night. >> Um, it was a book launch for the two IRS whistleblowers who blew the whistle on um on uh Hunter Biden's
[02:36] uh income tax evasion. Right. They were specifically told, "Don't look at the laptop." And they're like, "What are they crazy? They're bosses. Of course, we're going to look at the laptop." And they found that he spent $10,000 at a sex club and tried to write it off as a deduction um line iting him line iteming it as um golf club membership, right? A golf country club membership.
[03:07] It was a sex club. He spent $10,000 in one night in a sex club. >> I was gonna say like um how much sex can one man have? >> Well, when you're on having 6,000 I can see having $6,000 one night when you're on that much meth. But the reason I'm bringing this up is well, first of all, these guys were very kind to me last night and Brad Burkenfeld was there. They're a bunch of whistleblowers and that we inspired them to go public. They knew it was going to cost them their careers. Um, but Senator
[03:38] Grassley was there, Chairman Comr was there, Chairman Jordan was there, and the Secretary of the Treasury Bent was there. And I'll tell you what, man, when I blew the whistle on the torture program, I stood alone. And now, the fact that there are all these political people saying, you know, it's unacceptable to treat whistleblowers this way, I loved it. Now, the bad part, >> we still need a shield law. >> We still need a shield law. And and the
[04:10] bad part of this is every one of those people I just mentioned is u is a Republican. It looks like I froze. Dog gone it. >> Yeah, we can hear you. Oh, there you are. Okay. >> Um, every one of those people was a Republican that I just mentioned. There were no Democrats there at all. No Democrats at all. And then, as it so happened, >> imagine in 1979 that being the case. >> Ridiculous. As it so happened, while I was there, I got a call from not from Fox News and they asked if I would go
[04:41] over to the studio and do a hit at 8:30 on uh the Jesse Waters show. I said, "Sure. What do you want me to talk about?" And they said, "We want you to talk about this advertisement that the Democrats, six Democratic members of Congress have come out with, led by Alyssa Slotkin, the former CIA analyst who I used to work with on Iraq. um she's now a senator from Michigan. Uh they did this advertisement geared directly at the military
[05:12] saying, "Remember, you have to disobey an illegal order. You have to disobey. Be strong. Disobey illegal orders." This is just a a shot at Trump, right? Cuz they want people to believe that Trump is going to refuse to leave the White House. It's ridiculous. It's because the Democrats don't stand for anything that they're doing something like this. So Slotkin and I happen to be walking in the building at the same time. I said, "Hi, Alyssa." And she just looks at me and then turns her head. And I was like, "Okay."
[05:43] That just made me, Ted, it made me so angry. I went on Fox and I eviscerated her and the Democrats. So I go on, >> so >> I said, "Why do you think he says to me, "Why do you think the Democrats are doing this?" And I said, uh, because they have no ideas and because they stand for nothing. This is the whole Democratic platform. It's vote for me because I'm not the other guy. I say it all the time on my own show. I said, vote for me because
[06:13] I'm not the other guy. And I said, and how rich is it, Excuse me, because I'm in a bad mood this morning. [laughter] >> It's okay. It's more fun for us. How rich is it that when I was arrested after blowing the whistle on the illegal and immoral torture program, it was the Democrats that went after me, not the Republicans. But now they want everybody to refuse to follow illegal orders. >> No, it's it's it's bad. Um John, let me
[06:44] appropo of that. Um so I had a job interview at Vox >> and which is a democratically >> oriented uh you know news site. This was several years ago and they told and and basically um I had done a piece they had commissioned a cartoon journalism piece from me and in that and anyway long story short in that said I said oh something about like the CIA claims that and they said oh we have a problem with
[07:15] that it's like we in it is our editorial policy my editor told me that anything the intelligence committee says is taken as fact at >> Oh my god. >> And I said, "What?" And I'm like, and I'm like, you know, I'm I'm sorry. I'm old school. I think if my if your mother says she loves you, you check it out. Um, you know, it's it your journalism. You don't take anyone. And besides which, the CIA's job is in many cases to dissemble and lie. I mean, it's they should they have to. Um, and so he was
[07:47] like, but anyway, the point is of this story is not to complain about the corruption of Fox, but really the point is democratically things have changed, right? When you have um Democrats acting the way you describe, Democratic journalists um acting the way I describe, I mean, the Democrats climbed in up the ass of the intelligence commi community. >> Um, why and how did that happen? because I didn't notice it happening, you know, before it happened or while it was happening.
[08:19] >> Yeah, that's a good question. You know, it it used to be when nobody from the CIA would ever run for elective office unless they had been for in the CIA for a minute and then decided it wasn't for them. Like Porter Goss. Porter Goss was in the CIA for for four years. He was a failed case officer. He moved to Florida, became a a multi-millionaire real estate developer, and then got himself elected to Congress, became chairman of the intelligence committee, and then went back to be an absolutely terrible um like historically terrible
[08:51] CIA director. But but time was when that was really highly unusual. And now it seems like people at the CIA, like everybody envisions himself as or herself as governor of Virginia or a member of Congress or I remember when Will Herd uh resigned to run for Congress. I said, "Well, you know, that's not really a step up to run for Congress. What are you doing?" >> And he ran. He won. He won. He won three
[09:23] times. >> Tried to recruit me to run for Congress. And I told him the same thing. Yeah. Will won three >> before he stepped down. >> Yeah. And then uh and then quit. >> Yeah. He realized >> thanks so for the dollar and and the comment. Also, thanks to Hyperneurotic for the $2 uh and the advice about avoiding packet loss, which I still don't really understand. All right, here's a question for you, John. >> Okay, this is from Fua, as I'm going to pronounce it, 6624. Um, when an when an
[09:54] agency recruits someone as high level as a president, okay, >> how do you keep them in check? I would think that they don't need the money anymore, an example would be Gelani. >> That's a great question and it's a rather important question. Nine times out of 10, you actually recruit the person when they're a junior level nobody and then they rise through the system and they become president or prime minister or defense minister or foreign minister. When that happens, you
[10:25] just kind of put them on ice. You cut off contact uh while they're president or prime minister. And if they have something important to say, they'll ask to see the US ambassador. the US ambassador knows that's a signal to bring you along and then you collect the intelligence while the ambassador pretends not to listen in the corner of the room. Otherwise, if it's somebody like Galani, for example, um or now we know Hamid >> Carzi,
[10:56] >> the the CIA station chief just goes straight into the office and you know, does the meeting, you know, suitcases full of money and and all that good stuff. >> But how do you keep them in how do you keep that person, you know, how do how do you run them without them getting out of control? >> [sighs and gasps] >> Well, look, look at Manuel Noriega. He went out of control. And you see what the US response was? US response was to essentially overthrow him, kidnap him,
[11:29] occupy his country, and put him in prison for the rest of his life. And that's really what it comes out to. >> It's like, you're fired. Uh, thanks Toby for the two Australian dollars and the thought. Agree. Pardon, John. Uh, Marble, thanks for the $4.99. Uh, so green indeed. Um, so one of the greenest people just remember that. >> It's very important to remember that. Thanks for the five bucks to 7371. Uh, Mojo just uh first heard about the Huckabe Pard story from you guys first and also Pod Save America. It's not in any of my news apps.
[12:00] >> Why do you think that is? >> See, >> that's a good question. >> That is a good question. >> It's always, like I say, it's never about what they say. It's Well, it's usually not about what they say. It's usually about what they don't say. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh what it should be. It should be on the on the, you know, above the fold page one of every of every news publication in America today. And and you're right. It's not. >> Mororrow. Thanks for the five bucks. Any thoughts on doing a live show and meet
[12:31] or meet and greet in the New York, New Jersey area? I'd be totally down. So >> Oh, I would do that. >> Yeah, obviously. I mean, I'm local. >> Um >> Yeah, I'd love to do that. Frazz, I am very sorry, but uh John already did the Alec Baldwin story yesterday. Um just go back over on Rumble and he you can listen to it over there. So yeah. Um thanks for the dollar fuso Democrats of the Seinfeld Party, a party about nothing. That's funny.
[13:02] >> Oh, that's good. Oh, I wish I had thought of that. >> But that would be more entertaining. >> Yeah, that would be more entertaining. That but that's a really great um oneliner. I think I might steal that. Who said that? >> Uh who? So sorry I'm I'm I'm scrolling. >> Oh, sorry. Sorry. Okay, that's okay. >> It's fuso. >> Excellent. That's that's excellent. Fuso. I'm gonna I'm gonna take that. >> That is very very funny. Um okay. Uh well some criticism.
[13:33] >> You complain about them not standing up for anything, says sneaker dad. But and when you do, you complain. I don't know. When really be more specific, please. >> I I I don't see that one. >> Uh here, I'll put it back up. Um >> Okay. Thanks. >> I'm sorry. I'm like having This is It's so hard to Here we go. I'm putting it up. It's up. >> Thanks. Uh I still don't see it, but that's okay. I'll find it. Oh, it's uh
[14:04] you have to be watching on like uh I guess on Rumble. >> Okay. [clears throat] On Rumble. >> I'm watching I'm doing this through Rumble Studio. >> Okay. >> Um thanks Ry um about your comment about my cartoon. Uh yeah, I was pretty pleased with that. I didn't know if that it's about pointing out the fact that uh you know food stamps are back, but all the food stamps are going to do is uh allow people to buy more [ __ ] crap crap food that's going to give them u health problems that they're not going to be able to pay for by going to go to the
[14:36] doctor. >> Um >> may I interrupt for one second? Now I'm right now seeing sneaker dad. I complain about them not standing up for anything and when they do I complain. What do they stand for? Yeah, that's >> literally name one thing that the Democrats have actually stood up for. I'm I'm waiting. >> I told you I I've said in the past I was a third generation Democrat and when they turned into the Republicans, I walked >> and uh and now there were some Republicans. I my mom took me uh
[15:08] doortodoor uh you know leafleting pamphleteing for George McGovern in 1972 and uh I I worked for Democratic campaigns. I was youth coordinator for Dukakus in 1988. Um you know I mean I was a I was as Democrat as they come. I was true blue. But I'm with you John. They don't [ __ ] stand for they're Republicans now. >> Yeah they're Republicans especially on these war and peace issues. Fuso wants to know from uh how much is the CIA
[15:39] involved in the color revolution in Mexico against the socialist president? >> I've received a couple of emails from friends in Mexico about this and I would have to say that that they probably are involved um just because this thing looks too perfectly set up. I I I don't have any evidence on which to base that. But, uh, but it looks like, uh, something's going on in Mexico. And there's a there's also a question from,
[16:10] um, I just saw it from, um, well, there are two. Uh, one from Sean Whitman. Uh, I've been watching you for a year. Love your insight. Thank you. A recent post by uh, The Majority Report says Trump may have been an FBI informant. Do you think this is possible? Absolutely. Absolutely possible. Because listen, 99.9 times out of 100, when the FBI goes to someone and says, "We're the FBI. We're doing an investigation and we need
[16:41] your help." They're going to say, "Of course I'll help. I'm a patriotic American. Of course I'll help the FBI." And so over the course of all those years with Trump bumping up against organized crime in New York, for example, um, foreign oligarchs and billionaires. Absolutely. I would be shocked if he had not been a source for the FBI. >> No, that's that's an interesting Yeah. Well, that's a good point, right? No, he's he definitely was so crime
[17:12] adjacent. >> Yes. Yes. Um, Greg, uh, thanks so much for the five bucks. And they say he said he would fly out to a meet and greet with John. What? >> No, I I would. >> Not for me. You just take the bus. >> I would totally do that. We should set it up. >> All right. Well, hey, listen. By the way, you know, if you guys uh if any if you're listening or watching and you have access to a venue that could sponsor an appearance by John, me, both of us, one of us, um, you know, just
[17:43] reach out to us. uh we can you know we we what we always need is a spon we need a venue and ideally an honorarium um and and transportation and that's not so hard people will do that people can make money by having us come out I mean yeah you know it's like they can sell tickets and they can make a profit I mean you know that's fine you know so it's that's how this used to work I don't know why it's so complicated now >> seriously >> uh anyway Um,
[18:14] here we go. Phil says, and I disagree with this, but I want to put up stuff that I put up stuff that I disagree with. It's my understanding that Dems their old school base when they went way left. That's when they lost the moderates, their long-term supporters. We >> I would strongly disagree with that. I I think they went way right. They walked away from organized labor. They embraced wars of choice. I think they moved solidly to the right. >> That's that's that's my take as well. Well, I think what really happened is they started chasing corporate
[18:45] contributions. Yeah. Uh in the '90s, I mean Bernie Sanders talks about this uh quite eloquently and at length and I think extremely credibly. And I think that's what happened. And then like once you start to take their money, you have to take their calls and you have to do what they want. Um Mororrow, thanks for the 499. Any thoughts on Oh, sorry. Oh, we already have that one. Uh Tabby J five, thanks for the five bucks. Any any thoughts on Candace Owens investigating Charlie Kirk's death? kind of touched on [clears throat] this yesterday. >> Yeah, I
[19:17] I I really want to like Candace Owen since she's come around on Palestine, but she's just so nutty and she makes these wild accusations like the Egyptian military following Charlie Kirk's wife. They're not based on anything. There's no evidence of any of this stuff that she's saying. So, I don't I wouldn't even call this an investigation. Thank you for that. That's what I would say. >> Yeah, >> it's just bullshitting. It's just talking. >> Yeah, >> it's it's spitballing is what it is. >> Spitballing. I like that.
[19:48] >> Um All right. So, should we talk about Ukraine? I mean, obviously, this is a story that um has been going on uh long enough that you and I were in very different uh places of employment and places in our lives when it all started. >> Seriously. and uh you know and it's kind of still in a weird way surprising to me that it ever came to that and that and and that it's still grinding on. There's so much about it that surprises me and also how this became this crazy cause and I mean I can like go on and on. I I
[20:19] it's it's weird to me that the Ukrainians provoked it. It's weird to me that the Russians allowed themselves to be provoked. It's weird to me that the Russians didn't close the deal. It's weird that the entire Western world decided to make this the hill that they wanted to have their economy die on. The whole thing is weird. Um, the Nordstream is weird. How it went down, all the whole thing. But anyway, so currently Zinsky, we've talked about this. Everybody who with us to this show knows that he has this uh buddy Timour Mindic
[20:49] uh who's uh basically uh basically running like the Enron of Ukraine and causing rolling blackouts and he's uh you know he and his minions are basically suspected of stealing at least 100 million people maybe more from the from Ukraine. And so so far Zilinsky himself dollars right from the investigation. >> Um >> but um you know Zilinsky is obviously politically weak. He's he's back on his
[21:19] heels right now. And so a lot of people are speculating and I kind of agree with their speculation that Trump views this as an opportunity to kind of uh push through a deal that otherwise Ukraine might not agree to. And basically it's the deal that we kind of know all along. It's mostly a deal that favors Russia. Um where the existing lines now, John, what's happening is the existing lines are kind of the Ukrainians accept that they've lost that territory and it's never coming back. Now they're saying
[21:51] that they don't want to loot seed additional territory that is not yet under Russian control. >> Right? Isn't this exactly what we have all said from the very beginning that the that the Ukrainians are going to have to walk away from the territory where where um most people are native Russian speakers. So Donetsk and Luhansk, they're going to have to walk away from Crimea, which has
[22:21] only been Ukrainian since like 1953 anyway, >> right? >> We've all said that from the very beginning. and they couldn't join NATO, but they could join FastTrack U the European Union. And that's exactly what this thing's going to do. >> Long pistols and and not maybe demilitarization, but reduced militarization. By the way, that's Russia and the US doing Ukraine a favor. I wish someone would tell the US to cut its military in half so that we could start feeding the homeless. >> Seriously. >> Um, >> totally agree. So, I mean, like if you
[22:53] know, you don't want to be like North Korea where all of your resources go into the military. Um, but anyway, so all right. So, how this looks like obviously the Trump administration is putting some oomph behind it, right? They're sending the Secretary of the Army and a and General Randy George uh off to to Kev to >> That's a big deal. >> It's a big deal, right? So, it seems to me like uh and we had Trump today uh or yesterday saying, you know, I've already I've already fixed eight wars. I should now I'm working on the N one. So funny.
[23:26] [snorts] Uh I mean, maybe tell the Palestinians who keep getting blown up every day. >> Yeah, he confuses ceasefires for, you know, the ends of of wars. >> Yeah, they're not the same thing. Um but you know I mean look ceasefires are always appreciated but nevertheless. So all right so what happens now? Um I mean it looks like Zalinski is chasened. It looks like he's more I mean but on the other hand you never know
[23:57] with him because he's such a weasel. um you know over over you know over the last year or so we've seen him go from like oh no I'm I'm serious about peace to but I'm only serious about peace if I don't have to give up any territory at all >> right you know the thing about Zillinsky I I think he's at the point now where he's wondering number one if he can make it to the end of the Trump uh administration which he can't there's we have three years to go and number two
[24:28] even if he could will another Republican win and put him out of business or will a Democrat come in and rescue him and save him? I I learned just recently that he actually owns a home in Greece. I I've been thinking that he would end up in in London. Um but uh he's got a home in Greece as well. And I wonder if he's at the point where he's just throwing up his hands and saying, "I give up. I'm going to get out of here.
[24:59] Yeah. I mean I mean look, he always had to know that this was this was not a permanent gig even though he did cancel the election. >> Um >> yes, you know. >> Yes, he did. >> Yeah. But as he says, he has no choice. I love that he declares martial law. Martial law means no elections. He's like, "Well, what can I do? My hands are tied. Martial law." Ridiculous. >> Yeah. Ridiculous. Ridiculous is right. But, you know, the fact that
[25:30] that such a senior delegation is going to Ukraine tells me that something's up. It It looks like >> It looks like Trump is is serious about forcing this. And um Zalinsky realizes he just doesn't have any more cards to play. >> Hilarious. F you. So, but Trump ended the Clone Wars, the wars of Middle Earth. [laughter] [clears throat] Where's his Nobel Peace Prize? >> Trump ended all the wars. [snorts] Uh
[26:02] yeah, it it's Yeah. Um Okay. So, do you think so you so you I mean what you want to care to handicap this? I mean um so what what what happens next? I mean I would say a se you know Trump ceasefire comes first, right? So >> it's going to have to be kind of a cascading series of things. uh you announce a ceasefire, you announce elections, Zilinski leaves the country, they have the elections, the new parliament uh ratifies whatever deal is
[26:33] made in the end, and then the thing's finally over with Zalinski living in exile with the hundreds of millions of dollars that he's looted from the Ukrainian Treasury or from the US government, >> which is the same thing these days. >> Same thing. Yeah. Um, well, I mean, so here's the thing. Like, Russia has basically been driving a very hard bargain. And I I wonder, you and I talked a little bit about how maybe Putin wasn't really reading Trump. I mean, I think Trump was um I mean, he kind of missed the point. Like Trump
[27:04] really wants a deal. He doesn't care about the specific details. Vladimir Putin, as anyone who's ever watched him speak knows, is all about detail. I mean, yeah, that that man is like, you know, there is not one wrinkle in his shirt. There is not, you know, every every every eye is is dotted, every tea is crossed. Just so I I think maybe it was a cultural thing that kind of like stopped us from getting to this point. I mean, I think Trump would have loved to just have a broad outlines of a of a
[27:36] peace deal, you know, a year ago. Yes. And then just uh and then just sort of like work out the details later. >> Yeah. But Russians don't roll that way. >> I think that's exactly right. And and Trump is very much not a detailed person, >> right? >> All through his entire career, he's made the the very broad, you know, policy call, whether it was his business policy or later on governmental policy, and then let the underlings deal with the details. Um, what I mean, so I guess I I'd want
[28:09] to answer this next question because I think it's really important for us to answer it, but also I while we're answering it, I mean, what's the future for Ukraine? I mean, like, let's just say this deal goes through. I mean, I actually think it's going to benefit Ukraine, but um in the long run because they're going to be rid of their restive population in the east who are ethnically Russian and really never should have been in Ukraine post 1991 anyway, and they're going to have a more culturally and politically unified
[28:40] nation state. But >> yeah, >> um >> the I should add too that the the Washington Post, >> it says it says the US is signaling Zalinski that if he does not sign this thing by Thursday. >> Oh wow. >> That our support ends. >> The end of it ends. >> That's huge. >> Yeah. >> Well, that's why he's coming to Jesus. >> Yeah. Um, so Sudva, here's the question
[29:12] that I alluded to. >> Are you guys pro- Ukraine or pro-Russia? I can't tell who is more evil, Putin or Putin or Satan. Russia's game has always been having ethnic Russians live in Ukraine and take over Putin equals evil cousin to the devil. >> Uh, okay. I frankly, it's not my area of expertise. I've been clear about this for years. I really don't so much care for either side. I don't
[29:42] really care. I'm far more focused on the Middle East. But on on this fight, I don't have a I don't have a dog in this fight. >> Um I look, I I like I like I like uh first and foremost, I'm a humanist and I care about people and I don't and I and I don't like unnecessary conflict. And so toward that end, I'm always obsessed with systems and whether systems work or not. Um, and the the breakup of the Soviet Union left a lot of nation states
[30:12] that didn't quite work well. And this and that division between Ukraine and Russia didn't work. And that's why they've been on and off again with fighting since, you know, since pretty much since 2014. Um, and you know, there was conflict before that. Um, so, uh, look, as far as I'm concerned, Russia is an autocracy. Um, and it's like, you know, I would not be able to thrive there doing what I do. Uh, and that's a problem, you know. So, um, at that said,
[30:43] I love the Russian people. I like the Ukrainian people, too. Um, you know, the Ukraine has a has a has a uh Nazi coddling problem. Um, you know, it really does. uh and you know and and I so I I would have to say historically I'm kind of like as a student of World War II recall the fact that you know Ukrainians were guarding Ashvitz and the Red Army liberated Avitz. So but it's been a long time since 1945. So um you know I mean what we need is for people
[31:14] to get along and live in peace side by side as much as possible. I mean that's that's that's that's my bias as it is. Um and I do think also I kind of grew up with like you did um with sphere of in spheres of influence. Yeah. >> And I kind of buy the fact that if you're a huge country, which Russia is, >> you don't really have to put up with nonsense along your around your borders. Yeah. >> Um you know, if you're the US, you don't put up with nonsense from Canada or Mexico. Um you know, don't get too
[31:45] spicy. Yes. You're a nation state. Yes, you have sovereignty, but but I don't know. I I guess it's part of it is because of just the way I grew up during the Cold War. >> During the Cold War, I'm I had the same experience. I think that's I think that's right. >> I mean, I also think like if I were the president of Russia, here's the thing. If I were the president of Russia, would I have done anything differently than Vladimir Putin, even though I'm a leftist? No. Um I I would have invaded too because uh it would have been like, "You guys are out of control and you're in bed with my enemy NATO." If if I was
[32:17] uh the president of Ukraine, would I have done what Zolansky did? No. I would have I would have made nice. So, you know, because it's like you have this huge country. >> Yes. >> That used to own you. >> Yes. >> Right next door. Yes. And it's paranoid. >> Don't piss them off. >> And Yeah. Russia doesn't What people don't understand about Russia is they're paranoid because they have no natural no natural geographical barriers that protect their their territory. Right. >> Right. They just have open steps. It's pl it's easy. They don't have giant ass mountains to protect them or two huge
[32:49] oceans like we do. That's that's the issue. That's why they're paranoid. Hey, we've got a a good question from Cooper Duper23. How common is nepotism in intelligence, CIA, FBI, other unknown agencies? That was always a real beef of mine. >> That it was it was a serious beef of mine. Not necessarily nepotism from parent to child, although you see like entire families in the CIA. It's it's
[33:20] not uncommon at all. I worked with a guy when I first got hired. His dad was a senior officer in the senior intelligence service. His mom was they were both in the director of operations, his mom and dad. And then he got hired, then his brother got hired, then his sister got hired. The whole family working in the CIA. I sat next to a guy whose uh younger brother got hired right out right out of grad school and then his younger sister got hired when she finished grad school. >> Would the agency naturally trust trust
[33:52] you more if you came from a a family of CIA royalty like that? >> Yeah, you you have a leg up there. But I'll tell you what I really objected to. I remember my one of my bosses saying, "Hey, are you uh you looking forward to the promotion panels?" M >> I was up for a GS I forget what 13 or 14 and I said no actually I'm not. He said why not? I said because I know they have only six slots to promote and I know
[34:22] that so and so who's a member of the promotion panel is [ __ ] this woman that I'm competing against and I know that she's going to get promoted because he's [ __ ] her. I said I know how things work around here. And sure enough, she got promoted and I got passed over and then the deputy director for operations uh gave me an outofcycle promotion because I had gotten screwed. >> But that's that's what's common. >> Gotcha. I've got an ad to read. Brooke Burke, a fixture in the entertainment
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[35:57] Um, okay. >> Okay, >> good enough. Uh, okay. So, um, any cooler talk? Foil wants to know and, uh, was there any water cooler talk at the CIA about aliens and alien craft retrieval? >> No. [laughter] No. Nothing. Nothing. And we always figured that was the Pentagon's Bailey Wick. >> John, you want to take a critical comment? >> Sure. >> You're a big boy, right?
[36:27] >> I'm a big boy. I can take it. >> Here we go. It's It's up on YouTube. I like John in general. This is from light fixing, but his apologies for I guess apism for uh Russia is [ __ ] pathetic. How can you be against Israel's aggression and not Russia's? No. >> Are you crazy? Listen, on the morning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I said on my radio show on a Russian [ __ ] network, and these were my exact words, "I unreservedly condemn the Russian
[36:59] [clears throat] invasion of Ukraine, and I urge Russian troops to leave Ukrainian territory immediately." So, don't give me this nonsense about being pro-Russian because that's what it is. It's nonsense. I've known John for years and I I just don't think there's any credibility any any grounds for that for that. >> Outrageous. >> Um, evil robot army, thanks for the $5 over on YouTube. John, did you ever interact with NRO? Is it common for people to move between the letter agencies or do careers tend to stay in
[37:32] one agency and maybe explain what the NRO is? >> Also, also a good question. NRO is the National Reconnaissance Office. um they uh they manage and interpret the overhead photography from from our uh satellite system. Uh it was very common actually for us to liaz with NRO or for NRO analysts to transfer over to the CIA >> to the director of intelligence. My second wife actually began her career as an NRO analyst. Um, it it is I'm going
[38:03] to say not uncommon for people to transfer from NSA to CIA or from FBI to CIA. Occasionally from DIA to CIA, but it's very very rare for CIA officers to go somewhere else because we had this idea that we were the we were the top of the heap and if you were to go to any other um it was a step down. I did work with a guy. He was a young branch chief when I was a new analyst. Um, and he he got passed over for a GS-15 and and left
[38:36] in a fit of peak and went over to the Pentagon and within 5 years was the assistant secretary of of defense for PMIA affairs. So that that worked out very well for him. But otherwise, yeah, it's not uncommon for for other agencies to transfer to the CIA. It's highly uncommon to go from CIA to other >> I think only a small fraction of 1% of of Americans even know that there are other intelligence agencies be beside
[39:06] the CIA and if you count them the FBI >> or NSA um and there's so many um this I love this question thank you so much Hamza John what was the reaction of your parents when you joined the agency >> oh my parents parents were beside themselves with worry. My parents had this vision of the agency from like, you know, James Bond movies or something. Um, I I did have to tell my dad at one
[39:38] point I was stationed in Athens and and my dad like stood up in church one Sunday and announced that I was an undercover CIA officer in Athens. So if anybody needed any help in the American embassy there, they could just call me. And so one day all these people from church in Newcastle, Pennsylvania, started calling me at my desk in the station in Athens, asking for help getting their relatives visas. And I'm like, what the [ __ ] is going on here? And so I called my mom
[40:10] and she's like, I told him I told him not to say anything. I said, Dad, I said, you're going to get me killed. I'm undercover here. It's a critical threat for terrorism post. Nobody is supposed to know that I'm in the CIA. If word leaks out and now it's out, I could get killed. I said, "What are you doing?" And so every person who called, I had to say, "My dad has a touch of dementia. I'm not with the CIA. He doesn't know
[40:40] what he's talking about." And then finally, it just kind of died a quiet death. That's [laughter] parents can really [ __ ] you up. >> He was so proud of me that he just like came out with it in church. >> Oh my god, that's so funny. >> That's like my mom uh on my very first book signing uh for my very first book uh she bumrushed the stage like she [laughter] was at a Run DMC concert and
[41:11] basically were like, "I'm his mom. I'M SO PROUD." >> [laughter] >> YOU KNOW WHAT? MY COLLEGE ROOMMATE Eddie Harwitz, Eddie got an internship with Senator uh uh Tom Harkin was a a progressive Democrat from Iowa and um his mom and stepdad came to Washington and he scheduled a courtesy call on Senator Harkin. And Tom Harkin was just the loveliest guy in the world, you know, just a sweet guy. His power, authority never went to his head. So he
[41:43] was very happy to meet Eddie's mom and stepdad. So he he he took them to Harkin's office and Harkin says, "You know, Eddie works so hard for us and he worked on the campaign and we're really appreciative of all the things that he does for us here in the office." And she says, she goes like this to Eddie. She goes like this. She says, "All I want is that he should be a good boy." [laughter] And he's like, "Mom, I'll never forget it." >> That's so awesome. I I'm really I really love this question from Frazzat. Um this
[42:14] I have a lot to say about this, but you should go first because of that, John. Um Frazzmataz is asking, "Is the PM MIA that black iconic flag the um the same thing I've always heard that was disinformation like John Burcher Larouche stuff?" Uh yes. Um that we had no soldiers left in Vietnam. That's Yes. >> Ah, I see. I I have always found it very very hard to believe that we have anybody in in Vietnam.
[42:46] >> We did >> very hard to believe. >> I mean that flag is still in front of America US post offices. It's it's uh it's all over the country. It's it's all you know you see it everywhere, right? And there's that image of like the watchtowwer uh you know with like the by the way if you look carefully the guard has a little you know uh uh Vietnamese peasant pointy Vietnamese peasant hat like in the watchtowwer and and you know and and the and it's it's not the it's
[43:16] the MIA aspect and I mean there certainly are MIAs right but like they're conflating PS and the implication is that there are Americans Yeah. >> Being held like in Rambo 37 >> in, you know, somewhere by the dirty commies, like in the rice patties, >> right? >> By the gs. It's not true. >> It's not true. >> It's like and and like, you know, Vietnam is lousy with American tourists. I I would think at some point, you know, American tourists would have like been
[43:47] backpacking through the jungle and would have been like, "Oh, look at that P camp." Yes. >> Not to mention, these [ __ ] would be like 80 years old now. Um, I mean it the whole thing is it but it it feeds into this victim narrative that like really makes you know that really drives a lot of American politics like everyone's picking on us. You we're the victims of injustice and it's just all deflection and distraction from the reality which is that it's the exact opposite. >> Yes indeed. I I just have never I've
[44:19] never believed it. Now, if they went out into the jungle and started doing a dig, might they stumble upon, you know, bones or bone fragments? Of course. >> Of course. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. No. >> Hey, Ted. Ted, breaking news. Uh Sophia Negropanti, the the daughter of uh former DNI John Negropanti, >> uh was convicted again of murder uh after killing her boyfriend. I I I think we've talked about this in the past.
[44:50] Sophia Negropanti, I'll tell you, I I met I met her when she was six years old. When I worked for John Negropanti at the United Nations, he was the ambassador to the United Nations during George W. Bush. She was just a little girl. The ambassador and Mrs. Negropanti had adopted Sophia and her sister from Honduras. Um they were like six and four when I met them. She grew up, she's 32 now, she grew up to have a very serious drinking problem
[45:22] and she several years ago she was drunk and at a mutual friend's home with her boyfriend in Rockville, Maryland, they got into an argument and she stabbed him in the neck. Um, and she killed him. >> [ __ ] >> She she went to the kitchen, took out a knife and stabbed him in the neck and killed him. And then her housemates called 911. The cops came. She said that she didn't realize what she was doing, but she did it. She confessed. She did
[45:53] it. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done it. They arrested her. They charged her with um with seconddegree murder. She was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Then she appealed and she won the appeal. It was something about jury instructions. And so the trial restarted two weeks ago. This time her attorneys offered up DNA evidence said saying that she did not stab him. That it wasn't her DNA on
[46:24] the knife. It was somebody else's DNA. But then everybody else in the house said no. She jumped on him. She knocked him down. She sat on his chest. And she stabbed him in the neck with the knife. And so just now she was convicted again. Okay. >> And she's facing again life without parole. >> What a bizarre story. >> Bizarre. And Ambassador Negropanti, um, it says now he's 86 years old. He and his wife Diana sat in the first row of
[46:55] the courtroom. Every single day, this trial and the previous trial, they're heartbroken. I last saw her. I was invited to a Christmas party at his house in like 200 eight or nine. I think it was eight. And I I haven't seen I haven't seen them since. But >> yeah, this is going to be tough for anybody. >> No doubt. >> Wow. >> Um I'm being asked by Ali, why don't I
[47:26] do many podcasts and such while >> you want some of mine? [laughter] I was like, >> "Oh god, five today." >> Well, I don't Yeah, I mean, I'm a It's like It's like the rules of being a vampire. You have to be invited. Um, so if people invite me, uh, you know, I will go, but if I'm not invited, I'm not I'm not going to go. Um, yeah, whatever. Uh, so, you know, let's see here. >> Oh, Toby, thank you for the $2. Can I
[47:58] share more about my master class? Yes, I'm going to send out another uh announcement today on Substack and I'm going to put it on Twitter as well. I'll put it on Facebook, too. So, I'm doing a surveillance and surveillance detection class, but we're extending it to eight different pods. I'll do three on surveillance and surveillance detection, and we're going to do five on cyber security and how to protect yourself and your computer systems. We're doing it in conjunction with um uh Bay Path University in Massachusetts. So, I'll
[48:28] send I'll send more information out today. Thanks for asking, >> John. Should we talk about this FBI story? >> Yeah, let's talk about the FBI story. This is nuts. >> So, the um so basically uh insider uh inside the uh inside the bureau is accusing the internal counter espionage cell. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's that seems like the um the counter intelligence um branch, right? >> Exactly what it is. to make sure that there that there's no one working
[49:00] against America and the FBI within the FBI. No, Robert Hansen's. Um it turns out that they have a quote unquote executive exemption that prevents um that cell from looking into fraud, allegations of fraud, retaliation, or espionage, even if there's a credible tip that comes in from another US government agency. um the they've been uh anybody who's who's tried to violate this rule um has been punished and uh
[49:32] and basically retaliated against ironically. Um and uh and so this is starting to break now in the Washington Examiner and other right-wing media places. So far not getting much traction in democratically aligned uh stuff. And of course, obviously, you think right away about Robert Hansen. A following Robert Hansen, how could there be an exception for anyone up to and including the director? >> Right? So, Brian Kelly was a friend of
[50:03] mine at the CIA. He was a senior officer in the CIA's counterintelligence center. Robert Hansen accused Brian of being the mole in the US government. We knew that there was a second mole after Aldrich Ames was uh was arrested and Brian was not just suspended from the CIA. Um he was [clears throat] threatened with with the death penalty and his daughter was threatened with arrest if she wouldn't rat out her father. Well, Brian was
[50:33] completely innocent. The mole was actually Hansom Hansen himself. And so finally, Hansen, who was the head of the FBI's mole hunting unit, was arrested for being the mole and sentenced to life without parole. He died two years ago in his steel bunk in the Supermax in Florence, uh, Colorado. So, we know from history that Russian moles or Chinese moles or Cuban
[51:06] or Israeli or whomever can be in the FBI just as easily as they can be in the CIA or the Navy or wherever they happen to be. If what this whistleblower is telling us is true, this has to be dealt with swiftly and harshly. Um, and the way things like this have >> obviously true. It's obviously true because >> true >> because I mean I'm a student of of of official corporate and government denials, right? Well, so the absence of
[51:38] a denial here means that it's true. I mean there's no denial at all. Right. They're not saying that's not true. We don't have such an exception. >> Right. Right. >> I mean by definition it's true. >> By definition it is true. We know historically that it's true. >> Yeah. And it makes perfect sense. And it's >> I mean it's just it's incredible though. I mean it's like nobody learns from history. >> I mean if Hansen gets access to the news in
[52:09] prison, he's got to be laughing his ass off. >> Yeah. And Nicholson, get this. There was this [ __ ] I used to work with in the counterterrorism center named uh Nicholson. And when when Aldrich Ames got caught, it never occurred to Nicholson A, that there was another mole or B that the CIA had moles in the KGB. So Nicholson was pissed off that he had been passed over for promotion. So he
[52:41] volunteered to the KGB to be a mole for them in the CIA. and he outed more than 120 um undercover CIA officers to the KGB, all of whom had to be, as they say, brought in from the cold so they could no longer be undercover. Um Nicholson was caught, >> was sentenced to 30 years. He did the 30 and he got out. So, he's like living high on the hog now here in the Washington area, like everything's perfectly fine. But to make matters