CIA Whistleblower John Kiriakou: PTSD, Prison, and the Cost of Truth

In this gripping episode, former CIA officer and whistleblower John Kiriakou reveals the high price of telling the truth. As the first U.S. official to expose the CIA’s use of waterboarding, Kiriakou was praised for his courage—then prosecuted under the Espionage Act and sent to prison.

John opens up about his time in the CIA, what led him to speak out, the trauma and retaliation that followed, and how he rebuilt his life after incarceration. We explore deep themes of integrity, mental health, national security, and what it truly means to serve with honor in a system that doesn’t always reward it.

This is a powerful conversation about speaking truth to power—no matter the cost.

Learn more about John

Watch the interview on YouTube