DeProgram with John Kiriakou and Ted Rall Coup! | DeProgram with Ted Rall and John Kiriakou
Jan 21, 2026
Political cartoonist Ted Rall and CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou dive into a secret agreement from the Trump Administration concerning confidential data to sway election results. They explore the Greenland crisis, touching on its trade implications and the unusual discussions of potential U.S. invasion. Meanwhile, calls for a new global order challenge the reliability of the U.S. on the international stage. With sharp insights on crypto and past CIA pandemic planning, they navigate the absurdities and ethical dilemmas of modern geopolitics.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Kinko's Mistook The Cartoonist
- Ted Rall tells a Kinko's story where staff questioned his right to copy his own cartoons until a staffer recognized him.
- The episode illustrates blind rule-following and the surreal bureaucratic adherence to copyright rules.
Ten Years To Real Influence
- Work hard and keep your head down for the first decade in intelligence to earn authority and influence.
- Use that position later to protect yourself and others and to change policy where needed.
Bureaucracy Outweighs Presidents
- The federal bureaucracy can outlast and outweigh presidents by quietly resisting unwanted directives.
- Kiriakou notes the 'deep state' functions through institutional inertia and selective noncompliance.
