He Worked At Wendy’s. Then He Joined The CIA.

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What does the CIA really know about global conflicts, presidential decisions, and the secrets that never make the headlines?

Carlos sits down with David McCloskey, a former CIA analyst who helped write the President’s Daily Brief for George W. Bush and Barack Obama. David shares what surprised him most about working inside the intelligence community, from high-level surveillance operations to counterterrorism missions in Iraq.

They also dive into Trump’s foreign policy, Russia’s influence operations, the war in Ukraine, and whether the CIA has become too political. David offers his perspective on the Kennedy assassination, the agency’s controversial history—including MKUltra—and the intelligence failures surrounding 9/11.

Plus, why are so many senior CIA leaders Black women, and could a Black woman one day lead the agency?

👉 Which revelation surprised you most? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Timestamps

[00:00] David McCloskey on the CIA, Israel & Zelensky [00:31] Meet Emmy-Winning Journalist Carlos Watson [00:44] David’s Childhood & Early Influences [01:13] How David Got Into the CIA [02:28] Was the CIA Like Jason Bourne or James Bond? [03:45] Inside a Top-Secret Surveillance Program [04:35] Tracking Terrorist Networks in Iraq [05:33] Writing the President’s Daily Brief [06:14] David’s Take on the Last Five Presidents [07:21] Trump’s Foreign Policy Record [07:59] Is Trump Compromised by Russia? [08:34] Is the CIA Politically Biased? [09:32] Russia’s Strategy of “Active Measures” [10:40] Did the U.S. Use Its Own Disinformation Tactics? [11:34] CIA Covert Operations That Backfired [13:07] Would Trump Have Won Without Russian Help? [13:40] Ethos Sponsor Message [15:04] Did the CIA Know More About JFK’s Assassination? [16:06] Inside the CIA’s MKUltra Experiments [17:11] The Intelligence Failures Behind 9/11 [18:02] Accountability & Oversight of Intelligence Agencies [18:19] Why Are So Many CIA Leaders Black Women? [18:38] Could a Black Woman Become CIA Director? [18:56] Three Surprising Things About the CIA [19:28] David McCloskey on His Forthcoming Book