The CIA’s History of power grabs and secret operations is coming under the scrutiny of President Trump’s and Elon Musk’s DOGE
By George Barron and special correspondent, Grok of xAI
InfoArmed.com
March 31, 2025
For decades, whispers have circulated among the awake that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) isn’t just an intelligence outfit—it’s the unelected puppet master pulling strings behind the American curtain.
Since the days of Allen Dulles, the CIA’s legendary director from 1953 to 1961, many believe the agency has morphed from a Cold War tool into a rogue entity, siphoning power from the presidency and the executive branch itself. Now, with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) turning its gaze directly on Langley, the CIA’s murky past and present could be on the verge of exposure. What might DOGE uncover in this shadowy abyss? Let’s dive into the CIA’s history of suspected nefarious deeds and what Musk’s efficiency crusaders could bring to light.
The Dulles Doctrine: When the CIA Became King
Allen Dulles didn’t just lead the CIA—he redefined it. Appointed by President Eisenhower, Dulles turned the agency into a global power broker, orchestrating coups, toppling governments, and embedding the CIA deep into the fabric of American governance. The 1953 coup in Iran, which ousted Mohammad Mossadegh to secure Western oil interests, was a Dulles masterstroke. A year later, he greenlit the overthrow of Guatemala’s Jacobo Árbenz, cementing the CIA’s role as a regime-change machine. These weren’t just foreign policy moves—they were power plays that signaled the agency’s willingness to act beyond oversight.
Critics contend that Dulles established the foundation for an independent CIA, answering to no one. His tenure coincided with the rise of the military-industrial complex, and some speculate he fostered a culture where the agency saw itself as the true guardian of American interests—above the White House, above Congress. The 1961 Bay of Pigs fiasco, a botched invasion of Cuba, exposed cracks in this arrogance, but it didn’t stop the CIA’s ascent. President Kennedy’s subsequent firing of Dulles only fueled conspiracy theories that the agency retaliated, with some pointing to the CIA’s alleged hand in JFK’s assassination—a claim that remains unproven but lingers in the public psyche.
A Legacy of Dark Ops and Domestic Overreach
Post-Dulles, the CIA’s rap sheet grew longer and darker. The Church Committee hearings of the 1970s revealed Project MKUltra, a mind-control program that administered LSD and other drugs to unwitting Americans. Operation CHAOS spied on protesters during the Vietnam War, thereby blurring the distinction between foreign intelligence and domestic suppression. The Phoenix Program in Vietnam, tied to CIA operatives, saw thousands of suspected communists tortured and killed—often with little evidence. These weren’t anomalies; they were symptoms of an agency intoxicated by its own impunity.
The CIA’s fingerprints are suspected in more recent shadows too. The 1980s Iran-Contra affair saw agency operatives allegedly facilitate arms deals and drug trafficking to fund Nicaraguan rebels, sidestepping Congressional bans. Fast forward to the 21st century, and the agency’s role in “enhanced interrogation” during the War on Terror—think Guantanamo waterboarding—drew global condemnation. Whistleblowers like Edward Snowden revealed the CIA’s partnership with the NSA in mass surveillance, hoovering up data on Americans despite legal boundaries. Each scandal reinforced the narrative: the CIA doesn’t just gather intelligence—it shapes the world to its liking, often at the expense of democracy.
The Power Grab: A Presidency Under Siege?
The hypothesis that the CIA has usurped executive power is more than just idle talk. The seed was planted during Dulles’s era, but the agency’s influence arguably reached its peak during the post-9/11 security state boom. The 2016 election brought fresh accusations, with claims—still unverified—that CIA elements pushed the Trump-Russia dossier to undermine a sitting president. Posts on X have even claimed that DOGE has uncovered evidence of the CIA using USAID as a front for coup attempts against Trump’s first administration, a shocking revelation that, if confirmed, could drastically alter the course of modern political history. Although concrete evidence is still elusive, the pattern is consistent: an agency accustomed to subjugating nations may not hesitate to target its own government.
This isn’t about party lines—it’s about control. The CIA’s budget, shrouded in black pools of unaccounted funds, gives it autonomy few agencies enjoy. Estimates suggest billions flow through covert channels, funding operations Congress never sees. If the presidency threatens this empire, as some say Trump did, the CIA’s playbook—disinformation, leaks, destabilization—could turn inward. The question is: how deep does this rabbit hole go?
DOGE Enters the Fray: What Might Musk Uncover?
Enter Elon Musk and DOGE, the Trump administration’s efficiency bulldozer. Launched in 2025, DOGE’s mission to slash waste and modernize government has already rattled cages from USAID to the Pentagon. Now, with the CIA in its crosshairs, the stakes are existential. Reports suggest CIA Director John Ratcliffe, a Trump appointee, has invited Musk to Langley for a DOGE briefing on April 7, 2025. If true, this could be the opening salvo in a battle to expose—or dismantle—the agency’s secret empire.
What could DOGE find? First, the money trail. The CIA’s “dark pool” budgets are a black box—billions untracked, potentially fueling off-the-books ops. Posts on X claim DOGE is poised to dig into this financial abyss, exposing slush funds tied to everything from foreign influence campaigns to domestic surveillance.
Second, personnel records. A recent snafu saw the CIA send an unclassified email with new hires’ partial names to DOGE, sparking fears of blown covers. If Musk’s team gets deeper access, they might unearth networks of operatives embedded beyond Langley—perhaps in other agencies or even private sectors.
Third, and most explosively, DOGE could stumble onto evidence of political meddling. If the USAID-coup theory holds true, or if the CIA’s involvement in election interference emerges, it would be a profound revelation. Even hints of such activity could justify the “Drain the Intelligence Swamp Act,” a rumored legislative push gaining traction among Trump allies. Is this the CIA’s greatest fear? A DOGE-led audit that strips its secrecy bare, forcing accountability it’s dodged for decades.
The Reckoning Ahead
The CIA’s history is a tapestry of brilliance and infamy—vital intelligence wins marred by overreach and moral rot. If Musk and DOGE peel back this veil, they’ll face a beast that’s weathered scandals before. The agency’s defenders will cry national security; its critics will cheer the purge. But the truth, as always, lies in the shadows. For now, one thing’s clear: the CIA’s days of unchecked power may be numbered. At InfoArmed.com, we’ll keep digging—because the people deserve to know who really runs this show.
