Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard has recently made headlines with claims that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was compromised by vulnerabilities in electronic voting systems and that the CIA continues to operate a modern version of Operation Mockingbird, a program allegedly designed to manipulate media narratives. These assertions, highlighted in a report from Infowars, suggest systemic corruption within U.S. intelligence communities and raise serious questions about electoral integrity and media independence. Another blog post has examined the election fraud issue, so here I focus upon theCIA's Operation Mocking Bird.
Gabbard's claim involves the CIA's alleged continuation of Operation Mockingbird, a Cold War-era program in which the agency reportedly infiltrated media outlets to shape public opinion. According to Infowars, Gabbard has exposed an ongoing version of this program, accusing the CIA of manipulating media to propagate "Deep State" agendas. This claim builds on her broader narrative of intelligence community misconduct, including efforts to undermine the Trump administration.
While Gabbard's specific evidence for a modern Operation Mockingbird remains unclear in the provided sources, the historical context of the program is well-documented. Declassified in the 1970s, Operation Mockingbird involved CIA efforts to influence journalists and media outlets during the mid-20th century. Gabbard's assertion suggests a revival or continuation of such tactics, potentially involving coordination with major media to suppress or promote specific narratives. Mainstream sources like CBS News and The Washington Post have not corroborated these claims, focusing instead on Gabbard's earlier allegations about Russian interference in the 2016 election, perhaps itself a silent confirmation of her claims.
Gabbard's allegations, if true, would have profound implications for democratic institutions. Evidence of widespread voting machine vulnerabilities could undermine trust in electoral processes, while confirmation of an active Operation Mockingbird would raise alarms about media integrity, even more than exists at present.
Regarding Operation Mockingbird, the lack of concrete evidence in sources so far published makes it difficult to assess Gabbard's claims fully. The historical precedent lends some plausibility, but without declassified documents or whistle-blower testimony, the accusation remains suggestive. The intelligence community's documented history of influencing public perception, combined with ongoing concerns about media bias, fuels scepticism but does not explicitly confirm an active CIA program, but it would be extraordinary if the CIA was not up to some Deep State tricks. However, she is likely to reveal more information as time goes by, so we will find out what dirt the CIA has been up to.