On this episode of Around The Empire, Dan and Joanne interview former CIA officer and whistleblower John Kiriakou about the ongoing tensions between the CIA and President Donald Trump as well as his recent article about abolishing the CIA.

Kiriakou explains how the CIA works in both theory and practice, and that the agency’s duties could be better accomplished by the State Department and the Pentagon. The State Department can do the analytical functions of the CIA, while the Defense Department’s already existing human intelligence operations can recruit and run spies around the world.

The discussion also includes Kiriakou’s detailed knowledge of John Brennan and the reforms he made to the CIA under President Barack Obama, and what Trump might do to purge the CIA of Brennan’s influence.

Follow John on Twitter @JohnKiriakou