Napolitano's intelligence roundtable asks who controls the CIA
Larry Johnson and John Kiriakou connect presidential authority, sanctions and the risks of escalation with Iran in a fast-starting weekly wrap.
Judge Napolitano - Judging Freedom
Story of Why this story? The video opened at a pace of 203,725 views a day, 11 times a normal first day on this channel (19,169).
INTEL Roundtable - w/ Larry Johnson & John Kiriakou - Weekly Wrap 23-OCT
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- 3:08Kiriakou argues that economic sanctions are ineffective and counterproductive.
- 4:08Johnson says presidents must enforce accountability to prevent intelligence officials from circumventing their directives.
- 7:07Napolitano examines reported satellite-service restrictions affecting Ukraine, followed by footage of Trump's response.
- 15:36The panel turns to reports of possible Iran strikes, diplomatic evacuations and military movements.
- 26:09Kiriakou argues that US military objectives in Iran would require forces and coalition support Washington lacks.
- 26:41Johnson warns that escalation could disrupt oil production and fuel supplies.
Larry Johnson's answer is that presidential authority alone is not enough. Asked by Judge Andrew Napolitano whether Trump controls the CIA or the agency controls foreign policy, the former intelligence analyst argues that a president must actively hold the bureaucracy accountable to make directives stick.
That question anchors part of Napolitano's October 23 intelligence roundtable with Johnson and former CIA officer John Kiriakou. The episode has drawn roughly 95,000 views in eight hours, an unusually fast start for the channel's regular-length interviews, even as viewing across the channel remains near its usual daily pace.
The guests bring a shared skepticism toward Washington's foreign-policy tools. "Sanctions don't work. Sanctions are a bad idea no matter what the target is," Kiriakou says early in the conversation. Johnson argues that Europe's reliance on Russian oil limits the impact of American energy policy.
Napolitano then turns to satellite connectivity in Ukraine, playing footage of Trump denying that he spoke directly with Elon Musk about Starlink. A separate Brussels clip shows Zelenskyy responding with a smile and a brief answer when asked whether Trump is making him a scapegoat.
The later discussion concentrates on Iran. Kiriakou argues that Washington lacks the forces and coalition needed to achieve its military objectives there, while Johnson describes escalating conflict as a threat to oil supplies and regional air defenses. These are the panel's assessments, delivered in an episode that moves from the reach of presidential power to the practical limits of using it abroad.
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- Subscribers
- 792,000 ▲ 1,000 this week
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 3,766,957
- Channel views, pace per day
- 548,921 (on a normal day: 554,523)
- Video published
- October 23, 2026
- Video views so far
- 94,743 (less than a day online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 203,725
The numbers
The roundtable's early viewing stands well above the channel's usual start for regular videos. The channel's overall daily viewing is much closer to normal.
💡 Test your knowledge
What does CIA stand for?
CIA is the abbreviation for the Central Intelligence Agency, the former employer of both roundtable guests.