Dr. John Gentry, a former CIA analyst and current professor at Georgetown University, has raised concerns about the potential resurgence of the “deep state” within the intelligence community during this year’s elections. He believes that these agencies will become politically active in order to hinder President Donald Trump’s chances of being reelected. Gentry argues that the “deep state” perceives Trump as a threat to their agenda, particularly in relation to policies such as diversity, equity, and inclusion, which they view as part of an un-American Marxist agenda.
The increasing politicization of the intelligence community is a significant issue, according to Gentry. He predicts that these agencies will make efforts to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election, similar to their actions during the 2020 election.
“My guess is that the proverbial deep state within the intelligence community will reemerge because presumably a Republican candidate will again be seen as a threat to the internal policies that many intelligence people like,” Gentry told Fox News.
In an effort to undermine the credibility of Hunter Biden’s laptop, a group of 51 former intelligence officials signed a letter shortly after the New York Post released its explosive story during the 2020 election. They claimed that the laptop exhibited all the characteristics of a Russian information operation. Surprisingly, documents published in 2023 revealed that the CIA had actually approved the publication of this controversial letter. Gentry, an individual familiar with the matter, strongly believes that the attempt to downplay the laptop’s significance was purely driven by political motives.
He even received information from a reliable source, who explicitly stated that it was done with the explicit intention of aiding the Biden campaign. These developments have raised concerns that current or former members of intelligence agencies may play an active role in the upcoming 2024 elections.
“I long have thought we are likely to again see former intelligence officers be politically active against Trump or whomever the Republican presidential candidate is next year, and I expect leaking to resume,” Gentry said.
“The activities of ‘formers’ have resumed already, a bit before I expected.”
Gentry highlighted a recent publication authored by Marc Polymeropoulos and Asha Rangappa.
Polymeropoulos, a retired CIA official who served as the co-lead of the “open letter” regarding Hunter Biden’s laptop.
Rangappa, on the other hand, is a former FBI employee. In their article, they caution about the potential hazards associated with Trump’s rhetoric during his campaign.
“Asha Rangappa once worked at the FBI and also was openly anti-Trump, though as a relatively junior former, she attracted less attention than many,” Gentry said.
“I think it is worth closely monitoring these people.
“Many have compromised their credibility by actions such as the ‘Laptop 51’ letter.”
Gentry highlights that a significant concern in recent decades has been the implementation of Marxist DEI policies within prominent intelligence agencies, such as the CIA. This adoption of radical political agendas has diverted focus from routine operations towards a more “woke” approach.
“It was an effort half a century ago to get more women and minorities into the intelligence community,” Gentry said.
“This was done under the rubric of affirmative action.
“It gradually became more of a policy through the Clinton administration.
“But it took a significant step forward, or not, depending on your perspective, when President Obama signed an executive order designed to improve diversity and inclusion in the federal workforce.“
During his tenure at the CIA, Gentry disclosed that discussions regarding personal politics were not prevalent. However, he was informed by sources within the intelligence community during the Obama administration that this standard had significantly diminished, and political activism had become widespread.
According to Gentry, two influential figures who played a significant role in fostering a politically active environment within the intelligence agencies were former CIA Director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
Gentry asserted that Brennan and Clapper were staunch supporters of President Obama’s objective to transform the federal workforce. Consequently, they expedited this process by implementing various policy actions, such as targeted recruitment initiatives. Additionally, they encouraged their employees to prioritize diversity and inclusion matters and, in Brennan’s case, engage in political activism.
Gentry firmly believes that the emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and the politicization of the intelligence agencies have had a detrimental impact on the morale of the rank-and-file workers.
“There are a lot of people who are unhappy about it because it’s politicizing the workforce, and it’s dividing the workforce among people who believe in DEI policies and those who don’t,” Gentry said.
“And even in the Obama period, the analysis director had people who were beginning to talk about, quote, ‘soft totalitarianism.’
“That was a direct result of Brennan’s top-down, politically driven policies; the totalitarianism being a reminder of the Soviet Union and China and so on.
“Well, this has a number of effects in terms of performance and in terms of credibility.”
