Key facts
- Former CIA officer John Kiriakou and journalist Tucker Carlson discussed the influence of the Israel lobby in Washington.
- The discussion covered AIPAC's rise, the 1967 USS Liberty attack, and alleged Israeli involvement in JFK's assassination.
- An FBI investigation in 2004 probed alleged Israeli espionage and AIPAC's potential role.
- Pentagon analyst Larry Franklin confessed to passing classified documents to an Israeli contact.
- FBI agents seized files from AIPAC offices and subpoenaed several employees.
- AIPAC has denied any wrongdoing.
Former CIA officer John Kiriakou and journalist Tucker Carlson engaged in a discussion concerning the significant influence of the Israel lobby in Washington, D.C. Their conversation touched upon the controversial ascent of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the 1967 attack on the USS Liberty, and allegations of Israeli involvement in the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
Kiriakou and Carlson detailed how the Johnson administration allegedly protected Israel following the attack on the USS Liberty, a U.S. Navy technical research ship, and reportedly punished surviving crew members for speaking out about the incident. According to their discussion, Israel attacked the USS Liberty a second time approximately 45 minutes after the initial assault, with Kiriakou stating, "There’s no question they tried to sink it."
The discussion also delved into President Kennedy's past confrontations with Israel regarding its nuclear program and suggested Israel's complicity in Kennedy's assassination. Kiriakou asserted, "Kennedy not just refused to give them nuclear technology, he actively stood in the way."
Separately, a 2004 FBI investigation intensified into alleged Israeli espionage against the United States, with a focus on AIPAC's potential involvement in passing classified U.S. data to Tel Aviv. This probe was reportedly spurred by a confessed Pentagon spy, Larry Franklin, ceasing cooperation with federal authorities. Franklin, an analyst in the Pentagon's Office of Special Plans, admitted to meeting with an Israeli government contact and passing a highly classified document concerning U.S. policy toward Iran. The FBI was also investigating Franklin's potential role in passing National Security Agency intercepts to Israel.
During the investigation, FBI agents visited AIPAC offices, seizing hard drives and files from key personnel, including Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman. Subpoenas were also issued to AIPAC Executive Director Howard Kohr and other senior staff. These individuals were suspected of acting as intermediaries in passing sensitive U.S. data to Israel. AIPAC has consistently denied any wrongdoing, with the group stating that its access to the White House would be inconceivable if any evidence of disloyalty or negligence had been discovered. The Israeli Ambassador at the time, Daniel Ayalon, also reiterated Israel's denials of spying on the United States.