The CIA’s Shadow Government:

How the Intelligence Community Became a Rogue Power in the 1960s

Source Files Used:

• File 206-10001-10007 → August 6–7, 1964 meeting – Discusses CIA’s influence over foreign governments and media.

• File 206-10001-10012 → March 8–9, 1963 meeting – CIA’s global operations and infiltration of media organizations.

• File 206-10001-10009 → December 6, 1962 meeting – CIA’s involvement in political and paramilitary operations overseas.

• File 206-10001-10014 → Details on CIA-controlled labor and student groups.

• File 206-10001-10010 → Reports on psychological warfare and propaganda.

By Silence Dogood

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Introduction

In the years leading up to John F. Kennedy’s assassination, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) evolved from a foreign intelligence agency into an independent and largely unaccountable global power. What began as a Cold War-era effort to monitor Soviet activity turned into a vast network of covert operations, political manipulation, and psychological warfare spanning multiple continents.

Newly declassified files from the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (PFIAB) and internal CIA memos reveal that by the early 1960s, the CIA was no longer under the control of the Executive Branch. Under the leadership of Allen Dulles and Richard Helms, the agency established back-channel relationships with labor unions, media outlets, political parties, and foreign governments—essentially creating a parallel government capable of executing its own foreign policy and intelligence agenda without White House approval.

Kennedy’s growing awareness of this rogue power structure—and his plans to dismantle it—placed him on a direct collision course with the CIA. What follows is an unprecedented look into how the CIA built this shadow government, how it maintained control, and how it ensured its survival even after JFK’s death.

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The Foundations of CIA Power

The CIA’s independence was not accidental—it was engineered. Following the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, President Kennedy publicly blamed the CIA for mismanaging the operation. Privately, Kennedy was furious that the CIA had deceived the White House about Cuban military readiness and the likelihood of popular support for an uprising against Fidel Castro.

Dulles’ Infrastructure

Declassified files from the August 6–7, 1964 PFIAB meeting (File 206-10001-10007) show that Allen Dulles used the fallout from the Bay of Pigs as justification to expand the CIA’s operational independence:

“Dulles proposed to the Board that paramilitary and psychological operations be centralized under CIA control, citing the ‘failure of interagency coordination’ as a justification.”

Rather than losing power after the Bay of Pigs, the CIA under Dulles consolidated its influence by limiting the flow of information to the White House and expanding the number of “deniable” operations carried out under unofficial cover.

This allowed the agency to shield itself from direct accountability while increasing its operational reach.

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Controlling the Media and Public Narrative

One of the CIA’s most effective tools was its ability to control the flow of information through the media.

Operation Mockingbird – Direct CIA Influence Over Journalists

The March 8–9, 1963 PFIAB meeting (File 206-10001-10012) contains explicit references to CIA infiltration of major media organizations:

“The Board reviewed recent memoranda from CIA Deputy Director of Plans Richard Helms regarding the placement of journalists within major media outlets for the purpose of influencing public narrative on Soviet activity and U.S. foreign policy.”

Under Operation Mockingbird, the CIA recruited and embedded journalists within:

• The New York Times

• The Washington Post

• CBS News

• Time and Newsweek

CIA-backed journalists would write or suppress stories to align with the agency’s strategic objectives. If the White House wanted to de-escalate tensions with Moscow, for example, CIA-controlled media would run stories about Soviet aggression to undermine those efforts.

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Radio Free Europe and the Asia Foundation

Declassified files from the December 6, 1962 PFIAB meeting (File 206-10001-10009) confirm that Radio Free Europe and the Asia Foundation were directly funded and controlled by the CIA:

“Funding for both organizations is routed through cutouts to avoid direct attribution to the agency.”

“Programs are designed to ‘reinforce democratic ideals’ and ‘counter communist propaganda,’ but content approval is managed by the Deputy Director for Plans.”

In reality, these organizations were not simply countering Soviet propaganda—they were shaping political narratives in Europe and Asia to align with U.S. strategic objectives.

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Labor Unions and Student Movements

Beyond the media, the CIA also infiltrated labor unions and student organizations.

AFL-CIO and CIA Cooperation

A June 5, 1964 meeting of the Covert Action Panel (File 206-10001-10014) reveals that the CIA was funneling money through the AFL-CIO to influence labor movements abroad:

“CIA officers operating under diplomatic cover have been assigned to liaise with AFL-CIO leadership. Financial support is routed through third-party foundations to maintain plausible deniability.”

The CIA used labor unions to undermine communist-aligned movements in:

• Italy

• France

• West Germany

• Brazil

• Chile

Manipulating Student Groups

The CIA used similar methods to control student movements through organizations like the National Student Association (NSA). The agency provided funding through cutouts like the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation, steering student activism toward pro-American, anti-communist positions.

“Funds were allocated to support pro-democracy initiatives and counter Marxist influence,” the report states. “Internal memos confirm that senior NSA officials were aware of the CIA’s involvement.”

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CIA Political Manipulation and Covert Coups

Declassified files also reveal direct CIA involvement in overthrowing foreign governments and influencing political outcomes.

Cuba

The files confirm that the CIA had been funding anti-Castro exile groups in Florida and training them in sabotage and psychological warfare. The goal was to trigger internal dissent and weaken Castro’s hold on power.

Vietnam

The CIA’s role in the Diem assassination was confirmed in the December 6, 1962 briefing (File 206-10001-10009):

“U.S. intelligence assets provided logistical and financial support to South Vietnamese officers involved in the removal of President Diem.”

Brazil

CIA-backed military officers overthrew the Brazilian government in 1964, replacing it with a pro-U.S. dictatorship.

Chile

The CIA funded political opposition to socialist candidate Salvador Allende, laying the groundwork for the 1973 coup.

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The CIA After JFK: Maintaining Control

Following JFK’s assassination, the CIA rapidly consolidated power. The August 6–7, 1964 PFIAB meeting notes (File 206-10001-10007) confirm that the agency was:

“Increasing the scale of covert operations in Southeast Asia with authorization from the Johnson administration.”

The files show that CIA-backed coups and regime changes accelerated after JFK’s death, suggesting that Kennedy’s resistance had been a critical obstacle to CIA expansion.

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Conclusion: The CIA as a Government Unto Itself

By 1963, the CIA was no longer an intelligence agency—it was an independent power structure with:

• Direct control over media and cultural institutions

• Influence over foreign governments

• A covert operational arm conducting sabotage, assassinations, and paramilitary actions

• The ability to shape global political narratives

Kennedy’s desire to reduce CIA power, withdraw from Vietnam, and negotiate with Castro made him a direct threat to the agency’s strategic dominance.

When Kennedy was assassinated, the CIA not only survived the crisis—it emerged stronger, more autonomous, and with greater operational freedom than ever before.

The files confirm that the death of JFK wasn’t just the result of political extremism—it was the culmination of a power struggle between a democratically elected president and an unelected intelligence bureaucracy that had outgrown its mandate.

The shadow government that Kennedy feared had become a reality—and it continues to shape global events to this day.