The Mishal Husain Show Netflix’s ‘Cover-Up’ Director Laura Poitras on ICE, ‘Domestic Terrorists’ and US Surveillance
Jan 30, 2026
Laura Poitras, Oscar- and Pulitzer-winning filmmaker who exposed Snowden and state surveillance, discusses her Netflix film on Seymour Hersh. She examines surveillance, being placed on a watchlist, the power of citizen video to challenge official narratives, and cycles of impunity in U.S. power. Short, urgent conversations about investigative journalism, accountability and how visuals reshape public understanding.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Cycles Of State Cover-Up
- Seymour Hersh's career shows investigative journalism can expose systemic state atrocities across decades.
- Laura Poitras links My Lai, Abu Ghraib and Gaza as cycles of lies, cover-ups and impunity.
Targeted At Borders After Iraq Film
- Laura Poitras was detained and interrogated repeatedly at airports after showing her Iraq film.
- She found she was on a U.S. terrorist watch list and eventually sued to obtain redacted FBI files.
How Snowden Chose Poitras
- Edward Snowden contacted Poitras because she had documented surveillance and knew source-protection practices.
- Poitras helped bring NSA documents to journalists and later filmed Snowden's motives.