Tom sits down with two extraordinary guests: Andrew and Jihi Bustamante, elite intelligence professionals and co-authors of "Shadow Cell." Andrew, a former covert CIA officer and founder of Everyday Spy, and Jihi, a master targeter, pull back the curtain on the murky world of espionage, information warfare, and the complex dance between truth and spin in global politics.

Andrew delivers a masterclass on how political appointees and intelligence leadership have shifted over the decades, exposing the tension between presidential loyalty and national service. Tom fearlessly challenges both guests to untangle headline-making controversies—from election interference to the notorious Steele Dossier—and explores whether we, as citizens, should blindly trust, fight, or try to decode the signals coming from our own government. This first half sets the stage for an unprecedented look at spin, power, and loyalty in the age of 24-hour news and social media.

SHOWNOTES

00:00 - Fabricating Threats & The Russia Collusion Narrative
09:19 - High Turnover at the CIA: Box-Checking and Political Climbing
27:02 - Is America Headed for a Hard Reset?
32:13 - Go Along to Get Along: Cultural Realities of Government Employment
41:02 - Persuasive Headlines vs. Influence: Avoiding Media Manipulation

FOLLOW ANDREW & JIHI BUSTAMANTE:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everydayspy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EverydaySpy
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EverydaySpy
Website: https://www.everydayspy.com/

Want to learn more from Andrew? Find your Spy Superpower: ⁠https://yt.everydayspy.com/4l9HmlM Read Andrew’s CIA book ‘Shadow Cell’: https://geni.us/ShadowCellBook Follow Andy on YouTube: ⁠https://youtube.com/@Andrew-Bustamante Explore Spy School: ⁠https://everydayspy.com/ Support Andy's sponsor Axolt Brain: ⁠https://axoltbrain.com/andy Listen to the podcast: ⁠https://youtube.com/ ⁨@EverydaySpyPodcast⁩

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