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MKUltra: Congress probes controversial CIA mind control experiments | The Truth of the Matter

Can you control a human being? MKUltra, a top-secret CIA program born in the Cold War, is back in the spotlight — and this time, it’s Congress leading the conversation. The House Oversight Committee’s Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets recently held a hearing titled “Mind Control and Accountability: Uncovering the Truth of the CIA’s MKULTRA Project” to get answers about the era of human experimentation. In this episode of "The Truth of the Matter," Hena Doba sits down with Rick de la Torre, a retired CIA senior operations officer, to dive into this government program still clouded in secrecy. They dig into what MKUltra was designed to do, what it became and if a program like this could be replicated today. #MKUltra #government #CIA This podcast is put together by: Ryan Kerr Allie Purser Mia Balbin-Cuesta Kate Linderman Luis Barrett John Owens Hena Doba Edited by: Maria Morales Salazar "The Truth of the Matter" with Hena Doba isn`t just another podcast it`s a fight to uncover what powerful institutions want hidden. Journalist Hena Doba brings you the stories people in power don`t want told, exposing evidence buried in archives, amplifying the voices of those who`ve been silenced, and holding the powerful accountable. This is journalism that refuses to look away. The Truth of the Matter is about transparency, and justice for the people left behind. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthofthematterpod/ Connect with host Hena Doba: https://www.instagram.com/henadoba/ https://www.tiktok.com/@henadoba https://x.com/HenaDoba You can find "The Truth of the Matter" wherever you listen to your podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-truth-of-the-matter-with-natasha-zouves/id1804707066 https://open.spotify.com/show/2iQ85VHlMmBfLBaTtSp8tF NewsNation is your source for fact-based, unbiased news for all Americans. More from NewsNation: https://www.newsnationnow.com/ Get our app: https://trib.al/TBXgYpp Find us on your screen: https://www.joinnn.com/ CHAPTERS: :00 to 3:59 – Host Hena Doba looks back at the controversial history of the MKUltra program 3:59 to 5:46 - Guest Rick de la Torre talks about why the CIA launched MKUltra IN 1953 5:46 to 8:20 - A look at the repercussions of the destruction of many classified MKUltra records in 1973 8:20 to 11:54 - What do we know about the American MKUltra victims during the Cold War? 11:54 to 14:18 Could we see a secret program like MKUltra today in the U.S? 14:18 to 16:57 Can private sectors do something similar to the MKUltra program? 16:57 to 19:46 On the June 30th, 2026 U.S. Congressional hearings on MKUltra 19:46 to 23:01 - What question can be answered from surviving MKUltra records? 23:01 to 24:20 - Why were unwitting, vulnerable Americans subjected to MKUltra experiments? 24:20 to 32:32 - Why was the CIA interested in “mind control” and human experimentation and can this happen today? 32:41 to 37:05– On the scientists from Nazi Germany who worked with the CIA on MKUltra 37:05 to 39:10 – Was MKUltra a rogue operation or was it highly organized and well-known in government circles 39:10 to 41:40 - On the African-American prisoners and other vulnerable victims in the MKUltra program 41:40 to 42:42 - Why don’t we know more about the MKUltra victims? 42:42 to 43:38 - Why weren’t more officials held accountable for MKUltra? 43:38 to 45:47 - Should outside institutions and researchers assisting in MKUltra program be held accountable? 45:47 to 49:07 - Surprising revelations coming from last month’s MKUltra Congressional hearings 49:07 to 54:44 - With A.I. and modern surveillance, should we be concerned about entering a new stage of behavioral control? 54:44 to 58:55 - Where is the line between legitimate intelligence research and unethical human experimentation? 58:55 to 1:00:25 – Rick de la Torre talks briefly about his CIA career and his personal beliefs