Former CIA Official Alleges Cover-Up of Havana Syndrome
A former CIA officer has come forward, stating he suffered from a little-understood neurological condition known as Havana syndrome. He is now urging the Trump administration to shed light on what he describes as the Biden administration’s cover-up regarding attacks affecting U.S. military personnel.
Mark Polymeropoulos, who spent 26 years with the CIA and previously signed the controversial “Lying Spy” letter about Hunter Biden’s laptop during the 2020 election, says President Biden has initiated one of the most significant intelligence scandals in recent history.
“The cover-up was horrific,” Polymeropoulos commented.
Recently, White House press secretary Caroline Levitt sparked attention by highlighting testimony from Venezuelan guards assigned to dictator Nicolás Maduro. In early January, U.S. forces attempted to apprehend Maduro on federal drug and weapons charges, leading to these guards suffering from an unknown force that left them incapacitated, bleeding, and “vomiting blood.”
Polymeropoulos noted that the Biden administration has publicly dismissed the existence of Havana syndrome, though non-government scientists suspect it results from directed energy weapons used by nations like Russia and Cuba, even as intelligence personnel endure severe symptoms.
Following Trump’s inauguration, the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, instructed her team to investigate abnormal health incidents, such as Havana syndrome, as it’s termed within government circles.
“The mistreatment and firing of Americans affected by AHI is unacceptable,” a DNI spokesperson stated. “DNI Gabbard is dedicated to revealing our findings on unusual health incidents to the public.”
“The End of My Career”
Polymeropoulos recounted experiencing intense dizziness, nausea, overwhelming headaches, and ringing in his ears during a CIA trip to Moscow in December 2017. These symptoms align with those commonly associated with Havana syndrome.
“That night in that hotel room marked the end of my career,” he said.
As a highly decorated officer who once led covert operations in the Middle East, Polymeropoulos reported being largely inactive for 18 months due to the CIA’s refusal to provide medical treatment.
“I pleaded for help, but they continued to deny it,” he mentioned, adding that that was when the emotional toll began.
It wasn’t until October 2020, the same month the Hunter Biden laptop letter surfaced, that Polymeropoulos was finally sent to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment. By that time, he had already received a diagnosis of traumatic brain injury, which occurred while he was publicizing the letter.
“Honestly, the letter didn’t matter to me at that point; I was in so much pain,” he said. “I was just trying to survive.”
Even though the report confirmed the authenticity of Hunter Biden’s laptop content, Polymeropoulos indicated he suspects Russian involvement in its distribution.
Defending his stance, he said: “It didn’t matter if the laptop was genuine; the Russian system disseminated real information, just as they did in the 2025 Macron election hack. They have historically gathered incriminating materials about their enemies to create embarrassment.”
Polymeropoulos claims that, while some high-ranking officials privately accept the reality of Havana syndrome, the Biden administration continues to downplay it, fearing that admitting the truth might discourage personnel from serving overseas. He remarked, “That’s not leadership. That’s cowardice.”
A former CIA officer referred to as “Patient Zero” of Havana syndrome echoed his sentiments, suggesting that the Biden administration always knew about the disease’s reality, likely caused by a Russian-directed energy weapon akin to an X-ray machine.
According to him, substantial data on such incidents was kept hidden because it didn’t align with the desired narrative to downplay the severity.
“It was a cover-up,” he insisted.
While the administration publicly denied the existence of Havana syndrome, it nevertheless compensated victims and their families under the Havana Act, which was enacted by Biden in October 2021.
“That’s a contradiction,” stated “Patient Zero.” “On one hand, they claim, ‘That didn’t happen,’ yet on the other, they are compensating people, including children and even infants, to legally validate its existence.”
Polymeropoulos, an avowed critic of Trump, indicated he would applaud officials from the Trump administration for recognizing the reality of Havana syndrome, saying, “If they do the right thing, I absolutely agree with that.” He noted that taking this step might be politically costly and require extensive therapy for affected individuals.
Both Polymeropoulos and “Patient Zero” are awaiting a delayed evaluation from the DNI, which was promised several months back.
Gabbard’s office indicated the report is on the way but stressed that they want to avoid hasty releases of incomplete information.
“DNI Gabbard allocated the time and resources necessary to ensure this review is comprehensive and accurate,” said a spokesperson. “Our team is dedicated to providing the truth that Americans deserve.”
Meanwhile, Polymeropoulos believes some senior officials involved in the neglect and mishandling of Havana syndrome cases should be dismissed.
“I almost wish I had been shot,” he lamented. “Then maybe people would believe me.”
“You can’t have a healthy CIA if you betray your own people,” he continued. “The government asked me to put my life on the line for 26 years. I believed they would protect me, and yet they didn’t.”
