Testimony of CIA Officer Erdman Before Senate Committee

On May 13, 2026, James Erdman III, a senior officer with the CIA, testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, despite objections from his agency.

Recently, Erdman had been leading an investigation for the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, focusing on the origins of COVID-19, unusual health incidents, and UFOs. His statements to the committee were quite significant.

“We just want to clear the air. We did not take back documents,” he said.

Erdman claimed that Dr. Anthony Fauci played an intentional role in the cover-up, asserting that Fauci directed the intelligence community’s analysis on COVID origins by providing a biased list of experts, many of whom co-authored a paper that dismissed the lab-leak theory.

Within the CIA, Erdman noted that out of seven technical specialists who re-evaluated COVID origins, six supported the lab-leak theory. However, management altered the findings in what Erdman characterized as a “middle-of-the-night anonymous rewrite.”

The situation escalated with Erdman’s shocking allegations.

He claimed, “The CIA illegally monitored the computer and phone usage of DIG personnel, their investigations, and contact with whistleblowers.” When the DIG halted its operations, the CIA allegedly retrieved 40 boxes of files related to JFK and MK-Ultra that were in the process of being declassified by Gabbard.

Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) read from a statement the CIA had released, labeling the hearing as “dishonest political theater.” He expressed his frustration, mentioning years of agencies like the CIA and FBI turning a blind eye to congressional oversight.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who chairs the House declassification task force, described the CIA’s actions as an “internal coup.” Together with Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), they took to social media to demand the return of the files. The CIA subsequently invited them to headquarters.

The following day, Burlison and Luna stood at the Memorial Wall at the CIA’s headquarters in Langley, Virginia, where the names of 141 fallen officers are commemorated on marble stars.

Upon their arrival, they turned in their phones. No aides, notepads, or recording devices were permitted, minimizing the chance of disputable content later.

Guided through an elevator and narrow hallways, Burlison was surprised by how mundane the environment seemed, resembling a simple office space. They expected to meet CIA Director John Ratcliffe, but were greeted instead by the agency’s archivist, a woman overseeing extensive paper files.

They were informed that Ratcliffe was “out of pocket,” later discovering he was in Cuba.

“We just want to clear the air,” the archivist said. “We did not take back documents.”

The CIA explained that after President Trump ordered the release of JFK records, Gabbard’s team arrived unexpectedly to demand them. The CIA objected to files being taken in personal vehicles, asserting they must be transported in secure vans.

According to the CIA, they delivered about 300 boxes, while an additional 42 were still being processed elsewhere. They claimed they notified Gabbard’s office once those files were ready.

Burlison found it ironic that the CIA deemed the office charged with overseeing it untrustworthy to handle the files.

“There’s obviously some tension between the CIA and the ODNI,” he remarked, “and that’s part of the reason why ODNI didn’t inform you about their visit.”

They acknowledged this mistrust and also concurred that the public criticisms from the CIA’s spokesperson were unacceptable.

Afterward, Burlison remarked that the CIA’s demeanor during the meeting resembled that of a child caught misbehaving, anxious to find a way to “de-escalate” the situation.

He left the meeting with no definitive answers about the contents of the 42 boxes or whether they had been withdrawn by the CIA before Gabbard’s team had the opportunity to examine them. Furthermore, there were reportedly 11 additional boxes that the DNI would never be allowed to see, citing tradecraft secrets.

Burlison was less interested in de-escalation.

Two and a half months later, Luna informed me that the CIA had indeed located the files and placed them on the path for declassification. However, it took a whistleblower defying orders, a Senate subpoena, and two Congress members visiting Langley to make that happen.

If the task force is disbanded in November, who will be willing to take that walk next time?