“I’m your guy”: Ex-CIA officer John Kiriakou makes his case to be US ambassador to Greece
The Greek American whistleblower is pushing back on reports that called his bid “half-joking”.
Former CIA officer and whistleblower John Kiriakou is making a bid to become the next US ambassador to Greece, and he is pushing back on suggestions that he isn’t serious.
After Kathimerini described the bid as “half-joking”, Kiriakou responded on X: “My pitch to be US ambassador to Greece made it into the country’s biggest newspapers! A little confused why they say I made the pitch ‘half-joking’?”
The ambassadorship became vacant after Kimberly Guilfoyle left the post following allegations of misconduct. Career diplomat Josh Huck is now leading the US Embassy in Athens as chargé d’affaires ad interim.
“Athens like the back of his hand”
Kiriakou put his name forward on X on 15 October, appealing directly to President Donald Trump.
“Folks, the Greek ambassadorship is open. President Trump, I know you love a dark horse candidate. Especially one who has been unjustly persecuted by the Obama DOJ,” he wrote. “If you want someone who knows Athens like the back of his hand from hunting terrorists, I’m your guy.”
He set out his case in more detail on his podcast, John Kiriakou’s Briefing Room, pointing to his Greek heritage and years of experience in the country.
“I don’t know what my chances are, but I would like to throw my hat in the ring here to be ambassador to Greece,” he said. He argued that Greece deserved a US ambassador who knew its culture and people and was committed to transparency.
Kiriakou acknowledged that he would need a presidential pardon to take up the post.
“Mr President, if you are looking for a bold, unexpected choice that’s gonna distract people from the midterm elections, I’m the guy,” he said.
From Athens station to whistleblower
Kiriakou, 62, worked for the CIA from 1990 to 2004. From 1998 to 2000 he was a counterterrorism operations officer based at the US Embassy in Athens. He later served on the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 2009 to May 2011.
He became one of America’s best-known whistleblowers after publicly disclosing details of the CIA’s use of waterboarding in interrogations. He was later jailed for disclosing the identities of two CIA officers.
He recounted his intelligence career in his book The Reluctant Spy: My Secret Life in the CIA’s War on Terror.
Sources: John Kiriakou on X; Kathimerini
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