The Story Isn't Over: Inside Havana Syndrome and the CIA’s Response

The U.S. government's handling of Havana syndrome has descended into a crisis of credibility, with explosive new reporting revealing that the Department of Defense and DHS acquired a portable, pulse microwave device from a Russian criminal network—exactly the kind of weapon scientists have long suspected could cause the mysterious brain injuries. Despite this evidence, the intelligence community maintains its 2023 assessment that foreign adversaries are unlikely to be behind the incidents. Michael Weiss, investigative journalist and co-author of a groundbreaking Insider/60 Minutes report, reveals that the CIA’s Global Health Incident Cell (GHIC) was not a genuine investigation but a politically driven effort to dismiss victims, with analysts from the Directorate of Analysis running the unit while field operatives—many of whom were themselves affected—were sidelined. Internal documents and whistleblower testimony show the GHIC mocked victims, dismissed medical evidence, and even staged a 'Havana syndrome happy hour' to ridicule the condition. Worse, the CIA allegedly spied on victims through encrypted messaging platforms, violating U.S. law. The Pentagon’s cross-functional team, which was nearing a conclusion that Russia was responsible, has been dismantled and silenced. With morale collapsing and trust eroding, Weiss argues that only a congressional investigation or a high-level intelligence leak—akin to a modern-day Snowden—can break the cover-up.