In a revealing discussion, Mike Benz, a former State Department official, has brought to light what he describes as a deep-rooted and clandestine alliance between leading U.
S. intelligence agencies and prestigious Ivy League universities.
This assertion was made during his podcast, streamed on X, where Benz elaborated on the historical ties that have allegedly existed since the conclusion of the Cold War. He suggests that this collaboration signifies a strategic fusion of academia, intelligence, and philanthropy, forming a covert network where philanthropic entities, often seen as impartial, have been utilized as tools by intelligence agencies.
According to the Daily Caller, Benz's claims are supported by declassified CIA documents from 1999, which reveal that as early as 1951, the CIA engaged philanthropies to finance and influence academic institutions. This partnership was aimed at modernizing educational systems in foreign nations, particularly those where the United States held geopolitical stakes.
Benz remarked, That merger, as weve talked about so many times now, between intelligence, academia and philanthropy. He further highlighted the role of Indiana University, which, in collaboration with USAID, undertook tasks traditionally associated with the CIA, noting that such activities are perceived as less controversial when conducted by a humanitarian NGO rather than an intelligence agency.
Benz also pointed to the Harvard Institute for International Development, which received funding from USAID in the 1990s, significantly influencing Russia's economic restructuring during its transition from Soviet rule.
He emphasized that this is merely one example of how universities have become integral components of a larger geopolitical strategy, often escaping public scrutiny. What if I just do USAID? Higher education reform, modernized universities in Vietnam, $14 million from USAID, Indiana Universitys Office of International Development, getting funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, just like the Harvard Institute for International Development run by Jeffrey Sachs to carve up Russia in the 1990s, Benz stated.
Benz describes these funding channels as part of what he terms the bloba complex network of interconnected elites that encompasses government bodies such as the State Department, DOD, CIA, and USAID, alongside multinational corporations, private equity firms, and influential NGOs. He elaborated, You have the overclass, the donor drafter overclass, with the multinational corporations, the private equity firms, the hedge funds, banks, big dollar donor drafters.
The government agencies, state, DOD, CIA, USAID. And then the underbelly of it is the NGOplex, which includes the super NGOs, the universities. So anytime you see Harvard Institute of International Development, get money from USAID.
Furthermore, Benz has previously accused Harvard University of being a central hub for anti-Trump activities, claiming that its academic departments and think tanks have been weaponized against President Trump. This assertion is underscored by the Department of Homeland Security's decision to revoke Harvard's ability to host foreign students, citing the institution's toxic campus climate and violations related to antisemitism and foreign funding disclosures.
This development raises questions about the extent to which academic institutions may be involved in broader political and intelligence strategies, challenging the perception of universities as neutral grounds for education and research.
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