Steve Bannon, former senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, has made explosive claims against the Central Intelligence Agency, accusing it of intentionally misleading the White House during the Trump administration. Speaking on his political broadcast, Bannon said the CIA provided false briefings to Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in order to obstruct peace efforts.

“Witkoff was briefed three times a day by the CIA—and they lied to him,” Bannon said. “They told him, ‘Hamas doesn’t want peace, and never will.’ That was straight from Mossad and Netanyahu’s script.”

“Mossad controls the CIA,” Bannon alleges

According to Bannon, the false intelligence served as a cover to buy time for what he described as an Israeli intelligence operation targeting negotiators in Oman. He claimed that as a result of this deception, Witkoff was prevented from attending a planned diplomatic meeting in Muscat.

“There was an emergency operation—an assassination plot,” Bannon alleged. “That’s why Witkoff didn’t show up that Sunday in Muscat. Mossad controls the CIA.”

Bannon urged CIA Director Can Reklif to either resign or testify before Congress, stating that “the American people deserve to know the truth.”

Claims of pressure on U.S. intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard

Bannon also argued that U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has faced systematic pressure from pro-Israel groups. “Thank God for Tulsi Gabbard,” he said. “They tried to run her out of town. That’s what courage looks like. She testified before Congress and was attacked in the media because she told the truth to the commander-in-chief.”

Bannon suggested that Gabbard’s remarks on Iran’s nuclear program drew backlash from Israeli-aligned policymakers, claiming she had been marginalized for challenging the prevailing narrative.

Controversy over motives and implications

The allegations have reignited debate over the degree of foreign influence within U.S. intelligence operations. While no evidence has been presented to substantiate Bannon’s claims, the accusations have stirred intense political and media scrutiny.

Analysts note that such statements could deepen mistrust between intelligence institutions and political leadership, as well as strain U.S.–Israeli relations at a time of heightened regional tension.