We reach Episode 5 of Tucker Carlson’s 9/11 miniseries, The 9/11 Files, which concludes with a focus on systemic failures and the expansion of government power. The episode highlights how the 9/11 Commission, tasked with explaining the attacks, instead shielded the Bush administration and enabled sweeping surveillance and military reforms.
TUCKER CARLSON: The 9/11 Commission failed in its core mission to clarify what happened on September 11, 2001. Instead, it protected the Bush administration, which leveraged the crisis to secure a second term and radically reshape U.S. governance. The report’s so-called reforms, including the Patriot Act, granted intelligence agencies unprecedented authority, allowing warrantless surveillance, bulk data collection, and invasive airport security measures.
KRISTEN BREITWEISER: As a 9/11 widow, I’ve long argued that the attacks were preventable. The U.S. government had critical information about the hijackers but chose to expand its power rather than hold agencies accountable. Congress authorized unconstitutional searches, including access to library records and roving wiretaps, without judicial oversight. These measures were justified as counterterrorism tools but instead eroded civil liberties.
TUCKER CARLSON: The National Security Agency’s PRISM program, launched in 2007, conducted mass surveillance of American citizens. Meanwhile, the CIA transformed into a paramilitary force, conducting raids in Pakistan and Afghanistan that led to the indefinite detention of hundreds at Guantanamo Bay. Detainees were subjected to torture, including waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and cold-cell conditions, with officials claiming these methods were necessary for national security.
JOHN KIRIAKOU: As a former CIA counterterrorism officer, I witnessed operations where detainees were captured and transferred to Guantanamo without due process. Some prisoners, like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, confessed under torture but later recanted. The government prioritized political gain over accountability, using the 9/11 attacks to justify sweeping power grabs.
TUCKER CARLSON: The CIA’s torture program was approved through a complex chain of command, involving the White House and Justice Department. Despite clear legal prohibitions against torture, officials like George Tenet and Condoleezza Rice were rewarded with promotions and wealth. Meanwhile, whistleblowers like John Kiriakou faced prosecution for revealing these practices.
TUCKER CARLSON: The aftermath of 9/11 created winners and losers. While the Bush administration and intelligence agencies flourished, thousands of Americans died in wars fueled by false pretenses. The public remains unaware of key truths, including who profited from the attacks and why critical evidence was suppressed. A new commission could uncover these answers, but for now, the legacy of 9/11 endures as a cautionary tale of institutional failure and unchecked power.
This episode concludes The 9/11 Files, a series that challenges the official narrative and demands transparency about one of history’s most pivotal events.
