United States of Secrets, Part One (full documentary) | FRONTLINE

The Emergence of the Surveillance State00:00:00

Following the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. government, led by Vice President Dick Cheney and legal advisor David Addington, implemented 'The Program.' This warrantless domestic surveillance apparatus aimed to monitor internet and phone data of millions, despite potential constitutional violations.

Internal Dissent and the ThinThread Program00:24:00

NSA employees like Tom Drake, Bill Binney, and others discovered that a promising privacy-conscious tool called 'ThinThread' was being adapted to remove privacy protections. Disillusioned, many retired, while Drake continued to fight the program from within, only to be met with threats.

Justice Department Conflict00:48:50

The program reached a crisis point when Acting Attorney General James Comey and others at the Justice Department refused to reauthorize it due to legal concerns. This led to a dramatic confrontation in John Ashcroft's hospital room between White House officials and the DOJ leadership.

Media Exposure and Blowback01:03:00

After The New York Times initially spiked the story under White House pressure, James Risen eventually forced the issue. Following the public revelation, the Bush administration initiated a crackdown on leakers, leading to FBI raids on whistleblowers and the prosecution of Tom Drake under the Espionage Act.

The Obama Administration and Snowden's Catalyst01:32:49

Despite candidate Obama's promises of transparency and opposition to warrantless surveillance, his administration continued the program once in office. The ongoing government persecution of whistleblowers became a primary driver for Edward Snowden to eventually expose the full extent of the NSA's global reach.