NPR

In Retirement, America's Spies Are Getting Downright Chatty

Former CIA director Gen. Michael Hayden delivers remarks on national security at the National Academy of Sciences in October. Hayden is among a growing number of former intelligence officials who are now speaking out regularly in retirement.

When Michael Hayden ran the CIA and the National Security Agency, his public comments were largely confined to congressional testimony. Now that he's retired, "I'm on Twitter and I'm on CNN," said Hayden.

He was also the featured guest as dozens of former national security officials and several current ones spoke at a recent conference on threats the U.S. faces.

A few journalists were also invited to the resort on Sea Island, Ga., where almost everything was on the record.

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