CIA v. KENCOM: Details of JFK’s counterforce to the Central Intelligence Agency
In the shadow of the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the near-catastrophe of the Cuban Missile Crisis lies one of the least explored—and most explosive—chapters of the Kennedy presidency: KENCOM, a secret intelligence watchdog personally created by John F. Kennedy.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT TOSH PLUMLEE’S NEW BOOK, DEEP COVER, SHALLOW GRAVES
In Deep Cover, Shallow Graves, former CIA contract pilot Tosh Plumlee and co-author Ralph Pezzullo reveal how KENCOM functioned as Kennedy’s clandestine counterweight to the very intelligence agencies meant to serve him. Formed after the president realized the Central Intelligence Agency had withheld critical operational details, JFK’s secret intelligence apparatus operated as an internal “eyes and ears” network—monitoring CIA, FBI, and military intelligence activities beyond official oversight.
- After the Bay of Pigs Invasion, John F. Kennedy created KENCOM to monitor his own intelligence agencies
- KENCOM operated as a secret “eyes and ears” network inside the Central Intelligence Agency, FBI, and military intelligence
- The unit emerged amid escalating tensions over covert programs like Operation Mongoose
- Internal distrust deepened during flashpoints like the Cuban Missile Crisis
- KENCOM reflects a hidden power struggle tied to controversial plans such as Operation Northwoods
This pitch offers a rare opportunity to explore a buried story with profound modern relevance: a sitting president effectively surveilling his own intelligence community amid fears of rogue operations, unauthorized covert actions, and escalating Cold War brinkmanship.
Plumlee, who claims firsthand involvement in covert operations tied to Operation Mongoose and the JM/WAVE station in Miami, connects KENCOM to a broader internal struggle between the Kennedy administration and entrenched national security forces. The book argues that as Kennedy resisted extreme proposals like Operation Northwoods, distrust deepened—triggering a quiet intelligence war inside Washington.
KENCOM raises urgent, timely questions: What happens when a president no longer trusts his own intelligence agencies? How far did internal surveillance go? And what does this hidden history reveal about the balance of power between elected leadership and the intelligence establishment?
Plumlee and Pezzullo are available to discuss newly surfaced details, firsthand accounts, and the enduring implications of KENCOM—arguably one of the most consequential secret initiatives of the Cold War era that few Americans have ever heard about.
Relevant Article(s):
OPTIONAL Q&A:
- What exactly was KENCOM, and how did John F. Kennedy envision it operating alongside—or against—the Central Intelligence Agency?
- How did the fallout from the Bay of Pigs Invasion directly lead to the creation of KENCOM?
- Who were the individuals involved in KENCOM, and how were they positioned inside the intelligence and military apparatus?
- How did KENCOM gather intelligence on covert operations like Operation Mongoose without alerting the agencies it was monitoring?
- What resistance, if any, did KENCOM encounter from within the intelligence community or the Pentagon?
- How did KENCOM influence President Kennedy’s decisions during high-stakes moments like the Cuban Missile Crisis?
- Is there evidence that KENCOM uncovered unauthorized or rogue operations, such as those proposed in Operation Northwoods?
- What are the modern-day implications of KENCOM—could a similar internal oversight mechanism exist, or be necessary, today?
ABOUT ROBERT “TOSH” PLUMLEE…
Robert “Tosh” Plumlee is a former contract pilot who claims to have participated in covert aviation operations connected to U.S. intelligence agencies beginning in the early 1950s.
According to his account, he flew missions throughout the Caribbean and Latin America involving weapons transfers, intelligence logistics, and clandestine operations targeting Cuba.
Plumlee has provided statements to investigators examining intelligence activities and the Kennedy assassination over several decades.
ABOUT RALPH PEZZULLO…
Pezzullo is a New York Times bestselling author, and award-winning playwright and screenwriter. He is also the host of the popular podcast “Heroes Behind Headlines,” which is ranked in the top 1% off all podcasts worldwide.
Born in New York City, he grew up in Mexico, Vietnam, Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, Uruguay and Nicaragua as the son of a US diplomat. His over 30 books published include New York Times bestsellers Jawbreaker (with former CIA operative Gary Berntsen), Inside SEAL Team Six (with Don Mann), Most Evil, Zero Footprint, Left of Boom and Ghost. His latest books, both released in 2025, are The Great Chinese Art Heist and Stolen Elections: Takedown of Democracies Worldwide.
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