Power Brokers: The CIA’s Ties with Wall Street

The Quiet Hand

Behind every major U.S. intervention during the Cold War, there’s a good chance Wall Street had a hand in it—or at least saw the potential for a tidy profit. Financial institutions and the CIA weren’t just two separate entities—they were partners in an unholy alliance that shaped the world. Together, they funded covert operations, toppled governments, and expanded American influence, all while making sure the balance sheets were stacked in their favor. The goal? Control. Power. And of course, profit.

Key Players

• Wall Street Banks: Heavy hitters like J.P. Morgan, Chase Manhattan, and the Rockefeller family weren’t just building empires—they were backing governments with economic muscle. Whether it was through funding coups or securing oil contracts, they had the resources to influence global events.

• CIA: Working in the shadows, the CIA was the muscle behind these financial interests, pushing American influence through covert actions and economic manipulation. Their job was simple: Make sure U.S. corporate interests stayed on top—and keep those interests profitable at any cost.

Dollars and Deeds

• 1953 Iran Coup: When Iran’s Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, nationalized the country’s oil industry, Wall Street-backed interests were quick to see their bottom line threatened. The CIA, with financial backing from American oil companies, orchestrated the coup that toppled Mossadegh and restored the Shah. The result? A major win for oil interests and a blow to Iranian sovereignty.

• Chile, 1973: As Salvador Allende's socialist government took power in Chile, U.S. financial elites feared nationalization of key industries like copper. Wall Street’s money found its way into anti-socialist forces, helping to fund the military coup that brought General Augusto Pinochet to power. The American corporate agenda was preserved, and the rest, as they say, is history—though it’s a history few want to tell.

Strategies and Tactics

The U.S. wielded economic power to destabilize unfriendly governments, using tactics like sanctions, currency manipulation, and loans to create crises that justified intervention. Backed by Wall Street, the CIA funded covert operations to orchestrate regime changes, often prioritizing billion-dollar contracts over democratic ideals—all without public scrutiny.

Lasting Consequences

The covert alliances of the past fundamentally reshaped U.S. foreign policy, embedding corporate interests into international decision-making. From Vietnam to Latin America, CIA-backed operations often aligned with Wall Street’s goals, prioritizing corporate profits over democratic principles. This approach set a precedent that still influences U.S. interventions, with economic motivations frequently overshadowing ethical considerations.

Over the decades, the line between government power and corporate control has blurred. In the name of spreading democracy or protecting U.S. interests, multinational corporations have become key players in shaping foreign policy. Their influence rivals that of elected officials, but with far less transparency or accountability.

This entanglement has left a lasting legacy, raising serious questions about the true drivers of U.S. foreign policy. Are these interventions genuinely about national security and democracy, or are they veiled efforts to safeguard corporate profits? As the balance of power continues to tilt toward private interests, the implications for global stability and governance grow ever more concerning.

Question for You

If economic manipulation and covert operations once served as tools for regime change, how much of U.S. foreign policy today is still quietly dictated by the financial interests of Wall Street—and what might that mean for global stability?