CIA Validates ESP: The Hidden History of Government Psychic Research

For most people, the idea of extrasensory perception (ESP) belongs in the realm of science fiction and paranormal television shows. X-Files anyone? Yet, for over two decades, U.S. intelligence agencies—including the CIA—validated ESP as a subject worth serious investigation. Our founder Al Manning had already known this for decades.

Declassified documents now confirm that the U.S. government spent millions of dollars on psychic research, employing scientists, military personnel, and so-called “remote viewers” in a program that would later be known as the Stargate Project.

The question is not whether the CIA researched ESP—they absolutely did—but why. And more importantly: did the CIA truly validate ESP as real?

Why the CIA Took ESP Seriously

To understand why the CIA became interested in ESP, you need to go back to the Cold War.