You’ve seen him. The guy with the graying hair, the sharp suits, and that unnervingly calm way of explaining how the world might actually end tomorrow. He’s a staple on the Joe Rogan Experience. He pops up on Fox News to talk about Putin or Chinese spy balloons. If you’ve ever fallen down a late-night YouTube rabbit hole about MKUltra or "black files," you know exactly who is Mike Baker.
But here’s the thing: most people just see him as "the CIA guy."
It’s a convenient label, sure. But it skips over the weird, sprawling reality of a man who spent nearly two decades in the shadows only to become one of the most recognizable faces in the "private intelligence" world. He isn't just a talking head. He’s a guy who moved his entire family to Idaho for the fly fishing, then spends his Tuesday mornings briefing millions of people on his podcast, The President’s Daily Brief.
The Ghost in the Machine: Who Is Mike Baker, Really?
Mike Baker didn't just wake up one day and decide to be a TV pundit. He was born in London, which explains the subtle, sophisticated vibe he carries, but he’s as American as they come in terms of his career. He spent roughly 17 years as a covert field operations officer for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Think about that for a second.
While most of us were figuring out how to use a fax machine in the 90s, Baker was specializing in counterterrorism and counternarcotics. He wasn't sitting in a cubicle in Langley. He was on the ground in Asia, the Middle East, and the former Soviet Union. He was the guy the government sent when things got "messy."
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Kinda intense, right?
When he finally left the Agency, he didn't just retire to a porch swing. He co-founded Diligence LLC, a private intelligence firm. This is where the line between government spy and private sector "fixer" gets blurry. Diligence basically took the skill set of a CIA operative and sold it to Fortune 500 companies. Need to know if your merger partner in Moscow is actually a front for the mob? Call Mike.
Eventually, he rebranded and took over as CEO of Portman Square Group. Honestly, it's the same hustle but bigger. They handle everything from "due diligence" (fancy talk for checking if someone is lying) to crisis communications.
Why Joe Rogan Can’t Get Enough of Him
If you look at the JRE archives, Mike Baker is one of those recurring characters, like a season regular on a sitcom. He’s been on dozens of times. Why? Because he’s the "normie" bridge to the deep state.
Most ex-CIA guys come across as either terrifyingly stiff or conspiracy-obsessed. Baker is different. He’s conversational. He talks about his kids—who he famously refers to by fake names like "Fucko 1, 2, and 3" to protect their privacy—while simultaneously explaining the nuances of Ukrainian drone strikes.
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The "Company Man" Persona
Baker often gets flak from the hardcore conspiracy crowd. They think he’s a "limited hangout"—a guy sent by the Agency to give just enough truth to keep people from looking deeper. Whether you believe that or not, his value on Rogan’s show usually boils down to three things:
- Geopolitical Realism: He cuts through the Twitter noise to explain why China does what it does.
- Operational History: He’ll tell stories about how recruitment actually works (it’s more about being a good listener than being James Bond).
- The PDB: He’s turned the "President's Daily Brief" into a brand for the masses.
Living the Idaho Dream (Between Flights)
It sounds like a movie trope. The retired spy moves to the mountains.
But Baker actually did it. He lives in Boise, Idaho. He’s mentioned in interviews that he wanted a better pace of life for his three sons. It’s a weird contrast—one day he’s in a high-stakes board room in London or a TV studio in NYC, and the next he’s probably wandering around a Cabela’s or taking his kids to a hockey game.
He’s married to Emily Baker, and by all accounts, they’ve managed to keep a remarkably "normal" family life despite his past. Well, as normal as it can be when your dad used to have a suitcase full of different passports.
The Business of Being Mike Baker
Let’s talk money and influence for a second. Baker isn't just a hobbyist. He’s built a legitimate media empire.
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- The President’s Daily Brief (PDB): This is his daily podcast. It’s short, punchy, and designed to make you feel like you’re getting the same info as the Commander-in-Chief. It’s consistently at the top of the news charts.
- Black Files Declassified: He hosts this on the Science Channel/Discovery. It’s high-production value stuff exploring secret tech and government programs.
- Script Consulting: He’s worked on shows like Spooks (the BBC spy drama) and movies like Spy Game. If a movie spy looks like they actually know how to hold a gun or sweep a room, there’s a good chance Baker had a hand in it.
Is He Still "In" With the Agency?
This is the question that keeps Reddit up at night.
Once you’re a career ops officer, are you ever really out? Baker maintains he’s a private citizen. But his network is insane. We’re talking about a guy who has had investors and advisors like William Webster (former Director of both the CIA and FBI). That’s not a list of names you get by just being a "former" employee.
He occupies this middle ground. He’s a bridge between the secretive world of intelligence and the public's desire to understand why the world feels like it's on fire. He’s not going to leak classified secrets—he knows where the bodies are buried—but he will explain the logic behind the secrets.
What You Should Actually Take Away
If you’re trying to wrap your head around Mike Baker, stop looking for a smoking gun. He’s a professional. He’s a guy who realized that the skills used to track terrorists are the exact same skills needed to protect a multi-billion dollar corporation from a cyberattack.
He’s also a reminder that the "Deep State" isn't always a shadowy cabal in a basement. Sometimes it’s just a guy in Idaho with a podcast and a very specific set of stories.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
- Listen to the PDB: If you want the news without the 24-hour cable shouting matches, his podcast is actually a solid, fast-paced resource.
- Watch the Rogan Episodes Chronologically: If you want to see how global threats have shifted, watch his JRE appearances from 2014 versus 2024. It’s a wild timeline of how we went from worrying about ISIS to worrying about TikTok and AI.
- Follow the Money: Look into Portman Square Group. If you want to understand how "private intelligence" works, seeing who they hire and where they have offices (London, Taipei, Mexico City) tells you exactly where the world's most powerful people are worried about losing money.
Don’t expect him to tell you the "truth" about aliens or who really shot JFK. That’s not his lane. His lane is the practical, often boring, and sometimes terrifying reality of how countries and companies protect their interests. He’s the guy who tells you that the world is a dangerous place, but hey, the fishing in Boise is great.