--- title: "US Military Tested Havana Syndrome Weapon on Large Mammals, Whistleblowers Says" description: "A mysterious weapon alleged to cause Havana Syndrome was reportedly used on rats and sheep, CIA insiders told CBS News." date: "2026-03-11" modified: "2026-03-11" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins" url: "https://futurism.com/science-energy/havana-syndrome-cia-2" categories: - "Military" - "Science & Energy" --- # US Military Tested Havana Syndrome Weapon on Large Mammals, Whistleblowers Says ![Black and white close-up profile of a sheep with thick, curly wool against a bright orange background featuring green concentric circular patterns.]() *Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Getty Images* Sprawling revelations about so-called Havana Syndrome show no signs of going away. Rumors of the alleged [neurological condition]() — and the mythological spy-weapon that might cause it — have begun re-circulating in recent months, stirred up by early 2026 reporting that the US government paid as much as eight figures to [procure a mysterious device]() linked to the ailment. Now, ex-government whistleblowers are adding fuel to Havana Syndrome's smoldering embers. In a baffling interview on [*CBS'* *60 Minutes*](), former CIA officers and conveniently anonymous government officials chimed in on the conversation, demanding answers and blasting the government for initiating what they call a massive coverup. According to *CBS*' sources, a Havana Syndrome weapon has been in the hands of a US military lab for over a year. The weapon — small enough to be held by a person, but powerful enough to blast through windows and drywall to hit a target hundreds of feet away — had allegedly even been tested on rats and sheep. Those tests, *CBS* insists, show injuries "consistent with those seen in humans." (An interesting framing, given that symptoms of Havana Syndrome [aren't even consistent]() among humans.) One of the former agents who agreed to give his name was Marc Polymeropoulos, who according to *CBS*, spent 26 years "involved in every covert action program in the Middle East." In the segment, Polymeropoulos criticized a previous [Intelligence Community Assessment]() from 2023, which found it was "very unlikely" the neurological symptoms were caused by a foreign adversary, as well as the government's refusal to take Havana Syndrome seriously. "I did some very interesting things for the US government, always with the idea that they would have my back if I got jammed up," the CIA officer said. "I just needed to get medical care when I came back, and they wouldn't even do that. So this moral injury, this sense of betrayal is so acute with me. That's something that I can never forgive them for." The scientific community remains divided. No peer-reviewed study has confirmed the existence of such a weapon in the hands of US adversaries, though a [government researcher in Norway]() reportedly assembled something close, earning himself a visit from the US State Department. And while anything is possible with regard to Havana Syndrome, there's a much simpler explanation for the *60 Minutes* piece: *CBS*' new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. Though Weiss styles herself as a radical centrist, her unprecedented takeover of one of the US's biggest newsrooms has drawn [effusive praise]() from Donald Trump. For her part, Weiss has already proven to be a happy stenographer for the White House, [pulling a bombshell segment from *60 Minutes*]() that painted the administration in a bad light. It may just be a coincidence that the "Havana Syndrome gun" materialized right when Trump began itching for a fight with foreign adversaries like [Venezuela](), [Iran](), and [Cuba](). And it could just be a stroke of luck that this fear mongering dispatch happens to trace back to Bari Weiss's *CBS*. One thing it's *not*, however, is independently verified — and until it is, you'll have to excuse our raised eyebrows. **More on government weapons:** *[Pentagon Refuses to Say If AI Was Used to Select Elementary School as Bombing Target]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()