In Remembrance - Charles "Sam" Faddis

Charles “Sam” Faddis
May 23, 1958 – July 25, 2026

Charles “Sam” Faddis, retired CIA operations officer, author, national security commentator, and senior editor of AND Magazine, passed away quietly on the evening of July 25, 2026, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) in Philadelphia. He was 68 years old.

Born on May 23, 1958, at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland, Sam was the son of career U.S. Navy officer James Morris Faddis and Violet Knighton Tucker Faddis. He graduated from The Johns Hopkins University with a degree in political science and earned his law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. He later served as a U.S. Army Armor and Judge Advocate General’s Corps officer, rising to the rank of Captain, and worked as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Washington before joining the Central Intelligence Agency.

Sam spent approximately twenty years as a clandestine operations officer with the CIA’s Directorate of Operations. His assignments took him across the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe. In 2002, he led the first CIA team into northern Iraq nearly nine months ahead of the 2003 invasion, working with Kurdish forces under extremely difficult conditions. He later served as chief of the Counterterrorism Center’s Weapons of Mass Destruction unit, responsible for tracking terrorist efforts to acquire nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. He ran sources, conducted covert action, and operated at the highest levels of the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense.

After retiring from the Agency, Sam became a clear and consistent public voice on national security. He authored several books, including Beyond Repair: The Decline and Fall of the CIA and Willful Neglect: The Dangerous Illusion of Homeland Security, and The CIA War in Kurdistan: The Untold Story of the Northern Front in the Iraq War. He appeared regularly as a commentator on radio and television, was a frequent guest on Steve Bannon’s War Room, and served as senior editor of AND Magazine, where he continued to write and analyze intelligence and foreign-policy issues until shortly before his final illness.

Sam was actively involved in grassroots politics in Pennsylvania and founded the Pennsylvania Patriot Coalition and UnitePA. He actively supported and campaigned for a number of grassroots candidates running for a variety of offices across the state.

Sam was a devoted husband, father, and brother. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Gina C. Faddis; their four children, Hannah V. Faddis, James “Tucker” Faddis, Elizabeth L. Faddis Weibel, and Samuel “Ike” Faddis; his remaining brother, Matthew J. Faddis; and six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers. His family was with him when he passed. He will be remembered for his public service and for his fierce loyalty to his family.

Memorial services will be held at Jackson Baptist Church, 17280 State Route 92, Jackson, PA, at 10:00 a.m. on August 15, 2026. Visiting hours will begin at 9:00 a.m.

The family requests privacy during this time of mourning. They are profoundly grateful to the doctors and medical staff at Geisinger Community Medical Center, Scranton, PA, and the University of Pennsylvania Hospital who cared for Sam, and to all those who offered prayers, well-wishes, and support.

Sam Faddis dedicated his life to the defense of the United States — first in uniform, then in the shadows of the clandestine service, and finally as a public advocate for truth and accountability. He will be deeply missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to:

• Camp Freedom (https://campfreedompa.org) (Carbondale, PA) — supporting outdoor adventures for disabled veterans, first responders, and Gold Star families.

• The American Chestnut Foundation (https://tacf.org) — working to restore the American chestnut tree.