Iran Contra
A secret deal with Iran, illegal funding for rebels, and a presidential denial that unraveled under the weight of shredded documents—the Iran–Contra affair.
In the mid-1980s, the Reagan administration danced on the edge of scandal: secretly selling U.S. arms to Iran, then funneling the profits to back the Contras in Nicaragua—despite Congress having banned such aid. More info This two-pronged scheme—ostensibly to free American hostages held by Hezbollah in Lebanon—boldly flouted public policy, the law, and moral boundaries. More info When Lebanese media exposed the labyrinth of secret pipelines in November 1986, the nation recoiled: Reagan first denied any deal, then later admitted parts of it—but insisted he never traded arms for hostages. Unraveling that public facade were shredded documents, clandestine accounts, and the audacious figure of Lt. Col. Oliver North, orchestrating covert transactions from the shadows. More info The scandal shook the presidency, triggered congressional investigations and special counsel prosecutions, and raised a stark challenge: just how far can a president push the boundaries of power in the name of national interest? More info