How many seasons does Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia have?

Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia has 1 season with 4 episodes.

What network is Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia on?

Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia airs on CNN.

When did Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia premiere?

Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia premiered on March 22, 2026.

Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia

Name: Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia
Genre: Crime, History, Legal

CNN Running Crime • History • Legal

1 Season · 4 Episodes · Premiered March 22, 2026

CNN Original Series Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia will examine the fragile, high-risk relationship between FBI Directors and then U.S. Presidents they serve, spotlighting the moments when that balance is pushed to the brink.Each episode focuses on a defining confrontation that reverberated far beyond the Oval Office, starting with former FBI Director James Comey's own account of his infamous clash with President Donald Trump. Episodes also uncover the long-simmering fracture between J. Edgar Hoover and President Richard Nixon, the strained relationship between President Bill Clinton and FBI Director Louis Freeh, and the post-9/11 alliance between President George W. Bush and FBI Director Robert Mueller. Pulling back the curtain on pivotal clashes between FBI Directors and Presidents of the United States, the series traces how personal loyalties, political pressure, and questions of power have shaped the FBI's role in American democracy and national security through archival footage, expert analysis, and firsthand accounts.

Where to Watch: CNN

Official Site

Next Air Time: No upcoming air date

Seasons & Episodes

Season 1

4 episodes

E01

Comey / Trump: Loyalty Test

Mon, Mar 23 2026 1:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min

Donald Trump takes office as the FBI investigates Hillary Clinton and Russian election interference. When Director James Comey refuses to pledge loyalty, Trump fires him, raising questions about the FBI's independence and national security.

E02

Hoover / Nixon: Friends with Secrets

Mon, Mar 23 2026 2:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min

During his tenure, J. Edgar Hoover transforms the FBI into a law-enforcement powerhouse — and a hub of unchecked surveillance. When Richard Nixon pressures him to expand domestic spying, Hoover is forced to defend the Bureau's independence.

E03

Freeh / Clinton: Under Scrutiny

Mon, Mar 30 2026 1:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min

In the post-Cold War era, Bill Clinton appoints Louis Freeh as FBI Director; their relationship strains amid the controversy of the Lewinsky investigation and ruptures permanently at a moment when the country can least afford the breakdown.

E04

Mueller / Bush: Tracked and Surveilled

Mon, Mar 30 2026 2:00 AM GMT+0000 60 min

In the wake of 9/11, George W. Bush and new FBI Director Robert Mueller unite to prevent another attack, but their close alignment ushers in the Patriot Act and an era of surveillance and government overreach not seen since Hoover's reign.