The DSR Network

On the DSR Weekly Wrap up for this week, we break down Trump's Fed Chair appointment getting sworn in, Trump deploying 5,000 troops to Poland, a judge ordering Trump to continue complying with the Presidential Records Act, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump just got hit with an absolutely crushing poll from Fox News. Disapproval of his handling of the economy is at an all time high. His ratings on inflation are staggeringly awful. Historically friendly voter groups—whites, rural Americans, the working class—are all turning away from him in surprising numbers. It’s no accident that on Thursday, Trump let out a long, rambling diatribe, demanding Republicans pass his onerous voter suppression legislation. Critically, Trump said straight out that if they do, Democrats will “never be elected again.” Trump admitted that the whole point of his bill is to ensure one-party rule in perpetuity, in the GOP’s favor—exactly why he wants it passed before the midterms. We talked to MS NOW opinion editor James Downie, author of a piece on Trump’s deepening unpopularity. We discuss why Trump is losing both his base and the new voters he won in 2024, what opportunities that offers Democrats, whether the bottom is really falling out for good, and why Trump can't cheat his way out this time.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is playing Grand Theft: US Treasury. The corruption is absolutely mind-boggling, and we need to call it like it is - he is stealing our money for his own personal gain. This is CRIME. Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf are back to dive into this criminality as we head into Memorial Day weekend. Listen here.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we break down Trump's doubling down on not caring about American's finances, the progressive win in Pennsylvania, Rubio's remarks on Cuba, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republicans are starting to break with Donald Trump’s corrupt $1.8 billion slush fund. Vulnerable House GOPer Brian Fitzpatrick announced that he’s pursuing legislation to block the fund. Other Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, are raising serious questions about it. Relatedly, Trump let out a bizarre, angry tirade about Rep. Fitzpatrick. Trump ripped him for disloyalty, snarling that this “doesn’t work out well” for Republicans. Though Trump’s anger might not have been about Fitzpatrick’s opposition to the slush fund, Fitzpatrick also opposes his ballroom. So this shows how Republicans are enraging Trump by running from his corruption. We talked to Salon’s Amanda Marcotte, who argues that Trump’s corruption will be his main legacy. We discuss new polling showing Trump at record economic lows; why the fund is deadly for the GOP; and why Trump’s pathologies don’t permit him to let Republicans get distance from him.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has returned from China. Did his meeting with Xi Jinping actually accomplish anything on the global stage? America’s foreign policy under this administration is rotten and grows more so each day - all the while, China’s increasing influence is being felt all around the globe. David Sanger of the New York Times, who was accused of treason by our president during this recent trip, joins David Rothkopf and Ed Luce to discuss the current state of geopolitics, Trump’s China summit, and more. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we break down the latest insanity from the Justice Department, the defeat of Thomas Massie in the GOP primary, a meeting between Xi and Putin, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump just endorsed MAGA nutjob Ken Paxton in the Texas GOP primary for Senate, potentially killing off establishment incumbent Senator John Cornyn. As GOP Senators absorbed this news, reporters described them as “visibly dismayed” and “stone-faced.” Senator Lisa Murkowski openly declared that Trump has now put the seat “in jeopardy,” asking: “How does that help strengthen the president’s hand when we lose a state like Texas?” Translation: Trump has screwed himself and his party in a big way. This might cost them the seat, and at a minimum it makes it much harder to hold. So is Texas actually gettable for Democrats? We talked to Democratic operative Sawyer Hackett, a veteran of Texas races. He explains why Paxton is much weaker than Cornyn, why a perfect storm of conditions in the state could bring about the unthinkable, what Democrat James Talarico’s path to victory looks like, and what could still go wrong for Democrats. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we break down Trump claiming he has delayed a massive attack on Iran, a contentious Republican primary in Kentucky, a horrific attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has reached a “settlement” with his Justice Department in a $10 billion lawsuit he brought against the IRS. Under it, DOJ will create a new $1.8 billion fund, controlled by Trump, that will dole out payments to allies who have supposedly been victimized by government “weaponization.” This could include the January 6 rioters. This has shocked legal observers, who called it everything from “horrible” to a “slush fund,” with others describing it as corruption that might be historically unprecedented. What happened here? Is there any recourse? Do Republicans really want to defend this, given that Trump’s economic numbers just cratered again in a brutal New York Times poll? We talked to legal expert Harry Litman, who writes for The New Republic and hosts the Talking Feds podcast. He explains why this is likely illegal but almost impossible to stop; why it’s so damaging to our system more broadly; and how Democrats can ensure that the GOP pays a major price for it this fall.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we cover Trump dropping his lawsuit against the IRS, the White House ballroom losing funding in the Senate, the WHO declaring an Ebola outbreak, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump desperately wants the world to recognize his world-historical defeat of Iran. In an extended tirade, Trump raged wildly at a New York Times reporter, insisting his victory is absolute. He claimed the Times is failing, accusing the journalist of being a “fake guy” and declaring his coverage betrays America: “I actually think it’s treason.” This is revealing: His insistence on having won reveals that Trump doesn’t get that military force alone can’t force open the Strait of Hormuz—meaning he doesn’t grasp the situation at the most fundamental level, perhaps his biggest failing of all. We talked to political scientist David Faris, who’s been writing well on this fiasco. We discuss how Trump got little out of China, why his failures abroad mean more authoritarianism at home, why that combination will do severe long-term damage to America, and how Trump suffers from “dictator envy.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for May 15, we discuss Trump’s return from Beijing, the Supreme Court ruling that abortion pills can continue via telehealth, the courtroom showdown between Elon Musk and Sam Altman, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our democracy is failing. As we approach the midterm elections this year, the Republicans are doing all they can to corrupt our electoral process. With the Supreme Court in Trump’s pocket, what does this mean for the Democrats? Will corruption rule the November elections? Tune in as Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf discuss the upcoming midterms and the bleak future of US politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NBC News reports that some vulnerable Republicans are privately worried about use of the slogan “MAGA majority” to describe the GOP effort to hold the House. Why? Because the term “MAGA” puts Trump “front and center,” as NBC puts it. That’s quite an admission of Trump’s toxicity. Meanwhile, CNN’s Harry Enten reports on new polling that finds his disapproval on gas prices at 79 percent, higher than under any other president. That disapproval is shared by 85 percent of independents and even 52 percent of Republicans, which Enten describes as “scary” for the GOP. Mona Charen, a writer for The Bulwark, has a good piece arguing that high gas prices are dovetailing with public revelations about Trump’s corruption to produce a particularly toxic combination for him. So we talked to Charen about why that double whammy is so potent, why corruption is a sleeper issue in the midterms, and why the GOP panic is a real moment of poetic justice. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Presidents Trump and Xi have been all smiles at the first summit in Beijing in nearly nine years. Yet there is something profound happening beneath the politeness and declarations of friendship: the balance of power has tipped dramatically toward China. Rush Doshi, Director of the China Strategy Initiative at the CFR, joins David Rothkopf for a deep dive into the importance of this meeting, arguing that while China holds more cards than ever, cooperation will be the key to both countries’ success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we break down the friendly start to the China summit, JD Vance’s latest attempt at damage control, the South Carolina governor’s redistricting attempt, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fallout continues from Donald Trump’s startling rant admitting that he isn’t concerned with how the Iran war is impacting Americans’ finances. On Wednesday, JD Vance, Mike Johnson, and numerous other Republicans struggled to spin away the damage, but they appeared visibly flummoxed. Indeed,  the GOP cracks are worsening: Three GOP Senators just voted to end the war. And shocking leaks to The New York Times reveal that Iran still retains substantial military capabilities, directly undercutting Trump’s boasts of success. We talked to international relations expert Nicholas Grossman, who has a good piece on this whole fiasco. We discuss why those leaks are so damning, why the economic and political fallout from the war is only just beginning, and why Trump’s megalomaniacal understanding of the situation has left him fundamentally cornered. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two political scientists weigh in on the high court's support of partisan gain over multiracial democracy as states battle over district-based representation. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is in Beijing. As if tensions between the US and China haven’t already been rising for years, this visit comes during Trump’s war in Iran, rising oil prices, and a serious democratic crisis in America. Does Trump even have a strategy here? What role will the war in Iran play? Ali Wyne of the International Crisis Group joins David Rothkopf and Rosa Brooks to discuss the US-China summit and what we can (or cannot) expect from our president. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we cover Trump arriving in Beijing, the Pentagon weighing a name change for the war with Iran, Kash Patel’s fiery Senate hearing, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump just got hit by crushing new inflation data: Consumer prices rose at their fastest rate in several years. Importantly, Trump’s war with Iran is a big driver of it, and he can’t find a way out. Meanwhile, a new CNN poll shows his standing on the economy sliding to its lowest point in either term. No wonder Trump erupted angrily at a reporter who quizzed him over prices, deriding her as “stupid.” He also seethed at a journalist who asked about his ballroom, calling her “dumb.” Yet despite all this, there are signs that GOP hopes are rebounding due to gerrymandering and other factors. So we talked to Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg, who’s been arguing that the economic fundamentals won’t change in time for the GOP. We discuss the mixed signals in the polling data, why Trump has long been so strong on the economy, why that’s finally changing, and what Democrats can do to overcome their lingering brand problems. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we discuss the business executives going to China with Trump, the Supreme Court clearing the way for Alabama republicans to pursue a new voting map, the Labour revolt against Keir Starmer, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve noticed a jarring disconnect. Even as Donald Trump’s mental decline visibly worsens, his aides’ cultlike praise for him is proportionately growing. To wit: A top spokesperson offered a bizarre rationalization for his deranged new “proposal” to turn Venezuela into the 51st state. She also attempted to portray him as wielding absolute mastery over Iran, but accidentally exposed his lack of concern over soaring prices. And his propagandists lashed out at a reporter for sharing an image of Trump sleeping through an event. The decline is accelerating, yet the cult-worship is off the charts. Runing through all this is something dark: His sycophants know he’s passing from the scene, and no one is allowed to admit it. We talked to New Republic writer Virginia Heffernan, author of a great piece plumbing MAGA psychology. We discuss fresh signs of Trump’s sunsetting, the huge vacuum his passing will leave at the core of the right wing, and why his supporters are akin to an “end-stage cult.”  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leading the way in artificial intelligence doesn’t just take the most powerful chips and biggest data centers — it takes a cultural shift towards AI literacy. Eric Xing, President of the MBZ University of Artificial Intelligence, joins David Rothkopf to share the unique approach the university takes to training the next generation of leaders in tech. Don’t miss this important conversation covering an array of critical topics in the field of AI, including the incredible potential of “world models,” breakthroughs in bioscience, the need for human agency in the tech space, and more.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we break down Trump’s rejection of Iran’s peace proposal, Trump’s upcoming China summit, the latest on a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, and more.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With no clear Democratic heir apparent, big-name progressives like AOC and underdog stars like Graham Platner contend for a spot in the most unpredictable presidential race in decades. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the Virginia supreme court blocked the Democratic redistricting plan, which would have netted Democrats four more House seats, Donald Trump celebrated. He called the ruling a “huge win” over a “horrible gerrymander.” But Trump himself has ordered many GOP states to gerrymander maximally. So here Trump openly declared that Republicans reserve the right to rig elections while Democrats do not. His actual position is that he and Republicans should play by their own corrupt rules, and that it's good for the election to be rigged in their favor. This comes as a new Marist poll shows Democrats leading in the generic House matchup by 10 points. Though polling averages have it at 5 points, if Marist is a leading indicator that hints at a blue wave. We talked to Ari Berman of Mother Jones, the great voting rights reporter. We discuss the Virginia ruling, why democracy can’t function when one party serially cheats and rigs elections, why Democrats must respond, and what their long-term strategy should look like. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for May 8th, we discuss even more disputes over the Iran ceasefire, big losses for Keir Starmer in the UK, the US revoking passports for parents who owe child support, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Dayen explains how California’s unique "top-two" primary nearly locked Democrats out of the governor’s mansion—until a strategic endorsement from Donald Trump reshuffled the deck. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Officials have leaked word to The Washington Post that they believe Iran can survive Donald Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for three to four months without experiencing severe economic pain. Also, Iran has kept far more of its missiles and drones than previously known. Those are surely his worst screw-ups yet, given that he’s repeatedly insisted both that the regime is in terminal collapse and that Iran's military has been obliterated. This comes as The Wall Street Journal reports that his advisers are increasingly unnerved by the political price Republicans will pay over the closed strait. Those are related: The new revelations suggest the war could go on longer than expected, which is exactly what his advisers fear will worsen the GOP’s political mess. We talked to New Republic staff writer Tim Noah, who’s been writing well about Trump’s failures. We discuss why the war’s political fallout could last many months, how Trump voters are facing a perfect storm of disastrous policies, and what to expect in the midterms.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Justice Department is unrecognizable. It continuously violates and obstructs true justice. Instead, it effectively serves as Donald Trump’s own private law firm. The blatant corruption and cronyism is sickening across all of DC’s institutions under the Trump administration. Where is Donald Trump and the Supreme Court leading our country? Tune in for this week’s therapy session with Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The midterms are getting close, and Democrats are poised for a huge victory over an incredibly unpopular Republican Party. And yet, nothing is guaranteed in our turbulent political climate. NY Times opinion writer and Georgetown professor E.J. Dionne joins David Rothkopf to share what Democrats need to do to guarantee a massive victory in November and why massive change may be in the future for American politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we break down Iran’s review of the latest US peace proposal, Tom Homan and Todd Blanche promising more deportations to come, the release of an alleged suicide note from Jeffrey Epstein, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has been raging at Pope Leo’s criticism of the Iran war for weeks, and he just unleashed his most vile attack yet. Trump accused the Pope of “endangering a lot of Catholics” by advocating for peace. Yet a new Washington Post poll finds that Trump is losing this battle very badly. Large majorities react negatively to Trump’s claims about the Pope, and even more strikingly, big majorities approve of the Pope’s message of peace, even though Trump is bombarding America with relentless lies and propaganda about both the Pope and the war. We talked to scholar-of-religion Sarah Posner, who writes for Talking Points Memo and hosts the Reign of Error podcast. We discuss why this polling is encouraging in non-obvious ways, why there’s a schism between white Evangelicals and Catholics over Trump, how MAGA encourages Trump to imagine himself fighting a spiritual war against the Pope, and why that’s a political disaster for him. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump may not be making America great again, but his is making Iran strong again. This fiasco of a war has revealed major American diplomatic and military weaknesses while Iran has flexed its control over the Strait of Hormuz. A major global realignment is coming. Steve Cook, Rosa Brooks, and Ed Luce join David Rothkopf to break down why we might be witnessing the beginning of a post-American global order.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we cover reports that Iran and the US may be close to a memo to end the war, the key takeaways of yesterdays primaries, Howard Lutnick’s upcoming congressional testimony, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump hasn’t thought this one through. Politico reports that Republicans are grappling with rising “anxiety” about the midterms. A key reason: Trump’s obsession with his ballroom and other pet projects is muddying the GOP economic message. That’s bad enough. Worse, Republicans just agreed to seek $1 billion in taxpayer money for the ballroom. Though this is allegedly for security, vulnerable Republicans will hate having to defend this. It’s not just that they themselves are lamenting that the project is distracting from their message. It’s also that the ballroom is already deeply unpopular and they’re now tied more tightly to it. We talked to political scientist Tom Schaller, author of a good piece on Trump’s “vanity presidency.” He explains why the ballroom is so deadly for the GOP, how Trump is creating a uniquely “personalist” form of presidential rule, and why Trump’s megalomania actually matters to the voters who will help decide midterms. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The tech bros could be in for a rude awakening come November. We’ve seen the big names in AI increasingly cozy up with Republicans, but they may have forgotten that there is another party is poised to get back into power. How is Silicon Valley going to respond to a future Democratic administration? Are tech bros hoping to tip the scales to the point where it doesn’t matter who wins? GWU Professor and Tech Policy Press contributor Dave Karpf joins David Rothkopf to consider all this and more.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we break down the administration trying to convince everyone the war is over, important primaries in Indiana and Ohio, Trump lashing out at the Pope yet again, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, the Supreme Court gutted protections against racial gerrymandering, and Donald Trump is already urging Republicans to capitalize on it. We recently wrote that Trump has no idea what this will unleash, and that’s the topic of today’s episode. Indeed, Trump unleashed a Truth Social rant on Monday urging GOP state legislatures to maximize the gerrymandering, insisting this would net an additional 20 congressional seats in the midterms. In short, Trump didn’t bother concealing that this corrupt scheme is only about holding power amid cratering public support—which absolutely requires Democrats to respond. We talked to Max Flugrath of the voting rights group Fair Fight Action. We discuss how Democrats can undertake retaliatory redistrictings of their own, what the roadmap ahead for this looks like, and why it’s absolutely possible for Democrats to neutralize the GOP advantage. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Civil rights advocate Kimberlé Crenshaw warns of the "green light" for states to suppress Black representation. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we discuss rising oil prices after Iran claims to strike a US Navy ship, the ongoing spat between Friedrich Merz and Trump, Alabama and Tennessee moving to redraw congressional maps, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has declared the war “terminated,” but he’s still rejecting Iran’s peace proposals while again threatening it with massive war crimes. And in an interview, Trump declared that he would never have approved an offer that was made to Iran by his negotiator, Steve Witkoff. This is a damning admission: He seemed to blurt out that he has no idea what his own representatives are offering—showing deep disengagement from the details of the talks—while demonstrating that anything his negotiators offer should not be believed. Meanwhile, Republicans are beginning to break with Trump: Politico reports that he “could soon face far more resistance.” We talked to MS NOW’s Steve Benen. He explains why Trump’s admission was so self-incriminating, why it reveals something much bigger about our crisis, why we may see more GOP defections soon, and what to look for next. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for May 1st, we discuss Pete Hegseth’s strange argument for a bypassing the War Powers Act, the end to a record-setting DHS shutdown, another roadblock for the Onion’s take over of Infowars, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court is taking away your rights. The ruling gutting the Voting Rights Act isn’t based on sound legal decision-making - it represents strategic moves to reshape the future of our country. How did we let partisan politics overrule constitutional integrity? David Rothkopf and Norm Ornstein delve into the ramifications of these rulings, the never-ending destruction of our democracy from the Trump administration, and the potential paths forward. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Public polls are showing that Democrats now have the advantage over Republicans on the economy, a milestone. Strikingly, Politico reports that a newly-leaked memo from a GOP-aligned group actually confirms the same thing. The memo warns that the group’s internal polling and research “show that for the first time, Democrats are more trusted on the economy and inflation.” It also warns that Republicans are in serious danger of losing the Senate, and strongly urges Republicans to overhaul their economic messaging in a big way. That is an absolute fiasco for Trump: It’s his economy that is putting the GOP in such grave danger. Indeed, this comes as inflation just spiked again. We talked to New Republic staff writer Monica Potts, who’s been doing good reporting on how ordinary Americans are experiencing the economy. We discuss why the GOP midterm panic is such a damning indictment of Trump, why Democrats leading on the issue is a sea change, and how they can seize control over our economic debates in a more ambitious way. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perry Bacon speaks with former NBC News correspondent and editor for the Midcoast Villager in Maine, Alex Seitz-Wald. Right Now with Perry Bacon: a twice-weekly show diving into U.S. politics, democracy, and the authoritarian threats facing America. Each episode, Perry strives to go beyond daily headlines and actually connect the dots to what’s happening in America. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we break down the Supreme Court’s disastrous ruling wearing the Voting Rights Act, the ballooning costs of the Iran war, skyrocketing oil prices, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s use of state power to persecute his enemies is escalating. The Justice Department indicted James Comey for allegedly threatening Trump with a social media post of seashells spelling “86 47.” Officials are also threatening to punish more media companies for angering the despot. The Comey case is already backfiring: Now that the details have been released, legal experts have mercilessly picked it apart from numerous angles. Even Fox News is quoting experts dismantling it. And Trump himself made it look even more absurd by claiming he knows “86” means “kill” because he saw it...in a gangster movie. When these efforts fizzle, the MAGA base will see the mighty Trump failing once again. We talked to former Federal prosecutor Barbara McQuade, author of The Fix: Saving America from the Corruption of a Mob-Style Government. She explains the deep flaws in the Comey indictment, how Trump’s prosecutors are committing flagrant violations themselves, and what accountability for Trump’s accomplices could look like later. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

King Charles III delivered a welcoming yet pointed speech during his visit to the US on Monday. Donald Trump was too distracted by his gifts from the king to grasp his harsh criticisms. What does King Charles’ visit mean for our foreign policy? Where are we with the war in Iran? And what does the coming US-China summit mean for our geopolitical future? Tune in as David Rothkopf, Ed Luce, and Rosa Brooks discuss all of this and more. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we cover King Charles’s speech to Congress, Oil prices skyrocketing yet again, the Senate blocking measures to prevent war with Cuba, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, economist Paul Krugman lays out an expansive case that Donald Trump holds a losing hand in the war with Iran. Krugman argues that Trump can’t seem to admit that the Strait of Hormuz problem has cornered him. Krugman also details why the situation could get worse, if Iran continues holding out and constraints on oil supply drive the global economy into recession. As Krugman puts it, this will keep getting uglier for Trump until he “swallows his pride” and accepts that he doesn’t hold the cards. This builds on the piece Krugman posted on his Substack arguing that time is on Iran’s side. Gas prices just hit a new high, and Republicans quietly fear their midterm prospects are darkening due to what Trump has unleashed. Krugman takes us through these dynamics, notes that Trump is obsessing over his ballroom in search of a win, and explains why this all could tailspin further for the GOP. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Altman and Elon Musk are facing off in court, but beyond the high-profile legal drama, a wave of industry-shifting stories is unfolding. Mat Honan, Editor-in-Chief of MIT Technology Review, joins David Rothkopf to explore the week's key headlines—including the era of AI malaise, China’s strategic pivot toward open-source models, and more. This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The International Energy Agency just released a new report on energy and AI, updating its landmark report on that topic last year. The new report – called Key Questions on Energy and AI -- provides authoritative information on a wide range of topics including the growth in power demand for AI; the role of natural gas, nuclear power and batteries at AI data centers; the impacts of AI clusters on electric grids; and the future of physical AI such as robots and autonomous vehicles. Join host David Sandalow as he talks with the two lead authors of the report – Thomas Spencer and Siddharth Singh. Show notes: IEA, Key Questions on Energy and AI (April 2026) --https://www.iea.org/reports/key-questions-on-energy-and-ai This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we discuss the charges against the suspected Correspondents’ Dinner attacker, Trump’s displeasure with the latest Iranian peace proposal, a new redistricting fight in Florida, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republicans are blaming Democratic rhetoric for inciting the alleged assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. To that end, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt unleashed tirades at journalists that were soaked in MAGA derangement. One cultishly lionized Trump as a “fearless president” for standing up to “bullets” while absurdly accusing the media and Democrats of “11 years” of “hateful” and “violent” speech about Trump. The other tore into Democrats and the media for daring to point out that Trump poses an “existential threat to democracy,” as if that’s not rooted in his actual conduct, which it is. Yet if anything, the media has not sufficiently conveyed the threat Trump poses. We talked about this disconnect with Matt Gertz of Media Matters, who’s been writing well about the absurdity of inviting Trump to the press dinner.  We discuss the danger Trump poses for press freedom, why the media struggles to report on the threat despite being a target, why time is running out to get this right, and how Democrats should proceed now. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we break down the fallout from the White House Correspondents Dinner shooting, King Charles’ upcoming visit to the US, Bernie Sanders’ efforts to limit Super PAC money in the Democratic party, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has been losing like crazy. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed. The Supreme Court struck down his tariffs and his birthright citizenship arguments tanked. He's losing the redistricting wars. And the Justice Department dropped its prosecution of Fed chair (and Trump nemesis) Jerome Powell amid cringeworthy circumstances. The latter is humiliating: DOJ insiders are now leaking that they’re really ramping up the prosecution of his enemies now, by golly! But those prosecutions will likely keep failing—as they already have—and all this reveals is desperation to show MAGA that this appalling corruption will ultimately bear fruit. White House spin on this is embarrassingly geared towards lifting the ailing despot’s spirits. We talked to Zeteo reporter Asawin Suebsaeng. We discuss why MAGA-world can’t permit any acknowledgement of Trumpian fallibility, why Trump’s authoritarianism and incompetence go hand in hand, and why Republicans will pay an electoral price for helping sustain the cult of Trump. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for April 24, we discuss reports of planned retaliation against NATO allies, a renewed ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, Trump’s harebrained scheme to take over Spirit Airlines, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The series of follies in Iran continue. The usual suspects are gearing up for another round of peace talks in Pakistan, yet a true long term solution for the conflict still seems far out of reach. Is a real long term solution even possible, or is this a quagmire that America can’t escape from? Daniel Benaim, Kenneth Pollack, and Dan Shapiro join David Rothkopf to assess the intractable problems at the center of this conflict and why this administration is out of its depth.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new Fox News poll contains crushing findings for Donald Trump. His approval on the economy is at 34 percent with 66 percent disapproving. On inflation, those numbers are even worse, at 28-72. Importantly, the poll also finds Democrats with the advantage on the economy for the first time in years—a milestone. Meanwhile, Trump advisers are feverishly trying to hatch a new midterm strategy. And top GOP senators tell Politico that Trumpworld is bracing for more purges of senior officials, with one senator confiding about Trump: “He’s in a bad mood, so he’s letting a lot of them go.” We talked to G. Elliott Morris, author of the great Strength in Numbers Substack, who just released his own poll. He explains what all the numbers are really telling us, why Trump has long been weaker than the punditry allows, and what must happen now for Democrats to win the House and Senate.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress is broken. Justice is gone. Corruption runs rampant in our government, and our most vile politicians get off scot-free. Meanwhile, many still view the Democrats negatively, and this perception is going to present significant hurdles for the midterms this year and beyond. What is missing within the Democratic party? What is the most effective strategy here to save our democracy? Tune in as David Rothkopf and Norm Ornstein discuss why we need scorched earth Democrats and where we go from here. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we break down the US capturing a second sanctioned tanker, the firing of the Navy Secretary, the Senate passing a budget plan for ICE and DHS, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Democrats narrowly passed a mid-decade redistricting in Virginia, Donald Trump erupted in fury on Truth Social. He slammed the result as rigged (of course), lied about the voting in it, and most important, openly called on the courts to step nullify it. But some Republicans are admitting the truth: This debacle is Trump’s fault. He initiated a redistricting arms race that now backfired spectacularly. Yet there’s a lesson in this madness: Trump-GOP cheating becomes a lot harder when Democrats fight it with scorched earth politics. We talked to Brian Beutler, who has argued well on his Off Message Substack that Democrats must get better at hard-edged politics in coming years. We discuss the deeper reasons that Democrats made a stand this time, how Trump revealed vulnerability to counter-hardball politics, and how this should shape future Democratic efforts at post-Trump accountability and fascism-proofing the system.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is having a hard time in the Middle East. The US administration might think that they have control over the war in Iran, but it is clear that our president cannot find an off-ramp. And the longer this conflict continues, the more the rest of the world grows sympathetic towards Iran and disdainful of the US. What comes next? Steven A. Cook and Elisa Ewers of the Council on Foreign Relations join David Rothkopf and Ed Luce to discuss the situation in the Middle East and Donald Trump’s failures in Iran. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we cover Trump’s ceasefire extension and the Iranian capture of three boats, Virginia passing a redistricting measure in a win for Democrats, the administration going after the Southern Poverty Law Center, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump keeps boasting that a deal with Iran is at hand. But now officials leaked word to CNN that Trump’s public posturing has hurt the negotiations. One noted that by “negotiating through social media,” Trump implied Iran had agreed to things “they hadn’t yet agreed to,” complicating the talks. That’s humiliating, given Trump’s bragging of success. Meanwhile, in two cult-like tirades, Karoline Leavitt attacked the media for being insufficiently worshipful of Trump, and gushed over his greatness with extraordinary sycophancy. Can any good outcome be envisioned here? We talked to former National Security Council veteran Emily Horne. She explains why Leavitt's spin is so absurd, why this fiasco is so hard for Trump to extricate himself from, why there may be no good options ahead, and what it means that Trump has indefinitely extended the ceasefire, which he announced while we were recording.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we discuss the resignation of the Labor Secretary, JD Vance back en route to Islamabad for ceasefire talks, a critical special election in Virginia, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Monday, Donald Trump exploded in telling tirades. In one, he raged that he (just he) is winning the war “BY A LOT” and bizarrely stressed that “I’m in charge!” In another, he emphasized that he feels “under no pressure whatsoever” to reach a deal with Iran. Why is Trump so fearful of appearing to lose control? Well, The Wall Street Journal has a striking new report relating that gas prices and the war recently had the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis “looming large in his mind. He’s “grappling behind the scenes with just how badly things could go wrong.” In short: He fears looking like Jimmy Carter as the midterms approach. Indeed, Politico reports that prices have some Republicans sounding “alarm bells” about this fall. We talked to The Lever’s David Sirota, narrator of the “Master Plan” podcast, whose new season focuses on the hyper-powerful presidency. We discuss Trump’s growing fears that events are slipping from his grasp, how this is rooted paradoxically in his assertion of an imperial presidency, how decades of failure led to this moment, and how Democrats can run against his imperial rule. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we break down the latest collapse in peace talks between the US and Iran, the administration rolling out refunds for tariffs, a federal investigation into a supposed conspiracy against Trump, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump just erupted at MAGA allies for opposing his war. In one tirade, he attacked Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly and others as “FAKE MAGA.” In another, he slammed them as “Low IQ.” Similarly, his pollster, John McLaughlin, claimed the MAGA base “doesn’t consider” those critics “conservative” anymore. So disagreeing with Trump intrinsically makes you non-MAGA? This reveals Trump believes MAGA is whatever he says it is at any given moment—that Trump and his pollster really do view MAGA as a cult. We’ve written about this dynamic before, but decided it was worth a pod episode. So we talked to New Republic staff writer Perry Bacon, author of a great piece on Trump and the global right. We discuss why Trump’s international and domestic allies are deserting him, how his excommunication of top MAGA figures is shrinking the movement, why Trump believes he can control the minds of his voters, and why all this could hurt GOP chances of holding the Senate.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for April 17, we cover the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, the resignation of the acting director of ICE, a big progressive victory in New Jersey, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump’s numbers are falling rapidly. Every week, headlines highlight Trump and the GOP’s failures, yet polls suggest people are still uneasy about the Democrats. Are the Democrats winning despite themselves? What will the party look like as we head towards the midterm elections? Simon Rosenberg and Tara McGowan join David Rothkopf to take stock of the two parties in 2026 and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, George Conway argues that as improbable as it might seem right now, congressional Republicans will ultimately decide they have no choice but to remove Donald Trump from office before his term ends. Conway, the former GOP lawyer-turned-Trump-critic, is running for Congress as a Democrat. One of his ads is a montage of all the horrors that Trump has unleashed, followed by Conway’s promise to be a different kind of Congressman in response. In our conversation, Conway explains why he thinks Republicans will eventually decide Trump has to go and talks about how he’ll push for impeachment immediately if elected. Conway also lays out an accountability agenda that includes impeaching many cabinet officials, criminal referrals for high-level Trump administration officials, and extensive other reforms designed to prevent anything like this from ever happening again.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The lunatics are truly running the asylum formerly known as the White House. Sadly, a man who collects raccoon genitalia running the HHS isn’t even the craziest of the bunch. Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf are back to try and navigate the insanity of this Trump’s self-imposed Iran quagmire and the levels of nuttiness in Trumpworld.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we cover the latest bizarre story about RFK Jr., the Trump admin moving to erase convictions for January 6 rioters, Hegseth’s threats to restart combat operations in Iran, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s war on Pope Leo is worsening. JD Vance warned that the Pope, who condemned Trump’s war on religious grounds, should “be careful” in his theology. Mike Johnson dismissed the Pope’s criticisms by bizarrely invoking Just War Doctrine, which Trump and Pete Hegseth are serially violating. All this reveals Trump to be demanding that his leading sycophants (even devoutly religious ones) place him above the Pope—and indeed that they recognize no higher allegiance than to the president. Meanwhile, The New York Times has an epic piece on his mental decline, which reports that many ex-allies are sounding the alarm, from Marjorie Taylor Greene to numerous top first-term advisers. We talked to former national security official Olivia Troye, who just announced a run for Congress. She recounts what she witnessed first-hand about Trump’s unfitness, why his enablers are much worse this time around, and how his madness is now impacting Americans’ everyday lives.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has run out of tricks in Iran. The war has not gone the way he had planned, nobody supports it, and now we are basically waiting for him to accept a bad deal and say it’s a good deal. To make a long story short, this war is a catastrophe and nothing is certain. But after Orbán’s defeat in Hungary and Trump’s ever-increasing popularity ahead of the 2026 midterms, could there be hope? Tom Nichols joins Ed Luce, Rosa Brooks, and David Rothkopf to discuss what this war means for our geopolitical future. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily, we discuss the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the many failures of JD Vance, the dynamics of the California governor’s race, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is now raging at a staunch ally, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni. After she sided with the Pope’s criticism of the Iran war, which had infuriated Trump, he unloaded again, ripping her as “unacceptable” and seething that she “doesn’t care if Iran has a nuclear weapon.” Trump also called Meloni a coward for refusing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, an analysis by CNN’s Harry Enten finds that Trump’s net approval among noncollege whites—a key part of his base—has nosedived by a shocking 34 points. Trump is also deeply underwater with these voters on something you’d think they would stick with him through: The war and his handling of Iran. It all looks like a new kind of low among this once-loyal constituency. We talked to New Republic senior editor Alex Shephard, who’s been writing well about the politics of this war. We discuss why noncollege whites are abandoning Trump, how Iran is splintering MAGA at home and abroad, and the challenges JD Vance will face as heir to this fracturing movement.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we break down Trump’s continuing feud with the Pope, the resignations of Tony Gonzales and Eric Swalwell, a potential resumption of Iran peace talks, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is furious at Pope Leo. After the Pope sharply criticized the war on Iran, Trump exploded in a wild Truth Social rant, slamming the Pope as “WEAK on crime” and clueless about the Iranian nuclear threat. Trump then posted an image of himself as Jesus, which he took down after MAGA figures lashed out at him. Trump then angrily insisted he had no idea that image was religious, and seethed some more over the Pope’s criticism. In today’s episode, Robert Jones, the president of the Public Religion Research Institute, makes a fascinating point: The Pope’s criticism of his war appears calibrated in a way that could stir concern about his war in local churches at a grassroots level. That’s a hidden problem for Trump, says Jones, author of several books about religion and the American right. He explains why Trump’s spin will make this worse among religious voters, why all this will resonate more deeply with Catholics than with Trump’s Evangelical base, and why Catholics are a point of real vulnerability for him.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ceasefire with Iran and subsequent peace talks have taken a predictably disastrous turn. JD Vance has utterly failed as a negotiator. Trump has returned to his maximalist aggression and threatens to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. It’s clear that America, and the world, are in danger. Joe Cirincione and Jon Wolfsthal join David Rothkopf to take a look at what makes the President’s latest moves so perilous and why a fundamental change in the way we perceive our democracy is needed to right the ship.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we discuss the promised blockade of Iran beginning today, Trump’s bizarre beef with Pope Leo, a massive defeat for Viktor Orban, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s Truth Social feed can get awfully revealing. He just unleashed numerous posts that open a new window on the man and his presidency: the transactionalism; the amorality; and the utter, buffoonish incompetence. In one, he attacked his MAGA allies in a way that displayed his utter lack of any principles. In several others, he revealed that he simply has no grasp whatsoever of the situation he faces with Iran’s Strait of Hormuz. All of which raises a question: How do we make sense of the fact that this man is president? We talked to political theorist Alan Elrod, who has a good piece arguing that the election of Trump—twice—should prompt deep introspection about what our country has become. We discuss Elrod’s argument that America needs a dose of hard truths about this man and this moment, dissect Trump’s “personalist” presidency, consider whether civic malaise produced our current national crisis, and discuss how to pull out of it. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for April 10th, we cover Melania’s extremely odd Epstein statements, Vance heading to Islamabad for Iran war negotiations, Trump lashing out at MAGA influencers, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI should serve us, yet that’s not always the approach that experts take. There’s been a lot of talk about AI fueling economic displacement, but what about AI that’s a partner instead of a replacement for us? Dr. Angela Aristidou joins David Rothkopf to cut through the theoretical explore why real-world deployment of AI can improve workflow and augment human relationships rather than eliminating them.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has been raging at Marjorie Taylor Greene a lot lately. Why? Because improbably, Greene has emerged as a very effective critic of the president. In a striking CNN interview, Greene unloaded, declaring bluntly that Trump is mentally unfit for the presidency, that the people around Trump should rein him in, and that he’s catastrophically failing. This is a watershed moment: Trump’s disastrous Iran war, and his threat to obliterate Iranian civilization, are pushing some in MAGA to look past him. We talked to Salon’s Amanda Marcotte, author of a good piece arguing that the Iran debacle is a new kind of problem for Trump. We discuss why JD Vance won’t be able to escape its taint, why Trump’s threat of genocide is a breaking point for so many Americans, and why Greene’s criticism of Trump breaks surprising new ground. (After we recorded, Trump exploded in fury yet again at Greene and other critics.)  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Corruption, dark money, and dangerous leadership - three elements that have characterized the Trump administration. We are governed by a maniac and his corrupt cronies, such as Howard Lutnick. Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf are back to discuss the rampant corruption within the current administration, the degradation of integrity within our public institutions, and the mess of Trump’s war in Iran. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we break down the already tenuous ceasefire with Iran, Trump’s increasingly harsh words for NATO, Pam Bondi’s lack of testimony at an upcoming Epstein Files committee hearing, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fragile ceasefire with Iran is not silencing the mounting questions about Donald Trump’s threat to wipe out Iranian civilization. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt lost her temper under hard questioning on the topic. One reporter sharply grilled her, causing her to dissemble and snap angrily. She then kept ranting, suggesting absurdly that it was “insulting” to be even asked about this matter. This comes as some Trump’s allies are sharply questioning his Iran deal: Laura Loomer lamented that “we didn’t really get anything.” Mark Levin fretted that Iran is “still surviving,” and said: “I don’t trust the enemy...what’s going to be different this time?” Senator Lindsey Graham made his skepticism of the deal very clear. Many other MAGA figures attacked his threat. We talked to Georgetown national security expert Rosa Brooks. She explains why Leavitt’s spin is so vile, why MAGA is right that the deal is a disaster for Trump (but for the wrong reasons), and why we should still fear worse horrors to come. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump’s two-week ceasefire with Iran, reached Tuesday evening after his threats to destroy the entire country over the Strait of Hormuz, has already begun to unravel. Does anybody truly know what Trump’s goals actually are? What does his erratic behavior mean for the US’s geopolitical standing? Lieutenant General Mark Hertling joins David Rothkopf to discuss the ceasefire, America’s actions in the Middle East, and his new book, If I Don't Return: A Father's Wartime Journal, about his experiences during Operation Desert Storm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we discuss the two-week ceasefire with Iran, Democratic victories in Wisconsin and Georgia, Israel continuing to hammer Lebanon, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s deranged threat to obliterate Iranian civilization entirely has prompted powerful pushback from some former MAGA allies. Some are suggesting it’s time to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove him, including Alex Jones, Anthony Scaramucci, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, who tweeted that “he has gone insane.” Tucker Carlson called on military officials not to follow illegal orders to attack civilian infrastructure. After we recorded, Trump temporarily postponed the assault. But the conversation about his unfitness has been reopened. We talked to Jennifer Rubin, editor-in-chief of The Contrarian and author of a good piece on Trump’s vow of genocide. We discuss the gravity of Trump’s war-crime threats, the cowardice of Republicans who keep enabling this madman, and how we can keep the removal talk alive. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The President grows more reckless in Iran with each day. With the threats to end the “whole civilization” of Iran, Trump’s impulse to commit heinous war crimes seems to be growing. California Representative Ted Lieu, who has been leading the charge to rein in our renegade president, joins David Rothkopf to share what Congress can do to stop the conflict, why more MAGA republicans need to step up, and why what Trump is doing is simply batshit crazy.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a rot in our national security agencies. The Department of Defense, Intelligence, State Department, DHS, and DoJ have been either hollowed out or weaponized to serve the interests of this fanatical administration. The disastrous war with Iran is only the first crisis of many that will come as a result. Intelligence veterans Marc Polymeropoulos and John Sipher join David Rothkopf to analyze the existential threats to these critical agencies and why more trouble is on the horizon.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we break down Trump’s horrifying threat to Iran, JD Vance traveling to Budapest to campaign for Viktor Orban, the Supreme Court bailing out Steve Bannon, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is now facing tough questions about his threats to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges, which are growing more and more unhinged. On Monday he seethed at a reporter who asked pointed questions about this, attacking his news outlet and ranting that his colleagues seem to want Iran to have a nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, Punchbowl News reports that Republicans may be at a “breaking point” with Trump over the war. All of which raises a question: If Trump seems ready to go through with massive war crimes, will Republicans be willing to rein him in at that point? We talked to Columbia political scientist Elizabeth Saunders, who had a hair-raising thread on Bluesky about where we are. She explains why Trump’s lashing out at the media should be taken seriously and why she sees this moment as uniquely dangerous. She also discusses how Trump boxed himself into a position of maximum destructiveness, what to expect from Republicans in response, and how to think about what’s next.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we cover Trump’s Easter threats against Iran, the US mission to rescue an airman in Iran, California ringing the alarm over rejected ballots, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A frustrated Donald Trump is mulling more personnel changes, Politico reports, potentially targeting his Commerce and Labor secretaries. As one official confides: “He’s very angry and he’s going to be moving people.” The Politico piece depicts unnerved aides parsing his fury like tea leaves and disconcertedly leaking to reporters about who’s on “thin ice.” Crucially, Trump is mulling changes that would make him look better on the economy—where a new poll is absolutely brutal—and in hopes of getting them through before a midterm loss makes them harder. Indeed, Time reports that his advisers delivered bad news about internal polling showing that his midterm problems have taken a worse turn due to the war. We talked to New Republic staff writer Kate Aronoff, who writes well about the crises Trump is losing control over. We discuss why real-world complexities are so elusive to Trump and the real meaning of his ongoing collision with the limits of his magical thinking.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Corruption and madness have hit a new high-watermark with the Trump administration. From the firing of Pam Bondi to blatant war crimes, it’s a good thing we have a robust free press to report on it all. Right? Dan Froomkin and Jeff Jarvis join David Rothkopf to explore why traditional media is failing miserably during this fraught moment and why high quality journalism is needed now more than ever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for April 3rd, we break down the firing of Pam Bondi, Pete Hegseth firing the Army Chief of Staff, Trump announcing more tariffs on drug companies, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nobody wants to get scammed, yet everyone has a story about it happening to them or someone they know. In the age of AI, scams are more elaborate and devious than ever. So what can you do about it? Anya Schiffrin and Alice Marwick join David Rothkopf to discuss their recent policy brief about the scourge of AI scams, what governments can do to stem the growing tide of scams, and how individuals can protect themselves.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During Donald Trump’s speech on Iran this week, he revealed too much. In a line that sounded partly ad-libbed, he declared that the Strait of Hormuz “will open up naturally. It will just open up naturally.” This should be read as a straight-up admission that Trump has no idea how to fix the colossal mess he’s made, and that he’s just washing his hands of it entirely. That’s utterly damning. Meanwhile, Politico reports that Republicans privately fear the speech did nothing to help them politically; as one put it: “What the hell did he just say?” Those things are related: The worse this war gets, the more it will hurt Republicans in the midterms. We talked to foreign policy writer and podcaster David Rothkopf, author of a good piece about the speech. We discuss Trump’s implicit admission of failure, the deeper reasons this is developing into such a fiasco, why it’s a trap for Republicans, and what the post-Trump Democratic Party should look like.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pam Bondi is out as attorney general. Todd Blanche is set to replace her, at least according to Trump. Why did Bondi’s firing come now? Was it the result of her mismanagement of the DOJ, or did this decision have more to do with Donald Trump and the Epstein Files? And what does her supposed processor Todd Blanche have in store for our justice system? Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf are back to discuss the state of the DOJ, Bondi’s firing, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What impact is the war in Iran having on nuclear security? If President Trump ever follows through on his threat to "obliterate" Iran's largest power plants, what risks would that create at the Iranian nuclear power plant at Bushehr? What impact does AI have on nuclear security, as well as on energy innovation more broadly? Join host David Sandalow as he discusses these issues and more with former U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, in a special episode of the AI, Energy and Climate Podcast recorded at CERAWeek.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we discuss Trump’s disastrous televised address, Republicans announcing a plan to end the DHS shutdown, the US lifting sanctions on Venezuela’s acting president, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump seems really mad. He exploded over birthright citizenship after his arguments on it fell flat in the Supreme Court. That came despite his decision to show up at the proceedings, another display of anger designed to bully the justices. He also raged at them over this earlier in the week. Meanwhile, Trump is angrily threatening our NATO allies for failing to bail him out by helping reopen the Strait of Hormuz. On top of all that, Trump just suffered a string of losses in the lower courts. And a new CNN poll finds his economic approval at a crushing 31 percent, with 27 approving of his handling of inflation. We talked to Corey Brettschneider, an expert on the presidency. He explains how all these failures are rooted in delusions of omnipotence, how Trump is coming face-to-face with the limits on his powers, why it matters that lower courts are performing heroically, and why the ultimate check on Trump is really the people.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump’s war against Iran is rearing its ugly head across the world - it is ruining the US relationship with NATO, causing global economic instability, and seems to only benefit our adversaries. Former Ambassador to NATO and Lieutenant General Doug Lute joins Rosa Brooks and David Rothkopf to discuss the terrifying geopolitical situation our president has put us in and more. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we cover Trump’s mixed signals on an end to the war in Iran, an executive order to create a nationwide list of eligible voters, the first mission to the Moon since 1972, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The other day your faithful podcast host argued that Donald Trump’s presidency is in free fall in terms of public opinion. Now the signs are even clearer: His approval ratings have dropped below 40 percent in The New York Times’s polling averages and in two other sets of averages as well. That’s a critical milestone. Meanwhile, CNN’s Harry Enten powerfully points out that Trump has been on a steady, inexorable decline for months, and is now a net 45 points under water with independents. That’s worse than Richard Nixon during Watergate. And the millions who showed up to protest Trump and No Kings marches last weekend constituted perhaps the largest single-day protest in U.S. history. We talked to Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible, which organized the protests. She explains what surprised her about No Kings turnout in red areas, explores the deeper reasons that Trump is cratering on unlikely issues like immigration and war, and digs into what Democrats must do to sustain this energy through Election Day.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we break down skyrocketing gas prices, the US organizing a summit to counter Antifa, a draconian new Israeli law targeting Palestinians, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump erupted in angry threats against Iran over the still-closed Strait of Hormuz, vowing to potentially bomb electric and desalination plants. In effect, Trump is threatening war crimes due to his own failure to anticipate closure of the strait. This comes after Pete Hegseth issued a widely-criticized prayer seeking God’s assistance in “overwhelming” violence against Iran, which Pope Leo has now sharply rebuked. That's telling: As scholar-of-religion Sarah Posner explains in today’s episode, the bloodlust drenching this war effort is in many ways the product of extreme theology: In particular, Hegseth’s Christian Reconstructionism. Posner, who hosts the excellent Reign of Error podcast, takes us through those radical theological ideas, explains the deeper roots of Hegseth-Trump-MAGA sadism toward perceived “enemies,” and details the hidden reasons the Pope’s criticism really matters. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we discuss the huge turnout of the latest “No Kings” protests, Iran-launched missile strikes across the Middle East, the growing presence of ICE at airports, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recent Wall Street Journal report reveals that Donald Trump now sees his mass deportations as a big political problem for him. He’s siding internally with advisers who worry that they’ve become a liability in the midterms. In this, Trump is clearly rebuking Miller and his agenda. New reporting from Politico further illuminates this dynamic, revealing fresh levels of infighting prompted largely by Miller’s unhinged demands. As Politico notes, this turmoil has already gotten Kristi Noem fired from the Department of Homeland Security, and all this leaking plainly reveals deep internal dissatisfaction over Miller’s tenure. We talked to Chris Newman, counsel at the National Day Laborer Organizing Network and a shrewd observer of Miller. He explains persuasively how we can divine Trump is souring on Miller and now sees his agenda as a potential liability, why Miller’s grand ideological project may be in trouble, and what it means that millions of Americans have taken to the streets to protest it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-Up for March 27 we discuss the Senate passing a bill to end the partial government shutdown, Trump adding his signature to paper currency, an extended pause on striking Iranian energy facilities, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s war in Iran is turning into quicksand. With every decision he makes, we sink deeper into this conflict, and our President is nowhere close to achieving his goals. So what will the next phase of the war look like? Representative Adam Smith, ranking Democrat of the House Armed Services Committee, joins David Rothkopf and Norm Ornstein to share his perspective from Congress on this war and more. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is panicking about the midterm elections, leading him to unleash a series of rants on Truth Social. He raged at Republicans for failing to pass voter suppression legislation, urging them to “TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER” to do so. He followed with a second all-caps tweet reiterating the demand. And he seethed a third time over the GOP failure. Remarkably, Trump doesn’t hide the fact that he sees this as the only way to save the midterms. You can see why: A Fox News poll finds Trump’s disapproval numbers at their highest ever, including a whopping 75 percent of independents, and a large majority opposing the Iran war. We talked to Ryan O’Donnell, executive director of Data for Progress, which has its own polling on all this. We discuss how the war is dovetailing with costs to create a double-whammy, why Trump’s tanking with independents is critical, what could still go wrong for Democrats, and why the high quality of Democratic candidates this cycle is an important tell.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Trump careening from disaster to disaster in his horrific second term, the Democrats still aren’t doing enough to resist. It’s time to fight back for real. Jennifer Welch from I’ve Had It joins David Rothkopf to discuss why it’s high time that that Dems stop trying to be MAGA-lite and embrace becoming ‘dark woke’ before Trump and his miserable band of misfits take over permanently. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we break down the gulf between Iranian leadership and Trump over a ceasefire, the DOJ paying a $1.25 million settlement to Michael Flynn, huge verdicts against Meta and YouTube, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Officials are leaking to NBC News that Donald Trump gets updates on the Iran war in video compilations of successful strikes. One official describes these sanitized montages as “stuff blowing up,” and Trump allies fear he’s being misled. That’s humiliating. By contrast, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is portraying him as a world-historical statesman: She just laughably claimed that he’s brilliant at uniting our allies behind him (the opposite of reality in this war). She asserted that the truth is whatever Trump says it is. And she obsequiously threatened that Trump will unleash “hell” on Iran, a juvenile and despicable way to inflate him into an imposing figure. We talked to Emily Horne, a veteran of the National Security Council and State Department who writes the Spin Class Substack. She explains why this isn’t how a president and White House should conduct themselves, reminds us what basic leadership should look like, and details why the Trump hagiography has boxed in the White House, making it harder to end the war by declaring victory.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump is looking for a way out of this war, right? It seems as though the President is starting to realize that this war is an unmitigated disaster and is searching for the perfect offramp. But a clean exit might not be possible anymore. Rosa Brooks and Ed Luce join David Rothkopf to examine the possible next steps for this administration and why Iran might not be interested in what Trump’s selling.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we discuss a US proposal to end the war with Iran, Democrats flipping a Florida House seat, Senate Dems rejecting a proposal to fund DHS, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s tirades about Iran are getting uglier. He let out one rant that positively relished U.S. military domination of Iran and seethed about the media’s refusal to acknowledge his greatness. He unleashed a second tirade that dripped with bizarre triumphalism, angrily declaring the war “won,” which raises questions about why it’s continuing. And Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a rant that was drenched in bloodlust. This comes as a new Strength in Numbers/Verasight poll finds Trump’s approval at 37 percent and underwater on every issue, with majorities questioning the war’s most basic premises. That mirrors other new polls from CBS, Reuters, and NBC showing him in trouble and a recent Quinnipiac poll finding his coalition fracturing over the war. We talked to G. Elliott Morris, who runs the Strength in Numbers Substack. He explains why all the bloodlust is working against Trump, why public support for this war is so historically low, and why Democrats are leading comfortably in the battle for the House.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The political allegiances of Silicon Valley have shifted. Tech bros are becoming more and more aligned with Republicans. So how can Democrats balance the needs of the public interest without alienating the tech industry? Policy expert and White House veteran Rohini Kosoglu joins David Rothkopf to explore how Democrats can address the anxieties over job displacement, the concentration of wealth among tech leaders, and how to build a successful political platform for the future.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we cover Israel’s announcement that they will occupy southern Lebanon, the confirmation of Markwayne Mullin as the next DHS Secretary, the lack of disaster funding for blue states under Trump, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s war on Iran appears to be a fiasco, and speaking to reporters, he made a surprising claim: He insisted no one anticipated that Iran would attack other countries in an effort to widen the war. But this was widely expected, and amusingly, in saying that, Trump revealed that he didn’t anticipate it. That’s a striking admission about his own lack of foresight. Which captures something broader: On many fronts, Trump didn’t prepare for eventualities that most experts fully did anticipate. Now Trump is lurching in all directions: First he threatened to bomb Iranian electric plants, then backtracked while claiming that “very strong talks” were underway, but Iran then flatly denied that. We talked to foreign policy expert Matt Duss, author of a piece on the intellectual failings behind this debacle. He explains why the latest developments are unnerving, how Trump’s personal and ideological shortcomings are working against America, and what he really revealed with that odd admission of failure. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we break down conflicting claims of negotiations to end the Iran war, a deadly collision at LaGuardia airport, ICE agents being sent to airports to assist the TSA, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is furious over coverage of his Iran war. During a speech, he let out a rambling tirade at the media, and in a revealing turn, he talked about Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr’s latest threats to revoke network licenses. Trump went off script, spewing unhinged falsehoods about the press’s 2024 coverage and strangely declaring Carr’s campaign a great success while urging him to keep it up. This essentially confirmed that Trump does expect Carr to ramp up the use of government power to punish news organizations whose war coverage displeases him—something the MAGA movement fully wants. We talked to New Republic staff writer Matt Ford, author of a great piece on the need for post-Trump accountability. He explains the flimsy legal basis for Carr’s efforts, why they’re mostly failing, what all this shows about Trump-MAGA contempt for the Constitutional order, and the prospects for post-Trump accountability for his subordinates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The war in Iran is off to a terrible start — and it looks like it’s going to get even worse. The only person that really seems to be happy about all this is Benjamin Netanyahu, who was finally achieved the regional conflagration he’s been dreaming of. Alon Pinkas joins David Rothkopf to examine what got us to this point, why Netanyahu has wanted this for so long, and what could be coming next.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for March 20th, we discuss Trump’s disastrous meeting with the Japanese prime minister, the Pentagon considering sending more troops to the Middle East, reports that Trump is breaking with Netanyahu on Iranian energy strikes, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fake news has been turbocharged by AI — and it’s getting worse every day. Now with a massive conflict in the Middle East, there is a flood of fake content designed to misinform. So how do we cut through the b******t and separate the truth from lies? Open-Source Intelligence Analyst Tal Hagin joins David Rothkopf to explore why ai-generated disinformation has exploded in recent months and the tools you can use to verify the content you consume.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everything we’re learning now strongly suggests that Donald Trump’s war is about to get worse. First, officials leaked word to The Washington Post that the Pentagon and the White House are likely to demand $200 billion more from Congress. Trump sort of confirmed this in remarks to reporters while adding some unsettling additional threats of unspecified military action. Second, sources told Reuters that Trump is considering the deployment of thousands of troops on the ground. All this means that when Trump asks Congress for more money, the pressure on lawmakers to do something about this madness will intensify. We interviewed Congressman Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. He illuminatingly explains why Trump’s war is going very badly and why these newly leaked plans are “frightening.” Smith also flatly declares that no Democrats should agree to fund another dime for Trump’s war, and vows that if Democrats win the majority, Trump's handling of the war will face vigorous investigations.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump cannot avert a national embarrassment even if he tried. From alienating our closest European allies, to destabilizing the global economy with his attack on Iran, and now to joking about Pearl Harbor to the face of Japan’s Prime Minister - things are only getting worse. Tune in as Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf reflect on our current state of global affairs and Trump’s domestic and foreign policy agenda. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we break down the skyrocketing prices of oil, a strange and contentious confirmation hearing for Markwayne Mullin, an upcoming meeting between Trump and Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If war truly is politics by other means, Donald Trump is failing miserably. His attacks against Iran have alienated our allies even further and destabilized the entire global geopolitical landscape. What is our path out of this nightmare? What is Trump’s endgame? David Sanger of the New York Times joins David Rothkopf, Ed Luce, and Rosa Brooks to discuss the global effects of Trump’s war in Iran Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we discuss Iranian strikes on Tel Aviv, TSA officials warning some airports could close in DHS shutdown continues, the first confirmation hearing for Sen. Markwayne Mullin, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s case for invading Iran took a big blow Tuesday when top counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigned. Though Kent is a crazed extremist with vile views, his letter directly undermined the core rationale Trump has offered for his war and made big news in doing so. This comes as MAGA figures are splitting badly over the conflict. Some (Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson) are raging that the United States is doing Israel’s bidding, and others (Ben Shapiro) are denouncing them for blaming Israel for the war, and their battle has grown truly vicious. We talked to Emily Horne, a former National Security Council official under Joe Biden who also worked at the State Department and writes the Spin Class Substack. She explains what Kent might know about the weaknesses of Trump’s case for war, why that case is collapsing, and how the deepening MAGA fractures suggest the bottom is falling out under Trump’s adventure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we discuss the assassination of Ali Larijani, the resignation of a top counterterrorism official, the retirement of Gregory Bovino, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the weekend, Donald Trump unleashed two crazed tirades at the media over Iran. In one, he angrily accused news organizations of rooting for the United States to “lose the war.” In another, he openly urged his Federal Communications Commission chair to employ state power against media outlets that displease him. And in a weird rant to reporters, he angrily rebuked other countries for refusing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. All this comes as a New York Times expose reveals shocking details about Trump’s failings: In internal conversations, he appeared disconnected from basic realities about the strait and unable to grasp why his alienating of our allies is working against him. He also apparently got badly played by Benjamin Netanyahu. We talked to international relations expert Molly McKew, author of a good piece on the stakes of the moment. She explains how Trump’s treatment of allies is backfiring on him, why Trump might attempt a domestic press crackdown, and what to expect next in the war. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we cover the administration’s attempts to build a coalition to address skyrocketing energy prices, the FCC chair threatening broadcast stations covering the Iran war, a lengthy and political Academy Awards ceremony, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republicans are reportedly “incensed” at Donald Trump for pushing them to pass voter suppression measures when they don’t have the votes for it. Yet he’s raging at them over this almost daily, openly declaring that making voting harder is the only way to salvage the midterms. Republicans want to focus on the economy, but Trump won’t let them, and Politico now reports that worsening GOP losses in state-level races has them very worried about the elections. One operatives says: “I’m ringing the alarm.” We talked to Tara McGowan, a former Democratic strategist and publisher of the progressive news site Courier. She explains why Trump’s demand for voter suppression has the GOP in a trap, why his bad economy, widely hated deportations and war-of-choice in Iran are worsening GOP chances, and why Democratic energy on the ground will likely remain supercharged through the fall.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for March 13, we discuss the administration’s attempts to contain the fallout from the conflict with Iran, the Senate passing a housing affordability bill, two potential terror attacks in the US, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration is a shining example of every terrible -ocracy you can imagine. As global oil prices skyrocket and conflict with Iran rages on, it’s clear that this administration continues to succumb to its worst impulses. Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf breakdown the uniquely corrupt dealings of Trump and how the battle for American democracy is about to reach new heights. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The war with Iran has resulted in a lot of chaos and not much good. Civilian casualties are rising, Trump doesn’t seem sure if the war is almost over or just getting started, and Iran has selected a new supreme leader. It looks like more chaos is on the menu. Steven Cook joins David Rothkopf to asses the current state of the conflict and where we go from here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has been all over the place on the global oil shock created by his war amid Iran’s closing of the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier this week he angrily claimed that the price hikes are a small price to pay for world peace, adding: “ONLY FOOLS WOULD DISAGREE!” But on Thursday he offered some bizarre new spin, claiming that the U.S. “is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money.” The idea that “we” all benefit prompted intense criticism and underscores his chaotic approach to this fiasco. Meanwhile, CNN reports that Trump officials have started to “panic” and are in a state of “alarm” about the situation, even as its global impact is rapidly worsening. We talked to international relations expert Nicholas Grossman, who’s been arguing that the Iran saga is catching Trump off guard. We discuss why the oil shock’s consequences are so dramatic, how this all reveals the limits to Trump’s bullying powers, and what it all says about MAGA’s tendency to underestimate resistance to its designs. Listen to this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conversations on AI typically deal with impacts in the US, Asia, and Europe. Yet the impact of AI on Africa, and Africa on AI, is immense. Professor and Director of the MIND Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand Benjamin Rosman joins David Rothkopf to explore the unique perspectives coming from Africa in the tech space, why grassroots movements drive innovation, and how unique resource constraints are forcing a creative departure from the “bigger is better” obsession in Silicon Valley. This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we break down the soaring oil prices as a result of the Iran war, House Republicans’ attempt to pace a second major spending package, investigations into claims of DOGE misuse of Social Security data, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Donald Trump, the news is getting worse on his war against Iran. The New York Times reports that the Trump team badly miscalculated Iran’s response to the American invasion, leading to a developing energy fiasco. The Times also reports that some officials are pessimistic about the lack of any real strategy to end the war, adding this: “They have been careful not to express that directly to the president, who has repeatedly declared that the military operation is a complete success.” Their fear of telling Trump the truth about our fix is highly unnerving. We’re also learning that the United States was likely responsible for bombing the Iranian elementary school. We talked to Columbia political scientist Elizabeth Saunders, author of a new piece on this whole mess. We discuss Iran’s closing of the Strait of Hormuz, why Trump can’t easily end the war even if he wants to, what it means that officials are leaking dismay about the war’s direction, and what likely lies ahead.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump’s war against Iran is shifting the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East - but how much has really changed in US foreign policy? What is different about this conflict compared to previous decades? What does this mean for our allies, and what role does Israel play in Trump’s decision-making? Max Boot, Aaron David Miller, and Holly Dagres join David Rothkopf to take stock of America’s war in Iran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we cover the US military destroying 16 Iranian vessels, the results of a Georgia special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, a shockingly high death toll for immigration detention, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump claims Iran is responsible for the bombing of an elementary school that killed scores of children, even though the evidence continues to mount that the United States is responsible. In a striking exchange with a reporter, Trump was asked point blank why no other government official will confirm what he’s saying. He said straight out: “Because I don’t know enough about it.” But in saying this, Trump admitted that he'd made an incendiary factual claim about an extraordinarily serious matter without having the foggiest idea what the facts actually are. Trump’s assertions about the school bombing also forced White House Karoline Leavitt to undertake a clumsy clean-up effort. We talked to Paul Waldman, author of a piece at his Substack, The Cross Section, discussing a new analysis showing that Trump’s war is the most unpopular U.S. war in modern history. We discuss why that exchange was so humiliating to Trump, what it revealed about the White House’s indefensible war and his inability to sell it, and the deeper reasons why Americans are not reflexively rallying behind the “commander in chief.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lord Nicholas Stern, author of the landmark Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, recently released his new book The Growth Story of the 21st Century: The Economics and Opportunity of Climate Action. Along with Dr. Mattia Romani and other colleagues, he also published a paper in Nature last year on the role of AI in the climate transition. Join host David Sandalow as he talks with Stern and Romani about economic growth, climate change, AI and the energy transition. This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we break down Trump’s conflicting messaging on the Iran war, a special election in Georgia, Democrats vowing to shut down the Senate over Iran, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In recent days, President Trump has angrily demanded that Republicans pass the SAVE Act, a massive voter suppression measure that already passed the House but almost certainly can’t pass the Senate. In one tirade on Truth Social, he threatened not to sign anything else until Senate Republicans get it done. That echoed a second rant demanding the same. After we recorded this episode, Trump gave a speech doubling down on this demand. But a funny thing is happening: This is trampling all over the midterm messaging of Republicans, who badly want to appear focused on the economy. We talked to veteran Congressional scholar Norman Ornstein. He explains why the SAVE ACT is such a heinous piece of voter suppression, why it’s probably doomed in the Senate despite Trump's pressure, and how his demand has trapped Republicans, given their cultlike thrall to him. Ornstein also walks us through the nightmare scenarios in which Trump and/or Republicans could conceivably steal the midterms.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we discuss the naming of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader of Iran, Trump warning of imminent action against Cuba, Trump claiming he won’t sign any new bills until the SAVE America Act passes, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve noticed that whenever the news is bad for Donald Trump, Karoline Leavitt dials up the cultlike obsequiousness to 11. She just let out a strange rant basically declaring that Iran will have entered into “unconditional surrender,” as Trump wants, whenever he says it has. In another odd moment, she dismissed widespread MAGA criticism of Trump’s war by essentially declaring that MAGA is whatever Trump says it is. The two displays really went full North Korea in other ways, too. And that’s no accident:  an average of high quality surveys now shows that support for his Iran war is at an abysmal 38 percent, perhaps the lowest initial support for a war ever. Another analysis finds that Trump’s net approval on immigration has dropped by 20 points since last year. And his economic numbers are awful. We talked to Salon’s Amanda Marcotte, a skilled decoder of MAGA. We discuss how this presidency is in trouble on multiple fronts and the role of cultlike praise in managing the base at such difficult moments. We also ponder how his physical decline, and the prospect of a world without Trump, is hovering in the background of all of it.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for March 6, we cover the firing of Kristi Noem from DHS, an investigation pointing to US responsibility for a horrific strike in Iran, a troubling jobs report for February, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is clearly declining - mentally, physically, and at the polls - and he knows it. What does this mean for the rest of Trump 2.0? What does the dismissal of Kristi Noem and appointment of Markwayne Mullin tell us about loyalty and competence within the administration? Mary Trump joins David Rothkopf and Norm Ornstein to discuss our sunsetting president’s personal and political downfall. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt lashed out at a reporter and accused the media of trying to make Donald Trump “look bad.” The occasion was a question about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had previously accused the media of the same. What’s truly strange is how Leavitt flatly denied Hegseth had said what everyone heard him say, followed by an unhinged, extended tirade at reporters. Why the rage? Well, Republicans are growing anxious: Punchbowl News reports that they expressly don’t want to vote on the war to keep their distance from it, and many of them are straining to avoid even using the word “war.” We talked to New Republic deputy editor Tori Otten, who co-wrote a good piece with TNR’s Grace Segers dissecting White House social media strategy. We discuss the real sources of Leavitt’s anger, the importance of fantasy and unreality to MAGA politics, and why it's all actually working against Republicans.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we discuss the Senate rejecting a measure to require congressional authorization for the war in Iran, Trump considering firing Kristi Noem, Minnesota suing the administration over Medicaid funding, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Texas Senate primaries, Democrat James Talarico triumphed, while GOP Senator John Cornyn and MAGA extremist Ken Paxton are headed for a runoff. Talarico, who speaks openly about his religious commitments and about the need to win over MAGA voters, might have a shot, especially against Paxton. That caused Donald Trump to explode in an agitated, panicky tirade on Truth Social, where he warned that the GOP primary could cost Republicans the seat and “MUST STOP NOW!” He vowed to endorse soon and insisted that the other candidate will have to “DROP OUT OF THE RACE!” This comes as other Republicans are publicly airing their fears of a Talarico-Paxton matchup. We talked to Democratic operative Sawyer Hackett, a veteran of Texas races. He explains Talarico’s unique appeal, why Texas is so hard for Democrats, what has to happen for them to win, and why they could fall short of this dream yet again.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In case you haven’t heard, Trump decided we need to go to war with Iran. What is the strategy here? Does our President even have one, or are we at the mercy of an idiot guided solely by ridiculous impulses? Joe Cirincione, Jon Wolfsthal and Ed Luce join David Rothkopf to discuss the current situation in Iran, what this means for the US, and why we’re even there in the first place. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we break down the state of the war with Iran, results from the first primaries of the 2026 midterms, the US launching military operations in Ecuador, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Speaking Tuesday about his war on Iran, Donald Trump got too candid. He declared that the worst-case scenario could involve people running Iran who are just as bad as those he’s deposing. He also admitted that most of the people the United States hoped will take over are now “dead,” and visibly had no idea what will happen next. All this accidentally reveals just how little thought he’s given to what will happen as this continues to unfold. It comes as MAGA is turning against Trump over the war: Personalities like Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson, Matt Walsh and many more are sharply questioning Trump’s stated rationales and Israel’s role in dictating our war policy. We talked to Zeteo’s Asawin Suebsaeng, who closely covers Trumpworld. We discuss how Trump is recklessly miring us in a horrifying quagmire, the real reasons MAGA is turning on Trump, whether MAGA angst could cause Trump to rethink, and what it means that MAGA opposes war in Iran while thrilling to savage brutality at home. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Trump regime wages war on Iran and geopolitical crises are dominating tabloid headlines, the Pentagon’s relationship with artificial intelligence is slipping under the radar. Alondra Nelson joins David Rothkopf to discuss the DoD’s partnerships with private-sector AI companies, the Pentagon’s push for unrestricted AI, and what this all means for our future.This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 35,000 people attended the recent India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, which featured speeches from more than 20 heads of state and dozens of technology company leaders including Sam Altman of OpenAI, Dario Amodei of Anthropic and Demis Hassabis of Google DeepMind. In this episode, host David Sandalow offers his reflections on the Summit and speaks with Arunabha Ghosh, President of CEEW, a leading Delhi-based public policy think tank. Ghosh offers his views on the Summit, data center construction in India and around the world and the role of AI in sustainable development, among other topics.   This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we break down the deaths of 6 US soldiers in Kuwait, an impending testimony by Kristi Noem, videos of the depositions of Hillary and Bill Clinton, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Donald Trump’s war on Iran getting worse, a new report in The New York Times reveals damning details about the runup to the decision. We learn that Trump’s case rests on lies about the “imminent threat” Iran poses, and that he publicly misrepresented his own top general’s misgivings about the invasion. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arguably misled congressional leaders, and JD Vance privately called for going big, undercutting his “noninterventionist” cred. This comes as a new CNN poll finds a whopping 59 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s war, and a Reuters poll finds support at an abysmal 27 percent. We talked to Mark Jacob, who has a good piece for his “Stop the Presses” Substack on Trump’s lawbreaking. We discuss why public impressions of his violent lawlessness are turning voters against the war, what will happen in the midterms if things get worse, and how Trump is assuming the powers of a mad dictator.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the supposed “success” of Venezuela, President Trump has set his sights on eliminating the nuclear threat of Iran once and for all. What could possibly go wrong? Christine Wormuth, Frank Kendall, and Rosa Brooks join David Rothkopf to break down the illegality and difficulty of the US and Israel’s strikes on Iran, why regime change might be a double edged sword, and just how likely this conflict is to spin out of control. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we break down the war with Iran spilling over into neighboring countries, a congressional attempt to restrain Trump’s military operations, FBI probing a possible terrorism link to a Texas shooting, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s state of the union speech was the culmination of many months of lies about his economy and his tariffs. Yet in recent days, even Fox News has been admitting to how bad the news is getting. Fox figures have gently tried to tell Trump the truth about tariffs: One hinted Trump should use the Supreme Court ruling against them as an offramp. Another said Republicans are privately celebrating the decision. A third warned the tariffs badly threaten the GOP’s midterm hopes. On Fox Business, one anchor was surprisingly blunt about Friday’s bad inflation data. And a reporter called the recent 1.4 percent growth numbers a “bad miss.” Yet Trump needs his media allies to sugarcoat his economy through the midterms. We talked to Media Matters senior fellow Matthew Gertz. He explains how Trump’s economy is creating serious dissonance for Fox propagandists and viewers alike, how this reveals Trump’s deepening problems with his base, and why all this spells trouble for the GOP this fall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for February 27th, we discuss Hillary Clinton’s testimony before the House oversight committee, Paramount’s victory over Netflix in the Warner Bros. acquisition, Anthropic resisting the Pentagon’s demands, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, The New York Times confirmed the latest revelations in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, reporting on the missing files that appear to involve charges against Donald Trump himself. The Times is treating this as a blockbuster story, digging in hard on the details in a way that will surely cause media scrutiny to intensify further. MAGA is all over the place on this. Fox News has mostly ignored the revelations, as Media Matters shows. One big MAGA influencer is hyping Hillary Clinton’s supposed role in the scandal, but that’s backfiring. Other MAGA types remain split. We talked to New Republic contributing editor Ana Marie Cox, who writes really well about Epstein and right wing elites. We discuss why the Times coverage is so brutal for Trump, why the saga is driving MAGA toward crackup, what all this says about right wing elites, and why the sun may soon set on Trumpism as a movement.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The SAVE Act is the next assault on democracy by this administration — and it might just be the biggest yet. Trump and his cronies are focusing on pulling out all the stops to get this voter suppression bill passed including calls to end the filibuster. Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf are back to break down the cataclysmic effects this bill would have on our democracy and the mounting danger that threatens to pass the point of no return.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we discuss a shootout off the coast of Cuba, the White House pausing Medicaid payments to Minnesota, missing Epstein files directly related to Trump, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Wednesday, Donald Trump exploded wildly on Truth Social, ripping into Democrats Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, who attacked him during his speech. He called them “Low IQ,” “mentally deranged,” and “LUNATICS,” and even savaged Robert De Niro, who also criticized the speech, as “sick and demented.” Trump hoped appeal to the middle, but he couldn’t help sliding back into full racism at his first opportunity. Meanwhile, even some Republicans found the speech wanting: One strategist said it wouldn’t help the party politically this fall, a second said it didn’t give enough to people who are “hurting,” and a conservative writer opined that it “wasn’t much of a game changer.” We talked to Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg, who had a mixed reaction. We discuss how Trump’s tirade exposes a deep tension in his approach to 2026, why he can’t let go of his tariffs and deportations, and how smarter GOP strategists really view that problem. We also discuss hidden reasons why this could still go badly for Democrats.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Pentagon wants less restricted, more dangerous AI—and it seems like they’re getting it. Pete Hegseths’s showdown with Anthropic is just the latest instance of this administration’s pursuit of radical deregulation of artificial intelligence that shows no signs of slowing. The Brennan Center’s Amos Toh joins David Rothkopf to explore the ramifications of deregulation for defense, public safety, and the future of the industry.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

War with Iran is looming. After Trump’s incendiary and lie-fueled State of the Union address, it’s clear that our President, the founder of the Board of Peace, might just be bored of peace. Kim Ghattas, Steven Cook, and Ed Luce join David Rothkopf to forecast what the President might do in Iran, what could possibly be going on in Trump’s head, and why conflict might just be inevitable.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we break down the lie-a-palooza that was the State of the Union, the House failing to pass an aviation safety bill, a judge blocking the DOJ from reviewing a reporter’s data, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Jeffrey Epstein scandal has just taken another bad turn for Donald Trump. NPR reports that the Justice Department has withheld key documents from the publicly-released Epstein files. Guess what: They apparently relate to charges that Trump potentially abused a minor. And Congressman Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, also dropped a bombshell, claiming he’s reviewed DOJ materials personally and confirmed that DOJ does appear to have withheld critical FBI interviews. Is this really as bad as it sounds? As University of Michigan law professor Leah Litman explains in this episode, the answer is: Yes, it is. Litman—the author of Lawless, a book about the Supreme Court—demystifies the legal ins and outs of these new revelations, lays out a roadmap to what will happen now, and explains the prospects for achieving genuine accountability.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time to face the facts: Donald Trump’s goose just might be cooked. After the violence of Minneapolis and the shocking revelations of the Epstein Files, it’s clear that a major political shake-up is coming. The Contrarian’s Jennifer Rubin joins David Rothkopf to explore the fall of legacy media, the rise of independent voices, and the tectonic generational shifts happening in American politics.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we discuss reactions to the implementation of Trump’s new tariff, Democrats tapping Abigail Spanberger and Alex Padilla for the SOTU response, shocking texts from Rep. Tony Gonzalez, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new CNN poll finds Donald Trump’s approval at an abysmal 36 percent. And a Washington Post survey finds him absolutely tanking on just about all major issues. But to Trump, this cannot be real: He just issued an angry, rambling tirade about how such polls are "fake." He even declared that his support is “silent,” while insisting he got many millions more votes in 2024 than he actually got. Amusingly, this came even as Fox News aired a striking graphic showing Trump’s approval on tariffs at an abysmal 34-64. This isn’t the first time Fox has admitted how badly things are going: The network’s own recent poll found him deeply underwater on the economy, tariffs, and even immigration. We talked to Marquette University political scientist Julia Azari, author of a good new piece explaining how Trump operates outside the Constitution. We discuss how this extra-Constitutional governing is itself rendering him deeply unpopular, why Trump’s poll denial reflects a refusal to acknowledge legitimate opposition, and what it all tells us about the current state of the American experiment. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we break down President Trump ignoring the Supreme Court ruling on tariffs, Mexico killing a powerful cartel boss, Kash Patel’s embarrassing celebration with US hockey players, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the Supreme Court struck down Donald Trump’s tariffs, he detonated. He targeted justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, fuming that the ruling was an “embarrassment to their families.” He doubled down on the idea that he has unilateral tariff power. He tacitly threatened to investigate the high court for foreign influences. He called the ruling a “disgrace to our nation.” Yet this is backfiring: It prompted GOP Representative Don Bacon to declare that this might prompt more GOP votes to constrain him, remarking that Trump “didn’t do himself any favors.” Indeed, after we recorded this episode, Senator Mitch McConnell pointedly noted that Congress is “not an inconvenience to avoid,” suggesting more Congressional action ahead, and other Republicans celebrated the ruling.  We talked to legal scholar Matthew Seligman, a lawyer for some of the businesses looking for tariff refunds. He explains why the ruling was such a major rebuke, why Trump's efforts to revive the tariffs might encounter turbulence, and how his impotent fury—and the GOP response to it—undermine his political mystique in a deeper sense.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for February 20th, we cover the arrest of the former Prince Andrew, President Trump issuing a 10 day timeline on negotiations with Iran, massive new Trump branding on the DOJ headquarters, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court has ruled against Donald Trump’s tariff agenda in a major blow to his economic policy. Are we finally seeing real pushback against this administration? What does this decision mean for our democracy? Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf react to this evolving story, discussing the SCOTUS decision, the SAVE Act, and the corruption within the Trump administration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After British police arrested the former Prince Andrew in connection with revelations involving Jeffrey Epstein, a reporter asked Donald Trump directly if anyone will face accountability in the United States. Trump rambled and rambled, insisting he had been “totally exonerated.” That’s not true, but regardless, Trump could not explain why accountability is happening in other countries, but not in ours. He also had nothing whatsoever to say about whether his Justice Department will ever seek accountability for any elites implicated in the scandal. Meanwhile, MAGA figures are raging over the latest Epstein-file revelations and demanding exactly the accountability that is not forthcoming from DOJ. We talked to Nicole Hemmer, author of good books about the conservative movement and about the right wing media. She explains why Trump has not been exonerated, how the latest in this scandal is causing MAGA to crack up, what all this reveals about supposed Trump-MAGA hatred of “elites,” and what the prospects are for genuine accountability. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Democratic Party is at a flashpoint. With the naked fascism on the Republican Party under Trump, the time is ripe for the Democrats to become more popular than ever. Yet the leadership has stumbled time and time again. The New Republic Editor Michael Tomasky joins David Rothkopf to outline exactly to the Dems need to do right now to trounce Trump and win back the favor of the American people.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we cover Prince Andrew's arrest, Trump's Board of Peace's first meeting, Pete Hegseth inviting Christian nationalist pastor Doug Wilson to speak at the Pentagon’s monthly worship service, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has the midterms on his mind. A few days ago he erupted in a wild tirade on Truth Social, raging about voter fraud and voter ID while urging Republicans to make them central in the elections. He’s now pinned this rant to the top of his feed. Over the last 24 hours, he’s been on a tear, elevating half a dozen other tweets on these topics. By “warning” that Republicans must centralize voter fraud, he’s actually telling them to engage in mass voter suppression or perish. He has good reason to panic: One new poll has his approval at 38 percent. Another survey puts Democrats ahead in the House ballot matchup by six points. And polling averages find Trump’s approval on immigration, his “good” issue, at abysmal lows. We talked to Lakshya Jain, head of political data for The Argument. He explains why the numbers are even worse for Trump if you dig into the details, particularly on the economy; why it’s so unusual that Trump is tanking on two GOP issues, the economy and immigration; and why that is creating unexpected opportunities for Democrats. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

⁠“Rubio goes to Munich, then goes out for a cup of tea…”⁠ The Munich Security Conference highlighted the unpredictability of US foreign policy. Europe is coming to terms with US unreliability, and the Democratic party is beginning to see its primary candidates emerge. What should we make of the Munich Security Conference? What - or who - is the future of the Democratic party? Max Boot of the Council on Foreign Relations joins David Rothkopf, Rosa Brooks, and Ed Luce to discuss all this and more. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we cover politicized sewage spill in Maryland,Kristi Noem's clash with the Coast Guard, the FDA agreeing to review a new mRNA vaccine, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s episode, we talk to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey about the latest developments in his city. Donald Trump and border czar Tom Homan have said they’re winding down ICE’s occupation, and Frey tells us there are some positive signs in this regard. But Frey also discusses how ICE violence has been directed from the very top, shares new details about the enormous and lasting damage it did to the city, and explains how the extraordinary solidarity between ordinary people there is enabling Minneapolis to emerge from this dark period unbroken and unbowed. “The people here are tough as hell,” Frey tells us, adding that the city feels “pride” at “what we are overcoming.” Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we break down the death of Rev. Jesse Jackson, ongoing negotiations between Iran and the US, right-wing rage over AOC’s appearance at the Munich Security Conference, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt went full North Korea cult propagandist on Fox News, gushing that the ICE crackdown in Minneapolis has been a “resounding success.” Never mind that two Americans were murdered, violent civil conflict has reigned, and Trump’s approval has cratered. Leavitt also undercut her own spin by describing all arrested by ICE as “criminals” and insisting the operation is “targeted”—revealing she can’t tell the truth about its targeting of noncriminals because it’s so widely hated. She was further undermined by the shocking news that two ICE agents lied about an incident leading to the shooting of an immigrant, a reminder that this entire fiasco has been perpetually awash in lawless horror. We talked to Democratic messaging strategist Anat Shenker-Osorio, who explains how that shooting wrecks White House spin, why Trump’s propaganda narratives are collapsing at a deep level, why he’s in an unusually weak position, and what Democrats can do with their own narratives to seize the moment.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we discuss the DOJ’s ludicrous claims regarding the Epstein Files Transparency Act, DHS attempting to have tech companies unmask anti-ICE accounts, the vacuum of leadership at the NIH, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for February 13th, we discuss the administration reversing a major ruling on greenhouse gases, continued escalating tensions in the Middle East, the impending partial government shutdown, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices