Deep State Radio

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

Concerns about an impending government shutdown are growing, and it is critical that the Democratic Party can adopt strong messaging to voters. There is no oversight for the Republican cult in Washington - Bondi, Bovino, Blanche, the list is endless. If we can still save our democracy, we need to do so now. Tune in as David Rothkopf and Norm Ornstein discuss the looming government shutdown, the threats to voting rights, and the hideousness of Pam Bondi.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday we discuss Pam Bondi's aggravating House Judiciary Committee hearing, the end of the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota, the House passing the SAVE America Act, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump is tacitly threatening to interfere in the 2026 elections. He's urged Republicans to “nationalize” them and recently said he regrets not seizing voting machines in 2020. Last month the FBI seized ballot boxes in Fulton County, Georgia as part of some sort of criminal investigation that remains murky. Now it's being reported that this FBI move originated with claims from a well-known election denier that have been widely debunked. This raises serious worries that Trump could direct the FBI to seize 2026 midterm ballot boxes based on a similarly spurious rationale. We talked to Lauren Groh-Wargo, head of the voting rights group Fair Fight Action. She explains who this election denier is, decodes the latest revelations about the FBI's action in Georgia, walks through how Trump could attempt to disrupt the 2026 midterm vote count, and lays out ways that local officials—and the rest of us—can start preparing to fight back. 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 weak. From the Epstein Files to nationwide outrage over ICE, it's safe to say it sucks to be MAGA right now. Now the question is how Democrats can capitalize. Tara McGowan and Simon Rosenberg join David Rothkopf to discuss just how precarious of a moment this is for Republicans, why Trump is more desperate than ever, and how Democrats can build momentum towards total victory in the midterms.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump shows no signs of slowing down his assault on our basic rights in this country. It's high time we do something about it. DEFIANCE.org's Miles Taylor and Philadelphia's District Attorney Lawrence Krasner join David Rothkopf to discuss the Fight Against Federal Overreach project (FAFO) and how this new coalition of district attorneys and prosecutors is fighting back against federal officers who violate the law and disregard our constitutional rights.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has not “obliterated” Iran's nuclear arms program as his administration would like you to believe, and now he is threatening to send another carrier battle group into the Persian Gulf. As tensions continue to rise in the Middle East, it is clear that the dialogue around nuclear arms control is not just a relic of the Cold War. Joe Cirincione and Jon Wolfsthal join David Rothkopf to discuss the current state of arms control. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we discuss the Congressional hearing on immigration oversight, the FDA rejecting a Moderna flu vaccine, growing calls for the resignation of Howard Lutnick, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump's top trade adviser, Peter Navarro, just offered an extraordinary statement on Fox News. He admitted that we should lower our expectations for job creation because of Trump's success in removing immigrants from the country. In essence, Navarro suggested it was a good thing to have lower jobs numbers provided the (supposed) cause is higher deportations, and confirmed that removing immigrants isn't creating jobs for Americans. We think this provides an opening to explore what MAGA economics is really trying to accomplish. So we talked to economist Paul Krugman, author of an illuminating piece on his excellent Substack that takes apart Trump's immigration agenda. He explains how Navarro wrecked a core scam that Trump has long peddled about immigrants, how this undermines the most basic story MAGA tells about the economy, and how Democrats can seize on the failure of that story to tell a better one of their own.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we discuss Democrats rejecting a White House proposal for a DHS deal, lawmakers accusing the DOJ of inappropriately redacting the Epstein files, top immigration officials set to testify before the House, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump was initially angry over the decision to feature Bad Bunny in the Super Bowl halftime show. But then, as he performed, Trump's rage worsened: In a furious rant, he claimed the show was a “slap in the face” to our country, that Bad Bunny's use of Spanish means “nobody understands a word this guy is saying,” and that the show was “absolutely terrible.” Other MAGA figures fumed that the show was a betrayal of America. Meanwhile, CNN polling guru Harry Enten details in a new analysis that Trump is hemorrhaging support from his working class base. What if those two developments—Trump-MAGA fury at the show and Trump bleeding his base—are related? We talked to Adrian Carrasquillo, author of The Bulwark's excellent newsletter “Huddled Masses.” We discuss how Trump-MAGA are in a bubble about Bad Bunny's show, how most Americans likely viewed it, why Trump's ICE raids and hostility to immigrants are costing him working class support, and how that wrecks various myths about 2024.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The explosion of artificial intelligence has been a huge boon for leaders in the tech space. But many of us outside of Silicon Valley aren't fans. So where does this hate for AI moguls come from. MIT Technology Review editor in chief Mat Honan joins David Rothkopf to discuss his recent coverage of Davos, reasons to be optimistic and skeptical about developing trends in AI, and what comes next.  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 MAGA outrage over Bad Bunny's halftime show, Trump keeping Democrat governors out of a White House meeting, the Pentagon cutting ties with ‘woke' Harvard, and more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Donald Trump posted a viciously racist meme depicting the Obamas as apes, a self-identified three-time Trump voter called in to C-Span and unloaded. He described the meme as an “embarrassment to our country,” apologized for backing Trump, called out his lying and bribe-taking, and ripped him as “rotten” and “pathetic.” This comes after many Republicans condemned the post, leading the White House to take it down and blame an unnamed staffer for it. We think all this captures a newfound Trump-MAGA weakness in the culture. So we talked to New Republic senior editor Alex Shephard, author of a great new piece on the waning of Trump-MAGA's cultural dominance. We discuss how formidable Trump-MAGA's cultural relevance looked in 2024, why it has waned, how ICE has turned the culture against MAGA on a deep level, and what it all says about the future of MAGA and our country.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-up for February 6th, we discuss Iran/US talks in Oman, Senate negotiations over funding DHS, an impending fight over the SAVE America Act, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The release of the Epstein files is the story of the year. Or at least it would be if this administration wasn't responsible for a new story of the year every week. So how has our intrepid American media responded to each successive crisis? Not well. Dan Froomkin and Jeff Jarvis join David Rothkopf to explore why our media and journalists haven't risen to the occasion and why they're letting the First Amendment down.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt lost her temper with a reporter who asked if Donald Trump intends to flood polling places with ICE agents during the midterms. She called the question “silly” and “hypothetical” and “disingenuous,” even though Steve Bannon, who's influential in the White House, explicitly said this week that this will happen. This comes as Trump himself called for Republicans to “nationalize the voting.” Leavitt also struggled to spin this threat from Trump, suggesting that's not what he meant, only to have Trump undercut her by reiterating his demand soon after. The White House is all over the place on this. So we talked to legal expert Rick Hasen, author of the excellent Election Law Blog. He separates the real from the fake in Trump's threats, outlines the nightmare scenarios that Trump actually could attempt to pull off, and explains how we can gear up right now to fight back. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to another week in Trump's America. The President is “renovating” the Kennedy Center a la the East Wing of the White House, the Washington Post continues it's descent into darkness, and MAGA cronies are looking for any way to undermine democratic elections this November. What is going on in America? David Rothkopf and Norm Ornstein 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 Thursday, we break down Trump's growing campaign funds ahead of the 2026 midterms, ICE facing a setback from a federal judge in Oregon, the Supreme Court unanimously rejecting a GOP challenge to California's election map, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump just claimed in an interview that the events in Minnesota suggest that ICE needs to use a “softer touch.” He also struggled to create the impression that he's been working constructively with local officials there. While all this is just spin, it reveals an awareness that these events have put him in a politically weak position. Indeed, this comes as Trump's plans for vast migrant prison camps are hitting angry opposition in unlikely places: In a deep red, partly rural county in Virginia; among Republican officials in other states; and even in Mississippi, where a GOP Senator has come out against a planned camp there. We talked to Brian Beutler, who's been arguing on his excellent “Off Message” Substack that Dems need to take charge of debates like these. We dig into the surprisingly robust backlash against Trump on immigration, why the prison camps present a big opportunity for Democrats, and why they must abandon the idea that Trump's 2024 win showed a big cultural shift against immigrants.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Epstein files aren't just about one man - they are a mirror reflecting the culture of shamelessness among the elite. Why are the wealthy elites above the law? Will this be the signature scandal of our times? Rosa Brooks, Ed Luce and David Rothkopf discuss the two-tiered justice system that persists in America, the implications of the Epstein files, 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

In a high-profile speech, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently declared "We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition." US government officials and many others interpreted the comment to refer at least in part to the dramatic developments in US-Canada relations in the past year. Meanwhile, the US and Canadian energy systems are deeply interconnected. Join host David Sandalow as he talks with AJ Goulding, a leading power market expert based in Toronto, to discuss power prices, data centers, the future of coal and solar power, and the implications of US-Canadian tensions on the energy systems in both countries.  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 Wednesday, we cover a reduction of ICE officers in Minneapolis, Trump signing a bill to end the government shutdown, Israeli strikes killing 20 in Gaza, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After The New York Times reported that President Trump has backtracked on a major demand he'd made on Harvard University, he spiraled out of control in three wild tirades. He angrily insisted on a correction from the Times, and levied unhinged new threats against Harvard, demanding a new billion-dollar extortion payment while calling for the university's criminal prosecution. Harvard officials clearly leaked word of Trump's backtracking to humiliate him at a moment of political weakness. It worked: Trump appeared panicked and weak as he fired off half-cocked threats. Which raises a question: Why don't more institutions grasp that standing firm against Trump is the only way? We talked to Ryan Enos, a Harvard political scientist who has long argued for a strong stand. He explains the internal politics at Harvard leading to its current posture, why this fight's outcome has broader significance amid our slide into authoritarianism, and what the prospects are for Harvard holding firm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we discuss an impending House vote to end the partial government shutdown, Trump urging Republicans to nationalize elections, the requirement for federal agents in Minneapolis to wear body cams, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is making it explicit. In an angry diatribe to a right-wing podcaster, Trump told his usual lies about vote-cheating by undocumented immigrants, but this time he explicitly called on Republicans to “take over the voting.” He also darkly promised something new out of Georgia, where his FBI is investigating an election center. He singled out supposed fraud in Minnesota, lying that he won it three times. And he said he's not backing down in the state. Taken all together, the threat is clear: Trump may try to use federal forces to interfere in the midterms, in part by using ICE to intimidate voters and foment crisis. Notably, this comes as MAGA media figures are loudly calling on Trump to escalate the ICE crackdowns, as Media Matters documents. We talked to reporter Gillian Brockell, who regularly scrutinizes ICE and has a new piece detailing how ICE is getting more cruel. We discuss what Trump can do to interfere in the elections, how far his threats can really get, and how MAGA conceives of ICE as an instrument of authoritarian state terror.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices