Deep State Radio

Trump and MAGA Republicans are floating the crackpot idea that President Biden’s FBI was ready to target Trump with lethal force when it searched Mar-a-Lago. This is based on a wildly absurd reading of FBI policy, but beyond this, we think this saga says something larger about the fascistic politics of Trump and his MAGA allies. We talked to Federico Finchelstein, an expert on fascist movements and author of a new piece in The New Republic’s issue on “American Fascism,” who explains why Trump is best seen as a “wannabe fascist.”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: May 31, 2023 America did not choose to blow up the world economy. The lunatic caucus in Congress did not prevail. An experienced president helped strike a deal that preserved critical U.S. programs and priorities. The world can stop thinking we've lost our minds. Or can they? With 2024 looming we discuss whether the trends are encouraging or discouraging or downright frightening both at tome and in terms of U.S. foreign policy. Ed Luce of the Financial Times, Rosa Brooks of Georgetown Law Center and host David Rothkopf, do a deep dive...and end up being a little bit optimistic for a change. Join us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Wednesday edition of the DSR daily we cover Ireland, Norway, and Spain’s recognition of a Palestinian state, the US signaling towards ICC sanctions, Rudy Giuliani and Trump allies pleading not guilty, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To say it’s been a busy week in American politics would be an understatement. Thankfully, Kavita and Norm are here to discuss the unfolding dynamics of the primaries and Senate races, the state of the Supreme Court and upcoming decisions, and why voters’ economic perception isn’t matching the reality.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Tuesday edition of the DSR daily, we cover the updated situation in Haiti, the conclusion of the prosecutors’ case against Donald Trump, the German foreign minister’s visit to Kyiv, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Monday, the prosecution rested its case in Donald Trump’s hush money trial in Manhattan. This comes after Trump’s defense team concluded their efforts to destroy former Trump fixer Michael Cohen’s credibility as one of the chief witnesses against Trump. So has the prosecution proven its case? We talked to New York Law School professor Rebecca Roiphe, who has prosecuted cases like these in New York, about why she thinks a conviction is now likely—even as it still remains very possible that Trump could beat the rap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emerging from the shadows after a 24 year career at CIA, former senior case officer Ed Bogan joins Marc to share his insights on serving everywhere from South Asia to Ukraine, including the critical importance of people at CIA, the need to form enduring liaison partnerships and building a resilient workforce. A lively tour d’horizon of an amazing agency life, that includes Ed’s journey from skateboarder in New Jersey, law school in Philadelphia, and then the back alleys of Afghanistan.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Monday edition of the DSR daily, we cover the death of Iranian President Raisi in a helicopter crash, the ICC prosecutor requesting warrants for Hamas and Israeli leadership, Trump’s potential testimony on Monday, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The GOP’s embrace of Donald Trump’s authoritarianism is growing more blatant. Republicans have joined him in attacking his criminal trials as illegitimate. Those angling to be his running mate say they wouldn’t have certified his 2020 loss. And many Republicans are echoing his refusal to say he’ll respect the 2024 outcome. We talked to Tom Nichols, a leading Never Trump conservative and staff writer at The Atlantic about why he is now arguing that his former party’s support for Trump has driven it into the abyss. Listen to this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: May 30, 2023 Michael’s guest this week is Jennifer Cafarella, the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Jennifer and her team of analysts have been providing detailed reports and interactive maps each day since the war began on both Russian and Ukrainian positions. If you’re interested in what’s really happening in Ukraine, don’t miss this conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: April 13, 2023 It is bad enough the Supreme Court has been transformed from the central pillar of our justice system into a mood ring reflective the shifting views of the extreme right. But the damage that has been done to our legal system and our democracy at large now is visible at every level of the courts, state legislatures and in our Congress. We don't often connect the dots to see how serious the decay has been...but in this special one-on-one conversation with Dahlia Lithwick that's exactly what we do. It is a must-listen episode of Deep State Radio. Join us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re getting worried about the things that go boom in the night. Between talk about removing one of the legs of the US nuclear triad and Russia’s ever-present saber-rattling, there’s no shortage of things that give us insomnia. Heather and Jon are back to talk about the many foolhardy ideas being floated in the world of nuclear arms and defense both in the US and abroad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Friday edition of the DSR daily, we discuss the first food trucks arriving via the US pier in Gaza, a new report on Trump’s plans for the FBI in a second term, unrest in New Caledonia, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, dropped a bomb: She announced a donation of another $8 million to his campaign. That’s substantially more than her initial $2 million, and suggests much more is coming. Which is a reminder: It’s still very plausible that RFK Jr. will get on the ballot in many of the swing states that will decide the election. We talked to veteran Democratic strategist Stephanie Schriock, who explains why Shanahan’s wealth suggests it’s time to take the RFK Jr. spoiler threat very, very seriously. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should we be panicking about the election yet? While there’s been chatter about recent negative polls for Biden and fears over the campaign’s strategy, there are still many reasons to stay positive. Tara McGowan and Simon Rosenberg join David Rothkopf to break down the good, the bad, and the ugly for the Biden camp and forecast what’s next at the long road ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Thursday edition of the DSR daily, we cover the completion of the aid pier in Gaza, Putin arriving in Beijing for a meeting with Xi, an assassination attempt on the Prime Minister of Slovakia, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this month, Donald Trump refused to commit to accepting the outcome of the 2024 election, shamelessly declaring he’d only do so “if everything’s honest.” Translation: He’ll only treat the outcome as valid if he wins. Infuriatingly, Trump has crucial backing for this project: Fox News and other MAGA propaganda outlets are already laying the groundwork to treat the outcome as illegitimate, should he lose. We talked to Matt Gertz of Media Matters, author of a new piece detailing how these right wing media figures are “warning” that Democrats intend to steal the election, and why that could produce another Jan. 6th or worse. Listen to this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is certainly no shortage of news to make us stressed, anxious, and depressed. Thankfully Rosa Brooks joins David Rothkopf for an episode that is sure to make us all feel better, right? Rosa and David break down the ever-looming threat posed by Trump, the current status of Ukraine, the Israel-Gaza conundrum, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Wednesday edition of the DSR daily, we cover the key takeaways from Tuesday’s primaries, the advancement of $1 billion in arms for Israel, new tariffs on Chinese goods, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday, when Michael Cohen testified against Donald Trump, the former president’s lawyers reminded jurors that Cohen was once slavishly devoted to Trump and used to lie relentlessly on his behalf—before Cohen turned on him. Cohen responded by admitting it: Yes, he was once a member of the Trump “cult.” Which is apt: Again and again, Trump’s own lawyers have seemingly designed their strategy around flattering Trump as much as serving his legal needs. We talked to Ankush Khardori, a former federal prosecutor and senior writer for Politico Magazine, who explained how Trump’s lawyers are making serious mistakes that are rooted in his demand for absolute devotion.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices