In Improv (and Nuclear Negotiations), the Secret is to Always Say "Yes"

With President Trump’s crackdown intensifying in Washington, D.C., he lashed out angrily at the media for describing him as a “dictator.” In this same rant, he did not reassure D.C. residents and exaggerated wildly about crime there, suggesting people should thank him for his efforts. As observers noted, Trump clearly meant people should mute criticism of his militarization of cities simply because he claims they’re needed to reassert control. We talked to legal commentator Joyce Vance, who writes well about this on her Civil Discourse Substack and is author of the new book Giving Up Is Unforgiveable. She explains how Trump’s use of manufactured pretexts is worsening on many fronts, why this itself is an alarming threat to self rule, and how the opposition should respond, noting it’s imperative for disengaged voters to “wake up.” This episode was recorded before Trump and D.C. reached an agreement limiting his control over the D.C. police, but the specifics remain unresolved, his use of the National Guard continues, and his broader threat to other cities has darkened.  Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

18 Elo 20min

On the DSR Weekly Wrap-Up for August 15, we discuss the HHS reviving a vaccine skeptical task force, Gavin Newsom’s controversial plan to redraw congressional maps, the appointment of DEA head Terry Cole as DC’s emergency police commissioner, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

17 Elo 18min

The Trump administration is trying to rewrite history, again, on the 2106 elections. After numerous investigations into election interference, the political narratives have completely distorted reality. Renee DiResta joins David Rothkopf to cut through the bullshit and give an honest appraisal of 2016 and why an election from over 8 years ago is still so important.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

15 Elo 37min

Original air date: July 25, 2025 A new Gallup poll finds that President Trump’s approval has dropped to 37 percent. But the White House has figured out how to get those numbers back up: by picking a huge fight with The View. This week, Joy Behar unleashed a striking takedown of Trump, mocking him mercilessly for being jealous of Barack Obama. This enraged the White House, which responded with name-calling and a veiled threat. Which got us thinking: Doesn’t the logic of the situation dictate that Trump’s authoritarian threats will of necessity escalate? We talked about all this with Salon’s Amanda Marcotte, a good decoder of MAGA’s cultural hatreds. We discuss why Behar’s broadside was so perfectly aimed at Trump’s soft underbelly, why Trump’s only way forward may be more arrests, and how this whole saga shows that Trump thought the culture was moving his way—but it’s not, driving him into a fury. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

15 Elo 23min

As if Trump’s authoritarian transgressions weren’t already blatant, the President has now deployed National Guard troops to “protect” our nation’s capital - but we know these actions are politically motivated. Why haven’t media pundits treated this actions as existential threats to our democracy? Why is a Subway sandwich-wielding protestor treated more harshly than January 6th protestors? And what is going on with Laura Loomer and Arby’s? Tune in to this week’s edition of Words Matter as David Rothkopf and Norm Ornstein tackle 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

14 Elo 31min

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we break down Israel’s new settlement plans, Trump’s intentions to extend federal control over DC, a ruling allowing the administration to continue withholding foreign aid, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

14 Elo 17min

Original air date: July 23, 2025 In the last few days, we seem to have crossed a threshold. President Trump is ratcheting up the authoritarianism and threatening to prosecute his enemies in a new kind of way. In a series of angry new rants, Trump accused Barack Obama and other members of Obama’s administration of serious crimes. He’s also calling for Senator Adam Schiff to be put in “prison.” Critically, all this has been accompanied by unabashedly corrupt manipulation of the bureaucracy that’s designed to manufacture pretexts for the prosecutions of those enemies. Ryan Enos, a professor of government at Harvard, put it very starkly on Bluesky, saying that authoritarianism is “right here in front of us.” So we invited Enos on the show. He explains why “we’re in real trouble in the short term,” how Trump compares to other authoritarians around the globe, and why our only choices now are to fight the takeover or “accept that this is our future.” Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

14 Elo 29min

President Trump and President Putin’s Alaska summit is on the horizon and we couldn’t be less excited. Without a spot for Ukraine at the table and a 1-on-1 meeting between the two presidents on the docket, there’s not really much to be hopeful for. Amb. Ivo Daalder, Professor Rosa Brooks, and Professor Angela Stent join David Rothkopf to forecast the storm clouds ahead for the meeting and why we shouldn’t count on a blockbuster peace deal any time soon.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

13 Elo 40min