The DSR Network
The DSR Network
The official home of Deep State Radio, Need to Know, Words Matter, The DSR Daily, The Daily Blast, Siliconsciousness, and more. If you are enjoying this podcast, please consider becoming a member by visiting thedsrnetwork.com.
Recent Episodes
20 episodesWords Matter: The Man Who Collects Raccoon Private Parts is Not the Biggest Loon in Trumpworld
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
DSR Daily April 16: RFK Jr. Just Gets Weirder and Weirder
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
The Daily Blast: Trump War on Pope Takes Darker Turn as Mental Decline Alarms Ex-Allies
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
After the Iran War, After Orbán, Could There Be Hope?
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
DSR Daily April 15: Iran Blockade Underway as Peace Remains Out of Reach
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
The Daily Blast: Trump Spirals into Fury at Bad War News as Polls Hit Shocking New Low
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
DSR Daily April 14: Trump’s Papal Feud Reaches New Lows
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
The Daily Blast: Trump Erupts in Rage as Pope’s Harsh New Rebuke Lands Surprise Blow
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
NTK: The Real Reason America Is In Such Danger Right Now…and the Solution
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
DSR Daily April 13: Trump’s Blockade of Iran Begins Today
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
The Daily Blast: Donald Trump’s America Is Deeply Unwell, and It’s Time to Say So
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
DSR Weekly Wrap-up: Melania Trump’s Bizarre Epstein Statement
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
Siliconsciousness: The Power of Applied AI Optimism
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
The Daily Blast: Trump Rages as Marjorie Taylor Greene Wrecks Him on CNN in Direct Hit
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
Words Matter: A Confederacy of Nutlicks
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
DSR Daily April 9: Ceasefire with Iran Already in Serious Jeopardy
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 Daily Blast: Trump Press Sec Seethes at Media as MAGA Trashes His Iran Deal Fiasco
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
Understanding Trump’s Iran Leadership Failures
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
DSR Daily April 8: We Have a Ceasefire! (Some Restrictions May Apply)
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
The Daily Blast: Finally, Trump’s Ex-Allies Call for 25th Amendment: “He’s Gone Insane”
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