The concept of an American "deep state," referring to an entrenched, unelected, and unaccountable elite class, finds its origins in James Burnham's Managerial Elite Theory and Dwight D. Eisenhower's cautionary remarks about an expanding "Military-Industrial Complex."
This comprehensive introduction examines various dimensions of the deep state, encompassing historical narratives to present-day occurrences. It explores the decline in journalistic ethics, the expansion of the Executive Branch, instances of overreach by the FBI and DOJ, the influence of a corrupt foreign policy establishment, and more.
In this Feature, you’ll read, watch, and listen to a selection of curated policy briefs, videos, articles, books, podcasts, and more. Read more Features here.
AN INTRODUCTION
Article | A Guide to Understanding the Hoax of the Century | Tablet Magazine
- Jacob Seigel at Tablet breaks down the Deep State’s deployment of “disinformation” as a tool to manipulate and control the masses. Split into thirteen parts, the piece connects the dots between the 2014 Euromaidan Revolution in Ukraine to ‘Russiagate’ to COVID-19, and the militarization of the bio-medical security state to censor and surveil citizens.
- Key excerpts:
- “Since 2016, the federal government has spent billions of dollars on turning the counter-disinformation complex into one of the most powerful forces in the modern world: a sprawling leviathan with tentacles reaching into both the public and private sector, which the government uses to direct a “whole of society” effort that aims to seize total control over the internet and achieve nothing less than the eradication of human error.”
- CIA officers at Langley came to share a cause with hip young journalists in Brooklyn, progressive nonprofits in D.C., George Soros-funded think tanks in Prague, racial equity consultants, private equity consultants, tech company staffers in Silicon Valley, Ivy League researchers, and failed British royals. Never Trump Republicans joined forces with the Democratic National Committee, which declared online disinformation ‘a whole-of-society problem that requires a whole-of-society response.'”
- “The crime is the information war itself, which was launched under false pretenses and by its nature destroys the essential boundaries between the public and private and between the foreign and domestic, on which peace and democracy depend. By conflating the anti-establishment politics of domestic populists with acts of war by foreign enemies, it justified turning weapons of war against American citizens. It turned the public arenas where social and political life takes place into surveillance traps and targets for mass psychological operations. The crime is the routine violation of Americans’ rights by unelected officials who secretly control what individuals can think and say.”
- “In a technical or structural sense, the censorship regime’s aim is not to censor or to oppress, but to rule. That’s why the authorities can never be labeled as guilty of disinformation. Not when they lied about Hunter Biden’s laptops, not when they claimed that the lab leak was a racist conspiracy, not when they said that vaccines stopped transmission of the novel coronavirus. Disinformation, now and for all time, is whatever they say it is. That is not a sign that the concept is being misused or corrupted; it is the precise functioning of a totalitarian system.”
Article | One Way Government | IM-1776
- Any future leader on the Right serious about fixing our problems must start by aiming to dismantle the administrative state, clear out the entrenched bureaucracy and return power back to an executive who can actually govern the country, writes Auron MacIntyre in IM-1776.
Article | The American Security State Comes Home | UnHerd
- After 21 years, it appears we have gone full circle: the War on Terror’s “you are either with us or against us” mentality has come home, writes Arta Moeini and David Carment.
Video | Greenwald: Democrats Have Become Increasingly Authoritarian | System Update
- Glenn Greenwald breaks down a mountain of evidence showing that Democrats are much more likely to favor online censorship and cancel culture to achieve their political ends.
Video | Tulsi Gabbard: Government Agencies ‘Are Weaponized Against Us’ | Forbes
- At a House Weaponization of the Federal Government Committee hearing, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard claimed that agencies are being weaponized against those who hold controversial opinions.
Book | The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy | Christopher Lasch
- In a fantastically prescient book, Christopher Lasch’s 1995 thesis on the threats posed by America’s professional and managerial class rings true today, as does his appeal that we return to the virtues of community, responsibility, and religion. Perfect as a primer to the broader interests of the American elite, rather than the deep state more specifically.
Trump and Nixon: Deep State Coups Against American Presidents
Article | Regime Change, American Style: The Real Story of Watergate | First Things
- Nixon’s enemies indulged in a retrospective moralization of Watergate, obfuscating the reality of the matter, says Christopher Caldwell. “There is not really any such thing as ‘investigative journalism.’ … It does not begin with a journalist hunting down a source. It begins with a disgruntled member of the power structure, eager to unload on his bureaucratic rivals.” A good introduction to this topic.
Book | The Nixon Conspiracy: Watergate and the Plot to Remove the President | By Geoff Shepard
- Shepard, a former White House aide to President Richard Nixon, argues that Watergate was not just a case of a few rogue individuals, but rather a deliberate plot orchestrated by powerful forces within the government and the media to remove Nixon from office. By examining previously undisclosed evidence and shedding light on the actions of key players involved, Shepard presents a compelling case that challenges the conventional narrative of Watergate.
Book | The Plot Against The President | By Lee Smith
- Lee Smith meticulously examines the events surrounding the Russia investigation hoax and the impeachment proceedings, presenting evidence and interviews with key figures to argue that there was a coordinated effort to delegitimize and overthrow the Trump president.
Documentary | The Plot Against The President | AMDC Films
- Filmmaker Amanda Milius deconstructs the Russia hoax and the military industrial complex in this compelling documentary based on the book of the same name.
Article Series | The Press Versus The President | Columbia Journalism Review
- Jeff Gerth, a former Pultizer Prize-winning journalist at The New York Times, masterfully breaks down the Russiagate hoax, and the media’s complicity in parroting Deep State narratives, in this four-part series in the Columbia Journalism Review. Worth the read.
Podcast | Trump vs. The National Security State with William Wolfe | American Moment
- We sit down with William Wolfe, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and current visiting fellow at the Center for Renewing America, to discuss massive liberal bias within America’s national security establishment, how conservatives can turn the tide with better personnel management, and more.
The “Intelligence” Community
Article | The CIA: Bumbling Intelligence | First Things
- “The CIA’s task is to lead a frenzied clamor of alarm about “disinformation,” fake news, election interference, and other low-risk but high-visibility hazards that make the digital into the mother of lies,” writes Martin Gurri in First Things.
Video | Rep. Dan Bishop on Holding The FBI Accountable | American Moment
- On our Moment of Truth podcast, Rep. Dan Bishop breaks down a plan to hold the FBI accountable to Congress and the American people.
Book | Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA | By Tim Weiner
- “Legacy of Ashes” is a comprehensive critique of the CIA from its founding to the early 2000s. Weiner argues that the agency has been plagued by failures and internal conflicts, harming national security. The book covers CIA operations during the Cold War, involvement in Iran and Guatemala, the Bay of Pigs, Vietnam War, and the post-9/11 response. Weiner also highlights morally questionable actions like assassinations, surveillance, and support for oppressive regimes.
- This book is essential reading for those interested in understanding the concept of the American Deep State. Talbot explores Allen Dulles’s career and his pivotal role in shaping the intelligence community and U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War era. By examining Dulles’s connections to powerful figures in politics, business, and the military-industrial complex, the book sheds light on the interplay between intelligence agencies, corporate interests, and political power in the United States. It offers valuable insights into the covert operations, secret alliances, and behind-the-scenes machinations that have influenced American governance.
The National Security State
Video | President Eisenhower’s Warning Against The Military-Industrial Complex | American Moment
- President Eisenhower’s dire last-minute warning against what he called ‘The Military-Industrial Complex’ still resonates today after decades of foreign adventurism and military budget bloating that has left unelected bureaucrats and career government officials with outsized power.
Video | The Foreign Policy “Blob,” Explained | American Moment
- John Allen Gay, Executive Director of the John Quincy Adams Society, explains what the so-called foreign policy “blob” is and how a consensus of foreign adventurism and “engagement” puts American interests in danger.
- Rachel Bovard, Dan Caldwell, Adam Korzeniewski, and Russ Vought weigh in on how Congress, the Military, and Executive Bureaucracy fail our foreign policy in the wake of the Ukraine invasion.
Video | The Origins of America’s Defense Industrial Base | American Moment
- On Moment of Truth, expert Joshua Steinman explains the origins of Silicon Valley and the defense industrial base of WWII, with research and production initiatives focused on weapons systems, computing, and the nuclear program.
Article | A Grand Strategy of Restraint Needs a ‘Counter Elite’ | The National Interest
- The American foreign policy establishment prefers meddling around the globe because it can afford to without cost or political price. What is needed is a new foreign policy establishment elite based on the principles of realism and restraint, says Sumantra Maitra in The National Interest.
Book | Covert Regime Change: America’s Secret Cold War | By Lindsey A. O’Rourke
- This book provides a comprehensive examination of American involvement in covert operations and regime change efforts during the Cold War era. O’Rourke delves into the secretive and often controversial tactics employed by the United States in its attempts to influence political outcomes in other countries. The book analyzes various case studies, shedding light on the motivations, strategies, and consequences of these covert operations. By studying these historical events, readers gain insights into the complex web of intelligence agencies, military operations, and political agendas that still shape American foreign policy today.
Book | The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War | By Craig Whitlock
- Whitlock draws upon extensive research and interviews to unveil the hidden truths and failures of America’s two-decades long war in Afghanistan. The book sheds light on the flawed decision-making processes, the mismanagement of resources, and the lack of transparency surrounding the war effort. It exposes the disconnect between public statements and private assessments made by government officials and military leaders.
The Bio-Medical Security State
- Medical expert Dr. Aaron Kheriaty delves deep into the heart of the American bioethics community and exposes a web of corruption and scandal that has unfolded amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. The field of “bioethics” has been compromised, driven by money and the agenda of the establishment. We explore the erosion of principles such as informed consent and the alarming manipulation of “medical countermeasures” during the pandemic.
Video | Dr. Aaron Kheriaty: The Pandemic’s Militarized Response | American Moment
- Dr. Aaron Kheriaty reveals the unsettling truth that the Department of Health and Human Services was answering to none other than the Department of Defense during the pandemic, blurring the lines between healthcare and military interests. Witness firsthand how the bio-medical sphere has become disturbingly militarized that will leave you questioning the state of our medical system.
- Dr. Scott Atlas, a former advisor to President Donald Trump, provides an insider account of his efforts to shape the pandemic response while facing resistance from within the government. The book delves into the dynamics of bureaucratic obstacles, politicized decision-making, and the influence of entrenched interests that may have hindered effective policymaking.
Book | The New Abnormal: The Rise of the Biomedical Security State | Dr. Aaron Kheriaty
- Dr. Aaron Kheriaty offers valuable insights into the intersection of the American Deep State and the field of biomedical security. It examines the growing influence and power of governmental and non-governmental entities in shaping healthcare policies and practices, particularly in response to public health crises. Dr. Kheriaty explores the expansion of surveillance, data collection, and control measures under the guise of public health and security.
Podcast | From Medics to Merchants of Death with Dr. Aaron Kheriaty | American Moment
- Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, author of “The New Abnormal: The Rise of the Biomedical Security State,” to discuss the origins of the Covid-19 virus, the efficacy of the vaccines, and the troubling ethics of vaccine mandates, gender dysphoria, transgenderism, and euthanasia.
Surveillance and Censorship
Video | Political “Misinformation” Censorship Leads Back To Ukraine’s 2014 Crisis | American Moment
- Mike Benz, Executive Director of the Foundation for Freedom Online, discusses the curious parallels between the 2014 Ukrainian Color Revolution and the rise of Big Tech and government-backed campaigns to censor “misinformation” and political dissidents in the United States and abroad.
Video | Tucker: People are Mad at Assange Instead of Obama | Tucker Carlson Tonight
- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange arrested in London, but is hacking his actual crime?
Video | The Government-Funded NGOs That Deplatform Political Dissidents | American Moment
- Mike Benz, Executive Director of the Foundation for Freedom Online, exposes the organizations and NGOs working to platform conservatives and censor political dissidents, and where they get their money (hint: it’s from you.)
- Julie Kelly’s book provides a critical examination of the events surrounding the January 6th Capitol protest and its aftermath. It explores how the event was utilized by Democrats to further their political agenda, arguing that it has been used as a pretext to launch a “war on terror” against conservative and right-leaning individuals. By analyzing the events, narratives, and policies that followed January 6th, the book offers insights into the potential abuse of power and manipulation within the Deep State apparatus.
What’s Next? How To Fight Back
Video | Can The Deep State Be Held Accountable? | American Moment
- Did you know that the Federal Government has 2.2 million permanent workers? Paul Dans, Director of Project 2025 at The Heritage Foundation, joins our new podcast to talk about how to fix the federal government for good. Go behind the scenes on the mission to fill the bureaucracy with patriots who love our country and can shrink the size of corrupt agencies.
Article | A New Golden Age of Governance | Palladium Magazine
- “We are not anywhere near a fully developed society—we are mostly not even developing,” writes Wolf Tivy of Palladium Magazine — presenting a post-liberal path forward that includes industrial innovation, environmentalism, and economic growth.
Video | Rachel Bovard: What’s Next for the American Right? | National Conservatism
- This speech was delivered by Rachel Bovard at the 2021 National Conservatism Conference in Florida. “It is a sin what America’s globalist elite has done to low-income Americans for the last three generations. National conservatism is about revitalizing families and communities,” she says.
- “The sort of voters who voted for Bernie and Trump in 2016 like restrained foreign policy. It’s popular, and it’s also popular to run against the blob…There is no issue for which there is a greater gap between what the people want and what the managers demand. The managers say they want democracy, so let’s give it to them,” writes Arthur Bloom at The American Conservative.
Article | Getting Serious About Responsible Defense Spending | Dr. Kevin Roberts
- “Congress needs to take a Moneyball approach to our national defense,” writes Dr. Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation.
Video | Paul Dans: How To Staff The Federal Government | American Moment
- The Federal Government has “2.2 million workers…the political appointee strand of that is 4,000.” This video introduces the Heritage Foundation’s plan to create America First civil servants as part of Project 2025.
