The DSR Network

The DSR Network

This podcast will take you on a smart, direct, sometimes scary, sometimes profane, sometimes hilarious tour of the inner workings of American power and of the impact of our leaders and their policies on our standing in the world. Hosted by noted author and commentator David Rothkopf and featuring regulars Rosa Brooks of Georgetown Law School, Kori Schake of AEI, and Ed Luce of the Financial Times, the program will be the lively, smart dinner table conversation on the big issues of the day that you wish you were having...without the calories. Sometimes special guests will join the conversation and always the emphasis will be on providing the unvarnished perspectives others shy away from. Deep State Radio is the insider perspective on American national security and foreign policy that you can't find anywhere else. If you are enjoying this podcast, please consider becoming a member by visiting thedsrnetwork.com.

Episodes

December 31, 2025 47 mins
Original Air Date 4/2/25 It’s Liberation Day in America according to the administration, but what exactly are we being liberated from? The police state is growing, democratic institutions are being eroded, and we’re about to enter a destructive era of tariffs. What’s not to love? Rosa Brooks and Ed Luce join David Rothkopf to break down the latest.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Original air date: October 14, 2025 President Trump’s allies are suddenly raging over the October 18th “No Kings” protests. MAGA Mike Johnson and ⁠MAGA-fied⁠ Representative Steve Scalise are ⁠angrily sliming expected attendees⁠ as ⁠America-haters⁠, antifa, Marxists, and terrorists. Other GOP figures have ⁠done the same⁠, with ⁠one hinting⁠ that the National Guard should crack down on them. This unanimity of messaging about terrori...
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Original Air Date: 10/1/25 Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth held a part-pep rally, part-declaration of war on the U.S. Constitution in Quantico on Tuesday. Former Lieutenant Generals Doug Lute and Mark Hertling join David Rothkopf and Ed Luce to discuss Trump’s speech in Quantico, America’s security posture under this administration, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Original air date: September 5, 2025 At a Senate hearing on Thursday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. got massacred by harsh questioning from Democrats and Republicans. They ⁠called out⁠ his anti-vax views and ⁠condemned⁠ his decapitation of our public health system. But Matt Gertz of Media Matters ⁠noticed something funny⁠: Fox News’ coverage bent over backward to portray him as pro-vaccine, as someone wo...
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Original Air Date: 6/9/25 Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to California is not just about immigration and Los Angeles - it is a damning step in his long-lasting effort to to exploit and deploy the U.S. military to act as his own personal police force. Miles Taylor, former DHS Chief of Staff who endured persecution for his criticisms of the Trump administration, joins Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf to discuss the disastr...
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Original air date: November 17, 2025 Anxiety is rising among President Trump’s staunchest allies that he’s politically lost his way. The New York Times ⁠reports⁠ that his advisers fear he’s alienating key voters in his own coalition. And CNN ⁠reports⁠ that some Republicans are openly warning the White  House that the GOP is in trouble in the midterm elections. Meanwhile, Trump just erupted in a ⁠furious new tirade⁠ about the Jeffr...
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Original Air Date: 3/26/25 Signalgate is an intelligence travesty. But the problems extend beyond the masterclass in how not to handle sensitive government secrets. Former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos joins David Rothkopf and Riley Fessler to break down this stunning mistake from our most senior government officials and why the cascading effects will be even worse.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Original air date: November 14, 2025 President Trump is ⁠angrily urging⁠ Republicans not to join Democrats in pushing for release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. But all of a sudden, with the discharge petition set to force a House vote, things are rapidly going in the wrong direction for Trump. In a surprise, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene ⁠now predicts that the number⁠ of Republicans who will vote to release the files will ...
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Original Air Date: 3/5/25 Trump is in a very generous mood, at least if you’re Vladimir Putin. Between the public dragging of President Zelensky culminating in Tuesday night’s address to congress, it’s clear that Trump favors his man in Moscow. Mission Implausible host John Sipher joins Rosa Brooks and David Rothkopf to break down why the US is getting a raw deal.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Original air date: August 28, 2025 This week, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker ⁠delivered an extraordinary takedown⁠ of President Trump over his deployment of the military in U.S. cities. Trump then ⁠exploded⁠ about Pritzker’s impudence, calling the governor names and instructing him to bow down and beg for his “HELP” in fighting crime. Trump has ⁠threatened⁠ ⁠twice⁠ to occupy Chicago no matter what the city’s residents and their e...
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Original Air Date: 3/3/25 What happens when the United States effectively switches sides on the global stage? When allying with Russia upends decades of foreign policy around the world? And what dangers does the Trump-Hegseth administration pose for global nuclear security? Joe Cirincione and Jon Wolfsthal join David Rothkopf for a tough conversation about the future of the established international order and the significant nucle...
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Original air date: July 29, 2025 President Trump just offered some ⁠bizarre new ramblings⁠ about the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. But he undermined himself: He claimed to know about elite Democrats and liberals who had visited Epstein. But that just raises the question that won’t go away: If this is what the Epstein files would reveal, then why isn’t Trump ordering their release? Every time Trump says such things, he wrecks his own Bi...
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Original Air Date: 6/22/25 The moment has finally arrived: America has bombed Iran. As the dust settles, we’re left with more questions than answers about what the attack achieved and what comes next. Thankfully, Jon Wolfsthal, Gen. Mark Hertling, and Steven Cook join David Rothkopf to provide clarity on what this unprecedented moment means.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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December 25, 2025 46 mins
Let’s face the facts: we’re in a period of sheer insanity. Far-right politics is becoming increasingly normalized by our radical administration. Corporations are cozying up to the far-right and consolidating around Trump. Our president is in clear cognitive decline. But we can end the madness. Author of The Left Hook Substack Wajahat Ali joins David Rothkopf to explore the turmoil of this moment and look for the lights at the end o...
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Original Air Date: 2/28/25 There’s no way to sugarcoat it — the Trump/Zelensky meeting was a disaster. The betrayal of Ukraine is confirmed, and the administration is past the point of no return. Doug Lute, Rosa Brooks, and Marc Polymeropoulos join David Rothkopf to break down this train wreck of a meeting and what it means for the future of US foreign policy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Public perception of the US-Israel relationship has swung wildly in recent years. With a growing number of Americans more critical of the Israeli government than ever, it’s high time for Democrats to have an open and honest debate about the future of US policy in the region. Amb. Daniel Shapiro joins David Rothkopf to break down this thorny issue and what difficult choices lie ahead.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...
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It’s been a disastrous year in American politics. Donald Trump is going around naming everything after himself and proclaiming everything is great while the economic realities for millions of Americans continue to sour. Is there anything to be optimistic about as we approach 2026? David Rothkopf and Norm Ornstein take stock of our current situation and look forward to the new year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...
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On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we cover Trump’s announcement of a new fleet of battleships, turmoil at CBS news, a bold new move from Mike Pence, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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From U.S. military operations in Venezuela to the erosion of trust in NATO, the Trump administration’s foreign policy leaves us in a precarious gepolitical position going into 2026. What can we expect from the fallout of these choices heading into the new year? Former Lieutenant Generals David Lute and Mark Hertling join David Rothkopf and Rosa Brooks to take stock of U.S. foreign policy as we close out 2025. Looking for More fro...
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On the DSR Daily for Monday, we discuss the appointment of a special envoy to Greenland, a potential ObamaCare subsidies extension, a combative Turning Point USA convention, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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