THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent

In this episode, Zack Beauchamp, a Vox journalist and expert on right-wing populism, delves into a shocking scandal involving President Trump and a leaked military discussion. He discusses Trump’s frustration over his team's blunders and critiques Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's weak defense of the situation. Beauchamp also explores the underlying issues of loyalty over competence in Trump’s governance, highlighting how this prioritization threatens democratic values and exacerbates schisms within the MAGA movement.

Rosa Brooks, a former senior policy advisor at the Pentagon, discusses the alarming breach of national security involving President Trump's officials allowing a journalist access to sensitive military chats. She reveals the chaos in the government response, particularly highlighting Tulsi Gabbard’s disastrous performance during Senate hearings. Brooks emphasizes the pressing need for accountability amidst the dire implications of unsecured communication methods and the long-lasting impact on U.S. credibility with allies.

In this discussion, veteran national security lawyer Bradley Moss provides insights into a serious breach involving President Trump’s officials discussing war plans on an unsecured platform. Moss unpacks the legal implications of this scandal, emphasizing potential violations of classified communication protocols. The conversation highlights Trump's evasive response and failure to address the gravity of the situation. The episode explores the dangerous consequences of political gaslighting and the need for responsible governance in turbulent times.

Michael Tomasky, Editor of The New Republic, provides sharp insights into Trump's alarming tactics, including his alleged ransom agreement with the Paul Weiss law firm. He argues that Trump’s public extortion threatens democratic norms and fuels constitutional crises. Tomasky emphasizes the rising Democratic frustration and suggests strategies for mobilizing voter outrage. The discussion also delves into the historical context of presidential powers and the need for courageous judicial integrity amid escalating political pressures.

Liz Dye, a legal writer and commentator, dives into the mounting chaos surrounding Trump's attempts to bypass judicial rulings on deportations under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. She reveals how Trump's fury at a federal judge has alarmed Republicans, who fear the repercussions of his escalating demands. The discussion uncovers shocking legal violations by the Trump administration and raises urgent questions about the limits of executive power. Dye argues that this confrontation could signal a terrifying path for governance and constitutional adherence.

It’s growing harder to shrug off President Trump’s deranged threats toward Canada. In a new Fox News interview, Trump snarled angrily that Canada is “meant” to be a 51st state, explicitly speaking the language of imperialism. Meanwhile, Trump is adopting a very credulous line toward Vladimir Putin in the Russia-Ukraine peace talks. This comes as a surprising new poll shows that American opinion is shifting against a soft line on Russia, even as other polling shows public rejection of Trump’s anti-Canada stance. We talked to The Bulwark’s William Saletan, who has a good piece arguing that Trump’s views of Canada and Ukraine are connected. He explains how Trump is now adopting the same view of Canada that Putin has of Ukraine, and argues that the public may be turning against Trump on both fronts.Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fox News’s Maria Bartiromo has suddenly emerged as a leading voice sounding loud alarms about President Trump’s tariffs and the devastating impact they could have on the economy—even though she works for a MAGA propaganda network. On Tuesday, Bartiromo lost patience with a Trump official, and walked through all the reasons why business leaders are unhappy with Trump’s tariff threats. Other Fox personalities have followed suit. Meanwhile, a new NBC poll finds terrible numbers for Trump on the economy. Yet he’s forging ahead with his tariffs and rarely bothers talking about the economy anymore. We talked to Media Matters’ Matt Gertz, a close observer of Fox coverage, about the deeper reasons for Fox’s discontent—and why it’s all a sign that Trump’s project is more fragile than you might think. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump’s lawlessness is escalating. First he angrily tweeted that his predecessor’s pardons of January 6 committee members are invalid, while threatening to prosecute them. Meanwhile, the Trump administration appears to have violated a court order in deporting some Venezuelans. And his border czar flatly declared that the administration is set to ignore what judges say. At Monday’s briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt spun madly about all this, but her lack of clarity strongly hinted that Trump is on the precipice of a new level of lawbreaking. We talked to legal scholar Matthew Seligman, a skilled decoder of complicated legal messes. He explains why Trump’s latest moves are “chilling”—and why Leavitt’s ambiguity is only cause to anticipate more lawlessness, not less. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump’s anger at Canada has darkened: He’s kept up the menacing threats even after it’s become clear Canadians take them seriously. Indeed, Canada’s foreign minister just openly declared that Canadians are “anxious.” Meanwhile, even some Republicans are growing unnerved. Some tell NBC News he appears deadly serious—and that they’re flummoxed by his failure to explain what he really wants from our ally. We keep hearing Americans don’t care about such things. But what if that’s wrong? We talked to Brian Beutler, author of the Off Message Substack. He explains how this standoff is an area where Democrats can graphically demonstrate how degenerate Trump and his GOP have truly become.Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elon Musk is suddenly facing lots of bad news. A judge just ordered the Trump administration to reinstate thousands of federal workers in their jobs, a big blow to Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency. Meanwhile, two new polls show approval of Musk cratering—and importantly, that large majorities are turning against Musk’s mission of gutting the government. What if the mobilization against Musk and Tesla is working? We talked to writer Paul Waldman, who has a good new piece on his Substack arguing that the campaign against Tesla is good for America. He explains why the backlash against Musk is revealing some heartening things about public opinion—and why that portends stiffening resistance to the Trump-Musk project.Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices