Deep state in the United States

According to an American political conspiracy theory, the deep state is a clandestine network of members of the federal government (especially within the FBI and CIA), working in conjunction with high-level financial and industrial entities and leaders, to exercise power alongside or within the elected United States government.[1]

The term deep state originated in the 1990s as a reference to an alleged longtime deep state in Turkey, but began to be used to refer to the American government as well, including during the Obama administration.[2] However, the theory reached mainstream recognition under the presidency of Donald Trump, who referenced an alleged "deep state" working against him and his administration's agenda.[3][4]

The term has precedents since at least the 1950s,[5] including the concept of the military–industrial complex, which posits a cabal of generals and defense contractors who enrich themselves through pushing the country into endless wars.[6]

Opinion polling done in 2017 and 2018 suggests that approximately half of all Americans believe in the existence of a deep state in the United States.[7][8]

  1. ^ Osnos, Evan (May 21, 2018). "Trump vs. the 'Deep State'". The New Yorker. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  2. ^ Fallows, James (July 15, 2013). "The Impending Senate Vote on Confirming Nominees". The Atlantic Monthly. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  3. ^ Barnes, Julian E.; Goldman, Adam; and Savage, Charlie (December 18, 2018) "Blaming the Deep State: Officials Accused of Wrongdoing Adopt Trump's Response" The New York Times
  4. ^ Ruper, Aaron (June 17, 2019) "Trump accidentally undercuts his own 'deep state' FBI conspiracy theory" Vox
  5. ^ "How the 'deep state' conspiracy theory went mainstream". Newsweek. August 2, 2017. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  6. ^ David Rohde (April 21, 2020). IN DEEP: THE FBI, THE CIA, AND THE TRUTH ABOUT AMERICA'S "DEEP STATE. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-1-324-00355-7.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference ABC_47032061 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference CNNPoll was invoked but never defined (see the help page).