The 'deep state' used to be American joke - but not under Trump
For believers the phrase represents a mysterious faction of opposition bureaucrats buried deep in the US government.
Monday 28 January 2019 17:24, UK
The so-called "deep state" was once the preserve of Hollywood and conspiracy theorists. Now it is a regular refrain from the president of the United States.
Where conspiracy theorists would talk of a mysterious faction of opposition bureaucrats buried deep in the US government, now many Trump supporters really believe there is a shadowy movement intent on bringing down their man.
Robert Mueller's investigation into possible collusion with Russia is seen as evidence of the deep state at work. As the Russia plot thickens, the deep state has gone mainstream.
Fox News anchors are telling viewers they have proof that the deep state is real - and it's trying to destroy the man that many of its viewers voted for. It's a theory often touted by the president himself.
At a rally last September, Mr Trump told the crowd that "unelected deep state operatives who defy the voters to push their own secret agendas are truly a threat to democracy itself".
His base already believe that Obama supporters, still entrenched in government, are busy opposing every move the president makes.
Corey Lewandowski is Donald Trump's former campaign manager. He says: "It is those individuals who are unelected bureaucrats who are serving in government agencies - they are really the ones who are running the government day to day."
He says the repeated leaks from within the administration are evidence of the deep state at work.
"[Trump] had a phone conversation with Theresa May - that phone conversation transpired on Air Force One," he said, adding: "I believe Air Force One has a secure line of communication particularly when you're having a conversation with a world leader. No less then 30 minutes after hanging up that phone call, the media was reporting on the conversation that transpired. That should be an issue of national security."
That specific leak accused Mr Trump of berating Mrs May. I put it to him that leaks could be borne out of concerns over the often erratic behaviour of the US president, but he maintains the leaking of classified information is punishable "by putting people in prison".
The deep state argument is often used when criticism is levelled at Mr Trump. On the left, it's viewed as a convenient tool for deflection.
Right-wing media and its consumers have already made their minds up about Mr Mueller's special counsel investigation.
They think its seeds were sown in the deep state - therefore its findings will inevitably be viewed with scepticism, which is good news for Mr Trump. He has worked hard to define the investigation as a "hoax" and "witch hunt".
Former intelligence chiefs are often seen as the architects of the deep state.
General Michael Hayden was director of the CIA. He says the often necessary countering of a "norm busting" president should not be seen as the deep state at work.
"It appeals to grievance to loyalty - it doesn't appeal to data. The way [Trump] tries to get support for a position - he tries to undercut the validity of those who disagree with him. The way he attacks that argument is to delegitimise - to label it the deep state."
General Hayden says opposition to policies like the Muslim travel ban was valid from a security perspective - and cannot be seen as something driven by any deep state.
"The ban was a bad idea - it made us less safe. If you want to call pushing back against that evidence of the deep state, then go ahead. But I come back to my view - career professionals governed by the rule of law - trying to do the right thing for the country.
"The most destabilising force in the world today is the United States of America - we appear to be erratic and we appear to be moving back away from the key tenets of our foreign and security policy."
Mr Trump has worked hard to delegitimise the Russia investigation that could come to define his presidency. If unfavourable, he'll likely do the same with Mr Mueller's findings.
But blaming the deep state will only get him so far.