Revisiting the Concept of Deep States
This month, I talked about how deep states are at a point where they can’t really be ignored anymore, thanks in part to National Intelligence Director Tarshi Gabbard. We’ve taken a closer look at how these deep states are structured, particularly in light of two significant document releases: Gabbard’s ODNI Report and Durham Annex from Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).
These documents reveal the interconnectedness of intelligence agencies, media platforms, think tanks, and NGOs, typically functioning as arms of government.
The Deep State is essentially backed by wealthy donors sheltered by bureaucrats, sustained by operatives who operate in both public offices and private sectors, often without any real accountability. Yet, this organization is just a piece of a much larger puzzle. The influence of money and people drives the dynamics of this system. A follow-up to earlier research tracks the key players and financial networks behind significant manipulations by deep states, including the debunked Trump-Russia conspiracy narrative.
Key Figures and Their Roles
At the helm, we find John Brennan, former CIA director under President Obama, who was instrumental in the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment. James Clapper, then director of National Intelligence, also signed off on this assessment. Interestingly, he later joined 50 other officials prior to the 2020 election, claiming that the Hunter Biden laptop incident had “all classical purpose of Russian information operations,” which seems a bit too timely to be coincidental.
James Comey, the FBI director at that time, led the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. According to the Durham Annex, he let the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server falter, especially after plans arose to link President Trump with Russia through what were termed “sensitive intelligence” operations.
This scheme originated from Hillary Clinton’s camp, further promoted by President Obama. Her campaign even hired a law firm to create a fusion GPS, which has since been disbanded.
Many individuals connected to Clinton’s campaign have remained influential. Jake Sullivan, now President Biden’s national security adviser, was a foreign policy aide for Clinton in 2016. His longstanding presence in successive Democratic administrations suggests a troubling consistency.
Then there’s Andrew McCabe, former deputy director of the FBI, who endorsed using a FISA warrant based on unverified information. His links to discussions like the “insurance policy” referenced in a 2016 text between FBI officials demonstrate the political biases of the Bureau during the election cycle.
The roster of political enablers extends further, but the picture is becoming clearer. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), a former California representative and chair of the House Intelligence Committee, actively pushed the collusion narrative while also handling conflicting intelligence data.
Meanwhile, Representatives such as Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) perpetuated the same storyline despite being privy to sensitive intelligence reports. Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) even exchanged encrypted messages with Russian lobbyists regarding Christopher Steele.
These figures weren’t just passively receiving flawed intelligence; they were very much part of amplifying it.
Financial Backing of the Deep State
None of this could function without financial support. Much of the funding is indirect, often funneled through private foundations, quasi-governmental agencies, and various federal bodies.
Take for instance George Soros’s Open Society, which surfaced in the Durham Annex. Some documents linked to Open Society Foundations were even intercepted by foreign intelligence, revealing their coordination with NGOs aligned with Clinton’s campaign.
This system seems less about transparency and more about control.
Soros was a significant financier behind the American Fund of Action Center, which worked to promote the Russian collusion narrative during Trump’s presidency. The Tides Foundation and Arabella Advisors are also known for channeling “dark money,” obscuring the origins and destinations of political donations. Notably, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation invested a staggering $127 million through Arabella’s network in just 2020.
The MacArthur and Rockefeller Foundations have also funded various think tanks mentioned in the Durham Annex, including the Council on Foreign Relations.
Government Funding Initiatives
On top of private funding, there are government-sponsored initiatives often framed as being for “democracy” or anti-disinformation efforts.
For instance, USAID allocated $270 million to organizations connected to Soros for overseas programs that ostensibly promote democracy.
The State Department supports the National Endowment for Democracy, a quasi-governmental entity that operates with an annual budget nearing $315 million, linked to narrative engineering projects.
Even the Department of Homeland Security has engaged entities involved in censoring information online, targeting American citizens.
Global and Domestic Implications
The revelations paint a picture showing that deep states are not just a theory. They have a documented framework—funded by affluent donors, buffered by bureaucrats, and perpetuated by operatives straddling the line between public roles and private interests, often without checks or balances.
This framework appears crafted for control rather than clarity. It undermines democratic processes by shaping narratives, silencing opposition, and leveraging institutions for personal agendas.
With resources like the Durham Annex and the ODNI Report, the intricate web of networks and players—including their identities and funding channels—are laid bare. The pressing challenge now is to dismantle these structures before they evolve into something more entrenched.
