Deep State Rebels v. Trump (with Michael Lewis)
Summary
John Lovett interviews Michael Lewis about his book *Blockers*, which chronicles the Trump administration’s aggressive attempts to seize control of federal agencies like the US Institute of Peace and NIST. Lewis highlights stories of civil servants who resisted these power grabs, such as a security chief who physically barricaded DOGE operatives and a fire scientist whose research was stifled by bureaucratic incompetence. The discussion contrasts the first term’s indifference with the second term’s active dismantling of institutional norms, arguing that the administration’s actions have ero…
Topics discussed
Sponsorship and Halloween intro
Welcome and introduction to Michael Lewis
The Institute of Peace standoff and Colin O'Brien
Shift from indifference to active government control
DOGE's strategy and the 'deep state' narrative
Sponsor: Wild Alaskan Company
Sponsor: Blinds.com
NIST and the science of wildfire defense
Bureaucratic obstruction and Alex Marangitis
The value of civil service expertise and trust
DOGE's true motives: power grab vs. deficit
Sponsor: Trees.com
Sponsor: Built
Erosion of public trust and IRS data privacy
Chesterton's Fence and the danger of removing rules
FDA safety and the role of government research
Personnel management and the civil service tension
Sponsor: Walmart
Sponsor: Clinique
Operational chaos and the need for competent leadership
Rebuilding government and the narrative of democracy
Book release and Crooked Con promotion
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