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Some notable figures in the United States have for decades expressed concerns about the existence of a "deep state" or state within a state, which they suspect exerts influence and control over public and foreign policy, regardless of which political party controls the country's democratic institutions.
"Deep state" has historically been associated with countries like Turkey, where sophisticated shadow governments allegedly control or influence key aspects of state policy, but the term has gained attention in the United States as the Trump administration has struggled to control its bureaucracy in the face of leaks from the intelligence community.
According to Philip Giraldi, the nexus of power is centered on the military–industrial complex, intelligence community, and Wall Street, while Bill Moyers points to plutocrats and oligarchs. Professor Peter Dale Scott also mentions "big oil" and the media as key players, while David Talbot focuses on national security officials, especially Allen Dulles. Mike Lofgren, an ex-Washington staffer who has written a book on the issue, includes Silicon Valley, along with "key elements of government" and Wall Street, but emphasizes the non-conspiratorial nature of the "state".
Political scientist Michael J. Glennon believes that this trend is the result of policy being made by government bureaucracies instead of by elected officials.
"Deep state" debate during the Trump presidency
Under the Trump administration, the term "deep state" has been used in the media and among some political figures to refer to intelligence officials and executive branch bureaucrats guiding policy through leaking or other internal means, especially after intelligence leaks to The Washington Post and The New York Times precipitated the resignation of Michael Flynn, then Trump's National Security Advisor. The term's conspiratorial undertone has made it popular on conservative news outlets sympathetic to the Trump administration, especially Breitbart News, but it has also been referenced in more mainstream outlets like The Chicago Tribune, Fox Business, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and elsewhere.