A majority of Americans believe that the “Deep State” is trying to “unseat” President Donald Trump, according to the most recent Harvard-Harris poll.
The poll asked respondents: “Specifically, do you think the so called ‘Deep State’ – the collection of intelligence agencies and holdover government workers from the Obama administration — is trying to unseat President Trump using leaks of classified information?”
Fifty-four percent of respondents answered “yes” while 46% believed the Deep State is not trying to unseat Trump, who has repeatedly asserted that he is the victim of a “Witch Hunt.”
The Deep State has leaked to establishment media outlets like the Washington Post and New York Times to undermine and smear Trump and his advisers, some of whom are reportedly being investigated by the FBI for their ties to or meetings with various Russian officials. These outlets have written stories, based on anonymous Deep State sources, that, among other things, have suggested Trump revealed classified information to the Russians and called former FBI director James Comey a “nut job.”
Over the weekend, Pat Buchanan said there is a “classic struggle… between the incoming Trump presidency, which is really embattled in its first five months, and what might be called the Deep State, which is the permanent government in Washington, D.C.”
He told radio host John Catsimatidis that the “Deep State and its media allies seek to bring down Donald Trump and reverse the election returns of 2016.” He also reportedly added that this struggle was “unlike” anything he had seen since Watergate.
Politico also pointed out that Trump’s top White House advisers are “becoming increasingly convinced that they are victims of a conspiracy against Trump’s presidency, as evidenced by the number of leaks flowing out of government — that the crusade by the so-called ‘deep state’ is a legitimate threat.”
The poll was conducted June 19-21, and its full results were released over the weekend.