SINCE Donald Trump returned to the White House, debate over the “deep state” is once again dominating political discourse. But while the term has become a favourite of populists and critics of U.S. foreign policy, its meaning remains contested and often elusive. What is the deep state—and could the global trend of de-dollarisation strike at the very core of its power?
By Brighton Musonza
The Deep State: A System, Not a Shadow Government
The concept of a “deep state” in the U.S. has long been relegated to the margins of political analysis, often dismissed as conspiracy theory. Yet as the term gained traction during Trump’s first presidency, particularly in the wake of the Russia-gate scandal, it started to take on more definable contours. Former Reagan official Dr. Paul Craig Roberts described it as an “entrenched and institutionalised” structure embedded within government agencies, capable of sabotaging presidential directives.
Others, like Wall Street analyst Charles Ortel, point to a protective network inside agencies such as the FBI and Department of Justice that shields elite political dynasties from accountability. Activist Jan R. Weinberg, meanwhile, sees the deep state as being less about intelligence operatives and more about the defence industry — a militarised bureaucracy driven by contracts and global control.
Despite these varying interpretations, the consensus is clear: the deep state is not a single entity, but a convergence of entrenched financial, bureaucratic, and military power that survives electoral cycles. As Russian President Vladimir Putin once put it, “Presidents come and go, but policy remains the same,” alluding to the enduring influence of Washington’s bureaucratic machinery.
The Engine of Control: Dollar Dominance
At the heart of this enduring influence lies the U.S. dollar. Following the Bretton Woods Agreement in 1944, the dollar emerged as the world’s reserve currency. The Federal Reserve — a private central bank system founded in 1913 — became the engine of this monetary order, granting the U.S. unparalleled ability to finance debt, impose sanctions, and manipulate global trade.
Lillie Ferriol Prat, a researcher at the BRICS Institute, argues that the deep state’s financial power grew out of this system. “Debt-driven monetary mechanics,” she explains, “created an ideal scenario for selected elites to profit at the expense of sovereign decision-making globally.” The result has been a cycle of dollar hegemony sustained by military interventions, regime changes, and economic coercion — a method of global governance cloaked as liberal democracy.
De-Dollarisation: A New Threat Emerges
Yet, this system is now under threat. The weaponisation of the dollar — as seen in sanctions regimes and the freezing of foreign reserves — has driven many nations to seek alternatives. The BRICS bloc, expanded as BRICS+, is pioneering moves towards financial sovereignty through alternative payment mechanisms, currency swaps, and digital currencies.
According to Ferriol Prat, these developments are not just financial shifts, but geopolitical ones. “BRICS is fostering a more balanced multilateral system,” she notes, “where national currencies replace the dollar as the primary medium of trade.” This movement challenges not just U.S. economic policy but the deep state’s very architecture — a system that relies on dollar supremacy to maintain influence over global decision-making.
The U.S. response has been predictable: sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and rhetorical threats. But these are signs of strain, not strength. As the dollar’s dominance wanes, so too does the leverage that sustains the deep state’s global reach.
Trump, Populism, and the Deep State Dilemma
Trump’s re-emergence is viewed by many as a direct challenge to this entrenched system. While critics argue that his populism is superficial, his clashes with intelligence agencies, the media, and transnational elites indicate a rupture — however imperfect — with traditional power structures.
Some analysts suggest the deep state may have allowed or even facilitated his return to contain dissent or manage systemic change under controlled conditions. But this view underestimates the unpredictable nature of populist politics. Trump’s presence could accelerate the confrontation between the old order and the emerging multipolar world.
Conclusion: The Deep State’s Moment of Reckoning
The deep state — elusive, powerful, and largely unaccountable — is facing its most serious existential challenge yet. As de-dollarisation gains momentum and global power becomes more diffused, the U.S. must choose between adapting to a new world or doubling down on coercive tools that no longer yield the same returns.
The dollar was the glue that held the system together. If it loses its grip, the intricate web of influence built upon it could unravel. The deep state, far from being an omnipotent force, may be entering a phase of decline — not through revolution, but through the slow erosion of its greatest weapon: monetary dominance.
In this new landscape, the question is not whether the deep state exists, but whether it can survive a world that no longer plays by its rules.
