Summary
Overview
Michael Lewis discusses his new book 'Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State,' examining how Trump's second administration and Doge aggressively seized control of federal agencies, dismantling nonpartisan civil service protections and attacking the government workers who tried to preserve institutional integrity. Through stories of dedicated public servants—from fire scientists to IRS employees—Lewis reveals both the critical work government does and the profound damage caused by Trump's transformation of the executive branch into a loyalist operation.
The U.S. Institute of Peace Takeover: Setting the Tone
The Trump administration's seizure of the U.S. Institute of Peace building exemplifies their aggressive approach to power. Colin O'Brien, head of security, physically tried to prevent Doge operatives from entering the building—which the Institute legally owned. Despite having solid legal ground, O'Brien watched as private security firms were blackmailed through government contracts, DC police sided with the administration, and the building was ultimately taken through sheer force and intimidation rather than legal authority.
- The Institute of Peace is a congressionally created nonprofit that owns its own building, not part of the executive branch
- Colin O'Brien used the building's security systems to physically block Doge invaders, even trapping them in a sealed room
- Private security firm was blackmailed through threatened loss of State Department contracts 100 times larger
- DC police ultimately sided with Trump administration despite the invasion being clearly illegal
- The takeover demonstrated Trump's willingness to seize power beyond legal boundaries and worry about courts later
" This time comes in and they care more than any administration has ever cared, in a funny way. They're extending their power into places it doesn't belong. They're saying, we're not only going to run the stuff that we're supposed to run, we're going to take stuff that we're not supposed to run. "
" It becomes about who has the keys and the guns and the guns in the basement. Whose side did they take? It's very elemental. "
Trump One vs Trump Two: From Neglect to Conquest
The first Trump administration was defined by indifference and incompetence—firing the transition team, ignoring briefings about nuclear arsenals, leaving positions unfilled. The second administration represents something fundamentally different: an obsessive, aggressive effort to extend presidential power into every corner of government, transforming a nonpartisan civil service into a loyalist operation. The shift reveals that complaints about the "deep state" were never about actual obstruction, but rather resentment at any checks on presidential power.
- In Trump's first term, Jared Kushner was bewildered that White House staff didn't just stay automatically—reflecting massive ignorance
- Trump One refused basic briefings on critical functions like nuclear arsenal management
- The "deep state" narrative emerged when Trump broke the law and mechanisms existed to stop him
- Trump Two's frustration stems from shambolic, lawless efforts hitting roadblocks, not from competent plans being undermined
" Trump one, it was its signature was indifference and ignorance. He didn't care at all about running the government. He told Chris Christie it would take him an hour to learn how the federal government worked. He just didn't care. "
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