The term "deep state" is nothing new, but it appears to have taken on a whole new meaning since President Donald Trump took office.
The New York Times last week published an anonymous op-ed supposedly from a top White House official, feeding conspiracy theorists on both sides who have been debating a possible "deep state" or "shadow government" working against the president.
“I don't believe The New York Times when they say this was penned by anonymous source within the Trump administration,” says political insider Chris Begala. “I don't believe it. I think it's a lie. Until it is disproven, that's where I'm at.”
Begala however, does not dispute there are forces that have been working against President Trump since his election.
“It is irrefutable that there are factions, thousands and thousands of them, within the federal government, employees or lifers if you will, that have been organized and are systematically committed to try to bring down this president.”
“I see this as an organized concerted effort within factions of the federal government, whithin factions of the previous administration, and certainly within factions of the media,” he says.
Leftists argue the anonymous writer is today's version of "Deep Throat," who exposed President Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal.
“The similarities of Watergate, that's just a red herring to throw out for those who oppose this president,” says Begala.
“Is this president inpenatrable? No. Does he make mistakes? Sure. But what about some of his accomplishments? Our economy is humming along and regulations have been stripped.”