DSR Network is rated Left-Center with Mostly Factual factual reporting by Media Bias Fact Check.
LEFT-CENTER BIAS
These media sources have a slight to moderate liberal bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appeals to emotion or stereotypes) to favor liberal causes. These sources are generally trustworthy for information but may require further investigation. See all Left-Center sources.
- Overall, we rate The DSR Network Left-Center biased based on its liberal internationalist, pro-democracy, anti-Trump, and institutional political perspective. We rate it Mostly Factual due to transparent leadership, expert contributors, and fact-based policy discussion, offset by opinion-heavy framing, loaded language, and limited sourcing in some podcast summary posts.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER (-3.7)
Factual Reporting: MOSTLY FACTUAL (2.7)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rank: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
History
The DSR Network, also known as Deep State Radio Network, is a Substack and podcast network focused on politics, national security, foreign policy, science, technology, markets, healthcare, climate, energy, and other policy issues. The network states that its core team has been podcasting together for about a decade and produces between 15 and 20 podcast episodes per week for a global audience.
The DSR Network’s flagship show is Deep State Radio, a national security and international affairs podcast. Other programs include The DSR Daily, The Daily Blast, DSR’s Words Matter, Siliconsciousness, The AI, Energy and Climate Podcast, and DSR’s “Need to Know” Special Reports. The network describes its work as expert-driven analysis providing “unvarnished, fact-based, diverse perspectives.”
Note: DSR’s “Need to Know” programming should not be confused with NeedToKnow.news, the conspiracy/pseudoscience website founded by G. Edward Griffin. They are separate and unrelated sources.
Read our profile on the United States government and media.
Funded by / Ownership
The DSR Network states that it is a division of TRG, Inc. David Rothkopf is listed as CEO of TRG Media and host of the Deep State Radio podcast. The site provides staff biographies for Rothkopf, Riley Fessler, Joe Vitale, and Minnah Stein, among others.
Revenue is generated through Substack subscriptions, paid memberships, podcast distribution, live and virtual events, scenario exercises, special programming, and related media products.
Analysis / Bias
The DSR Network is rated Left-Center based on its liberal internationalist, pro-democracy, anti-authoritarian, and strongly anti-Trump editorial perspective. The network frequently features establishment foreign-policy, national-security, legal, and political experts. Its political analysis tends to support democratic institutions, NATO-style internationalism, rule-of-law arguments, civil rights, climate action, and criticism of Trump-era Republican politics. However, it is generally not far-left or socialist in orientation and often reflects centrist-liberal or institutional Democratic perspectives.
For example, What to Do When Trump Tries to Steal the Next Election frames Donald Trump and his allies as preparing to interfere in future elections. The title and framing are strongly anti-Trump and assume corrupt intent, but the discussion is presented as political analysis by experienced commentators such as David Rothkopf and Norm Ornstein.
Similarly, The Daily Blast: Texas ICE Killing Takes Damning Turn as Even MAGA Judges Abandon Trump uses loaded language such as “damning,” “MAGA judges,” and “Trump’s deportation agenda.” The article/podcast summary is critical of ICE and Trump immigration policy and is produced in connection with The New Republic’s editors, with Greg Sargent as host. This reflects a clear left-leaning editorial frame, though it is based on identifiable legal and political developments.
In DSR Daily July 2: The Founding Fathers Would be Ashamed of America 250, the network presents criticism of Trump, America 250 messaging, and related policy issues. The headline is editorialized and opinion-driven, consistent with DSR’s commentary format rather than straight news reporting.
Overall, DSR Network publishes expert commentary and analysis rather than neutral wire-style news. It is transparent about its leadership, staff, programming, and membership model, and its contributors generally have relevant expertise in politics, national security, law, media, and public policy. However, many posts are podcast summaries or paid content previews, and the language is often strongly anti-Trump and opinionated. This supports a Left-Center bias rating and a Mostly Factual rating rather than High.
Failed Fact Checks
- None found by IFCN-approved fact-checkers.
Overall, we rate The DSR Network Left-Center biased based on its liberal internationalist, pro-democracy, anti-Trump, and institutional political perspective. We rate it Mostly Factual due to transparent leadership, expert contributors, and fact-based policy discussion, offset by opinion-heavy framing, loaded language, and limited sourcing in some podcast summary posts. (D. Van Zandt 07/18/2026)
Source: https://dsrnetwork.substack.com/
Last Updated on July 18, 2026 by Media Bias Fact Check
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Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources

