Stephen Moore claims Nixon was framed by deep state, stayed silent to protect institutions

Summary

In a C-SPAN appearance, economist and Trump ally Stephen Moore argued that Richard Nixon was forced from office after being framed by the deep state. He claimed Nixon knew of institutional sabotage but remained silent to preserve public confidence in government, referencing newly reported 1975 grand jury testimony detailed by James Rosen in the New York Times. Moore drew explicit parallels to the Trump campaign's Russia investigation, calling it a "fake collusion hoax," and praised Nixon's fighting spirit and presidential record.

The segment relied on Moore's personal interpretation and recent revisionist accounts rather than primary Watergate evidence or opposing historians. No guests appeared; it formed part of a broader conservative reevaluation of Nixon amid current political debates.

Editorial Assessment

Moore's reference to the Radford/Moorer spy ring is grounded in declassified material and the February 2026 NYT essay, showing military leaks to the Joint Chiefs that predated and partly motivated Nixon's Plumbers unit. However, this does not substantiate that the entire Watergate scandal was fabricated or that Nixon bore no responsibility. The "smoking gun" tape records Nixon directing the CIA to obstruct the FBI investigation six days after the break-in; he resigned after bipartisan congressional consensus and Supreme Court order. Viewer perception is skewed by omitting these primary sources and framing institutional accountability as illegitimate "deep state" action. The Russia collusion comparison selectively highlights Steele dossier flaws while ignoring the Mueller report's documented contacts and obstruction findings. Overall, this reflects a partisan rehabilitation effort rather than balanced history.