Prominent libertarian communicator and three-time presidential candidate Ron Paul is questioning whether Donald Trump will be able to withstand the enormous pressure placed on US presidents to intervene overseas, including with military force. Alex Pfeiffer, drawing on a recent interview with Paul, quotes Paul at The Daily Caller as suggesting President Barack Obama was pushed by powerful interests into a more aggressive foreign policy and that Trump, as president, will encounter similar pressure.

This pressure in favor of aggressive and interventionist foreign actions, Paul says, will come from sources including the “deep state,” the military-industrial complex, and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Further, Paul is quoted in the article as expressing concern that Trump is “very friendly with” and “talking to” a lot of pro-intervention neoconservatives as Trump puts together a presidential administration.

Paul also warns that an accident or “false flag” attacks arranged by other nations could help propel the Trump administration into advancing more intervention abroad.

Read Pfeiffer’s complete article here.

For an introduction to the “deep state” that Paul mentions in the interview, watch here Paul and Ron Paul Institute Executive Director Daniel McAdams’ February 11 Ron Paul Liberty Report interview with author Mike Lofgren.

For an in-depth explanation of Paul’s foreign policy concerns related to neoconservatives, read here Paul’s July 10, 2003 US House of Representatives floor speech “Neo-Conned.”

Reprinted with permission from the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.