Rewind to soon after the start of the SMO when Branden let slip that he wanted 'regime change' which was quickly walked back by the State Department.
So yes, deposing Putin was, and still is, one of the Deep State's primary objectives. Problem is that even if they are eventually successful he will almost certainly be replaced by a hardliner, like Medvedev or Prigozhin at which point we should all bend over, stick our heads between our legs and kiss our arses goodbye.
Rewind to soon after the start of the SMO when Branden let slip that he wanted 'regime change' which was quickly walked back by the State Department.
So yes, deposing Putin was, and still is, one of the Deep State's primary objectives. Problem is that even if they are eventually successful he will almost certainly be replaced by a hardliner, like Medvedev or Prigozhin at which point we should all bend over, stick our heads between our legs and kiss our arses goodbye.