During an interview in the Oval Office, Donald Trump was asked about the Justice Department's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. He responded by downplaying the investigation, calling it a "witch-hunt." He then shifted the focus, accusing Barack Obama of a plot to rig the 2016 election, labeling it "treason." He also issued a warning, suggesting it was time to "go after people."
distraction.
This tactic proved successful during the 2016 election campaign. On the same day a tape emerged with lewd comments, his campaign seized on the release of emails hacked from Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman. Trump won the election. However, the Epstein saga cuts into Trump’s core political identity as the slayer of the deep state.
Trump has been employing a variety of distractions. These include considering revoking Rosie O’Donnell’s citizenship, posting about Coca-Cola's use of real cane sugar, and the White House offering insight into his health. He also posted bizarre clips on social media and made baseless claims about Obama.
Further attempts at distraction included a fake AI-generated video depicting Obama and posting a photo featuring fake mug shots of former officials. He also threatened to block a deal for the Washington Commanders’ new stadium. The release of documents related to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. backfired.
Trump seems to have settled on Obama and "Russiagate" as his main deflector shield. However, his attempts are struggling to land. In an Oval Office exchange, he claimed there was "irrefutable proof that Obama was ‘sedacious’" – a word that does not exist.
Trump's tactics are failing. The Epstein scandal is a different situation because it's so foundational to the movement's belief system. The whole point was that he was supposed to take down the deep state. This is an indication that he won't do it or never had any intention of doing it and that’s really upsetting to them.
Trump has tried to downplay the scandal and dismiss Epstein as old news. However, he is caught in checkmate. The president, whose entire act is based around nostalgia, has never been shy of rewinding to old grievances when politically expedient. He is discovering that conspiracy theories grow and metastasize but they never die.
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