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One of Donald Trump’s greatest gifts is his ability to change the subject.
If there is a story dominating the national news that he doesn’t like or believes is bad for him politically, he just throws some chum into the political waters to get the sharks — the media in this metaphor — circling some other story.
That’s usually via his Truth Social account. Or by an appearance on his home network: Fox News. Or by simply calling a reporter (or three) on the phone.
It’s a strategy that’s worked effectively for him for years — including long before he was in political office.
Except, the Trump distraction machine has run into a challenge even it (and he) can’t overcome: Outrage among the MAGA influencer world about how his Department of Justice handled the investigation into sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Since the release of a two-page memo from the DOJ last Monday insisting that there’s nothing to see here, Trump’s repeated attempts to change the subject have all come up short.
He tried a(nother) tariff announcement — against the European Union and Mexico. And the news that the DOJ was investigating former FBI director James Comey and former CIA director John Brennan. He’s attempted to pick a fight with California Gov. Gavin. Newsom. Hell, he even resorted to announcing that he was in talks with Coca-Cola to use real sugar!
Nothing has worked. If anything, the Epstein controversy — and calls for Trump to name a special counsel to deal with it — are getting bigger and more problematic by the day.
Need proof? Here’s a chart on Google searches for “Epstein” over the past 7 days:
Rising!
My guess is that Trump won’t stop trying to chum up the waters. It’s what he knows. And it’s always worked in the past.
What’s different this time? Two things: 1) The Epstein story is endlessly captivating/horrifying/watchable 2) The rebellion is coming from within Trump’s own political house.
Stay tuned.
