Deny, divert, discredit: Trump turns to his scandal playbook once again
tulc(wash, rinse, repeat as needed)President Donald Trump is turning to what's become a tried-and-true pattern of defending himself against scandal in the latest controversy over a whistleblower's accusation that he made a disturbing promise to a foreign leader.
It goes like this:
Step one: Deny the reports while arguing that even if true, there is nothing wrong with what was done.
Step two: Divert attention to a subplot that implicates political rivals.
Step three: Discredit investigators by accusing those involved of a deep state or partisan witch hunt.
The playbook has been used by Trump and his surrogates repeatedly against various accusations, including whether his campaign held an improper meeting with Russians promising dirt on Hillary Clinton, that he paid hush money to an adult film actress, and that he is profiting off the presidency through his private businesses.