Trump’s Familiar Playbook: Deflection, Distraction, and Demonization Amidst Third Indictment

Former President Donald Trump and his supporters are once again facing a new indictment, and their reaction seems to follow a predictable pattern: deflecting with unrelated accusations, distracting with misleading claims about the charges, and demonizing the prosecution. However, this time the indictment is particularly significant, alleging that Trump sought to overturn his 2020 election loss in the two months leading up to the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

Trump’s strategy has long been to convince his followers that elections cannot be trusted and that he is a victim of a corrupt persecution by the government and media. This narrative has been endorsed by conservative news outlets and amplified on social media, leading many of Trump’s supporters to accept it as the truth. According to Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a historian at New York University studying authoritarian propaganda, Trump is a master propagandist who has successfully created a seamless world where everything seems to confirm his victimhood.

The latest indictment is centered on Trump’s repeated lies about the election, which fueled the assault on the Capitol. However, rather than accepting the seriousness of the charges, Trump’s most dedicated supporters continue to see them as evidence of a conspiracy against him. Misinformation about the indictments has spread on social media, with some even comparing the situation to Nazi Germany and authoritarian regimes.

Trump’s legal defense team and allies argue that the indictment is an attack on free speech and political advocacy. Prosecutors, however, have anticipated this response and clarified that Trump had the First Amendment right to lie about election fraud, but the charges come from his actions that followed, attempting to overturn the election and obstructing official proceedings.

Interestingly, instead of engaging with the specifics of the indictment, many Trump supporters have tried to deflect attention by bringing up the criminal charges facing Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, and questioning the timing of the indictments. Others have targeted law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and the judge involved in the case.

Trump has also used the charges against him as a fundraising opportunity, further perpetuating misinformation and stirring up emotions among his followers. His campaign has not responded to the recent indictment.

As Trump continues to use these charges for political gain, the volume of misinformation surrounding the indictments, the January 6th attack, and the 2020 election is expected to increase. The stakes are high for Trump, who is seeking a political comeback while also fighting to stay out of legal trouble.

The third indictment against Donald Trump has triggered familiar responses from him and his supporters, with misinformation and deflection being common tactics. The indictment is centered on Trump’s election lies and their impact on the Capitol attack. As the situation unfolds, the political and legal ramifications remain uncertain, and the spread of misinformation poses ongoing challenges to public discourse and democratic processes.