Trump’s flood-the-zone approach to unflattering news cycles has hit a new extreme

President Donald Trump has long been a practitioner of distraction tactics during unflattering news cycles. But with the president looking to move on from the spiraling Jeffrey Epstein crisis, his flood-the-zone approach with endless posts has taken the familiar deflection playbook to a new extreme.

Trump has posted hundreds of times in recent weeks as the disgraced financier’s case has gripped headlines. The posts run the gamut, including major official actions like announcing new tariff baselines, celebrating legislation like the GENIUS Act and marking foreign leaders’ visits. And many have been, by Trump standards, fairly typical: contemplating trying to force the renaming of the Washington Commanders, promoting friends’ books and television shows and teasing a Coca Cola drink made with U.S. cane sugar. 

But many posts have also leaned into Trump’s willingness in his second term to use the power of government to threaten his perceived enemies. Since the administration’s handling of the Epstein investigation devolved into a full-blown scandal, Trump has argued one of his predecessors is responsible for “the crime of the century” with his “Russia, Russia, Russia hoax” theory, repeatedly floated firing the chair of the Federal Reserve and suggested revoking the citizenship of a long-time critic — something he has no apparent legal authority to do. 

Amid it all, only a handful of Epstein-related posts have peppered the onslaught of unrelated content — generally to either chastise supporters or defend his reputation. However, the number of Epstein messages pale in comparison to the volley of other posts on unrelated subjects.

POLITICO compiled a list of topics dominating Trump’s social media feed in the weeks since the Epstein saga blew up. In a statement, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said Trump “has achieved historic wins for everyday Americans, even while the media endlessly peddles fake narratives.”

“President Trump’s Truth social posts are a reflection of his commitment to transparency with the American people at all times,” Rogers said.