So many times in this admin, Trump does something horrendous, all his advisors try to come up with reasons why he actually meant something else, and then after a few days he says "no, I meant the horrible thing and did it on purpose" https://twitter.com/jimsciutto/status/1275391579063287808

Trump: *fires FBI Director*
Everyone: looks like this was about investigating his friends
WH surrogates: no, no, no, actually it was something else
Spicer: I swear to god it was not about that
Trump (goes on TV): Oh, sure, yeah, I fired him because he was investigating my friends

Trump: I sabotaged the COVID response because it looked bad for me
Everyone: Wait, WTAF
WH surrogates: hahaha what a joke, what a gag, so funny, obvs not what he meant you humorless imbeciles
Trump (goes on TV): No, really, I sabotaged it on purpose because looked bad for me

Trump (campaign): I want a Muslim ban
Everyone: Wtf?
WH surrogates: don't take him literally, you humorless imbeciles
Trump WH: Here is my EO to ban Muslims
WH lawyers: I swear to god this EO is not about Muslims
Trump: MY EO BANNED MUSLIMS
SCOTUS: OK, but is this a Muslim ban?