'It’s diversion’: Maddow's explosive new theory about the Niger attack spells trouble for Trump

MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow has a provocative new theory explaining President Donald Trump's decision to insult the memories of fallen service members. Maddow connected the dots on a pattern of damage control she has seen from this White House, suggesting that this could all be part of an elaborate cover-up.

"It's not just distraction, it's diversion. Just barely related enough in terms of subject matter, doesn't just challenge people to talk about something new but stands in for real scandal," Maddow explained. "Muddies the real story's storyline. Diverts energy from the initial news cycle that was difficult for the White House to deal with. Not just distraction, diversion."

"That's political tactic," Maddow explained."You can learn it or have it instinctively."

Maddow then noted all of the unanswered questions about what killed American troops in Niger.

"Something about what happened in Niger has caused this president, apparently instinctively, to divert the conversation from what happened to those soldiers," Maddow explained.

Trump would "rather have a national conversation about his own callousness and mistakes...he would rather talk about that, than what happened in Niger."

"That makes me really want to know what happened in Niger," Maddow noted.

Watch Rachel Maddow connect the dots (two parts):