President Donald Trump's super powers as a public figure have long included the ability to redirect, evade and deny. But the Republican's well-worn methods of changing the subject when a tough topic stings politically are not working as his White House fends off persistent unrest from his usually loyal base about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associates.

Coca-Cola refused to confirm the president’s claim that he got it to switch to cane sugar. And now it’s defending high-fructose corn syrup.