Definition
Creating a distraction or crisis to divert public and media attention from a more serious scandal or problem.
Example Usage
Conspiracy theorists accused the government of wagging the dog with the foreign military action to distract from the corruption scandal.
Origin
From the idiom 'tail wagging the dog,' popularized by the 1997 film 'Wag the Dog'
Fun Fact
The term's popularity spiked during the Clinton administration, particularly regarding military actions concurrent with impeachment proceedings.
Source: Common political vernacular
Related Terms
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See “Wag the dog” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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