Rosen’s theory is that all this — if not actually a well-thought-out strategy — is at least somewhat purposeful.

Underlying it may be an effort to wage war on Mueller, as ABC’s Jonathan Karl explained: “The biggest motivator for the Trump base in the midterm elections will be fear of impeachment.”

So it makes a kind of twisted sense to vilify Mueller and muddy the waters of his investigation at every turn.

But even more basic, as Rosen sees it, is that Trump’s lawyers are attempting to manage a narcissistic client in the only way they can — “through semi-regular television appearances that explode the news cycle.”