All politicians, even the most polished, say things they wish they hadn’t. In the jargon of Washington, the process of resolving these self-inflicted crises is usually called the walk back. Compelled to provide more context, politicians will—usually through their press aides—admit they they “misspoke” or “regret their remarks.”

Donald Trump forgoes the walk back in favor of irresponsibly disclaiming the seriousness and implications of his statements. He responds to criticism of his remarks with a kind of all-purpose social-media insouciance—“j/k, lol!” After the Washington Post in October published the infamous Access Hollywood tape, in which Trump boasts on a live mic about sexually assaulting women with impunity, he said in a statement, “This was locker-room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago.” After Trump, in a televised press conference in July, solicited Russian hackers to commit crimes against Hillary Clinton on television, he responded to criticism by telling Fox News, “Of course I’m being sarcastic.”

Just about any Trump utterance, apparently, can be written off as yet more locker room talk—including his private request to FBI Director Jim Comey to abandon the federal investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn. “I hope you can let this go,” the president said, according to a Comey memo revealed by The New York Times on Tuesday. After 12 hours of conspicuous silence, White House aides and several Republicans on Capitol Hill, chalked up the whole thing to a misunderstanding. Trump was probably just pallin’ around!

Rep. James Comer, a member of the Oversight Committee, says Trump may well have been joking to Comey. "It looks different on paper." — Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) May 17, 2017

Heard this last night from some Rs on Hill. "Trump was just spouting off, wasn't serious attempt at obstruction." https://t.co/G8BfUzZ6Xo — John Bresnahan (@BresPolitico) May 17, 2017

A senior WH official tells @PeterAlexander that POTUS wasn't telling Comey to end Flynn investigation and suggest this is the way he speaks — Marianna Sotomayor (@MariannaNBCNews) May 17, 2017

In so many ways, including this one, Trump’s complete absence of integrity is rubbing off on the party at large. Of Wednesday’s many news bombshells, the most contested story was about a year-old conversation among House Republican leaders in which Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin was funneling money to then-candidate Donald Trump. Speaker Paul Ryan then swore the group to secrecy.

McCarthy: There’s…there’s two people, I think, Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump…[laughter]…swear to God. Ryan: This is an off the record…[laughter]…NO LEAKS…[laughter]…alright?!

Aides to Ryan and McCarthy initially told the Post the quotes were fabricated, but when the Post alerted them that their conversation was caught on tape, their story changed just as you’d expect Trump’s would: j/k, lol! “This entire year-old exchange was clearly an attempt at humor,” said Ryan’s spokesman. “This was a failed attempt at humor,” said McCarthy’s.