tactic
The politician is notorious for using diversionary tactics whenever he is in an awkward situation.
The announcement was a diversionary tactic to steal some of the new president's limelight.
Schoolchildren are masters of delaying and diversionary tactics.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Creating a distraction
create a diversion
distract
distract attention from something
distract someone from something
distracting
distraction
diversion
divert
divert attention from something
escape
mind
misdirection
put
put someone off their strideidiom
rabbit hole
sidetrack
smoke and mirrors
stride
subject
take someone out of himself/herself