Yes, but that's not gaslighting.
Gaslighting is a process of confusing and breaking down someone to the point they become unsure of themselves, confused, and mentally breaking them by constantly doubting and questioning and ridicule and challenging someone's thoughts and conclusion. It's an extreme form of "this isn't what it seems" and attempting to break someone down until they agree with their abuser.
But isn't that what we are seeing him attempting to do with us? "It was a perfect phone call"; "Everything I said [at the insecurrection] was appropriate". It takes those who try to give the benefit of the doubt, and brazenly lies to them. That manipulation may not work with everyone, but these lies are not targeted for them, but to those he can convince that the doubts they may have about him, are not real. If they have them, there's something wrong with them, and that is where loyalty tests and such apply.
I look at this in terms of types of behaviors and the ways in which there are performed. Gaslighting can in fact be applied to
groups. This one person's article is an interesting read.
What is gaslighting in cults & toxic groups?.
“Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that seeks to sow seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or in members of a targeted group, making them question their own memory, perception, and sanity. Using persistent denial, misdirection, contradiction and lying, it attempts to destabilize the victim and delegitimize the victim’s belief. Instances may range from the denial by an abuser that previous abusive incidents ever occurred up to the staging of bizarre events by the abuser with the intention of disorienting the victim"
The Wiki article on Gaslighting as well speaks of how it can be applied to groups:
Gaslighting - Wikipedia
Gaslighting is a form of
psychological manipulation in which
a person or a group covertly sows seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or group, making them question their own memory, perception, or judgement.
[1] It may evoke changes in them such as
cognitive dissonance or low
self-esteem, rendering the victim additionally dependent on the gaslighter for emotional support and validation. Using
denial, misdirection, contradiction, and
misinformation, gaslighting involves attempts to
destabilize the victim and delegitimize the victim's beliefs.
I think gaslighting is appropriately being applied to Trump. It also, interestingly enough is a thing that is common with people with narcissistic personalities, it is reported, not that I am professionally diagnosing Trump as a licenced psychologist here. But based upon everything I have seen, as well as listening to professionals who are saying so, whether ethically appropriate for them or not, appears to all align.