This word was used accusatorily by both Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly in their recent debate over whether or not the rapper Common should have been invited to the White House's Poetry Jam (or whatever it was).
I think the two talking heads were using the secondary definition of the word, meaning "chicanery" or deceptive debate tactics.
I think the primary definition of "trifling" applies to the premise of the debate itself, or more specifically to the importance placed on the Common invitation itself. There are much bigger things going on.
In England, formerly, the 
