While I’ll be the first to admit your “take” on Trump is plausible, though I don’t agree with it because I don’t think it gives Trump enough credit for knowing what he was getting into.
I believe he knew EXACTLY what he was getting into, hence his unparalleled ability to shrug off that which sunk other campaigns.
I think Trump is, and always was, a solid conservative judging by the way he lived his life and ran his affairs.
However, I also believe his public persona was a “part” he needed to play to move at the highest levels of glitterati needed to solidify his “brand.”
agree 100%
The presidency has been in his mind for years, decades...