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I think your assessment of what Trump will do is fair, based on his statements and responses.

However, I think there is another interpretation, admittedly unproven, but yet worth considering:

Conservative arguments, when offered straightforwardly, are already paired with ready made liberal rebuttals. The conservative argument is the truth and the rebuttal is a lie, I know. But in real life right doesn’t seem to win over wrong. A rebuttal based on lies often ‘wins’ the argument, the election, the legislation, the verdict.

Case in point:

Conservative argument: Prices (including wages) established by supply and demand in a free competitive market will direct capital toward its optimal use, and result in increased prosperity across all income brackets. As JFK said, “a rising tide raises all ships.” Redistribution of wealth to enforce income equality involves artificially setting prices (including wages) at non market rates, which stifles the flow of capital toward its optimal use, thereby stifling prosperity at all levels.

Liberal rebuttal: This is the same old “trickle down economy” where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The poor are expected to be content with table scraps and drippings. It is a discredited theory invented to justify the suppression of the masses by the wealthy 1%.

So what if the conservative argument is true and the liberal rebuttal is a lie?

In politics, a principled constitutional conservative scholar is never going to get elected by explaining the truth of conservatism. We all know this. There simply aren’t enough intelligent conservative voters.

If you want Clinton to be defeated, you can’t force Trump to say only those things that will please the 5-10% of us who are conservative. You have to let him find creative ways to appeal to another 40 - 45% on some basis or another. There is simply no other choice.

Now, I happen to believe that we are so close to the cliff edge that conservatives always warn about, it is no longer necessary to argue about whether there is a cliff edge, how far away it is, what direction we should go to avoid the cliff edge. The cliff edge is now within view and everyone can see it. Now, you can simply say “Turn around, we have no choice”

That is Trump’s message. “We are at the cliff edge. We must turn around or fall off the cliff!”

It’s a good enough message for this conservative, especially when Clinton, the only other candidate is saying “Forward, full speed ahead!”

I think Trump is a pragmatist, a problem solver. I think conservative policies are the only solutions, and in order to solve our problems, we will have no choice but to employ conservative policies.

But there is nothing that says Trump or those who vote for him have to realize or acknowledge that they are being conservative. I doubt conservatives will ever enjoy that moment of vindication, where everyone says “The conservatives were right all along, we were stupid liberals heading for a cliff edge, now let’s be smart conservatives and go back the other direction”. Please conservatives, teach us more about this wonderful philosophy of yours”.

It will be more like “We have to turn around and go the other way. We have no choice.”

And that sounds a lot like what Trump has been saying.