Bingo!
He is thick skinned and uses that thick skin to his advantage (and to the advantage of the Republic).
His strategy reminds me of a strategy my high school wrestling coach used to teach. Size up your opponent, and if you feel confident that you can win a two point takedown, then immediately allow him to escape for 1 point. Repeat, trading two points for one point as often as possible until you hear the buzzer. Doing this, I often racked up an insurmountable lead of 10 to 5 in the first round.
Before learning such a strategy, my instinct following the two point takedown was to diligently block my opponent’s escape as long as possible, often exhausting myself, with no additional points to show for it!
I think President Trump employs a similar strategy - he is happy to enter into a quick skirmish (or even provoke one) wherein he will lose a point to gain two points.
To the untrained eye, it may seem reckless, but it is calculated, and more often than not it is successful.
Good analogy.