You see if I were trying to play him, I'd make sure I did it well enough for the world not to even suspect.
If Trump feels he has been made a fool of, then his spiteful wrath - backed with the US military - could be a thing of terrible beauty.
And rather than widen the MAGA rift, it would bring them back together again. Teaching people who make fun of their messiah is far higher in their priorities than being upset with his lies.