Is Trump smart or does his stupidity just play well?

[Echobelly]

DH reckons that, although Donnie Dumptruck is in most ways thick as mince, he has a smartness for how he gets a response from people, that he knows what he's doing when he tweets some aggressive idiocy.

I think he is not intelligent in any way - eg he's not thinking 'If I blame other people for messes I created, that will take attention away from me', which is what DH suggests. I think he is so moronic and childish that he genuinely doesn't believe anything bad is his fault

AIBU for thinking he doesn't know what he's doing, it just happens to play well with people who think Trump represents a successful, smart person? Or is he actually calculating the effects of what he says?

Well I watched him on the news today suggesting injecting disinfectant to kill CV so my vote is idiot.

Idiot and not even an articulate one. Nothing about his speeches screams eloquence, he just sounds like an old man rambling in the pub.

Stupid, nasty and suffering from dementia.

He is probably the most fluent, persuasive speakers of all the current leaders atm...runs for cover.

I can't get over his speeches.
If you read the transcripts they are just gibberish.

I think there is certainly a puzzle or a question - Some persuasion experts think he is a persuasion 'genius', sucking the oxygen out of the room, firing off many opinions and benefitting from any correct outcomes. I am still puzzled that he made the 'locker room banter' statements then I understand a majority of white women voted for him, either 'forgetting' his statements or deciding they weren't important. It probably helps that the media landscape in the US is so polarised but he managed to secure the Republican nomination before he benefited from this polarisation. It's most odd how he doesn't appear accountable for what he says and does before and after election (health records, financial records, all the Russia/advisor troubles). I'm not saying any of this is right, just a little puzzle. That said, it seems clear that most people are not logical and decide something then look for things that agree with their decision.

Of course, a lot of the electorate have a stupid/nasty/fearful streak, and that's what Trump appeals to. It's not about reasoned policy, intellect, or a coherent ideology, it's about the emotion.

He is smart, bigly smart, the smartest person he knows, and he is President which a a very long word any other words which say no he not smart are bad words, very bad words and fake news.

I hope that clears it up.

I think he knows exactly what he's doing and the reaction he will get. He's an absolute master at playing people.

Look at his statements about covid treatments. Variants of both of his suggestions are just starting clinical trials. And yet the world is frothing because it's 'obviously stupid'.

I think he's a disgusting person and I would certainly never vote for him. But stupid he is not.

I think he genuinely believes he’s got the upper hand and knows what he’s doing but that actually he’s too stupid to really. He doesn’t have the brains to be that manipulative. I know a lot of people believe he is mentally ill but I’m not so sure. I think he’s just realised that so far he’s untouchable, no one can get him so he’ll do whatever the fuck he wants.

It seems so weird, to look back and remember hoping that John McCain wouldn't win an election. If only someone of his calibre was in the White House now.

He must have something about him, not everyone who voted for him and supports him can be stupid. I find him fascinating. But I wouldn't vote for him and I'm glad he's not my president, that's for sure.

He's a genius.

None of his ardent supporters who inject themselves with Dettol will die of Covid19 - fact.

He's also being incredibly philanthropic by reducing his vote to stop the epidemic.

So please stop bashing this great man - he's personally taking charge of the strategy for making America great again.

He's not super intelligent but not a moron either. You don't get to survive in business that long without having your wits about you (I know he's been bankrupt lots, but even so).

I think he's an example of someone with zero humility. He had a privileged upbringing and has never had to scrape by. He thinks he's a god.

He’s a weapons grade lunatic.

I do agree that he’s likely suffering from dementia though and on that basis alone shouldn’t be in office.

Suffering from rapidly worsening dementia I would guess.

If you watch footage of him speaking in the 90s/00s he is much more articulate and intelligent. I think he has always been a nasty piece of work though. Now he's a demented nasty piece of work.

I can't get over his speeches. If you read the transcripts they are just gibberish.

Translators the world over have staggered choking from their soundproof booths unable to make any sense of it all.

He makes Vicky Pollard sound like Martin Luther King Jr.

apparently , he says. he was being sarcastic - which even if that were the case (which I doubt), this type of presentation should be sober & factual, frankly I think he just opens his mouth without engaging brain & I actually do think he has some form of dementia, or psychological issue, I also think this is evidence that he doesn't read or keep up with what is so going on & probably doesn't go to meetings or listen. he is astonishingly ignorant for someone who is supposed to be educated (I often wonder who did his essays). Basically I think he is a stupid ignorant man who believes & has always been led to believe that he is special & untouchable & can do or say whatever he wants & that he is always right. Scary

He used the word precipitous recently. I almost fell over...

He has a formula that has got him ahead in life. Never show any doubt.
It makes him seem to me like a callous bounder. Others have a different response.

Yeah, I guess some see his confidence and think it means competence.

Well, there was that time his air force generals were explaining the new stealth technology to him and he then went around claiming the new planes were 'actually invisible'.

He makes Vicky Pollard sound like Martin Luther King Jr.

Superb :o

I think that he is genuinely stupid and truly narcissistic. He cannot imagine that anything he does is anything less than brilliant. He makes his followers feel smart, like they 'understand' something others don't. They think the rest of us are dense, easily misled by 'fake news', and missing out on Trump's truths. Many people are not capable of critical thinking, and this is especially true in the evangelical support base - they are taught from birth to accept the authority of church leaders without question. They therefore parrot back Trump's idiocy and make excuses that he's simply an 'out of the box' thinker beyond the rest of us when he spouts ridiculous thoughts. He is the personification of the emporer's new clothes.

Yeah, I guess some see his confidence and think it means competence

Exactly what I said to DH earlier. His confidence is dangerous. He isn’t a great businessman -his businesses have been bankrupt half a dozen times-but the reason he has money is that he is now surrounded, in business, by people who present ideas to him like they are his idea so he thinks he is amazing -but seriously ....put a uv light inside people’s skin to cure them... Dr Deborah Birx, head of Mr Trump’s Covid-19 task force looked like she wanted to get up and walk off.

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@Kingcole “fluent”?! Have you heard him speak? The man can barely construct a sentence at times!