NO.
People confuse stupidity with ignorance. I would agree with “ignorant.” And in Trump’s case it’s INTENTIONAL ignorance. In fact I would argue he uses his ignorance as a weapon, if it doesn’t serve his purposes, his interest, at the moment. His purpose, his interest, could change by next year, by the next day, the next minute.
As evidence for this I present the Epstein files. I doubt he even knows for sure if he’s in them. Not that he didn’t do the dirty, just that he’s not curious. Now it’s a possible threat, time to flip!
Much has been made of him being a sociopath.
Unlike way to many armchair pundits who rant on and on, especially on the net, I claim no ability to diagnosis anyone, though in some cases it is so damn tempting. “Damn tempting” certainly applies when it comes to Donald Trump.
Yes, I know AI is scorned by many, but when you Google the question: the difference between narcissist and sociopath. the answer is pretty accurate…
”The main difference is their motivation: narcissists seek admiration and validation to maintain a fragile ego, while sociopaths are motivated by power, pleasure, and a lack of empathy or conscience, often resulting in calculated harm to others. While both can be manipulative and lack empathy, sociopaths demonstrate a profound disregard for rules and the welfare of others, whereas narcissists may cause harm as a byproduct of their ego-driven actions and need for praise.”
While I see why some feel both might apply, if I had to choose one; as a pure guess, it would be a sociopath. Remember, I admit, I have never had him on the couch, I am not qualified to decide even if I had him on a couch. Disregarding the fact that diagnosis without meeting with the person is unprofessional, even if you are qualified. So no matter how deeply you believe he is either, unless you have had him on a couch and are qualified, NEITHER ARE YOU.
But “stupid?”
I think it should be obvious by now he’s not stupid. The tactics he uses, while disgusting, immoral, in some cases illegal, and an obvious sign he has severe issues as a human being…. those tactics work.
Let’s not deny that.
He sees the long haul success of those tactics, some taught to him by Roy Cohen. Don’t get me started on Roy Cohen.
First example: “rigged,” “fixed,” the endless whine about how he was cheated which will go way beyond 2024, before the 2020 election and the immense, deafening, cacophony between. No matter even if those on his side: like cyber ninjas, prove his claims crap… he kept it up, and kept it up, AND KEPT IT UP. Proving his claims NEVER the purpose, nor the point. The purpose was to prepare for 2024 and make the public so damn tired of it if Democrats, and investigative reporters like Greg Palast, start pointing out the obvious it will go nowhere. After all, why be like Trump? I think most realized after all that that would be dismissed. That was the point: delay, delay and DELAY, and eventually, once again, walk away from responsibility while blaming it all on those who oppose him.
If you were to believe him the vast majority of people are all involved in some immense conspiracy against poor, poor Donnie.
Horrible? Yes. “Stupid?” HELL NO. One might argue got him closer to “win.” In 2000 it took rigging a state: Florida. Republicans have been happily rigging it to the point now we’re so close to a one party dictatorship with a two party facade.
Donald Trump has learned how to navigate the maze of courts, lawyers, the press, TV, norms, expected behaviors, by lying constantly so much we’re constantly being bird shot by a shotgun blast of lies that distracts us from that last outrage. Please don’t think this is JUST his helpers. Sure, they help, but these are tactics he has used long before he became president.
Am I jealous? Proud? Pumping him up?
Hell, no. But as horrific as his behavior is, he is very talented at being evil with little to no conscience. If it serves his ends he will do it and find some convenient target to blame. In fact observation has proven to me often he lies far in advance: accusing his foes of doing what he is planning to do, like rigging elections.
You see that with his demand there be no mail in voting that started in 2020, the demand to grab voting machines, demonize cities with LESS crime than red cities and/or states. All so he can twist situations to his favor even if he caused those situations. Obviously some of this applies to getting the military, the Guard, in there. Wanna bet by 2026 they will remain in some, if not all, blue cities? Certainly intimating voters: if not them then ICE or the same militia groups that were part of 1/6. To oppress the vote in blue cities.
Part of his “stupidity,” some claim, would be his rants about COVID… claiming it was no worse than the flu, will be cured in April, summer… Intended to spread ignorance. Intended to encourage risky behavior. I think they might be part of him being a sociopath. His constant lies about COVID were outright evil. They started when it was discovered blacks were COVID’s most vulnerable target: even more than non-blacks in a weakened condition. An example of his racist nature? Maybe. But far more to the point: MORE DEAD PEOPLE IN A GROUP THAT TENDS NOT TO VOTE FOR HIM MEANS MORE LIKELY TO WIN. Less blacks less votes for Biden. Trump really doesn’t care: he took credit until he realized COVID could hurt him politically.
Remember Herman Cain? Did you notice little to no talk about the black guy in his administration that died of COVID?
”Hush! Don’t talk about THAT!”
But talk about curious assassination attempts? HELL, YES! And I can’t help but think the two assassination “attempts” were PLANNED. He and his enablers are really good at motivating the mentally ill. Pay them off? Would I be surprised? NO. Were there promises to pardon? Wouldn’t be surprised.
While Dems flog themselves, and flog themselves, and flog themselves… as they so often do, over a campaign run about as well as it could have for such a short run. All that helps Trump. And even if we must flog; what about all of Trump’s missteps in the 2024 election that should have doomed Trump’s campaign? He went many places there with no get more votes reason to go. He even claimed he didn’t need their votes. (Informing his supporters to relax, essentially, it’s being rigged for you?) The inane eating cats comment? His disinterest in campaigning?
Everything he’s done and said that seems stupid has a purpose. If nothing else to distract. A GOOD purpose? HELL NO: usually evil.
So “stupid?” HARDLY. Evil, dangerous and spreading misinformation that helps him? YES.
Not all columns are posted on alternate sites. If you feel you have missed one please go to endofthenet.org
-30-
“Inspection” is a column that has been written by Ken Carman for over 50 years. Inspection is dedicated to looking at odd angles, under all the rocks and into the unseen cracks and crevasses that constitute the issues and philosophical constructs of our day: places few think, or even dare, to venture.
©Copyright 2025
Ken Carman and Cartenual Productions.
All Rights Reserved.