I’ve always said that while Trump definitely is a dimwit, a dumbass, and an incurious clod, it’s a little too simplistic to just call him “stupid” and leave it at that. Because he may not be intelligent in the normal human sense, but he’s preternaturally gifted in one thing: scams. Cons. Swindles. He’s a natural born con man who uses a combination of tactics to avoid consequences while committing blatant crimes.

You don’t get to the White House by just being “stupid.” A century ago he’d have been a very successful carnival operator or snake oil salesman. He’s an archetypal American upper-class criminal.