Donald I, emperor of the world.

[Pinno718]

Agreed, but I think it partly explains how the real authoritarians have been able to manipulate him so easily (especially given his extreme malignant narcissism).

Would you say that the real; authoritarians are manipulating him or he's the man who could win the presidency and in return, they get to roll out Project 2025? I do not think he cares nor knows what the authoritarians do as long as he can play piper.

There were 2 reasons why he wanted to be elected and a possible 3rd:
1) He 'left cash on the table' at the end of his first term.
2) He's a narcissist and wants to be a winner

Therefore his mandate was to enrich himself and his family but in order to get elected, he needed the support of the billionaires. After being elected, all he wanted to do was maintain his popularity.

I'm less inclined to think that he thought being elected gave him the opportunity to bury the Epstein files, or at least sit on them. The process of divulging the files was a slow and deliberate as it had to be and far too slow to concern himself (isn't it then irony that his election has expedited the process?). I think he thought his popularity would guarantee the lid on the matter but he underestimated the power of the opposition to that. The two things are intrinsically linked. However, it must have been in the back of his head given the magnitude of the allegations and the powerful men he needed to shield, It is quite possible that this is reason 3. It's more than possible those implicated were/are paranoid. We just don't know what back room deals were done.
He's too stupid to realise that without coherent policy, he makes himself vulnerable and unpopular.

 

[briantrumpet]

Would you say that the real; authoritarians are manipulating him or he's the man who could win the presidency and in return, they get to roll out Project 2025? I do not think he cares nor knows what the authoritarians do as long as he can play piper.

It's a match made in heaven: he gets a load of sycophants who make him feel him important and brilliant; they get a highly manipulable man with a decomposing brain who doesn't care about laws or norms, as long as he gets the adulation and the riches.

 

[Pinno718]

It's a match made in heaven: he gets a load of sycophants who make him feel him important and brilliant; they get a highly manipulable man with a decomposing brain who doesn't care about laws or norms, as long as he gets the adulation and the riches.

Sure. The only thing I disagree with is the notion that 'here we have a vessel that's easy to manipulate'.
He couldn't give a toss what they do as long as they support him - how many press conferences has he had where he's asked a question about some event somewhere and he didn't even know what was going on, seeking counsel before answering?
They come up with item x on the Project 2025 list and tell Donnie to prattle on about rape gangs, narcotics and of course, the evil lefties* to justify it (* to which he has a deep resentment anyway as they took him to court multiple times, you know ; 'hang them'). He feels that he's getting one over on them.