I agree with the other commenters that he’s just not that smart. I legitimately cannot see an administration of, basically, bullies trying to blackmail anyone into anything, because it doesn’t fit their MO. They don’t go for emotional blackmail, it’s all threats because that’s what they’re best at. Kidnap and implicitly threaten the kids or the wife so the guy you’re trying to deport comes out. Threaten the reporters or the onlookers with implied violent force. Threaten the people being mean to you on social media with that same violent force. It’s all they know how to do, and they know it works very well so long as you have what they’ve had most or all of their lives: privilege and power to back it up.

Trump was right in that he could’ve shot someone in broad daylight and gotten off. Any of these rich fascist fucks could - RFK Jr might have, allegedly. Not because they have millions of adoring fans, but because they’re bullies and can monetarily and violently threaten people into silence pretty easily with the wealth, access, and privilege that they have.