Unfortunately, that same insight could also explain Mr Trump’s choices to become his most important lieutenants, including the nomination for attorney-general of Matt Gaetz, a cartoonishly divisive Florida congressman,

Asked by one reporter if he thought Gaetz had the character and experience to be attorney general, Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) stared at them incredulously, waited six seconds to answer and then said, laughing: “Are you shittin’ me, that you asked that question? No. But hell, you’ll print that and now I’ll be investigated.”