How stupid is Trump?

If you watched the president’s address on Wednesday, you know it was less a speech than it was a harangue — an unbroken stream of angry shouting, as Donald Trump berated the American people for its ingratitude. “One year ago, our country was dead. We were absolutely dead,” Trump said. “Now we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world.”

He might have added, “so why don’t you people like me?”

It is true: the American public does not like Trump, his administration or his agenda. A solid majority of all Americans disapprove of his job performance. They disapprove of his handling of trade and immigration. They especially disapprove of his handling of jobs and the economy. In a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey, 33 percent of Americans said that they approved of the president’s handling of “the economy” and only 27 percent approved of his handling of the “cost of living.” Majorities of Americans say that Trump’s policies have made the economy worse, and most voters hold the president responsible for declining economic conditions.

Eleven months ago, Trump was triumphant — a conquering hero who would reshape the nation in his image. He would trample the opposition, punish his enemies and make America MAGA for good.

In their pursuit of power, Trump and his allies have done a lot of damage to the United States, and the world. But as this year comes to an end, I think it’s clear that they’ve reached the limits of what they can accomplish through brute force alone. More important, Trump’s attempt to consolidate authoritarian power has inspired a large and ferocious backlash, from mass protests and organized efforts to stymie his most draconian plans to election results that show a voting public ready for change.

The 2024 presidential election wasn’t a plebiscite in favor of regime change, it was just a vote over the choice of chief magistrate. And when Americans put Trump back in office, they expected him to turn the page back to the prepandemic status quo, not make the country his personal fief. A more able president would recalibrate, take control of his administration and try to salvage what is left of his standing before he loses the trust of everyone but his most devoted followers.

Trump is not an able president.

He interrupted prime time television to yell at the American people this week because he does not know what to do besides yell. He can’t convince and he can’t persuade and so he demands, in the hope that he can browbeat the public into giving him the praise he thinks he deserves.

I think he’ll find that this isn’t going to work.