Trump knows what he's doing.... at least concerning his own aims. He's gained riches and fame from this process. The Long and short con of it is, it's paying off.
However what he and the rest of the oligarchy and rich wanna bes don't understand is if they keep it up there won't be much of a world worth living in, if we haven't extincted ourselves by then or soon thereafter...
You'd think they'd care in the least for their progeny. This is where the dumbness really kicks in as even if it's all about their own selfish interests in the end they're hurting themselves.