If you think about it, Donald Trump’s unparalleled high regard for himself gives him certain advantages in politics. Unlike most humans, he appears never to waste a moment indulging self doubts, examining his navel, back-tracking, or apologizing. His supreme confidence in his own judgment inspires confidence in others who share his views and aspirations. And even when he’s wrong, his refusal to ever admit it provides a certain level of assurance to those who are counting on him to be right. This seems to be a particularly valuable commodity to MAGA conservatives, who spend an inordinate amount of time denying every defeat and spinning every success into a world-historical moment (e.g., Trump’s incredible, historic 2024 landslide that was nothing of the kind).

On the other hand, when Trump’s own interests demand a sharp U-turn, the inability to admit error or weakness can become a real problem. Check out this exchange from an interview with the president conducted by Politico’s Dasha Burns:

Burns: I do want to talk about the economy, sir, here at home. And … and I wonder what grade you would give your........

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