Trump knows he’s not the smartest person in the room. Trump wants to claim to be the smartest person in the room, and enjoys watching nobody correct him. That makes him feel like the most powerful person in the room. He doesn’t care who the smartest is, as long as he gets to claim it and all the credit for everything smarter people do near him.
We’re past Idiocracy. President Camacho listened to the smartest person in the room. Trump thinks he is the smartest person in the room.
Trump knows he’s not the smartest person in the room. Trump wants to claim to be the smartest person in the room, and enjoys watching nobody correct him. That makes him feel like the most powerful person in the room. He doesn’t care who the smartest is, as long as he gets to claim it and all the credit for everything smarter people do near him.
When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.
Nitpick: He’s gone on record as saying he doesn’t hire people who he thinks is smarter than he is.