Bingo! THAT is exactly what is going on ...
Personally, I don't view that as being what Trump is up to.
Rather, his long over blown narcissism and profound greed has rendered him completely blind to the dangers he is playing with.
It is this that has us reacting to just about everything he says and does as if we are observing a child too soon confident in itself, and as a result, completely oblivious to the fact that it is actually wearing its' right shoe on its' left foot; its' left shoe, on its' right.
THIS is what MUCH of the man's many -mis-words and mis-deeds far too often manifest.
Trump merely ever being, Trump.
Kind of like how, although the late fool of a Mob Boss: John Gotti, could not but end up exposing La Cosa Nostra to even more danger for them at the hands of Law Enforcement, that had not been what Gotti had wanted.
For he certainly threatened and bribed plenty a jury member to his freedom each time he'd find himself facing prison.
What brought him down in the end? What brought down many of his own with him?
His profound dishonesty to himself about himself, due to his equally profound narcissism.
Each time he'd screw up, he'd blame anyone but himself.
And each time he would beat Law Enforcement through his corrupt means, he would repeatedly make an open show of it.
A huge fopaux, within the world of Organized Crime. They were actually already set to take him out, as a result.
Because there is a callousness that kind of self-dishonesty and massive ego issue results in - that then results in all sorts of mis-steps that greatly impacts all concerned.
A callousness that renders its fool no longer able to see the catastrophe he is heading himself and his towards.
I sincerely doubt Trump wants to sell out his country.
Nevertheless, the result is the same.
He can't help himself at this point.
And only the ever mis-informed as to the processes behind being able to read another's personality profile without having to deal with them personally, take issue with the idea.
Not surprisingly, such then turn around and read all sorts of self-delusions into their false idol.
There is no reasoning with such.