I just had a bizarre thought. Admitting up front this is really far fetched, but What if Trump is trying to get the extreme right to shift to the center. He talks about how he views everything in life within a deal making framework. Everything is a deal to him.
So him running for president could be considered a deal with the American people. So he starts off appealing to the most extreme people. Building rapport with them, making them feel like he's their other half, "someone who finally understands". Once they turn into sheep who bark at his command, he starts shifting back a little, saying you have to compromise to get things done, and touting all the reasons why this such a great outcome anyway, in hopes that all those followers latch onto it anyway.
Many of his followers like him "because he's a strong leader", which indirectly suggests that they are weak followers, and will latch onto whatever he says.
