Beholden to few in the GOP leadership, determined to maintain his freedom of action, and desperate for popularity, Trump saw that he had an opportunity to rule as a man above party, and he seized it. His inaugural speech was a well-received plea for unity and hymn to America’s greatness. His first big policy initiative was a well-constructed infrastructure program acceptable to both parties. He increased funds for immigration enforcement, but stopped talking about the wall. His Obamacare replacement program was a genuine attempt to create a universal catastrophic health care system. His tax cut plan, contrary to expectations, actually was skewed towards the middle class. His popularity soared accordingly.
None of this happened, of course, but the point is that Trump didn’t have to be a bumbling hard right Republican president. That he is one today is the product of a series of conscious decisions on his part, as well as his own moral and intellectual weaknesses.