There's a missing piece to this equation. If he's just more of exactly what the Republican party always serves up then why didn't the establishment Republicans just welcome him into the fold? Why was there so much wailing and gnashing of teeth and sustained attempts to discredit him? If he's just one more ineffectual Mitt Romney or Jeb Bush type then why get all riled up over his entry into the political arena? I don't think it's as simple as "oh he's not a career politician". I don't recall there being any sort of vitriol from Republicans over say Arnold Schwarzenegger's entry into politics, but with Trump he was taking flak from all angles. There must be a reason for that and I think the reason is that he represented a real threat to the status quo of refusing to do fuck all for the American people.

I'm willing to entertain the idea that he has been ineffectual, but I think there was genuine intent to do good for the American people.