Opinion | Donald Trump is neither stupid nor mad, and his Jerusalem move proves it again

Nearly a year into Donald Trump’s tenure, suggestions from his many critics that the US president is mentally unfit have endured.

They are wrong. Trump isn’t stupid or mentally ill, and last week’s announcement that the US will recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital – a move that came under almost universal condemnation – underscores the lucidity of the Trump administration’s strategy.

For Trump and his advisers, division and conflict are not just means to an end. They are the goals: his administration needs to upend every US policy default and initiative of recent decades, in order to fulfil their vision and satisfy a particular group of Americans.

Look at Trump’s exchanges with the families of fallen Muslim and African American US soldiers, to see how he works to divide the country along racial and religious lines. There’s also his resolve to erect as many barriers as possible for immigrants from mainly Muslim countries, a strategy that’s dubious as a form of protection from terrorism. Which brings us back to Jerusalem, where Trump – unencumbered by ignorance or mental deficiency – sees opportunity.