The illusion his grassroots base bought in the 2016 election has been dispelled. That version of Trump came down to a simple, comforting thought that the man they watched on “The Apprentice” would be the commander-in-chief. They weren’t electing a serial cheater and endless Tweeter; they were electing a man who made billions, the consummate negotiator of great deals, whose business prowess and skill in the boardroom would translate into victories for the United States with our trading partners, and send a firm signal to our enemies that there was a new, swamp-draining sheriff in town.