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His response was greeted by a tweet storm of ridicule from elected Democrats, scientists and ordinary social media users who continue to marvel at his willful contempt for scientific knowledge. His missive was a timely year-end reminder that this president refuses to educate himself on the most basic aspects of key policy issues.

Coincidentally on Thursday, Trump, in a New York Times interview — demonstrating his rambling, self-absorbed mind-set — insisted that he knows “the details of taxes better than anybody. Better than the greatest C.P.A. I know the details of health care better than most, better than most.” He insisted that on the “big bills,” he knows more “than any president that’s ever been in office.” It was unfortunate, judging from the excerpts that the Times released, he was not pressed to answer in detail questions about the “big bills,” or on climate change. It is one thing to let Trump prattle on without interruption, thereby creating a record of his inanity. (Isn’t that what Fox News affords?) However, it’s also essential to continue asking him questions that challenge his falsehoods and test how he reacts when contradicted.

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Trump’s ongoing ignorance, like his contempt for democratic norms and insistence on monarchical-like loyalty, are mainstays of his personality. (“I don’t want to get into loyalty, but I will tell you that, I will say this: [Former Attorney General Eric] Holder protected President Obama,” he told the New York Times. “Totally protected him. When you look at the things that they did, and Holder protected the president. And I have great respect for that, I’ll be honest”) He is no more able to absorb and comprehend scientific information than he is to comprehend that there are limits on his powers as president. (“I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department,” he said before saying he would not involve himself with a potential re-investigation of Hillary Clinton.)

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Trump’s defenders have insisted that he is “new” to the role or thinks like a “businessman.” In fact, no chief executive would presume to run a business about which he was so ignorant. Moreover, continued inability to master key aspects of the job is not a plausible excuse for Trump’s vacuity, but rather an admission of fundamental unfitness. His followers will never admit as much but the majority of Americans, according to an array of polls, have figured out he is not up to the job.