It’s hard to tell: is the Trump campaign incompetent or brilliant?

The latest controversy is over Melania Trump’s convention speech. It was delivered beautifully and with tremendous poise – but the words were not, it seems, entirely her own. Side-by-side comparisons with Michelle Obama’s 2008 Democratic convention speech suggest that it was plagiarised. Melania also said that her husband will never “give you up” or “let you down.” Rick Astley should sue.

What happened? Team Trump can’t agree on a common line. Paul Manafort, the campaign chair, says there was no plagiarism. Chris Christie, however, says that maybe 7 per cent of it was the same. And Reince Priebus, chair of the Republican National Committee, says he would “fire” whoever was behind it.