Honestly, they aren't normally this level of stupid. But Trump has led them where he wanted them, masterfully. As he has not-so-humbly declared, he is a genius. His genius is not in the field of math or science, it's in dealing with people. If people have a weak spot in their armor, Trump will find a way to exploit it. And corrupt people ALWAYS have a weak spot.
Watching Trump and his team work is like watching dolphins corral a school of fish together so they can devour them all more conveniently. Intelligence trumps self-serving instincts, every time.
The panicked fish are now packed tightly together, surrounded by a cloud of bubbles on all sides, with no way out. What follows is sheer slaughter.