That has left Trump more emboldened than ever — and with a long to-do list. He’s launched into a frenetic pace of appearances that is a dramatic departure from his predecessor, Joe Biden, who often faded from public view by his own staff’s design.

Sometimes more talking doesn't produce more clarity. One afternoon, Trump told reporters that there were “no surprises” when Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski decided to oppose Pete Hegseth to lead the Pentagon. The next morning, Trump said he was “very surprised” by their votes.