I wonder if he thinks "What is the least effort on my part which will make my base think I am actually care and am doing something?" before he does stuff like this.

They are his followers. To them he is the second coming, no matter how flawed, because he is the only one promising to do away with the Constitution and replace it with a theocracy run by oligarchs. Dedicated believers are the easiest to manipulate. That’s why in Russia the Orthodox Church has cemented ties with Putin. If you can believe the fantasy of an invisible entity, it’s a small step to believe he chose your leader. And the bond between religion and politics serves both very well.

It is exhausting.