Should Trump be taken literally ?

Yes, we should take him literally because he's the president of the United States. We shouldn't have to play a game of charades to work out his real intentions. He should be true to his word and mean what he says. I believe that he does mean what he says, he just doesn't always have the freedom or ability to enact what he says. He is every bit as short sighted and limited as he appears to be. It's not an illusion. There isn't some sub plot where he's actually a genius and an astute businessman. He's the human equivalent of a business for dummies book, that's the level at which he operates. He believes that business is all about firm handshakes and dick measuring. There is no nuance, no strategy of any merit, he's just a thin skinned sledgehammer. Putting Trump at the negotiating table with Putin is like putting Justin Bieber at the chess board opposite Magnus Carlsen.