Donald Trump, you can't reverse the damage by cosying up to Sadiq Khan or solve debt by 'printing more money'

It’s not hard to figure out what Republicans see in Donald Trump. Neoconservatives adore his bigoted views, fringe supporters love his big mouth and moderates like to pretend Trump’s billionaire status equates to some sort of economic literacy. By capitalising upon widespread ignorance and festering closet racism, Trump has deftly dressed himself as a powerful rallying point for America’s increasingly belligerent right-wing.

Yet as the political machine continues to nudge that great orange menace closer and closer to becoming an actual world leader, nutty fundamentalists are finally starting to realise Trump isn’t actually their mythical orange saviour – and by supporting him, they’ve actually scuppered their own chances at victory in this year’s general election.

Donald Trump doesn’t tell voters what he thinks, he tells them what they want to hear. That was a great strategy while working to rally America’s right-wing radicals. But now that Trump has all but secured the GOP ticket in November, he’s attempting to utilise that same strategy of shameless appeasement and reapply it on a far more diverse range of voters. This is where the guy’s political inexperience starts to hurt him more than it’s been helping.

First, Trump wins over hate groups by proclaiming he’s going to keep all Muslims from setting foot on American soil. Fast forward a few months, and the presumptive Republican nominee is attempting to kick start some sort of sick bromance with London’s first-ever Muslim mayor. It’s almost as though Trump has only just realised there are 1.6bn followers of Islam on Planet Earth, and that his narrow-minded grandstanding may actually generate a few negative repercussions.

Elsewhere, Trump is nonsensically backtracking on his supposed hatred of Mexico in a brazen effort to win over America’s 55m Hispanic voters. Sure, he’s called them all rapists and threatened to deport their family members – but that whole mess was probably just a misunderstanding. After all, he does eat taco bowls.

True conservatives might be able to pardon Trump for backtracking on his supposed core beliefs in order to court Mexican voters and key Muslim officials. Any self-respecting politician would sink to such depths. But even Trump’s most loyal supporters have got to admit his economic idiocy is totally unforgiveable.

Republicans are typically revered as America’s fiscally responsible party. They know how to make money, create jobs and eliminate debt – and as a successful billionaire, Donald Trump obviously knows how to do all three, right? If only.

Never mind four bankruptcies – let’s talk basic economics. Throughout the course of Trump’s political campaign, he’s constantly reassured us that he’s got a fantastic plan to jumpstart America’s economy. But he hasn’t told us exactly what that plan is, because our tiny minds couldn’t comprehend its genius.

Well on Monday, Trump gave the world a taste of that genius by proudly declaring the US would never default on its debts if he was elected president. Why? Because The Donald could simply print more money. That very well may be the stupidest and most reckless thing anyone has ever said about macroeconomics. Adam Smith will be rolling in his grave.

Enough is enough. Trump is willing to say or do anything to get elected president – but not because he wants to represent American conservatives or their so-called beliefs. The Donald isn’t scared of Islam, knows first-hand that illegal immigration isn’t always a bad thing and doesn’t care one bit about fiscal responsibility.

Donald Trump does not represent Republicans, big business or even religious bigotry. At the end of the day, this entire campaign has been about fuelling one out-of-control ego and giving the ghastly hair plugs on top of it their 15 minutes in the sun. In being foolishly led astray by that ego, American conservatives have now transformed an otherwise crucial presidential election into nothing but a sideshow contest between moderate stability and borderline insanity.

It doesn’t matter where you swing on the political spectrum – that’s a pretty easy call.