If this is the case, and I agree with you and Colkoch, this may be the only thing that turns his loyal base against him--the fact that they were pawns all along. That has the potential to get very ugly and inflame certain elements who counted on his outsider status to get things done. 

I think he started out wanting the job. He was buoyant in the summer of 2015 and had the knack for stoking his audience and getting stoked himself on the response to his 3-point plan. That's been replaced by ennui and irritability. He's almost more unbearable when he's under control too, like he was last night. I found him scary.