The answer to how Trump has succeeded is really simple: He lies nonstop, and lying works. Sure, there are other factors in play—he tapped into and intensified a certain strain of profound proletarian resentment of liberal elites, and … well, that’s about it. But mostly, it’s the lies.
…And, to reiterate, Trump tells many such lies a day. He talks to the press two or three times a day most days, which probably adds up to what, 45 minutes, an hour? Spitballing it at one lie every two minutes, which may well be low, that’s around 25 factual lies a day.
Putin wasn’t on the ballot. FSM wasn’t on the ballot. Harris and Trump were on the ballot, and the US has a first-past-the-post electoral system (to its demerit) and like it or not if you didn’t endorse the loser you implicitly endorsed the winner. It’s zero-sum. That’s how it works. Trump now represents you, the entirety of the US of A, whether you like it or not.
People who shout “it’s not my fault, I didn’t vote!” are just trying to abdicate their responsibility and excuse their pathetic passivity. Nobody gives a shit.
“I didn’t drown that little girl in the pool. I stood there and watched her drown, but I didn’t drown her. How dare you imply I’m culpable?”
Keep ignoring the facts I present and making up stories about other’s intent.