Why Trump likes to put aides in their place

Administration officials past and present have told us that Trump savors news coverage that shows him acting unilaterally.

Even — one source said especially — when it involved overriding members of his own administration.

When Rex Tillerson ran the State Department, Trump used to enjoy telling people to ignore Tillerson and that he — the president — was the only one who mattered.

We see this play out on many fronts, from his impulsive use of pardons — often ignoring the usual process — to his zeal for executive orders.