TWINPAC
You really nailed it at #41. It's a source of amazement that nobody, so far as we know, has sidled up to the guy, touched his arm, leaned over and whispered something beyond sweet nothings into his ear. The act has grown as old and threadbare as a Liberace tribute act in a coal-dark, smoke-infused, off-the-Strip lounge with a thinning carpet smelling more than slightly of vomit.
I attribute this state of affairs to a loon narcissist's "natural" tendency to surround himself with folks who'll grovel like voles to stay in his good graces. In other words, weak people. (Which helps account for why they tend to be both stupid and mean.). Trump's actual feedback loop is confined to news about him and how news which others might not see as related to him relates to him.
As for Putin, he must still be pinching himself at what a patsy this American is and how badly he got so thoroughly slapped around in Helsinki.
"making a surfer's seal-like silhouette even more enticing."
Absolutely. Look at a surfer from below (the shark's perspective), either sitting on the board or just lazily paddling, and ... yeah, there's definitely a seal-ish shape there. I know plenty of divers take comfort in believing they, on the other hand, do not resemble an edible. But if the sharks are getting antsy, perhaps they're less discriminating. One bite, just one. Perhaps the shark doesn't like that bite, shakes it off, and leaves the diver behind as it swims off in search of a real meal. Meanwhile, the diver contends with a severed artery. Oops. Diving is great, but do steer clear of the divers who boast of the number of dives they've had or other -------- rubbish. Oh, and please stay away from "shark feeds" and "shark experiences" which draw the critters by - in one form or another - chumming. Think about it.