Donald Trump knows hat he is abominable excuse for a human being. But, he does not have the intelligence, will, or character to change his behavior or himself.That is why he spends almost all of every trying to build and sell a false persona.
I don’t think you are correct in your assumptions. I think DT has narcissistic personality disorder or some allied condition...he actually does think he’s a genius and better at everything than anyone else. He can’t recognise that his behaviour is anything but completely correct. People who are opposed to him are fair game for ridicule because he’s following his own instincts of superiority to act that way....and he’s never wrong!
Unfortunately, no one ever likes to see themselves as bad and will always find ways to justify their actions. From childhood on he has had to lie and hurt others as a defense and now that is set in his mind as being necessary.