He didn't make a mistake trying to "work with DC". It was smart to appear cooperative until he'd consolidated power. Additionally he fostered the fake narratives that the WH was in chaos so the Swamp didnt grasp his lethality. Remember that In the beginning he only had a beach head in very dangerous territory. The worlds Swamp was trying to take him out by ANY means 24/7 including Republicans. The investigation into whether Trump was a traitor working for Putin was on blast. Pretending to cooperate bought him time and helped him survive.
Thats the plan.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-creating-schedule-f-excepted-service/
He didn't make a mistake trying to "work with DC". It was smart to appear cooperative until he'd consolidated power. Additionally he fostered the fake narratives that the WH was in chaos so the Swamp didnt grasp his lethality. Remember that In the beginning he only had a beach head in very dangerous territory. The worlds Swamp was trying to take him out by ANY means 24/7 including Republicans. The investigation into whether Trump was a traitor working for Putin was on blast. Pretending to cooperate bought him time and helped him survive.