Or there is the outside possibility that I still don't like but have to admit us a possibility...that Trump isn't as smart as we think and Q primarily operates outside of Trump with Trump just as a figurehead.

I don't think Trump is stupid but at this point Ocaam's Razor would suggest it is most likely Trump is not savvy with his appointments and emdorsements which also suggests he listens a lot to big money and advisors and may not be as independent as we sometimes assume. This does not however mean Q isn't independent. I have long suspected Trump knows way less about the Q op than we think he does but that he authorized it and let's them have the resources they need