As someone else noted above, "the media takes him literally, but not seriously and his supporters take him seriously, but not literally". Trump has since walked

As someone else noted above, "the media takes him literally, but not seriously and his supporters take him seriously, but not literally". Trump has since walked this position back to "extreme vetting" (though you can still find the original press release on his site). Making exaggerated, hyperbolic statements that appeal to the emotional cortex is an intentional strategy employed by Trump to dog-whistle the media, and his masterful ability to bait the media is the only reason he's won anything up to this point. Showmanship is part of the game. You need to look at the consistent elements in Trump's statements, which are abolishment of free trade, tight borders, and American protectionism. That's what he's serious about.