And we hear from Trump's own words that he rarely, (my words, if ever) reads a book.. and some people still think he's smart???

Yes, agreed Karen.. my point was that allegedly he doesn't read reports.. he said so himself in an interview. He allegedly doesn't read reports.

I believe he said he doesn't like reading long reports.  He does read books.  Doing a quick Google search will show you this. 

Erm... ok.... I erm.. would kinda hesitate to associate someone who had an avowed dislike of reading long reports with being a man of intelligence... just goes with the territory, which was really my point...  Intelligent people tend to read LOTS was really what I was saying.. and erm less intelligent people tend not to...  

Re whether he reads books... well my search seemed to suggest the opposite... Personally I don;t much care if he reads books or what books.. .I was just really saying that reading lots tends to be associated with intelligent people.. even busy people... 

He didn't say he doesn't read them, only that he doesn't like reading them. There is a bit of a difference there. I know a lot of intelligent people who do not like to read, so I can't associate not reading with with not being intelligent. 

Hmm ok well I respect your right to your stance there Karen, but just to say I heard differently and it was Trump who said it.. so, it's very hard to know what to believe here.  I think too there is a difference between intelligent people as in most people are intelligent to some degree and a man who is intelligent enough to lead a country.  One would expect and hope that a leader of a country would be a little more intelligent than to have the vocabulary of a village idiot.. 

And I respect your right yo your stance here. I also believe there are too many false rumors and stories going around and no one takes the time to see if they are true or not before spouting them all over the place. 

Hmm do my spider senses detect sarcasm there? I should point out as a Brit we invented sarcasm :P My point was, and remains so.. that very intelligent people very much do tend to read lots, they seek as many opinions to gain vioepoints and information as possible, they research, they read etc.. and therefore the implication where you have someone who does not do those things, and himself says that he doesnt, then you have to question whether he really is a) that intelligent, b) dangerous..  
Still perhaps it doesn't matter to the Americans who voted for him.. after all there has been a pretty impressive track record of presidents who were laughably thick.. We all laughed like drains at the many gaffs made by Bush, and Reagan provided some amusement..

Personally I'd want a leader of MY country to be smart as heck, I'd want them to be aware of everything, all the information, the various perspectives and issues. but hey, if the people who voted for Trump are happy with a Prez who's as thick as two short planks. . well they should be really pleased at this point as Trump looks the stupidest yet.  

How is he as thick as two short planks? 

So what is he supposed to read? Anything that is available to read, unless it's statistics, is written by one individual author, except for newspapers and magazines that are a collective bunch of opinions all pushing for the same biased left/right wing agenda they're rooting for. He has wrote books, wrote newspaper columns and articles himself. He knows all about it. 

Hello Righty, many thanks for your interest in my comment.. The saying is when there is someone who acts like they are not very intelligent. Someone who, by his own admission does not read books, reports or take advice from experts in the field and who, when he talks uses very poor grammar and vocabulary ... would, fit the criteria of seeming unintelligent, or thick as two short planks.   I hope that makes sense.  
I didn't make any reference to what he should read, if you mean by way of books? I do think he should be prepared to read reports, even long ones, or if he finds it difficult to read, ( I am very much against discrimination) then he should have them read to him.. but to outright ignore or not read reports just because they are long, (I am taking Karen's word for that one) would suggest strongly that someone is really not at all bright, as in not very intelligent at all.. quite the opposite...
The point I was making about the fact that very intelligent people very much DO take on board a vast range of opinions etc... was directed at Trump as a well informed, very intelligent person would make sure they have as much information as possible.  Trump has, by his own admission and by his very clear and unequivocal actions refused to listen to, or even consider the experts.. Someone who has extensive training and experience in a specified field and who writes a report.. is almost never JUST an author - nor would a good report rely upon opinion... a report should present both sides, back what they say with statistics and evidence... soo.. to ignore that seems. well.. dangerous!

As to his having written books.. it is well known that his books were written by ghost writers, one of whom now comes out and says he wish he had never done it...and who is quite scathing of Trump, having been able to get to know him.  I imagine the same is true of these articles...  It was very telling that in an interview, using Trumps own words, that the only book he mentioned as having read was his own! Like he believes that that is  GOOD book and important? Now in my book, and that of many others, that comes across as a) arrogant and b) very, very ignorant - as I say it makes him come across as an imbecile.

I would just take a moment to reassure you that I don't rely on opinions and left/right wing opinions when it comes to Trump.. I don't have to..most of the world and the intelligent people in it can see from the things Trump says and does that he really has a worrying lack of intellect...    just one example... of the Russians he said.. he had "no deals, no loans, no nothing" that alone would have convinced half the world that the man's a thickko

What you have to bear in mind, love, is that he's a very busy guy, and always has been. There's a lot to read out there. So, for one who has a very busy schedule, who has a lot to do with very little hours in the day, has to be very selective about the stuff they do choose to read, and if they have any time at all to do that. 

For a CEO who had to build, oversee and expand his own real estate empire, he would have very little time to read up on stuff. His focus would have to be on his business. And after business, family time, and TV/radio appearances, he would have very little-to-no down time for himself because he would have to sleep too. And now as commander-in-chief, he's going to have even less time. Intelligence briefings is the only way he's going to be getting the info he needs now. Not by reading articles or reports. It would be too time consuming. That will be on his team to do that for him.