power and (supposed) prestige by association. People chosen for their ability and willingness to pet him constantly while singing his praises.

He chooses those he perceives as good looking with a certain TV star "quality" to live in his self-indulgent fantasy world.

In his head, all that matters is appearances. Just like on TV, the chosen can pretend to be anything, realistic or far-fetched.

His TV show portrayed him as something he absolutely never was... a successful, brilliant businessman. Producers knew he was a complete fraud, but he was willing to play the part because it made him feel good and the show made them a LOT of money while it lasted.

He is stuck in that mentality and his mental deterioration and full-blown dementia eliminate all of his doubts about his own "beauty", "star-quality", and fitness. He sees himself as a winner who cannot lose and whose ego cannot and will not recognize anything but him being basically perfect.

A trophy wife on his arm who tells him how wonderful he is and who makes him the envy of many other men is all he cares about in a spouse or girlfriend. Melania merely tolerates him. She spends almost no time in his presence. Perhaps she finds him as detestible as the rest of us do, but he's her pay day.

Same thing with those he hires as advisers and appointees. He perceives that he owns them. I think that Stephen Miller is the only one who he doesn't actually own but who has a power over him. He appears to seriously admire the guy and has given him enormous control over his regime.