Among other things, Donald Trump is undeniably a business man. He’s also loud, sometimes rude, and most definitely not “politically correct.” For most of his campaign trail, it would appear that way too. In the turbulent wake of rash statements and seemingly questionable policies, Trump’s name has inadvertently become synonymous with the heated discussions of Republican debates, and confrontational is decidedly not an ideal trait when running for president. So why are his numbers in the polls only going up?

For any business man, the most important key to success is the knowledge that he’s the smartest person in the room. Smart people know how to get what they want, but so far, Trump has the country convinced he’s just a conservative with more than enough means to put his money where his mouth is. But depending on the lens his policies are looked through, there’s actually a method to Trump’s madness. Leading a country takes much more than a pretty face; Warren G. Harding’s term as president is proof of that. But as Trump has yet to put on any presidential airs, he’s going to have to rely on what he’s good at, and that has always been business.

Just last week, he made a statement that suggested all Muslims be banned from entering the United Sates. On the surface, it’s an outrageous, racist statement to make, and the media wasted no time in telling him so. But shift gears for a moment to consider the concept of negotiation. There’s a really nice motorcycle for sale, gently used but functional enough to provide a thrill. It’s for sale, but at a ridiculously high price. However, there’s a phone number inscribed as well, an open invitation to try a hand at negotiation. After talking to the family who owns the bike, the buyer is able to lower the price. The family makes some extra cash while the buyer walks away feeling rewarded with his new motorcycle. Everyone leaves satisfied. The seller is Trump, making his demands at an exorbitant level. The buyer is the American public who want nothing more than to rein Trump in, but yet – they like the concept of owning a motorcycle, only more so on their terms and a little less on the seller’s.

Trump is an American, and as an American, he is familiar with the First Amendment which details the freedom to practice any religion. To ban practitioners of Islam would be an egregious violation of the constitution, and close to, if not impossible, to accomplish. Consider that perhaps Trump doesn’t want to actually ban every Muslim. Or even if he wants to, he knows that he can’t. Instead of starting out reasonable, he chooses to negotiate, decreasing the risk that comes with beginning on middle ground; that is to say, no progress would be made towards defeating terrorism because each push on Trump’s part would equal shoves of protest from the American people.

And what of this great wall meant to be the ultimate panacea for illegal immigration? Based on Trump’s previous remarks, it’s fair to assume that he means a literal wall to rival that of China’s. But assuming Trump is still the smartest person in the room, he also still has more cards up his sleeve. The immigration wall doesn’t necessarily have to manifest itself in the form of a physical blockade, rather a firewall of sorts – it’s not visible, yet it protects hard drives from viruses. In other words, border control can be tightened, tracked, and closely enforced.

Above all, Trump’s loud mouth does grant him one thing: people will always listen. Even if citizens do not necessarily agree with all that Trump brings to the platform, he voices the concerns of the average person on topics that have kept politically correct candidates otherwise mute. Trump knows that a stagnant economy is doomed, just as America will be should it continue under the same policies. He stands for action, and though unfortunately bombastic in his delivery, he offers the strategies and has the motives to point American in a different direction.

As mentioned before, the business world is Trump’s ideal playground, but most would argue that the real world cannot be run as one giant negotiation. The interesting thing about Trump’s campaign is he’s proving that just maybe it can be. “Making America great again” is surely no small task, but Trump is proving to be a very big contender.