I disagree. I never for a moment believed he wanted, intended, or expected to win the 2016 election. I even started a poll thread to that effect way back in August 2015.
I think he wanted the attention that running got him, enjoyed insulting and trouncing all the other republican candidates, and loved, Loved, LOVED the adulation he got at the rallies.
But he expected to lose, as did pretty much everyone else before Comey brought up the e-mail again a few weeks before the election. He planned to lose, then start up a media platform to whine and moan that the election had been rigged and, most importantly, grift his supporters.
Somewhere there is a video of Trump headquarters at the moment the election was called for him, and Ivanka is very excited, but the look on his face makes it perfectly clear he is not happy, and this is not what he wanted. It’s been posted here, but I searched YouTube and couldn’t find it. If someone can find it for us, watch it and tell me that’s the face of someone who wanted to win.