Over the decades Trump has popped in and out of my attention like "oh, I guess that guy is still around". Yet from what I gather there have been people following him the whole time like he's someone important or worthwhile.

I think what it comes down to is that the average person in our society is just an aggressive basic shithead who isn't burdened by an abundance of thinking, and so to them Trump appears as a successful businessman rather than a hollow snake oil salesman.