Ask yourself a question, with generals like Milley and VPs like Pence, how many would have followed his lawful orders? Remember, Trump in his last days also had to fire a general who wanted to stay in Afghanistan. In his last year he also had to fire a Navy Admiral who wanted to go after that Navy Seal (Gallager I belive his name was) that Trump had specifically told him not to prosecute and whom he later pardoned.
The military brass wanted him gone. Like in every coup, both sides calculate who is on their side and who is against him. Trump knew he couldn't pull it off.
Before anyone says I'm some Q supporter or TDW fan club member on hopium, I'm not. And if you're coming here to say Trump was all an elaborate ploy or ruse by the deep state, you're brain dead.
A grunt knows that his ass ends up in Leavenworth if he comes down on the wrong side.
People always say "our military enlisted are based!" and that they wouldn't attack the American people and take our guns. Sure. They wouldn't shoot or bomb citizens, generally speaking. But NOT attacking civilians is a far different thing than actively following Trump to cross the Rubicon when your chain of command is saying not too. Now, Ike could have done such a thing, a Caesar who personally commanded the troops had their loyalty could do such a thing...but some E4 or O3 way way way down the chain doing it for Trump? Naw.
But to your second sentence, I agree. I think Trump thinks with some silly Boomer optimism he can save the system from itself.
I think you're overly optimistic.