//Dr. Trump acquired what he calls “a natural instinct for science” not through formal education but because “my uncle was a great professor at MIT for many years.” //
He didn't say he'd acquired it. He said 'maybe'. Light-hearted this is not. It's spiteful.
Also, it isn't spite -- it's serious. Trump sets himself up very quickly as an expert on anything he touches. "Maybe" is just his style. But in doing so he's undermining the genuine experts, the people whose advice should be listened to -- not by design, probably, but by accident, by muddying the issue, spreading misinformation or outright lies at the worst possible time.
Without being spiteful, something I try to avoid - I think he's one of those people who see delegation as a sign of weakness, when in fact it can show control and power to put the top medical advisers (in this case) in charge of statements and advice.
In 2012 he claimed wind turbines would almost destroy Scotland's tourism industry. When he was asked for evidence of that, he said he was considered a world class expert in tourism and he was the evidence.