Cynical me thinks...
Trump doesn't really want to win, or at least doesn't care whether he wins.
Losing allows him to remain a victim and to play to the MAGA need for victimhood.
Losing allows him to use his victim status to leverage legislation and elections. He doesn't lose political power.
Losing might not have much effect on his insulation from legal consequences.
Losing means he can play as much golf as he wants.
OTOH...
Winning means he'd have to work.
Does Trump need this debate to happen more than Harris? Trump unilaterally arranging this event seems like a move of someone knowing they’re behind.
Weak and scared.
Congress takes a crack at bump stocks to what end? The Supreme Court didn't only overturn an executive order. They appealed to 2A. Any law congress would pass - and that's beyond imagination - would face the same appeal.
Until we gain some national sanity about 2A nothing is going to change, or be able to change.
Did you leave out the last step: An actual bloodbath ensues? (Which we will be told is nothing more than tourists, or false flag antifa ops, or...)
We've lost the capacity for outrage. And we might pay the price.