Donald Trump has one political gift above all others. He knows how to dominate the news agenda.

And with a single tweet overnight, he has done so again.

The idea of Donald Trump visiting Mexico is both preposterous and brilliant.Preposterous because he has advocated building a gigantic wall sealing off America's southern border, adding to Mexico's humiliation by insisting the country would be forced to pay for the very barrier that isolates them.

Preposterous too because he has insulted and disparaged Mexican immigrants at every stage of his campaign, calling them rapists and criminals. He is proposing to deport 11 million undocumented workers.

So what exactly is there to discuss with the Mexican President?

But it's also brilliant because the visit will put his most controversial proposal back in the headlines.

Trump's idea of building a 2,000 mile border wall was the political equivalent of igniting a pair of rocket engines under his presidential campaign. It gave his unlikely candidacy sudden momentum among Republican activists and anxious white voters.

He was due to give a speech today on immigration policy in any case. By going into the lion's den first, Trump has seized control of the news cycle once more.

Cynical, of course. High-risk, certainly.

Will it pay off politically for an erratic candidate like Trump?

Let's wait and see how the Mexicans handle it and whether the New York billionaire can navigate the fury and contempt that is sure to greet him.