Are Trump and Putin still friends??

[Tommy Carcetti]

18. It's a more complicated relationship than that.

It's not as if they are good old buddy-buddy, equal co-conspirators.

Trump is a Russian agent. Probably a semi-willing one--he's easily manipulated and he attracted by strongmen. So he gravitated naturally towards Putin and is willing to do his bidding, even if he doesn't think he's doing his bidding.

Europe and Ukraine can--and seem to have--been attempting to sweet talk Trump in order to sway him more towards their interests and away from Putin. But here's the problem--they're democratically minded. That's not "strong" in Trump's mind. "Strong" in Trump's mind is authoritarian. So that's why he kisses ass for Putin, Chi, the Saudis, Kim Jong Un, etc.

Democracies will forever be at a disadvantage when it comes to Trump, no matter what.

This little supposed kerfuffle between Trump and Putin is nothing. Trump's making empty threats of sanctions and tariffs. As I explained in my own thread, Russia has already been heavily sanctioned, and we get very little to nothing from them in imports to tariff. He's "threatening" this not in addition to military aid to Ukraine, but in place of it. When he comes face to face with Putin, he'll gladly fold like a deck of cards.