It is clear that Trump admired Putin before the election, and we have him on video at an election rally outright requesting help from Russia in his fight with Hillary. The reality of geopolitics and other forces in our government and the Pentagon are probably at play here, as Trump is finding out that this presidentin' thing is a complicated business.

Putin will continue to exert whatever influence he can through Dump, but he's under no illusions.

Plus, he is playing a long game in his goal of reuniting as many parts of the old USSR and regaining global power. Based on Trump Jr.’s comments in I think 2016 that they got all the money they needed from Russia and the likelihood that the Trump organizations have been laundering money for Russian oligarchs for years, Putin has at least financial compromat on Trump. But what good would it do him to release it and see Trump impeached? Unless he also has compromat on Pence (highly unlikely), getting rid of Trump will not benefit him at this point. Trump has tried to favor Putin, as when they lobbied to get rid of the Magnitsky Act and in delaying sanctions, but he is constrained by the limitations on what a president can do alone. Better for Putin to wait and see whether the Mueller investigation results in impeachment. If not, Putin still has his compromat and Trump under his thumb as much as he does now. That compromat may be more useful in the future. By some chance, if Trump survives the Mueller probe and the Cohen mess and remains as president, he would be even stronger and could be of much greater use to Putin at that time. I can barely stand to think about him not being impeached, but it could happen. I do think Democrats will win back the House this Fall, but the Senate will be tough and even if they pick up seats, Democrats will still have just a bare majority—not enough to impeach.

Middle East.