Summary

Putin’s actions after Trump’s election, including a delayed congratulations and a denial of a phone call, suggest a lack of respect for Trump’s personal relationship with him.

Russia’s intelligence chief’s statement that Trump owes them favors for their support in his election, along with hints that he is expected to “pay back” certain obligations, amounts to a bold threat of blackmail.

Trump’s foreign policy, which favors a realignment with Russia, may be challenged by Putin’s actions and the revelation of Russian interference in the election.

  • Flying SquidM
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    11422 hours ago

    Does Trump think Putin is his friend or does Trump need to pretend for his own ego’s sake that the man he’s taking orders from or else also likes him?

    • @angrystego
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      6121 hours ago

      This is an old one, but I always enjoy telling it in new contexts:

      Trump walks outside the White House aimlessly. He slowly picks up a stone, inspects it closely, then puts it back and continues his slow walk.

      Vance is worried and calls the Kremlin for help.

      "We’ll look into it, Mr. Vance… hang on… Oh. We’re terribly sorry, the fault is ours. By mistake we’ve sent him the instructions meant for Lunokhod.

      • PorradaVFR
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        1618 hours ago

        I…. don’t get it…?

        • peopleproblems
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          24
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          18 hours ago

          Lunokhod is a soviet lunar rover.

        • @[email protected]
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          18 hours ago

          Lunokhod was an old Russian lunar rover would have been receiving instructions for picking up rocks on the moon. The joke is that Trump (or whoever the original subject of the joke was back in the day) was so controlled by Russia that they were beaming him instructions directly.

          • PorradaVFR
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            14 hours ago

            Ok that’s solid! Wish I’d known the setup before.

        • @angrystego
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          1821 hours ago

          Yep, it’s that old, but very recyclable.

    • NegativeNull
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      2521 hours ago

      Putin just showed naked pictures of his wife on Russian TV. That is not something a “friend” does.

      • @[email protected]
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        417 hours ago

        Trump used to have sex with his “friend’s” wives. So this actually seems something he’d be used to.