A couple of months ago Donald Trump told Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop saying “negative things” about Vladimir Putin. Who’s this Putin fellow then? Must be a very good guy if the current American administration thinks so. An upstanding, trustworthy, and peace-loving humanitarian who cares for his people and for the people of the world. Er, hold on, do Trump and his brown shirts mean Vlad the Poisoner? Vlad the lover of murderous regimes around the world who only cares for the money in his back pocket and his image in a mirror? Narcissist, killer, absolute nob-end? That Vlad? If that’s the case, Trump must be in deeper with the Russians than I thought. Trump as Manchurian Candidate. Russian stooge at the heart of the American machine. Ready to do anything to help the latest Russian dictator achieve his aims in Ukraine and around the world. There’s a lot to that argument, but I wonder whether there’s a simpler explanation? Money. Well known kleptocrats love to keep other kleptocrats close, partly because they know there’s strength in numbers and that the greater the corruption the harder it is for law enforcement in its various guises to bring them to justice. And partly because if kleptocracies can work together and create chaos, stealing money from the poorest becomes much easier. Trump has already proved that much of what he says is bullshit, bullshit that sows the seed of chaos and creates the kind of ambiguity he assumes will profit his brand and his bank balance. This is the way he’s always operated, making it up as he goes along seemingly falling backwards only to end up leader of the free world. However, as much as the Putin connection has been good for him it might be a weakness in the long run, because kleptocrat leaders are not known for their rationality and good sense and always fall out with their friends, countries and world opinion. His love of Putin a weakness because European leaders hate Putin more than anyone else, which leaves Trump floundering to persuade his old allies to do his bidding. Which means less money in his wallet and a bunch of leaders, once potential friends, now potential enemies. How does he square this circle? Don’t be surprised if Putin eventually goes from best friend to best enemy once the calculations are done. Putin now a very bad guy. Trump stating on record, “I don’t remember saying all these nice things about Putin”. In back rooms recent history rewritten by Trump’s brown-shirts to protect the guilty. Photos doctored. Secret documents censored. Dirty cash secure. Position maintained. And the sad thing is Trump will get away with it. Europe and the USA best of mates again. The rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer while the leaders of the West with their special relationship mended proceed with no alternative to capitalist fundamentalism and the death of the planet.