Give the President-elect of the US props. He can stage an event. Hence the staffers clapping and cheering as he entered his first news conference in almost 150 days. Hence the long line of American flags. (Did he get a special rate?) Hence the presence of the First Daughter standing by her dad as he defended himself against allegations of filthy actions with prostitutes in Putin’s Russia not on the grounds that he doesn’t cheat on his wife or he’s a better man or treats women with respect but on the grounds he is a germaphobe.

I have no idea if anything in the allegations presented at a security briefing are correct. IT DOESN’T MATTER.

What matters is that Putin and his techmonkeys continue to meddle in US  affairs. He is dividing the country. He is playing on people’s worst fears. Great, Putin rubs his hands with glee, now I can go about my business of making Russia Great Again (TM) without US interference.

That’s all he cares about. Hacking is cheaper and less risky than building bombs and aircraft.

And let’s not forget the domestic audience. Putin wants to be portrayed as a Great Satan by the US media because hey, he’s great but also because then he can justify his actions at home whether it be cutting off internet access or watching the economy stagnate and the life expectancy rates fall.

Putin needs an external enemy or there will be a focus on internal issues and Vlad doesn’t want that.