I’m seeing more and more that a lot of what Trump says is mere “art of the deal” stuff, not to be taken as what he really believes and knows. What I think he’s doing is throwing Putin off balance. If you examine his words carefully there is usually lots of room for alternative meanings and interpretation. The last thing he wants to do is reveal his true hand to this very clever, dangerous foe.
You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
He didn’t give Putin anything.
He told him the intelligence community might be full of shit.