(Image: Private Media)

Hillary Clinton called it. In hers and Donald Trump’s final presidential debate in 2016 she said Russian President Vladimir Putin would “rather have a puppet as president of the United States”. America didn’t listen.

She was right. A ventriloquist couldn’t wish for a better sidekick than Trump.

October 2007 to Larry King: “Look at Putin, what he’s doing with Russia. I mean, you know, what’s going on over there. I mean this guy has done — whether you like him or don’t like him — he’s doing a great job.”

December 2007 letter to Putin: “I am a big fan of yours!” (Underlined by hand.)

June 2013 tweet: “Do you think Putin will be going to The Miss Universe Pageant in November in Moscow — if so, will he become my new best friend?”

March 2014 tweet after Crimea annexation: “I believe Putin will continue to re-build the Russian Empire.”

December 2015 after faint praise from Putin: “It is always a great honour to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond.”

August 2016 to CNN: “He’s not going into Ukraine, OK, just so you understand. He’s not going to go into Ukraine, all right? You can mark it down.” (Putin’s forces were already in Ukraine.)

July 2018 in Helsinki contradicting US intelligence that Russia interfered in the 2016 election: “President Putin says it’s not Russia. I don’t see any reason why it would be.” Republican war hero and former presidential candidate senator John McCain declared this “one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory”.

February 2022 after Putin invades Ukraine: “This is genius. Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine — of Ukraine. Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that’s wonderful… How smart is that? And he’s gonna go in and be a peacekeeper.” And this: “He’s taking over a country for $2 worth of sanctions. I’d say that’s pretty smart. He’s taking over a country — really a vast, vast location, a great piece of land with a lot of people, and just walking right in.”

This is a tiny sample of Trump’s bootlicking conduct. Dictators surround themselves with sycophants, but Trump has them beat. Trump is Putin’s No. 1 fan, bar none. There isn’t a single rival who Trump hasn’t mocked or insulted at some point, except one. Vlad.

Will Trump’s base care? No. They love Putin as much as Trump does. Putin has openly embraced white nationalism, Christianity, homophobia and loathing of foreigners. He has done to Russia what they want to do to America. He spews propaganda and rigs elections. He champions masculinity and might. They want all of that.

Saner Republicans might reconsider. War forces people to choose sides. The free world stands with Ukraine. Trump stands with Putin.

The choice could not be clearer.