--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Donald Trump didn't even understand…" description: "\"Donald Trump didn't even understand, right, that [Vladimir] Putin was playing him. So, in Putin's mind, I have no doubt that Putin thinks that he's an ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/michael-morell-26084_agents_donald-trump-didn-t-even-understand-righ_877969.jpg" --- # Donald Trump didn't even understand, right, that… ![“Donald Trump didn't even understand, right, that [Vladimir] Putin was playing him. So, in Putin's mind, I have no doubt that Putin thinks that he's an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation, although Putin would never say that.” quote by Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/michael-morell-26084_agents_donald-trump-didn-t-even-understand-righ_877969.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/michael-morell-26084_agents_donald-trump-didn-t-even-understand-righ_877969.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/michael-morell-26084_agents_donald-trump-didn-t-even-understand-righ_877969.jpg) > “Donald Trump didn't even understand, right, that \[Vladimir\] Putin was playing him. So, in Putin's mind, I have no doubt that Putin thinks that he's an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation, although Putin would never say that.” [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests Putin may view Trump as an unwitting tool of Russia, highlighting geopolitical manipulation. **In simple terms:** Trump may be used unknowingly by Putin. Key Takeaway Question political narratives. Themes politics geopolitics manipulation leadership media Mood analytical critical Type interview When to use this quote - elections - diplomacy - media analysis Key Concepts power dynamics foreign policy information warfare Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports this view? - How does perception shape foreign policy? A Different Perspective Complex motives may be oversimplified. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agents/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Doubt Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt-putin-1023274/) [Federation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/federation/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [No doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-doubt/) [Playing Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-putin-1023277/) [Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/putin/) [Putin Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/putin-mind-1023275/) [Putin Thinks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/putin-thinks-1023276/) [Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [Generally, Putin thinks of himself as Christian. I don't think he is, but he pretends to think that he is. In terms of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilya-ponomarev/generally-putin-thinks-of-himself-as-christian-i-don-t-think-he-is/) [Ilya Ponomarev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilya-ponomarev/) > [While most people in the world probably haven't heard my name, Vladimir Putin thinks about my name on a very regular basis. He really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-browder/while-most-people-in-the-world-probably-haven-t-heard-my-name/) [Bill Browder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-browder/) > [After the assassination of my wife, our nation was perilously close to civil strife. If I, as the co-chairman of the Party, had asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asif-ali-zardari/after-the-assassination-of-my-wife-our-nation-was-perilously-close-to/) [Asif Ali Zardari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asif-ali-zardari/) > [ However, personally, I see this as not having the right to abuse this trust \[among the citizens of Russia and Japan\], and any decision… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/however-personally-i-see-this-as-not-having-the-right-to-abuse-this/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [I'm as proud and assertive in my Quebec identity as any Quebecer. I believe it's to Quebec's advantage to be part of the Canadian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-couillard/i-m-as-proud-and-assertive-in-my-quebec-identity-as-any-quebecer-i/) [Philippe Couillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-couillard/) > [My objective is that before the end of the millennium Europe should have a true federation. The Commission should become a political executive which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-delors/my-objective-is-that-before-the-end-of-the-millennium-europe-should/) [Jacques Delors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-delors/) > [I have a tremendous respect to all French Federation of Football football teams, players, and supporters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-luiz/i-have-a-tremendous-respect-to-all-french-federation-of-football/) [David Luiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-luiz/) > [Japan has joined the sanctions against the Russian Federation. How are we going to further economic relations on a new and much higher basis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/japan-has-joined-the-sanctions-against-the-russian-federation-how-are/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [You don't buy experience at the pharmacy. You acquire it through games over time. Every player must go through that, but when the federation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agustin-castillo/you-don-t-buy-experience-at-the-pharmacy-you-acquire-it-through-games/) [Agustin Castillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agustin-castillo/) > [I flunked my exam for university two times before I was accepted by what was considered my city's worst university, Hangzhou Teachers University. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/i-flunked-my-exam-for-university-two-times-before-i-was-accepted-by/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [The Olympic Charter says winter sports must be played on snow or ice, so the Chess Federation says they'll play with ice pieces. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/the-olympic-charter-says-winter-sports-must-be-played-on-snow-or-ice/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [I would like to thank the Commonwealth Games Federation for the very fair manner in which this matter has been dealt with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-collins/i-would-like-to-thank-the-commonwealth-games-federation-for-the-very/) [Kim Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-collins/) > [Now it's of peculiar interest to an Arab country that there is a company and a certain set of bankers who also finance the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/now-it-s-of-peculiar-interest-to-an-arab-country-that-there-is-a/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [ Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers, calls \[Betsy\] DeVos the most ideological, anti-public education nominee since the creation of the U.S.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudio-sanchez/randi-weingarten-head-of-the-american-federation-of-teachers-calls/) [Claudio Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudio-sanchez/) > [ They \[leaders in Western Europe\] do not misuse financial instruments, financial injections, but, first of all, seek structural change. This is urgent for our… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/they-leaders-in-western-europe-do-not-misuse-financial-instruments/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) ## More by Michael Morell > [I'm concerned, too, about ISIS' ability, right, to infiltrate people. But we have got some very effective, robust processes for vetting people. We brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/i-m-concerned-too-about-isis-ability-right-to-infiltrate-people-but/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ The \[Edward\] Snowden disclosures created this perception that people's privacy was being put at significant risk. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/the-edward-snowden-disclosures-created-this-perception-that-people-s/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [If you were watching CNN, they were saying the NSA is listening to your phone calls. It's reading your emails. When you call your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/if-you-were-watching-cnn-they-were-saying-the-nsa-is-listening-to/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [One great lesson from history we need to keep on re-learning. It is that sometimes your adversaries tell you exactly what they're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/one-great-lesson-from-history-we-need-to-keep-on-re-learning-it-is/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [What I want you to know is that ‘Zero Dark Thirty' is a dramatization, not a realistic portrayal of the facts,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/what-i-want-you-to-know-is-that-zero-dark-thirty-is-a-dramatization/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [You have to have a military and intelligence approach to removing leadership that results in rapid frequent removals from the battlefield. It's got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/you-have-to-have-a-military-and-intelligence-approach-to-removing/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [I want the vetting to be solid. But I also want to bring these people in because not bringing them in sends a message,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/i-want-the-vetting-to-be-solid-but-i-also-want-to-bring-these-people/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [As far as Paris goes, we don't know for sure yet how these guys communicate among themselves and how they communicated back to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/as-far-as-paris-goes-we-don-t-know-for-sure-yet-how-these-guys/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [Do I believe Edward Snowden contributed to the rise of ISIS? Yes. Would they have gotten there without the help he provided them? Probably.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/do-i-believe-edward-snowden-contributed-to-the-rise-of-isis-yes-would/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ \[Hillary Clinton\] never misused \[ information that the Central Intelligence Agency has\]. She always protected it. I would trust her with the crown jewels… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/hillary-clinton-never-misused-information-that-the-central/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ Companies made these decisions about encryption when they were finding it very difficult to sell their products overseas because the \[Edward\] Snowden disclosures created… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/companies-made-these-decisions-about-encryption-when-they-were/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [One of the lessons we've learned from the last 25 years of terrorism is that groups that have safe havens are able to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/one-of-the-lessons-we-ve-learned-from-the-last-25-years-of-terrorism/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [Intelligence officers are supposed to put the facts on the table and really walk away from the policy discussion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/intelligence-officers-are-supposed-to-put-the-facts-on-the-table-and/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ Look at it from \[Vladimir\] Putin's perspective, right. He's a trained intelligence officer, worked for the KGB, very talented, manipulated people much smarter than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/look-at-it-from-vladimir-putin-s-perspective-right-he-s-a-trained/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) > [ From Mr. \[Donald\] Trump's perspective, right, he simply heard \[Vladimir\] Putin compliment him. He then responded by complimenting him. He never thought that he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/from-mr-donald-trump-s-perspective-right-he-simply-heard-vladimir/) [Michael Morell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) [Explore all 22 Michael Morell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/) ## More Agents quotes > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Our attitude towards evil must be freed from hatred, and has itself need to be enlightened in character...Satan rejoices when he succeeds in inspiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/our-attitude-towards-evil-must-be-freed-from-hatred-and-has-itself/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [We are coming to a place where the road ends. From here on out, we will be making the road as we walk it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-atlee/we-are-coming-to-a-place-where-the-road-ends-from-here-on-out-we-will/) [Tom Atlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-atlee/) > [Love is the supreme form of communication. In the hierarchy of needs, love stands as the supreme developing agent of the humanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/love-is-the-supreme-form-of-communication-in-the-hierarchy-of-needs/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [I have always believed that women are not victims, we are agents of change, we are drivers of progress, we are makers of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-always-believed-that-women-are-not-victims-we-are-agents-of/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Many American TV actors employ agents, managers, business managers, publicists and stylists, and are now adding digital media manager to the list. Their job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-bellman/many-american-tv-actors-employ-agents-managers-business-managers/) [Gina Bellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-bellman/) > [The ultimate goal of radical politics is gradually to displace the limit of social exclusions, empowering the excluded agents (sexual and ethnic minorities) by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavoj-i-ek/the-ultimate-goal-of-radical-politics-is-gradually-to-displace-the/) [Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavoj-i-ek/) > [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [My first job was a film called 'Storm Damage' for the BBC. I was 16 and working with really respected British actors. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-madekwe/my-first-job-was-a-film-called-storm-damage-for-the-bbc-i-was-16-and/) [Ashley Madekwe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-madekwe/) > [Government is the agent of those who are too refined to do their own mugging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/government-is-the-agent-of-those-who-are-too-refined-to-do-their-own/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [While much of modern behavioral and social science treats individuals as autonomous agents, it is absolutely clear that the way we think and act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-r-nelson/while-much-of-modern-behavioral-and-social-science-treats-individuals/) [Richard R. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-r-nelson/) > [People went out there and they wrote articles and went on television shows saying that I am an operative that the CIA who used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/people-went-out-there-and-they-wrote-articles-and-went-on-television/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [The chief beneficiary of life insurance policies for young, single people is the life insurance agent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-smith/the-chief-beneficiary-of-life-insurance-policies-for-young-single/) [Wes Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-smith/) > [“Honestly,” he says, “I judge writers on how they write queries. If you’re a good writer, you’re a good writer.” And if not, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-gessen/honestly-he-says-i-judge-writers-on-how-they-write-queries-if-you-re/) [Keith Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-gessen/) [Browse all 1,567 Agents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Donald Trump didn't even understand, right, that [Vladimir] Putin was playing him. So, in Putin's mind, I have no doubt that Putin thinks that he's an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation, although Putin would never say that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Morell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/donald-trump-didn-t-even-understand-right-that-vladimir-putin-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agents" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/donald-trump-didn-t-even-understand-right-that-vladimir-putin-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/michael-morell-26084_agents_donald-trump-didn-t-even-understand-righ_877969.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/michael-morell-26084_agents_donald-trump-didn-t-even-understand-righ_877969.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/124/michael-morell-26084_agents_donald-trump-didn-t-even-understand-righ_877969.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Donald Trump didn't even understand, right, that [Vladimir] Putin was playing him. So, in Putin's mind, I…” — Michael Morell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Morell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Donald Trump didn't even understand, right,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/donald-trump-didn-t-even-understand-right-that-vladimir-putin-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morell/donald-trump-didn-t-even-understand-right-that-vladimir-putin-was/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```