A Putin critic found the method in Trump’s madness. Then he blamed it on oil

Published October 19, 2026 6:00am ET

I monitor Russian-language media. Most of what it says about President Donald Trump comes in two flavors: worship and contempt. Rarely does anyone do the work.

This month, Mikhail Krutikhin did the work. He is a veteran Russian oil analyst whom the Kremlin has branded a “foreign agent,” and he is no admirer of Trump. “Trump’s manners, tastes, and statements are repugnant,” he wrote in the Moscow Times on Oct. 13.