On June 16, 2015, Donald J. Trump declared his intent to seek nomination as the Republican candidate for President,1292 By early 2016, he distinguished himself among Republican candidates by speaking of closer ties with Russia,1293 saying he would get along well with Russian President Vladimir Putin,1294 questioning whether the NATO alliance was obsolete,1295 and praising Putin as a “strong leader.”1296 The press reported that Russian political analysts and commentators perceived Trump as favorable to Russia.1297
