I think when he [Vladimir Putin] calls me brilliant I will take the compliment, okay? I mean, the man has very strong control over a country. Now, it's a very different system and I don't happen to like the system. But certainly in that system, he has been a leader far more than our president has been a leader.

I think frankly a lot of people agree with what I'm saying.

If people were like me, there would be no mob, because I don't play that game.

The truth is, that the military people are so important to our country.

We are going to take care of our law enforcement because in some ways that's going hand in hand now more and more when you see what's going on.

I'm a big free trader. But it has to be fair.

There you see Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson closing a deal with [Vladimir] Putin in 2011. Two years later, he received one of Russia's highest civilian honors, the Order of Friendship.