A cautious Trump? Surely not.

I’ve no idea whether Russia did indeed attempt or succeed in hacking the US election process. But in a way what is more fascinating is the manner in which Donald Trump has received this information. Not for him the usual hyperbole with which he treats matters large and small – Mexican immigrants, his political opponents, anything else which strikes his fancy at any given time, rather he has been cautious, reserved, downplaying it.

In remarks to reporters upon entering a New Year’s Eve celebration at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump warned against being quick to pin the blame on Russia for the hacking of US emails.
“I just want them to be sure, because it’s a pretty serious charge,” he said.
“And if you look at the weapons of mass destruction, that was a disaster, and they were wrong.”

He may well be correct. But why this uncharacteristic reserve? In almost every other instance where there’s been an hint of malfeasance he takes the road of expressing not merely belief but sometimes absurd belief.

It’s difficult not to believe that this is actually more indicative of a personality driven by whim. His actions in relation to the PRC and Taiwan during the same period point to that dynamic more than any other. I’d love to think that this is a different ‘governing’ Trump, one who weighs up evidence, is hesitant to offer an opinion without information and so forth. I fear though that people will be disappointed if they pin their hopes on that.