Former President Donald Trump on Oct. 15 declined to confirm if he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin since leaving office in 2021 but said, “If I did, it’s a smart thing.” Trump had previously denied claims from journalist Bob Woodward’s book that he had multiple phone calls with Putin after leaving the White House, calling it “absolutely wrong.” During an interview with Bloomberg at the Chicago Economic Club, he refused to comment directly on the matter, saying: “If I did, it’s a smart thing… If I’m friendly with people, if I have a relationship with people, that’s a good thi…