Trump watchers are all a-flutter over Mad King Donald’s latest gaffe, a phone call to his Daddy, Russian President Vladimir Putin, congratulating him on winning re-election in a rigged election. This, despite a warning that his national security aides had written for him on note cards, in capital letters: DO NOT CONGRATULATE, according to officials familiar with the facts.

What does it mean? Trump watchers wonder: What creates this hold that Putin has over our leader?

Wonder no longer. Our liar-in-chief made this chatty phone call for two reasons: He prefers to ignore the advice of others who know better — he mistakenly thinks it demonstrates his manhood — and more important, Putin has him by the — um — short hairs. Someday, when all the facts finally are known, the world will learn how it is that Mad King Donald’s financial entanglements with Russians force him to avoid offending President Vlad at all costs. Even Donald with his stunted grasp of reality understands the catastrophic damage Putin could deliver to him financially from his position of power.

Trump’s Russia connection has always been about money and Mad King Donald’s habit of screwing up his handling of it. Greed has been his driving motivation, as it clearly is with son-in-law Jared Kushner. Ultimately it will bring the downfall of both men.

If we want to figure out the root cause of our Trumpian nightmare, we should follow the money. That will lead us to the truth. It’s just a matter of time.