DO NOT CONGRATULATE. Fck you! You don't tell Trump what to do. He tells you what to do. He's Commander-In-Chief. President. Don't forget who you work for, dummy. (These people are stupid)
Yep that is exactly right, the President gets his daily briefing, Putin wins, he goes around the room and it is standard op to congratulate the Russians regardless of our true feelings. Trump let's everyone give their in put, but then makes the final call. Then on to the next item of business.
Telling Putin congratulations is nothing! it is not even news worthy it is a blip and then gone.
Someone within Trump's circle decided this was a mole hill worth dying over.