If I was to believe any conspiracy theory at all, it's that Trump isn't working for Putin, he's working for the Clintons.  What could be sweeter revenge for them than to destroy the Republican Party from within, make all of its members look utterly insane as they try to justify him, and insure that it won't be a viable institution again for a quarter century at the very least, if ever?  That's the only angle I can view this whole thing from and find a logical explanation for Trump's behavior.  

Sadly, however, I suspect he truly is as nuts as he comes across, which means the Clintons will get what they want even if they didn't put him up to it.