(ONE)

Mike, I don't think there are "rational reasons" as to  why Trump became Putin's lapdog for the intelligence community to uncover; and IMHO you attribute way too much intelligent forethought to Trump in suggesting Trump wants to undermine in advance their potential revelations.

I suggest the best approach to understanding what Trump says is to search for "psychological reasons" rather than "rational reasons." 

For instance. 

The unshakable truth at the core of DT's being is that he is the brightest, smartest (just look at is wealth), best looking, most attractive (just look at his wife) male that God has ever made; and this core truth ALONE explains why he ALWAYS SUCCEEDS at everything. This is not DT's truth, but rather a most core truth of the universe.  

Therefore, if he had lost the election, it necessarily would have been because that election was rigged, but since he won, then of course the SOLE explanation for the Trump's victory is this universal truth.