Has Donald Trump spoken with Vladimir Putin by phone, and how has he responded when questioned about these communications?

According to Rachel Maddow's analysis, Trump has indeed spoken with Putin by phone, as revealed in a New York Post exclusive. However, Trump has consistently displayed evasive behavior when questioned about these communications. When directly asked how many times the two leaders had spoken, Trump responded with "I'd better not say." Maddow highlights Trump's pattern of reluctance to discuss his relationship with Putin, characterizing his reactions as defensive and inappropriate. The journalist frames this revelation as significant, implying it contradicts Trump's previous attempts to avoid acknowledging communications with the Russian leader.