Just reading that quote, my assumption is not that he's insinuating qualities worthy of his and our admiration, but rather he's presenting a question for thought: "How does he do that?"
Cutting and pasting from the quotes you offered, the premise I took away is Trump saying:
"How does "a maniac, OK?" takeover a country like NK from these tough generals?"I don't read "admiration, but rather someone talking about an inexperienced young monster taking and holding onto power."Even though it is a culture, and it's a culture thing, he goes in", and "all of a sudden", "he takes over, he's the boss. It's incredible", "you know?"
One more in support: "Trump called the authoritarian leader a "madman playing around with nukes" and a "total nut job.""
Can't argue with Trump about that.
I cut and pasted and linked an article.
Why does Trump always have to be parsed? You can take these sentences, break them apart to analyze them, but put together in context, it's unseemly and unpresidential - a loose cannon.
Apparently your mileage differs.
I get that.
But if someone other than your candidate had gone off like this, you wouldn't be so accommodating.