Strongly disagree. It was likely Pence who set Trump straight on Putin and Russia.
Once I heard him at the VP debate I immediately knew team Trump was going to be tough regarding Russia. Before that, I had serious doubts. I think Trump was very naive early on in regards to Putin and Russia.
At some point, right around the time Pence came in, I recall Trump saying something like, "Boy, did I learn a LOT this week". I am 99% positive that he was referring to some sort of briefing or discussion he had with people in the know regarding Russia. I need to go back and see if I can find the precise quote so to nail it down.
Mike Pence on Putin and Russia:
(from the VP debate on Oct 5, 2016)“When Donald Trump and I observe that, as I’ve said, in Syria, in Iran, in Ukraine, that the small and bullying leader of Russia has been stronger on the world stage than this administration, that’s stating painful facts. That’s not an endorsement of Vladimir Putin — that’s an indictment of the weak and feckless leadership of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.” ..."
What we’re dealing with is the — you know, there’s an old proverb that says the Russian bear never dies, it just hibernates.
And the truth of the matter is, the weak and feckless foreign policy of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has awakened an aggression in Russia that first appeared a few years ago with their move in Georgia, now their move into Crimea, now their move into the wider Middle East.