There was a partisan shift in Americans' views on Putin between 2015 and 2017 (below) with Republicans in particular becoming more supportive of him. The positive views of him were most notable for the MAGA faction in particular. From what I have read, the vast majority of Americans continue to have an unfavorable view of Putin. My personal take is that whoever might take his place could be worse. That's part of the reason why I haven't been cheering for him to be violently overthrown, but that's a practical consideration and not about loving or hating him as an individual. Putin's Image Rises in U.S., Mostly Among Republicans
Putin is an autocratic despot attempting to reconstitute the Soviet Union--the biggest enemy the US faced in the latter half of the 20th Century. Other than this, I have no idea why we shouldn't like him!
Fortunately, most of the Republi-ban could not neither find Australia on a globe, nor figure out how to travel their anyway.
My guess is Putin will keep spouting nuclear threats because that seemed to have worked when macron put out that nato might get more involved.