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Foggy Bottom Foreign Service Pogs 'Butt Hurt' over POTUS 'Payroll Cut' Comment
 [ABC] Current and former U.S. diplomats reacted to President Trump's comments thanking Russian President Vladimir Putin for expelling U.S. embassy workers with dismay."As far as I'm concerned I'm very thankful that he let go of a large number of people because now we have a smaller payroll," Trump said at a briefing at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey on Thursday. "We'll save a lot of money," he added. It's unclear if the U.S. would save any money because of the expulsion. Any diplomats removed from Russia would be sent to posts elsewhere around the world. The Russian order to expel 755 U.S. diplomats last month came in response to new sanctions imposed by the U.S. A diplomatic row over Russian interference in the 2016 election began last year after President Obama ordered the seizure of two diplomatic facilities used by Russia in the U.S. and the expulsion of 35 diplomats and their families. One of those compounds, in rural Maryland outside of Washington, was said to be used for espionage, according to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. A State Dept. official who is a foreign service officer told ABC News the message from Trump thanking Putin is "really quite sad." Posted by: Besoeker 2017-08-11 |
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