Trump Thanks Putin for Kicking US Diplomats Out of Russia

President Donald Trump said Thursday he would “thank” Russian President Vladimir Putin for ousting U.S. diplomats from Russia, saying he was “thankful” for reducing the federal government’s payroll. The ouster followed U.S. imposing sanctions on Russia in response to Kremlin interference in the 2016 presidential election. It was not clear how Putin’s retaliatory expulsion might reduce the payroll of the U.S. government.