A senior U.S. diplomat serving overseas called US President Donald Trump's remarks about expelling American diplomats from Russia "outrageous" and said it could lead more State Department staffers to head for the exits.
"This is so incredibly demoralizing and disrespectful to people serving their country in harm's way," Politico cited the diplomat as saying.
"I kid you not, I have heard from three different people in the last five minutes," one State Department official said. "Everyone seems pretty amazed. This statement is naive and shortsighted. It sends a terrible signal to local employees everywhere."
"THANK Putin?" another bewildered State Department official responded. "I don't have words that are printable to describe my reaction."
Trump thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for expelling American diplomats from Russia on the grounds that "we’re going to save a lot of money".
