Following the criticism on social media sites of President Donald trump thanking Russian President Vladimir Putin for cutting the U.S. payroll by 755 employees, the White House just did a U turn. A senior White House spokesman insisted on Friday that Trump was being sarcastic after he was accused of treating very lightly Putin’s decision to send home the embassy staff, ABC reported.
Trump told reporters on Thursday from his Bedminster golf course that he was grateful to Putin for cutting down the embassy’s workers which resulted in a smaller payroll for the U.S.
government. He added there is no reason for the 755 embassy employees to return to Moscow. Trump said the move, which is in response to economic sanctions on Russia imposed by the US Congress for Kremlin’s interference in the 2016 US election, will save Washington a lot of money, Time reported.
Twitterverse explodes
As expected, a lot of Americans were angry at the moves of Trump who reluctantly signed the economic sanctions legislation. Trump had maintained that the Russians did not intervene in the elections in 2016, although evidence – such as the meeting of Trump’s campaign team with Russians on June 9, 2016 – says otherwise.
On Twitter, a lot of netizens tweeted their sentiments. Chadda Mooka Moxx said that it was so disgraceful for the president to thank Russia for forcibly cutting the number of embassy workers in Moscow.
What about the jobs lost in the American embassy in Russia? Oh wait you thanked Papa Putin for humiliating you.
— Carlos R-Aguirre (@CarlosRobuirre) August 11, 2017
So @realDonaldTrump cares about American jobs? Then why is he joking about 700+ Americans losing their jobs at US embassy in Russia?
— Corbeau (@CorbeauSeattle) August 11, 2017
Russia closed 755 jobs in American embassy and Trump is the only politician in DC who doesn't want to sign for more sanctions. https://t.co/obYH0SkCnG
— Wim (@WimLuyckx) August 2, 2017
Time noted that while the State Department called Putin’s move regrettable and not called for, Trump was noticeably silent over the issue.
The White House issued the statement that Trump was sarcastic after a lot of netizens commented on Trump’s obvious sympathy for his former BFF.
Not sarcasm
As a result, a growing number of Twitter users do not believe that Trump was sarcastic. Barney Gana tweeted that Trump had unscrupulous intent in his statement. The president’s respect towards Putin is suspicious, he added.
Trump often says he is being sarcastic or joking. Look at his body lang; it isn't consistent w/joke or sarcasm. Another sign of beh disorder
— Joyce Lynn Garrett (@joycelynn1017) August 12, 2017
If Trump is either telling jokes or being sarcastic or lying. How are we supposed to know which one he is doing when his lips are moving?
— Mark Ritter (@RitterMD) August 12, 2017
Jeri Henson Dies wrote that Trump was not being sarcastic. Rather, the president was just being his idiotic self. HippoCrypt, who wrote that Trump is known for lies, deceit, and jokes, said that the real estate billionaire lacks the guts to be honest and accountable.
Russia to also close 1 consulate general in U.S.
Kommersant, a Russian newspaper, reported that as part of the diplomatic row between Washington and Moscow, the U.S.
State Department will announce soon that Russia will close one of its consulate generals in New York, Houston, San Francisco, or Seattle by Sept. 1, according to The New York Daily News. However, there is no word if Putin is also grateful to Trump for reducing Russia’s Foreign Service payroll.