Because now we have a smaller payroll
Oh no. Come on.
POTUS response to Putin expelling 755 U.S. diplomats & personnel as response to new sanctions (from pool report) pic.twitter.com/0epCAVy6kF
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 10, 2017
BEDMINSTER, N.J. — President Trump said here Thursday that he is “very thankful” to Russian President Vladimir Putin for expelling hundreds of U.S. diplomats from Russia, because he said it helps him cut the U.S. government’s payroll.
Addressing for the first time Putin’s decision late last month that the U.S. Embassy and consulates in Russia would have to cut 775 diplomatic and technical staffers, Trump told reporters that he sees no reason for them to continue working in Russia.
“I want to thank him because we’re trying to cut down our payroll, and as far as I’m concerned I’m very thankful that he let go a large number of people because now we have a smaller payroll,” Trump said. “There’s no real reason for them to go back. I greatly appreciate the fact that we’ve been able to cut our payroll of the United States. We’re going to save a lot of money.”
I can’t stand it. I can’t take it. I can’t stand the smug stupidity that will get us all wiped out.
Politico says the state department people are not amused.
Trump’s remarks did not go down well among the rank-and-file at the State Department, some of whom noted that the people who would be most affected are locally hired staff crucial to American diplomats’ work overseas.
A senior U.S. diplomat serving overseas called Trump’s remarks “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,” the diplomat said.
“I kid you not, I have heard from three different people in the last five minutes,” one State Department official told POLITICO shortly after Trump’s comments. “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.”
Not to mention the whole idiotic “we’re trying to cut down on our payroll” bullshit, as if the US were a god damn grocery store.
We lurch from toilet overflow to toilet overflow.
This was a translation error. What Trump really said was “THANK YOU SIR MAY I HAVE ANOTHER?”
But don’t you see? It’s all good. That reduces the payroll even more!
Radio 4’s 6 a.m. news summary. This US official does this, that one says that. The word diplomacy used more than once.
They are clearly trying to govern as best they can and treating ol’ Trump as just an annoying noise in the corner.
Now if only Kim could do that.