Trump posted—and immediately pinned—a tweet Friday calling Russian President Vladimir Putin "very smart" for his response to President Barack Obama's announcement of sanctions:
That tweet, as noted by MSNBC's Kyle Griffin, was promptly retweeted by the official feed of the Russian Embassy in the United States:
Obama announced the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats Thursday. "All Americans should be alarmed by Russia's actions," Obama said. "In October, my Administration publicized our assessment that Russia took actions intended to interfere with the U.S. election process. These data theft and disclosure activities could only have been directed by the highest levels of the Russian government. Moreover, our diplomats have experienced an unacceptable level of harassment in Moscow by Russian security services and police over the last year. Such activities have consequences." Russian compounds in New York and Maryland will also be shut down.
While talking at reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort Wednesday, Trump was asked about the then-impending Russian sanctions and offered this: "I think that computers have complicated lives very greatly," Trump said, according to the Hill. "The whole age of computer has made it where nobody knows exactly what is going on."
Putin, the New York Timesreported Friday, announced he would not retaliate against the sanctions and would instead "proceed from the policy pursued by the administration" of Trump.
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