bedminster nj president donald trump say friday sarcastic thank russian president vladimir putin save unite state money order cut u.s. diplomatic staff russia ask whether sarcastic trump tell reporters order reduce payroll absolutely think know trump say without explicitly criticize move break nearly two weeks silence putin july 30 order cut u.s. embassy consulate staff nearly two thirds trump say thursday thankful let go large number people small payroll add real reason go back trump remark rekindle criticism kid-glove handle putin especially shy away highly critical members party include attorney general jeff sessions senate majority leader mitch mcconnell putin react new sanction impose u.s. congress reluctantly sign law trump order washington cut diplomatic technical staff 755 people sept. 1. many affect likely local russian staffers also reaction former president barack obama expel 35 russian diplomats unite state last december intelligence agency report speak secretary state rex tillerson talk come answer ... september 1st response trump say congressional committees special counsel investigate conclusions u.s. intelligence agencies russia interfere 2016 election campaign hack methods help trump republican also look possible collusion campaign russian officials moscow repeatedly deny meddle election trump deny campaign collusion campaign since become president trump consistently call good tie russia decline criticize putin refuse unequivocally embrace conclusions intelligence agencies trump remark immediately denounce current former u.s. officials serve republican democratic administrations remark also raise eyebrows europe would say experience one bizarre things ever hear government official u.s. ojars kalnins chairman foreign affairs committee latvian parliament tell reuters early friday thank another foreign leader fire people embassy unprecedented bizarre trump say 'sarcastic thank putin embassy staff cut