On Thursday, the White House announced that 35 Russian diplomats and their families have 72 hours to leave the US. A special flight is being arranged to take them home.
This includes the closing of two luxury, Russian compounds. One in Glen Cove, NY, on Long Island’s North Shore. The other on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
The action is in response to what the Obama administration believes has been a Russian campaign to disrupt the presidential election and harass US diplomats in Russia.
The New York Times reports that the dismissal of the 35 officials is the largest since 2001 when the FBI’s Robert Hanssen was arrested and charged with spying for Russia and 50 suspected Russian intelligence officers were asked to leave the U.S.
It was expected that Mr. Putin would retaliate in kind, but this morning he said: “We will not create any problems for US. diplomats. We will not expel anyone. We will not prevent families and children from using their traditional leisure sites during the New Year’s holidays.”
Furthermore, Putin has invited children of US diplomats in Russian to come to Christmas and New Year’s children’s parties in the Kremlin.
“As it proceeds from international practice, Russian has reasons to respond in kind. Although we have the right to retaliate, we will not resort to irresponsible ‘kitchen’ diplomacy but will plan further steps to restore Russian-US relations based on the policies of the Trump Administration,” Putin said.
Husch Blackwell Strategies has added FleishmanHillard alum Michael Slatin as a principal in its public affairs group.
Rory Cooper, a veteran Republican operative and policy specialist, has joined Teneo’s Washington office as senior managing director in its strategy & communications practice.
Brian Fallon, who served as national press secretary for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential run, is signing on next month as Vice President’s Kamala Harris’ campaign communications director.
TikTok is nothing more than a Chinese propaganda tool that poses “a grave threat to America’s national security and, in particular, impressionable children and young adults,” say two Congressmen who want the platform registered as a foreign agent.
Public Strategies Washington has added Abbie Sorrendino, a former aide to now Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
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