But so far, the leader of the United States has not added his condemnation to the list. Asked about the case on the day of the poisoning, last Thursday, President Trump said he would be “looking into it” with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo but offered no details. ADADTrump’s silence is easy fuel for his critics, who have long said that he is too weak on Russian President Vladimir Putin after alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. The United States joined other nations in a coordinated diplomatic response to the Skripal poisoning, expelling 60 diplomats and later imposing punishing rounds of sanctions on Russia. Some administration officials point to these facts proudly as evidence that the United States is tough on Russia, despite criticism.

Source: Washington Post August 27, 2020 03:56 UTC