Trump was asked about Putin sending home many American diplomats in response to American sanctions. Trump responded by thanking Putin for helping cut down his payroll:
Trump on Putin ordering US embassy to cut workers: “I want to thank him because we’re trying to cut down on payroll… Save a lot of money." pic.twitter.com/9r3IUSQUKl
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 10, 2017
Ok that was clever.
He also weighed in on the FBI raiding Manafort’s home in the early hours of the morning:
Trump on whether it was appropriate for Manafort’s home to be searched predawn: I was “surprised” to see it. https://t.co/EaXtR5iVNv
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) August 10, 2017
Trump lamented that it was a very tough thing for the FBI to do and said he was very surprised to hear it happened. He also defended Manafort, suggesting that he’s always known him to be a decent man and that he’s probably taken consultant fees from all over the place like many businessmen.