Middleboro Review et al

Visuals and ego motivate Trump to take a harder line on Putin Russia expels 60 U.S. diplomats, closes St. Petersburg consulate BY JAMES HOHMANN with Breanne Deppisch and Joanie Greve THE BIG IDEA: Donald Trump has defiantly refused to criticize Vladimir Putin in public, even as he’s authorized increasingly hawkish policies to counter Russian bellicosity. Administration officials are signaling this may soon change, and the president’s alpha male inclinations are a big reason why. The United States this week ordered the largest expulsion of Russian spies in U.S. history, which prompted the Kremlin  to retaliate  on Thursday with the expulsion of 60 American officials. Two weeks ago, Trump agreed to impose sanctions on 19 Russians for alleged interference in the 2016 election. In December, he authorized the export of lethal weapons to help Ukraine fend off Russian-backed separatists – going further than Barack Obama ever would. But just 10 days ago, the president c