Chris Van Hollen, Md. Democrat, questions how many U.S. diplomats were intel workers

Sen. Chris Van Hollen said Thursday that it’s unlikely many of the U.S. diplomats in Russia facing expulsion were intelligence workers.

“The first question is how many of these are really intelligence folks? I can assure you that the majority of people at our consulate there are diplomats doing their work,” Mr. Van Hollen, Maryland Democrat, said on CNN.

Russia announced earlier in the day that they plan to expel 150 diplomats, including 60 Americans, and closed the consulate in St. Petersburg in response to earlier U.S. action, reported the New York Times. President Trump expelled 60 Russian diplomats earlier this month over the suspicious attack on a double-agent in the United Kingdom.

“Obviously we have intelligence folks overseas, including Russia,” Mr. Van Hollen said adding that the U.S. puts far less emphasis on intelligence sources overseas.

“The Russians have been known to spend a lot more of their assets investing in the intelligence area,” he explained.

Tensions between the two countries has escalated over the past year in wake of Russia’s interference in the U.S. elections. 

---

SEE ALSO: Russia to expel 60 U.S. diplomats, close St. Petersburg consulate in escalating feud

---