POISONING

that made it possible to hide the true ownership of assets and calling on the international community to tighten economic restrictions on Russia.

“I expected a stronger reaction,” said Jonathan Eyal, international director at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based defense and security research institute. He said May might have calculated that in response to tougher measures, Russia would “decapitate the British Embassy in Moscow” with its own expulsions.

Britain wants the support of its allies in taking action against Russia, but relations with those allies are shakier than they have been in generations, given Britain’s pending divorce from the European Union and frictions with Trump.

Trump has not personally addressed the attack since London assigned blame to Russia. Aides released a statement in his name Tuesday evening after he spoke with May by telephone to express his solidarity.

“President Trump agreed with Prime Minister May that the government of the Russian Federation must provide unambiguous answers regarding how this chemical weapon, developed in Russia, came to be used in the United Kingdom,” the statement issued in Trump’s name said. “The two leaders agreed on the need for consequences for those who use these heinous weapons in flagrant violation of international norms.”

The British readout of the call attributed stronger language to Trump than his own White House statement did, reporting that during their conversation, “President Trump said the U.S. was with the U.K. all the way.”

The president made no further comment Wednesday. An administration official said the United States was working on a joint statement with Britain, France and Germany that would be strongly worded.

But Democrats and other critics of the president pressed him to speak out personally and possibly take action to back up May.

“Prime Minister May’s decision to expel the Russian diplomats is the level of response that many Americans have been craving from our own administration,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the minority leader.

Other critics noted that, under the NATO charter, an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.