Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump is expected to receive a recommendation from his National Security Council on Friday that he expel a yet-to-be-determined number of Russian diplomats from the US in response to the poisonings of a former spy and his daughter on UK soil, a source with knowledge of the situation told CNN. The decision to send that recommendation to the President comes after a high-level meeting at the White House on Wednesday during which the NSC drew up a range of options to take action against Russia, according to multiple State Department officials and a source familiar with the discussion. Ultimately, the outcome of that meeting was a recommendation that Trump should expel more Russian diplomats from the US -- an option several sources told CNN was the most severe response under consideration. If Trump decides to act on the NSC recommendation, it is expected to be soon -- possibly early next week, a source involved in the discussions said. Prior to Wednesday's meeting, one State Department source told CNN the move would be considered a "very serious step," especially given the last round of tit-for-tat expulsions that have left both Russia and the US with significantly smaller diplomatic forces in each other's countries.

Source: CNN March 23, 2018 21:11 UTC