The U.S. embassy in Tirana published a 14 December letter from President Trump to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama thanking him for "steadfast efforts to stand up to Iran and to counter its destabilising activities and efforts to silence dissidents around the globe". "The leadership you have shown by expelling Iran's ambassador to your country", Trump continued, "exemplifies our joint efforts to show the Iranian government that its terrorist activities in Europe and around the world will have severe consequences".