Trump’s decision to lift Russian sanctions outrages Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — That of President Donald Trump abrupt decision to waive sanctions on Russia a few days before their entry into force sparked indignation on Saturday among members of Congress, who had overwhelmingly adopted the law in a bipartisan demonstration of American support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.

Lawmakers from both parties blasted the decree Friday evening, last in a series of steps that the Republican president took to bring the United States closer to Russian Vladimir Putin. Trump recently announced a diesel agreement with Putin to import Russian energy in a long-term effort to curb high gas prices in the United States which is in full swing midterm elections on November 3.

“I think it’s clear that Russia is the aggressor, and we need to do everything we can to put economic pressure on Russia,” Sen. Rick Scott, Republican of Florida, said in an interview with The Associated Press. “So it’s not the first thing I would do.”

“Beyond irresponsible,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said on social media hours later Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope that sanctions scheduled to come into force on Sunday targeting the Russian economy could be reinstated.

“What part of the application of a law passed 86-11 by the Senate do the president and his advisers not understand?” Tillis said. “It is unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine.”

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said “Lindsey would be appalled,” referring to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who worked tirelessly on the bill before dying this summer. The bill is known as the Lindsey Graham Russian Sanctions Act.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a statement that “by providing vital support to the Russian economy, Trump’s deal with the devil keeps getting dirtier and dirtier.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Mass., said Trump was “thumbing his nose” at Congress and “allowing Vladimir Putin to continue his war of aggression.” She urged her colleagues to take steps to reverse the trend.

Next steps uncertain with Congress out of office before Election Day

Trump’s actions come as Ukraine prepares for a harsh winter, facing Russia’s continued attacks on its energy infrastructure to heat homes and keep the lights on. Zelensky, who has had a difficult relationship with Trump, but stayed close to US lawmakers, urged his supporters to come out in favor of sanctions.

The next steps are very uncertain, with the House and Senate in recess until after Election Day. Trump had indicated he was waiving sanctions indefinitely, citing national security concerns.

Later Saturday, Trump told reporters they did not yet know what his decision was on sanctions against Russia, despite the executive order he signed Friday evening citing the U.S. national interest.

“We’re going to find out, and you’re going to find out. But it’s a very good decision, and it’s going to be a decision that’s going to be good for the country, and I think good for the world,” Trump said at a fundraising dinner at his Florida estate.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking separately to reporters Saturday before leaving for Central Asia, suggested that Trump would take 60 days to assess the global and U.S. economic impacts of imposing proposed sanctions on Russia and other countries, in light of tariffs already in place. Pointing to high energy prices and the war in Iran, “we need this period to study all of this and figure out what the right mix is,” he said.

It is unlikely that Congress will be able to take action to challenge Trump’s actions until lawmakers return to Washington.

Congressional Skeptics Warn Trump Won’t Follow Law

It took Graham nearly a year to persuade Trump to accept the Russian sanctions package. It was designed to impose high tariffs on countries that import large quantities of Russian oil and energy products and was presented as a way to stop the flow of funds fueling Putin’s four-year war against Ukraine.

But even if Zelensky had done it look at From the visitors’ gallery as the Senate advanced the package after Graham’s death, congressional skeptics warned that Trump was unlikely to follow through with the bill once he signed it a month ago.

Last week, a bipartisan group of senators urged the Trump administration to more quickly crack down on Russia, particularly the “ghost fleet” of tankers that Moscow uses to transport oil and circumvent U.S. sanctions. Senators noted that most of the provisions of the new law were to take effect on Sunday.

Instead, Trump quickly trumpeted the diesel deal with Putin, saying Russia had agreed to supply tons of the fuel to the United States, where gas prices have soared in some areas and voters view affordability issues as a major concern.

Outraged lawmakers vowed to end the Trump-Putin deal.

New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who had led the opposition Bill Graham – warning that Trump would flout the law – introduced legislation Friday that would block the diesel deal between Trump and Putin. “At a time when the United States should be increasing pressure on the Kremlin, Donald Trump is cozying up to Putin and making deals that enrich him instead of standing with Ukraine,” Meeks said in a statement.

He called the deal “corrupt” and said it “goes against everything the United States stands for.”

On Saturday, he said “Congress is not powerless” and must act.

Graham’s legacy at stake

Graham’s sister, Darline Graham of South Carolina, helped secure the bill’s passage through the Senate, once she was appointed by the state’s governor to fill her brother’s seat.

She is now running against Democrat Annie Andrews in a close race. Trump is expected in the state next week to rally voters.

“Look, the president and I share the same goal, which is to end the war, to bring down the prices of gasoline and diesel, and the sanctions bill is one of the tools that he can use to do that,” Darline Graham said during a campaign stop Saturday.

“It’s up to him whether or not he chooses to use it. Personally, I would choose to keep the pressure on Russia,” she said, “because I don’t trust Putin and I don’t trust Russia.”

Like her brother, who has often publicly parted ways with the president, Darline Graham said she and Trump can have their differences.

“I’m proud to have helped cross the finish line. It meant a lot to Lindsey,” she said. “But you know, like Lindsey, he disagreed with the president, sometimes they had this relationship where they could sometimes agree to disagree. And I think that just happens.”

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Associated Press writers Theodora Tongas in Athens, Greece, Meg Kinnard in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and Kevin Freking and Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington contributed to this report.