Seven Senators Demand Trump Reverse Russia Diesel Deal — SkimNews
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- Seven US senators—Republicans Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Thom Tillis and John Curtis plus Democrats Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Blumenthal and Ron Wyden—issued a joint statement demanding Trump reverse his Russia diesel deal, calling it a financial lifeline to Putin while Russia continues attacks on Ukraine.
- Senator Thom Tillis, retiring in January, said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that the deal may be illegal and would put American lives at risk, adding a sitting GOP lawmaker's voice to the criticism.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the pact on Fox News, saying the administration will use existing legal authority and dismissing congressional critics as "wrong" about a ban on the move.
- Senator John Barrasso, the Senate's No. 2 Republican, defended the deal on CBS, telling voters Trump "is balancing and has to make tough decisions" to bring costs down.
- Former Vice President Mike Pence and retiring Representative Don Bacon publicly broke with Trump, with Pence calling the sanctions lift a "betrayal" of the late Senator Lindsey Graham's legacy—a reference to the Russia sanctions bill Trump signed into law last month.
- Canadian PM Mark Carney told Ukrainian President Zelenskyy the diesel deal "is in direct opposition to the efforts of Ukraine, Canada, and our allies to create peace and stability in Europe," while Trump separately claimed on social media that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an "energy ceasefire"—a claim Zelenskyy said he was still awaiting.
Why it matters: With diesel prices near record highs and analysts telling reporters the deal is unlikely to deliver sustained fuel-price relief, the bipartisan revolt reflects electoral math ahead of the November 3 midterms: senators from both parties are openly breaking with Trump on a deal that hits heating, trucking, and farm costs in competitive states. Even Trump loyalists like Pence and members of his own Senate leadership find the Russia sanctions reversal politically untenable.
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