List of Republicans Criticizing Trump’s Diesel Deal With Russia
Newsweek · C · trust 68/100
10 Loading video... By Andrew Stanton Reporter
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. President Donald Trump's proposal to import Russian diesel to lower costs ahead of the 2026 midterms is facing backlash from Republican lawmakers.
Trump on Friday announced that Russia would "immediately" be supplying at least 300,000 tons of diesel fuel to the American and global markets, with 500,000 tons to follow in November and 1 million tons "immediately thereafter." The agreement followed a "highly successful discussion" with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump wrote on Truth Social.
His proposal comes as high fuel prices have become a key vulnerability for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms, as polling suggests Americans have soured on Trump and the GOP over high prices. Diesel prices averaged $6.2665 per gallon on Monday, up from $3.6653 per gallon one year earlier, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
However, the president's plan is facing bipartisan backlash, with many Republicans arguing that the U.S. should not allow Russia to export its oil amid its war with Ukraine. Russian oil has been sanctioned for years following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which sparked widespread condemnation from the U.S. and other allies.
Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via email.
Collins, Curtis, Murkowski and Tillis joined a bipartisan statement with Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Ron Wyden of Oregon opposing the deal.
They wrote that Trump's decision "runs directly counter" to a ban on Russian energy imports in 2022 that was passed "to prevent American dollars from financing Putin's brutal war against Ukraine."
"The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians," the senators wrote. "The Administration must immediately reverse course."
Murkowski separately wrote on social media, "A few weeks ago, Congress overwhelmingly passed legislation to increase sanctions and tariffs on Russia."
"We can discuss Russia's return to global energy markets once the war is over, but in the meantime, we need to cut off everything fueling it," she added.
Kennedy told The Washington Sun that he does not support the decision to import diesel from Russia, calling Putin a "butcher." Rogers also told the news outlet that he would not want to give Putin "an inch."
Nate Adams, Sullivan's spokesperson, told The New York Times that the senator believes "American energy dominance is the answer to high prices, and that means producing more of it in Alaska, for Alaskans, by Alaskans, not importing it from Russia."
Bacon criticized Trump's approach to Russia in a series of social media posts.
"Most Americans want to help the victim of Putin's invasion defend their freedom & independence. We won't stand on the side of the invader and pressure the victim to make concessions. Most reject buying fuel from Russia that funds the bombing of cities," the retiring congressman wrote on X on Monday.
Fitzpatrick said he plans to introduce legislation to block "any and all purchases of Russian oil."
McCaul, who is not running for reelection, wrote on X that he was "concerned the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil will only fund the Kremlin's war machine—emboldening more violence and destruction, as we have seen in recent days."
"Through the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, we gave the president significant authorities and leverage against China and Russia to bring Putin's war to an end with a negotiated settlement," he wrote.
Pence wrote on X that the announcement "makes no sense and is a betrayal of the legacy and leadership of the late Senator Lindsey Graham."
Lindsey Graham, a senator from South Carolina who was one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters in Congress, died in July.
"While Ukraine fights for its survival, Putin's war machine continues to prosecute his terrorist war on civilian populations and innocent Ukrainians are dying every day," Pence wrote.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that the deal means prices will be "COMING DOWN, IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST!"
"Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority," the president wrote.
On Friday, a White House official told Newsweek that the Treasury had issued a license allowing Russian diesel to reach global markets.
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control said in a statement that it was issuing Russia-related General License 135, authorizing transactions involving the "sale, delivery, offloading, and importation of diesel fuel of Russian Federation origin" at Trump's direction.
Trump has made comments linking high diesel prices to refinery disruptions in Russia, saying last week that Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities had contributed to tightening diesel supplies and rising fuel costs.
He defended the deal in remarks to reporters.
"I think you heard about the oil deal with Russia. That is a big deal. That is massive amounts of oil coming into our country, and I want to thank President Putin to be honest with you," Trump said, adding, "And it's diesel, which is what we want."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the deal on Saturday.
"Every additional billion dollars they can earn from exports will be spent on nothing but sourcing and importing critical components and equipment to manufacture weapons, upgrading 'shaheds,' producing missiles, and recruiting even more mercenaries to fight at the front," he wrote on X. "Russia's choice is war. And they will be ready to end it only when they feel that their ability to drag the war out is diminishing."
He said Russia received "signals suggesting that it could simply keep…
Read the original at Newsweek →
Open in TruthVane →