Trump’s Russia sanctions waiver called mistake by GOP allies

U.S. President Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington on Wednesday | The Washington Post / VIA Bloomberg

Bloomberg

Oct 18, 2026

Republican members of Congress blasted U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to waive a tariff law passed last month to restrict Russian energy exports, arguing that the move will help Moscow wage its war on Ukraine.

The Trump administration has cast the waiver as a way to facilitate a deal with Russia on diesel exports — aimed at lowering prices ahead of the midterm elections — but critics said it was irresponsible to bypass the sanctions law passed last month that was championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican closely allied to Trump, said the administration should have found other ways to lower fuel costs, such as importing more from Canada or waiving renewable-fuel requirements.

In a time of both misinformation and too much information,
quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.