Bipartisan senators demand Trump scrap Russia diesel deal, call it 'betrayal' of US allies
- 12 senators from both parties demand Trump rescind Treasury's General License No. 135, which lifts sanctions on Russian diesel exports.
- The letter brands the deal 'a betrayal' of Ukraine and allies, arguing it funnels billions to Moscow's war machine while offering 'negligible' relief to U.S. fuel prices.
- Signatories include GOP heavyweights McConnell, Tillis, and Murkowski, alongside Dems Blumenthal and Durbin, invoking the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026.
- Trump touted the pact on Truth Social, promising 300,000 tons immediately and millions more soon, claiming it will crush diesel prices and stop Iran's nuke program.
- White House went silent; senators insist the deal endangers U.S. troops in Operation Epic Fury and strengthens the Russia-China-Iran-North Korea axis.
Brief Summary
Twelve senators, from Mitch McConnell to Dick Durbin, have unified in the rarest of Washington spectacles: a bipartisan lynch mob forming against a sitting president's energy deal. They're demanding Trump rip up Treasury's General License No. 135, which greenlights Russian diesel sales, calling it a direct cash infusion for Putin's war on Ukraine and a slap to every ally who's been footing the bill for freedom. Their letter is dripping with venom, calling the arrangement 'a gift to our adversary' and warning that any relief at the pump is fantasy — the Kremlin gets the revenue, Americans get the moral hangover.
Why This Matters
For the average reader, this is not just Beltway drama; it's a test of whether 'America First' means 'Russia First' when diesel prices pinch. If the senators win, expect headlines about sanctions enforcement and potential price spikes at the pump, particularly for farmers, truckers, and anyone who heats their home with diesel — the very folks Trump claims to champion. If Trump digs in, the GOP fractures into open civil war, with McConnell and Tillis as the anti-Putin wing screaming betrayal while the MAGA base cheers cheaper fuel.