US Republicans and Democrats Urge Trump to Reverse Russia Diesel Deal

 US Republicans and Democrats Urge Trump to Reverse Russia Diesel Deal

The headline matches a real story from last Friday (Oct 9). My searches found the original announcement and the first Democratic reaction, but not the specific piece on Republicans and Democrats jointly urging a reversal.

The deal. Trump said he had struck a deal to obtain diesel from Russia, a stunning reversal of years of U.S. policy. Russia would supply more than 300,000 tons immediately, another 500,000 tons in November, and 1 million tons right after that, with a further 3 million tons to follow. Trump framed it as lowering prices for farmers, ranchers and truckers.

The sanctions angle. It came a month after Trump signed a sweeping Russia sanctions law aimed at Russian oil and gas revenues. The Treasury Department issued a temporary license for Russian diesel to reach the global market, the first diesel sanctions easing longer than the standard 30-day window since the start of the Ukraine war. Under it, sanctions won't apply until April 2027 to diesel already loaded on tankers as of Friday.

Why diesel. Russia has banned diesel exports since July because Ukrainian strikes on its refineries left it struggling to meet domestic demand. That makes this as much a supply and price move as a diplomatic one.

The pushback. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat who co-sponsored the sanctions law, called it a poorly concealed attempt to offset the fallout from Trump's Iran war, and said it makes the U.S. complicit in Putin's war against Ukraine. The coverage I could see was cut off before any specific Republican statements, so I can't confirm what Republicans have said or whether they've formally called for a reversal.

It also remains unclear whether the November shipments would arrive before Election Day. Want me to search for the latest on the congressional reaction?