Cruz, Haley Join Bipartisan Backlash Against Trump’s Russia Sanctions Waiver
Prominent Republicans including Ted Cruz and Nikki Haley criticized President Trump's decision to waive Russia sanctions under the Graham Act, as the White House said the president would take 60 days to review the economic impact.
President Donald Trump’s decision to waive new sanctions on Russia is drawing sharp criticism from Republicans and Democrats, with several prominent GOP figures warning that the move could encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin as the war in Ukraine continues.
Trump signed an executive order on Friday waiving sanctions and tariffs under the Graham Act, legislation he signed into law last month to increase economic pressure on Moscow. The law authorized tariffs of up to 100% on certain goods imported into the United States from major buyers of Russian oil and gas. The measures were due to take effect next week, but the order did not specify how long the waiver would last.
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley reposted reporting on the order and called the decision a potentially defining moment. “There are certain decisions that will go down as history-defining moments. This is one of them. It’s a terrible misjudgment of Putin, who has made it clear he wants to destroy the West. We shouldn’t help him do it,” Haley wrote on X.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, criticized the decision during an appearance Saturday on Fox News. “Look, I wish the president hadn’t done it. I think it was a mistake,” Cruz said. Asked whether he would tell Trump not to waive the sanctions, Cruz answered: “I would, yes.” Cruz said Trump was likely focused on rising fuel costs, including diesel and gasoline prices.
Sixty-day review
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that Trump would use up to 60 days to assess the economic effect of the sanctions and tariffs he waived. “I think the president wants to take the 60-day period of time to sort of analyze what imposing both sanctions and tariffs will mean to the global economy and even to the US economy,” Rubio told reporters before boarding a plane for a trip to Uzbekistan.
Asked Saturday about the waiver, Trump defended his approach while suggesting the matter was not settled. “A lot of you don’t know what my decision is yet, but we’ll figure it out, and you’ll figure it out,” he told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. “It’s a very good decision, and it’s going to be a decision that’s good for the country, and I think good for the world.” The order stated the waiver was in the “national interests of the United States.”
The criticism extended beyond Cruz and Haley. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called the decision “beyond irresponsible” and noted the law passed the Senate 86-11. “It’s unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine and butchers innocent civilians every single day,” Tillis wrote on X. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who helped draft the Graham Act, said: “These waivers have nothing to do with our national security, and everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin.”
Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., who succeeded her late brother Lindsey Graham, the law’s namesake, also disagreed with the decision. “Personally, I would choose to keep the pressure on Russia,” she told reporters Saturday, according to Reuters. “Because I don’t trust Putin and I don’t trust Russia.” She said she planned to discuss the matter with Trump when he campaigns for her next week.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Saturday that the sanctions relief could encourage Moscow to continue its attacks. “The decision to undo all of this, to block all of it, seems wrong to me,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “It definitely helps only the Russians.” He added: “It only fuels their satisfaction and their desire to keep killing people.”
Energy prices in the background
The waiver comes as diesel and gasoline prices climb, driven by the war with Iran and disruptions to energy supplies. Under a separate agreement, Trump said Russia would initially supply more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel to the United States, followed by shipments in November and beyond. Rubio defended that deal on Saturday. “That diesel is going to be sold one way or the other,” he said. “The only difference is how much of it the United States was going to get.” Rubio added that the diesel deal and the sanctions waiver reflected the difficulty of managing the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine at the same time. “These conflicts around the world are starting to crash into each other,” he said.
Friday’s order does not affect certain Russia-related sanctions imposed under previous executive orders, according to Fox Business.
Reporting based on coverage by Fox Business and Reuters.
