President Donald Trump's agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to boost diesel supplies is drawing criticism from within his own party, exposing Republican divisions over the White House's latest attempt to bring down fuel prices ahead of November's midterm elections. The pushback follows Trump's announcement Friday that Putin had agreed to supply millions of tons of diesel fuel to U.S. and global markets. The administration subsequently authorized transactions involving Russian diesel, with the Treasury Department issuing a temporary license allowing Russian-origin diesel to reach global markets.
The move drew scrutiny because Congress just weeks ago approved the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, legislation intended to increase pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. While Trump has cast the arrangement as a way to ease soaring fuel costs hurting truckers, farmers and consumers, some Republicans argue it risks undermining Washington's efforts to pressure Moscow over the war in Ukraine.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment on Saturday. Representative Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican and supporter of Ukraine, emerged as one of the deal's most outspoken critics. "We need lower diesel prices for American farmers, ranchers and consumers, but buying Russian fuel is the wrong answer," Bacon wrote on X.
Bacon argued that Ukraine's attacks on Russian refineries have targeted facilities that "fuel and finance Putin's illegal invasion" and suggested the agreement could provide Moscow with additional revenue. He also pointed to the sanctions law, which Trump signed last month, arguing Congress had moved to increase economic pressure on Russia rather than ease it. Bacon's criticism is particularly notable because Nebraska's economy relies heavily on agriculture and trucking, sectors that have been among the hardest hit by surging diesel costs.
According to AAA, the national average diesel price stood at $6.28 per gallon on Saturday, putting pressure on farmers harvesting crops and businesses dependent on freight transportation. Representative Michael McCaul of Texas, the former chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also criticized the administration's move. In a statement posted on X, McCaul said he understood the desire to lower diesel prices but expressed concern that lifting sanctions on Russian oil would "fund the Kremlin's war machine" despite Congress recently giving Trump additional leverage to pressure Putin through sanctions.
His comments add a foreign-policy dimension to the debate, suggesting concerns among some Republicans extend beyond fuel prices and into the broader question of how the United States should approach Russia while fighting continues in Ukraine. Senator Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, also criticized the move. In a post on X, she noted that Congress had recently passed legislation to increase sanctions and tariffs on Russia and argued Trump should be using those authorities "instead of allowing Russia to export diesel, rake in revenues, and continue its catastrophic war in Ukraine." Murkowski added that Russia's return to global energy markets should wait until after the war ends.
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