The RecordExhibit 149
A diesel deal with Putin that senators of both parties say conflicts with the 2022 ban on Russian energy
Criticized means: Legal, or a policy choice, but widely condemned.
On Oct. 9, 2026, after a phone call with Vladimir Putin, Trump announced on Truth Social that Russia would supply diesel to the U.S. and world markets: more than 300,000 tons at once, 500,000 tons in November, 1 million tons immediately after that and 3 million tons within a short period. Within days 12 senators, six from each party, asked him to rescind it.
What happened
Trump presented the deal as a way to bring down record diesel prices, which the AP notes he has blamed on Ukraine rather than on the U.S.-led war in Iran. On Oct. 11 Republican Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Thom Tillis and John Curtis and Democratic Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Richard Blumenthal said in a statement that the administration had not consulted Congress or explained its decision as the law requires, that Congress banned Russian energy imports in 2022, and that the United States 'should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians'; they called on it to 'immediately reverse course'.
Tillis said on NBC's Meet the Press that there is a legitimate case that the president would be breaking the law if the purchase goes ahead. On Oct. 13 a letter from 12 senators, Republicans Alan Armstrong, Collins, John Cornyn, Mitch McConnell, Murkowski and Tillis and Democrats Blumenthal, Chris Coons, Dick Durbin, Jack Reed, Shaheen and Sheldon Whitehouse, called the deal 'a gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our allies', said it offers limited to no relief to Americans, and said it gives Putin more fuel to finance the war and attacks on Ukrainian civilians. The announcement came weeks after Congress passed a law, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, directing tariffs on the top importers of Russian oil and gas.
Where it stands
Criticized: no court, GAO or inspector general has looked at it, and no lawsuit has been reported. The objections come from senators of both parties, who say the purchases would conflict with the 2022 law banning Russian energy imports and have asked the administration to reverse course.
Sen. John Barrasso defended Trump on CBS's Face the Nation, saying he is focused on lowering energy costs and has to make tough decisions, and called the deal another point of leverage against Putin. The reports we opened did not describe any sanctions waiver, license or other legal mechanism for the imports, or say whether any diesel had been delivered.
The administration's side
Trump says the diesel will lower fuel prices and that it is meant for the global market, not the United States, because global prices had been high. Asked on Oct. 13 about concerns that Russia could use the proceeds to buy weapons, he said, 'Nobody's telling me anything.' The White House referred reporters to those remarks. Barrasso said the president is balancing priorities and urged enforcement of the sanctions law Congress passed last month.
Sources
Permanent link: https://unredactedrecord.com/e/russiadiesel/