1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

In September, Congress passed a bill called the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. Graham spent the last months of his life fighting for the bill, and the Senate backed it 86 to 11. Trump signed it, and it was set to take effect on 10/18/26. Just before, with no notice, he signed an executive order waiving almost all the bill’s sanctions, citing the national interest. The White House later explained that the sanctions would get in the way of peace talks. Then on 10/18, Trump went to Truth Social to try and defend himself He says his decision is simple. He’s negotiating peace and doesn’t want to drive Russia from the table. Then he goes after Zelensky for hitting Russian diesel refineries, “knowing that these attacks are seriously hurting the world diesel markets.” Russia, he says, is “sending, at a low price, millions of barrels of diesel to the World.” And Zelensky “doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did.” The country that invaded is the generous benefactor delivering cheap fuel. The country that got invaded is the one that doesn’t want peace. That’s the Kremlin’s version of this war, posted by the President of the United States. Think about what Putin has gotten out of this White House in a matter of weeks. A deal that lifts a ban on Russian fuel imports for the first time since 2022. Starlink throttled on the Ukrainian front lines. Missile warnings to Ukraine cut off. The president contradicting his own intelligence agencies to claim Russia isn’t helping Iran. And now the toughest sanctions bill Congress has ever passed, neutered before it even took effect. Putin didn’t negotiate for any of this. He didn’t give up a single thing. He just got it. As usual, the only Republicans pushing back are the ones with nothing to lose. Thom Tillis, who’s retiring, called it “beyond irresponsible.” John Cornyn, who Trump already ran out of his seat, said “Lindsey would be appalled.” The rest of the party is keeping quiet. In Moscow, Putin’s envoy called it a historic moment. Congress passed this law to punish Putin. Once again, Trump threw him a lifeline.