Democrats explode over Trump’s Russia diesel deal

This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. End of dialog window. Democratic lawmakers pushed back Friday on President Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Russian oil amid global fuel shortages during U. S. military operations against Iran and the Russia-Ukraine war. The deal will permit Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government to supply 300,000 tons of diesel to the U. S. and the global marketplace. “I have just concluded a highly successful discussion with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, wherein it was agreed that Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace, another 500,000 Tons during the month of November, and 1,000,000 Tons immediately thereafter,” he wrote in a Friday post on Truth Social. It comes as the Republican Party faces growing discontent among the American public with rising costs of living under the Trump administration as it fights to retain control of Congress this November. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N. Y.) accused Trump of making a “deal with the devil” in an attempt to save his “flailing political fortunes” in a Friday social media post. “This filthy deal will only aid and abet the same Putin who is helping the Iranians to target and try to kill American troops in the Middle East and who illegally and viciously invaded our ally Ukraine,” Schumer wrote on the social platform X. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), the senior House Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee, described the move as “infuriating” in a short statement shared on social media. “But this is what we warned anyone who would listen: Trump isn’t the slightest bit trustworthy when it comes to Russia,” the Virginia lawmaker wrote. “Giving him expanded tariff powers in hopes he would use them to help Ukraine was a mistake,” he continued. “Now he’s *lifting* sanctions on Russian fossil fuels.” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Judiciary and Armed Services committees, denounced Trump’s decision to lift the diesel sanctions, and urged the president to “rescind this agreement immediately” in a series of scathing posts. “This poorly concealed attempt to mitigate the havoc caused by Trump’s illegal war in Iran will only benefit the Chinese & Russian economies & lead to the slaughter of more innocents in Ukraine,” he wrote on the social platform X. Democratic Whip and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (Ill.) accused the president of “considering bankrolling Russia’s slaughter of Ukrainian civilians.” “Lifting sanctions on Russia will only fuel Putin’s war machine and prolong the conflict in Ukraine,” Durbin wrote on social media. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined in on criticizing this deal, claiming Trump is “rewarding Putin with a windfall agreement that won’t even lower prices.” Pennsylvania Rep. Madeleine Dean (D) cast the move as a “desperate” attempt from President Trump to “escape the consequences of his failed Iran war.” “Trump is preparing to stab Ukraine in the back and buy diesel from Putin,” she continued. “He’s helping fund Russia’s war machine, while our allies pay the price.” House Foreign Affairs Committee Vice Ranking Member Rep. Gabe Amo (D-R. I.) also slammed the deal in a social media post. “After signing a law to ramp up sanctions on Russia, Trump is paying Putin for oil to deal with the high gas prices caused by his choice of war with Iran? That’s not punishing Putin, that’s profit,” he wrote, adding, “Make it make sense.” Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.