President Trump signed an executive order waiving new sanctions and tariffs on Russia just before they were set to take effect, after Congress passed the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 and left Washington. Trump says he is negotiating peace between Russia and Ukraine and does not want to drive Russia away from the bargaining table, a position he repeated on social media and to reporters this week.
The move is splitting his own party at an awkward time. Michigan candidate Mike Rogers, Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan and Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson have all voiced dismay, with Sullivan opposing purchases of Russian diesel. That connects to a kitchen-table issue here on the Suncoast and across Florida: diesel prices remain high, and trucking and farming are feeling it as Election Day approaches. The Wall Street Journal also reports that Putin proposed a summit with Trump and Xi Jinping that would exclude Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
With control of Congress on the line in just over two weeks, this story touches both foreign policy and your fuel bill. Do you think pausing sanctions is smart negotiating or a missed chance to pressure Russia? Let us know.
