Facing intense criticism, US President Donald Trump said he had taken a “good decision” to exempt Russia from sweeping sanctions under a new law and asserted that many did not know what it actually meant.
“A lot of you don't know what my decision is yet, but we'll figure it out, and you'll figure it out,” Trump told reporters at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Miami on Saturday evening.
“It's a very good decision, and it's going to be a decision that's good for the country, and I think good for the world because we're really at a world stage,” Trump said.
Trump defends decision to exempt Russia from sanctions
On Friday, Trump signed an executive order exempting Russia from a new sanctions measure, the Graham Act, that the US Congress passed last month.
The executive order also granted a waiver from 100 per cent tariffs on the top five purchasers of Russian oil and gas, including China and India.
The order states that the waivers shall remain in effect until such time as the President or the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Trade Representative, as appropriate, determine that further action is appropriate.
Republicans criticise sanctions waiver
Trump’s decision to waive sanctions on Russia came under fire from the Republicans and Democrats, who last month came together to overwhelmingly pass the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act.
Senator Darline Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, also criticised Trump for exempting Russia from a sanctions law that was championed by and named after her late brother Lindsey.
“Personally, I would choose to put the pressure on Russia to end the war and get gas prices down, because I don’t trust Putin, and I don’t trust Russia,” said Graham, who was endorsed by Trump to fill in the Senate seat that fell vacant due to the death of her brother.
“Beyond irresponsible,” said Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, on social media.
“What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisors not understand,” Tillis said.
“It's unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine,” he said.
Tillis said that if Trump wants to actually bring down energy prices, he should resolve the Iran war, which is largely blamed for the spike at the pump, and not do a solid for Vladimir Putin.
Democrats accuse Trump of enabling Putin
Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas said, “Lindsey would be appalled, referring to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who worked endlessly on the bill before he died this summer.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat from Massachusetts, said Trump is thumbing his nose at Congress and enabling Vladimir Putin to continue his war of aggression. She urged her colleagues to take action to reverse course.