TED CRUZ CALLS TRUMP’S RUSSIA SANCTIONS WAIVER A MISTAKE — BUY DIESEL FROM CANADA
Republican Senator Ted Cruz has publicly challenged President Donald Trump’s decision to waive sanctions against Russia, arguing that Washington can address fuel prices without strengthening Putin.
“I wish the president hadn’t done it. I think it was a mistake,” Cruz told Fox News on October 17.
His alternative starts with America’s northern neighbor: import more diesel from Canada and end the trade dispute with a longstanding partner. Cruz argued that buying from an ally makes more sense than providing revenue to an adversary working against American interests.
He also proposed waiving Renewable Fuel Standard requirements for red-dyed diesel used in agriculture, claiming that could reduce costs by around 30 cents per gallon. That projected saving remains his estimate, but his broader argument was clear: relief for American farmers does not have to depend on concessions to Moscow.
This is significant pushback from within Trump’s own party. The disagreement is over how to help Americans facing high prices while maintaining pressure on Russia—not whether those Americans need help.
Canada continues to offer energy supplies while supporting Ukraine. Russia continues its war while seeking relief from the restrictions imposed because of it. Those relationships carry very different consequences for American security.
Cruz’s intervention adds to the pressure on the administration to answer a straightforward question: why ease the burden on Putin before exhausting the options available with America’s allies?