BREAKING: Trump Lifts Russia Sanctions to Offset Iran Oil Spike, Giving Putin a Win
As energy prices surge from the U.S. war with Iran, the Trump administration quietly handed Vladimir Putin a gift Thursday night, temporarily lifting sanctions on Russian oil stranded at sea in a move that critics say rewards an adversary while ordinary Americans feel the pain at the pump.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the decision late Thursday, framing it as a “narrowly tailored” measure that would not significantly benefit the Russian government financially. The exemptions are set to expire on April 11.
Bessent insisted the move was about protecting American consumers, arguing that Trump’s energy policies have driven domestic oil and gas production to record highs and that any current price spike is a short-term disruption that will yield long-term economic gains for the country.
But the action fits a troubling pattern. Just days earlier, the administration had already eased separate Russian oil restrictions, giving India a 30-day window to purchase Russian barrels. On Wednesday, Trump also announced he would tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, releasing 172 million barrels to ease market pressure.
The backdrop is the ongoing U.S. military campaign against Iran, whose territory borders the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping corridors. A statement attributed to Iran’s newly installed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, declared Thursday that the strait will remain closed, a move that could send energy prices even higher.
Senate Democrats are demanding accountability. A group of minority members on the Senate Banking Committee, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, sent a letter this week calling for a congressional hearing with Bessent before the end of March, pushing for answers on why the administration keeps loosening the economic screws on Russia even as troops remain in harm’s way in the Middle East.
The question hanging over Washington is one nobody in the MAGA camp wants to answer: if the goal is protecting Americans from rising prices, why does every solution seem to run straight through Moscow?
-Occupy Democrats