Several Republicans have spoken out against President Donald Trump’s diesel deal with Russia and Newsweek has broken down who they are as bipartisan lawmakers introduced a bill this week to block the agreement.
What Is Trump's Russia Diesel Deal?
Trump announced on October 9 that Russia would supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel to U.S. and global markets immediately, then by another 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons “immediately thereafter.”
"Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The administration is looking for ways to ease soaring fuel costs ahead of the November midterm elections, with diesel prices impacting transportation networks and agricultural operations nationwide.
Asked about resistance from within the GOP at the White House, Trump said on Monday: “Well, I think these are Republicans that can’t really be serious. It’s not really a deal with me. It’s a deal for the rest of the world. Anything that could help our farmers, our ranchers, I like.”
Trump later signed an executive order waiving the application of some sanctions, restrictions and duties under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, citing the national interest of the United States.
The legislation passed the Senate 86-11, and the House 262-159 before Trump signed it into law on September 18. It authorizes and expands sanctions, tariffs and other restrictions targeting Russia and extends existing sanctions on Iran. Among other provisions, the law allows tariffs of up to 100 percent on major purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas and expands measures targeting Russia's government, financial sector and sanctions-evasion networks.
Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned against the deal, saying it could pave the way for broader economic deals and further sanctions relief for Moscow.
Trump's new order does not eliminate sanctions against Russia imposed under earlier executive orders.
Bipartisan Pushback
Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska is the only Republican who has co-sponsored the Democratic led “Prohibit Corrupt Russia Oil Deals Act,” introduced on Friday, which seeks to revoke Russian energy licenses following Trump’s deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Other Republicans have also spoken out against the deal to increase supplies of Russian diesel to U.S. and global markets, including four, alongside Bacon, who signed a bipartisan letter on Thursday, urging Trump to walk back the arrangement with Moscow and implement the sanctions.
Several Republican senators have taken action against the deal, with a statement questioning its legality and a letter urging Trump to withdraw from it. If the “Prohibit Corrupt Russia Oil Deals Act,” introduced by New York Democratic Representative Gregory W. Meeks, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, proceeds to a House vote, these Republicans could be allies in passing it.
Republican Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, previously said in an exclusive interview with Newsweek that the proposal risks prolonging the war in Ukraine while doing little to lower fuel prices.
Trump has defended his deal with Putin, arguing that adding more diesel to global markets could lower gas prices.
“President Trump successfully negotiated another great deal to supply the global market with massive amounts of diesel and bring prices down," White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers previously told Newsweek. "Lowering prices for America’s great farmers, truckers, and families remains a top priority as the President simultaneously urges both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict to stop strikes against refineries, which are driving up costs and hurting American consumers.”
Republican Representatives Who Oppose Trump’s Russia Diesel Deal
- Nebraska Representative Don Bacon
Besides being the only Republican listed as a co-sponsor of Meeks’ bill, Bacon, a Trump critic, also signed the Thursday letter to the president.
On the day Trump announced his deal with Putin, the congressman spoke out against “reward[ing] a dictator by putting more money in his hands while he continues targeting and killing Ukrainian civilians.”
“We need lower diesel prices for American farmers, ranchers and consumers, but buying Russian fuel is the wrong answer,” Bacon wrote in an X post.
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Meanwhile, the following Republicans signed Thursday's bipartisan letter:
- Pennsylvania Representative Brian Fitzpatrick
- Texas Representative Michael McCaul
- South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson
- Washington Representative Dan Newhouse
Thursday’s letter, sent to Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, invoked the legacy of the late GOP Senator Lindsey Graham, and urged the administration to fully implement the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 and revoke General License 135.
"We are particularly concerned by Treasury's October 9 issuance of General License 135, which authorizes transactions involving Russian-origin diesel, including imports into the United States," the lawmakers wrote. "We urge the Administration to revoke this license and not issue further general licenses that reopen Russian energy transactions and restore revenue to the Kremlin's war chest."
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control subsequently issued General License 135 at Trump's direction, authorizing transactions involving the "sale, delivery, offloading, and importation of diesel fuel of Russian Federation origin.”
Republican Senators Who Oppose Trump’s Russia Diesel Deal
On October 13, the following six Republicans signed a letter to Trump arguing that the deal “damages American security interests and is a betrayal of the people of Ukraine, who continue to defend themselves from Putin’s murderous, illegal war.”
- North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis
- Maine Senator Susan Collins
- Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski
- Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell
- Texas Senator John Cornyn
- Oklahoma Senator Alan Armstrong
Collins, Murkowski and Tillis also joined an October 11 bipartisan statement arguing that Russian diesel imports violated the 2022 ban on Russian energy imports. This was also signed by GOP Utah Senator John Curtis.
“Congress explicitly banned Russian energy imports in 2022 to prevent American dollars from financing Putin’s brutal war against Ukraine,” they wrote. “Congress was clear: The U.S. should not import oil from Russia until it ends its aggression against Ukraine and ceases threats against our NATO Allies.”
“President Trump’s decision to allow Russian diesel imports to the U.S. runs directly counter to that law,” it continued. “The Administration has also failed to consult with Congress or submit any explanation to justify its decision as required by statute. The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilian. The Administration must immediately reverse course.”
What Happens Next
October 18 marks the first implementation deadline under the Graham sanctions law. Lawmakers have asked the White House to spell out which mandatory sanctions, secondary tariffs and prohibitions will be implemented by that date, whether any provisions will be delayed or waived, which Russian officials and entities will be designated, and which countries will face secondary tariffs.
The lawmakers added that they want any sanctions waivers to be "narrow, time-limited, and tied to measurable reductions in support for Russia's war," while insisting that no waiver should defer the law's core provisions.
Asked about the administration's plans for the law, a White House official previously told Newsweek: “The President signed the act and the administration will comply with the act’s requirements.”
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Matthew Robinson and Anthony Murray.