President Donald Trump's proposal to import Russian diesel to lower costs ahead of the 2026 midterms is facing backlash from Republican lawmakers.
Trump on Friday announced that Russia would "immediately" be supplying at least 300,000 tons of diesel fuel to the American and global markets, with 500,000 tons to follow in November and 1 million tons "immediately thereafter." The agreement followed a "highly successful discussion" with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump wrote on Truth Social.
His proposal comes as high fuel prices have become a key vulnerability for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms, as polling suggests Americans have soured on Trump and the GOP over high prices. Diesel prices averaged $6.2665 per gallon on Monday, up from $3.6653 per gallon one year earlier, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
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However, the president's plan is facing bipartisan backlash, with many Republicans arguing that the U.S. should not allow Russia to export its oil amid its war with Ukraine. Russian oil has been sanctioned for years following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which sparked widespread condemnation from the U.S. and other allies.
Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via email.
Republicans Opposing Russia Diesel Agreement
The following Republican members of Congress have spoken out against Trump's diesel fuel proposal with Russia:
- Senator Susan Collins (Maine)
- Senator John Curtis (Utah)
- Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
- Senator Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)
- Senator Dan Sullivan (Alaska)
- Senator Thom Tillis (North Carolina)
- Representative Don Bacon (Nebraska)
- Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (Pennsylvania)
- Representative Michael McCaul (Texas)
- Mike Rogers (Senate Candidate in Michigan)
- Former Vice President Mike Pence
What Republican Critics Are Saying
Collins, Curtis, Murkowski and Tillis joined a bipartisan statement with Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Ron Wyden of Oregon opposing the deal.
They wrote that Trump's decision "runs directly counter" to a ban on Russian energy imports in 2022 that was passed "to prevent American dollars from financing Putin's brutal war against Ukraine."
"The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians," the senators wrote. "The Administration must immediately reverse course."
Murkowski separately wrote on social media, "A few weeks ago, Congress overwhelmingly passed legislation to increase sanctions and tariffs on Russia."
"We can discuss Russia's return to global energy markets once the war is over, but in the meantime, we need to cut off everything fueling it," she added.
Kennedy told The Washington Sun that he does not support the decision to import diesel from Russia, calling Putin a "butcher." Rogers also told the news outlet that he would not want to give Putin "an inch."
Nate Adams, Sullivan's spokesperson, told The New York Times that the senator believes "American energy dominance is the answer to high prices, and that means producing more of it in Alaska, for Alaskans, by Alaskans, not importing it from Russia."
Bacon criticized Trump's approach to Russia in a series of social media posts.
"Most Americans want to help the victim of Putin's invasion defend their freedom & independence. We won't stand on the side of the invader and pressure the victim to make concessions. Most reject buying fuel from Russia that funds the bombing of cities," the retiring congressman wrote on X on Monday.
Fitzpatrick said he plans to introduce legislation to block "any and all purchases of Russian oil."
McCaul, who is not running for reelection, wrote on X that he was "concerned the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil will only fund the Kremlin's war machine—emboldening more violence and destruction, as we have seen in recent days."
"Through the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, we gave the president significant authorities and leverage against China and Russia to bring Putin's war to an end with a negotiated settlement," he wrote.
Pence wrote on X that the announcement "makes no sense and is a betrayal of the legacy and leadership of the late Senator Lindsey Graham."
Lindsey Graham, a senator from South Carolina who was one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters in Congress, died in July.
"While Ukraine fights for its survival, Putin's war machine continues to prosecute his terrorist war on civilian populations and innocent Ukrainians are dying every day," Pence wrote.
Trump’s Diesel Deal With Russia
Trump wrote on Truth Social that the deal means prices will be "COMING DOWN, IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST!"
"Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority," the president wrote.
On Friday, a White House official told Newsweek that the Treasury had issued a license allowing Russian diesel to reach global markets.
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control said in a statement that it was issuing Russia-related General License 135, authorizing transactions involving the "sale, delivery, offloading, and importation of diesel fuel of Russian Federation origin" at Trump's direction.
Trump has made comments linking high diesel prices to refinery disruptions in Russia, saying last week that Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities had contributed to tightening diesel supplies and rising fuel costs.
He defended the deal in remarks to reporters.
"I think you heard about the oil deal with Russia. That is a big deal. That is massive amounts of oil coming into our country, and I want to thank President Putin to be honest with you," Trump said, adding, "And it's diesel, which is what we want."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the deal on Saturday.
"Every additional billion dollars they can earn from exports will be spent on nothing but sourcing and importing critical components and equipment to manufacture weapons, upgrading 'shaheds,' producing missiles, and recruiting even more mercenaries to fight at the front," he wrote on X. "Russia's choice is war. And they will be ready to end it only when they feel that their ability to drag the war out is diminishing."
He said Russia received "signals suggesting that it could simply keep attacking."
"Strong signals are needed from the United States, Europe, and other partners—signals in support of Ukraine and to RESTRICT Russia's ability to wage war and terrorize people," he wrote.
Russia Deal Gets Support From Massie
One leading Trump critic in the GOP sided with the president over the deal.
Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who has been critical of Trump, wrote on X that he agrees with the president. Massie lost his primary to a Trump-backed challenger earlier this year.
"In 2022 I voted against Russia sanctions, pointing out that U.S. citizens would suffer from higher prices. Glad to see Trump came around to that reality this week. We should lift sanctions on all petroleum products, and on raw metals like copper and aluminum," he wrote.
What Diesel Prices Mean for the Midterms
With only about three weeks until the midterms, gas and diesel prices have become a major issue, as Republicans find themselves defending their majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives.
Historically, the party in the White House has lost seats when the president is unpopular, so Democrats view Trump's low approval rating as a sign that they may be able to expand the battleground into more traditionally conservative districts and states ahead of the November 3 midterms.
The impact of rising diesel prices could especially be felt in farming states, such as Iowa and Kansas. While both states backed Trump by double-digit margins in the 2024 election, polling suggests Democrats are competitive this year.
Farmers, a key part of the GOP base that bolstered Trump's past campaigns, rely on diesel to power agricultural equipment and have been significantly affected by high diesel prices.
Seventy-six percent of Americans have said gas prices went up a lot in the past year, found a YouGov/Economist poll of 1,381 registered voters from October 2 to 5. Only 31 percent of Americans approved of Trump on the economy, while 65 percent disapproved of his handling of the economy, showed the poll, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percent.
Overall, according to the survey, 38 percent of Americans approved of Trump, with 60 percent disapproving.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jenni Fink and Shakeema Edwards.