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Russia Sanctions

9 stories on Russia Sanctions. For each one: what the left says, what the right says, and what both agree on. RSS feed

• Rand Paul Breaks With GOP Over Trump's Tariff Powers in Russia Bill

  Aug 8, 2026

  Left: The bill's sanctions and tariff mechanisms are seen as a necessary and long-overdue tool to cut off Russia's oil and gas revenue, which is directly funding the war against Ukraine.

  Right: Rand Paul's opposition centers on his long-standing belief that tariffs function as a tax on American consumers and businesses, not on foreign adversaries like Russia.

• Russia Sanctions Bill Splits Both Parties on Trump's Tariff Power

  Sep 20, 2026

  Left: Democratic leaders, including Hakeem Jeffries, opposed the bill primarily because it grants Trump sweeping new tariff authority that lacks oversight or a clear expiration, fearing he could wield it against nations of his choosing under vague pretexts.

  Right: Isolationist-leaning Republicans, including Reps. Massie, Roy, Davidson and Norman, opposed the bill out of broader resistance to deeper U.S. entanglement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, arguing against expansive foreign sanctions regimes generally.

• Trump Suspends Bipartisan Russia Sanctions Law He Just Signed

  Oct 17, 2026

  Left: The move is widely seen as a direct favor to Putin, coming just days after Trump's controversial agreement to purchase Russian diesel and amid his increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Zelensky, including suggestions Ukraine needs new leadership.

  Right: The sanctions law itself explicitly grants the president authority to waive provisions when he certifies to Congress that doing so serves the national interest, so Trump is exercising a legal mechanism built into the bill he signed.

• Senate hands Trump sweeping new tariff powers via Russia sanctions bill

  Jul 29, 2026

  Left: Some Democrats worry the bill hands Trump broad, largely unchecked discretion to waive sanctions or impose tariffs, expanding executive power with minimal congressional oversight.

  Right: The bill delivers overdue, aggressive economic pressure on Russia by targeting oil and gas revenue that funds Putin's war machine.

• Trump Pushes to Add Iran to Graham's Russia Sanctions Bill

  Jul 20, 2026

  Left: Passing the sanctions bill quickly and cleanly is framed as the most fitting bipartisan tribute to Graham, and reopening the text to add Iran risks delaying or derailing that legacy-driven momentum.

  Right: Adding Iran is presented as fulfilling Graham's own stated wishes, making it a continuation of his legacy rather than a departure from it.

• Russian Drone Nearly Hit NATO Officials' Train Near Poland

  Sep 14, 2026

  Left: The strike underscores the humanitarian toll of Russia's ongoing war, with 453 drones and missiles launched nationwide killing six civilians and injuring 43 in a single day, far from the front lines.

  Right: The incident is being described by witnesses like David Petraeus as a deliberate act of terror with no military justification, since the diplomatic train's route and timing were known to Russian forces.

• Trump Mourns Graham, Says Death Hurts SAVE Act Push

  Jul 13, 2026

  Left: Graham's final days were defined by his tenth trip to Ukraine and a bipartisan push with Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal for tougher sanctions on Russian oil buyers, work that reflected genuine cross-party cooperation.

  Right: Trump described Graham as nearly a member of his own family, recounting a deeply personal final phone call that occurred just hours before Graham's death.

• Democrats Probe Trump's Russia Diesel Deal as Legality Disputed

  Oct 29, 2026

  Left: The 2022 bipartisan law banning imports of Russian oil, gas and petroleum products was passed to deny Moscow revenue it could use to fund its war against Ukraine, and any workaround undermines that bipartisan consensus.

  Right: The Treasury Department has repeatedly and publicly stated the arrangement is legal, and officials have explained their reasoning rather than acting in secret.

• Rand Paul Stands Alone Against Graham's Russia Sanctions Bill

  Aug 1, 2026

  Left: Zelenskyy's presence in the Senate gallery underscores the urgency of the moment, with Ukraine needing sustained U.S. support even as it gains battlefield momentum against Russia.

  Right: Rand Paul's lone dissent reflects a longstanding libertarian-leaning skepticism of sweeping sanctions regimes and secondary tariffs that could entangle the U.S. in broader economic conflicts.