Ranking Member Shaheen, Senators Warren, Schumer Statement on Trump Administration’s Further Weakening of Russia Sanctions as Trump’s Iran War Drives Up Costs

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) released the following statement:

"President Trump's decision to provide sanctions relief to Russia is yet another example of how Putin has been one of the prime beneficiaries of President Trump's poorly conceived and executed war against Iran. Russia is reportedly providing Iran intelligence to target and kill U.S. servicemembers and the Trump Administration's response has been to loosen pressure and help facilitate a windfall of $150 million each day for its war machine. President Trump is offering more relief to the Kremlin than he is to American families, who are now paying more at the pump and for most other essentials because of this conflict.

"This action also raises real concerns about the Treasury Secretary's shifting explanations for his use of sanctions authorities and whether the Trump Administration is again flouting the requirement under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act to notify Congress before relaxing sanctions on the Kremlin. The deliberate skirting of Congress raises serious questions about whether the Administration is seeking to avoid triggering privileged votes of disapproval on sanctions relief for Russia and avoid accountability for his gift to Putin.

Just last month, Secretary Bessent testified under oath that Treasury's sanctions on two Russian oil companies were so significant that they made up for the Trump Administration's abandonment of all regular sanctions targeting for a year, including against evaders openly undermining U.S. leverage. Now, he wants us to believe that relaxing those very same sanctions-as well as sanctions on a range of other Russian entities like additional oil majors, traders, intermediaries, and shadow fleet operators-is a 'narrowly tailored' action, even as it helps those entities score windfall profits. Secretary Bessent needs to testify because Congress and the American people deserve immediate answers."

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