US President Donald Trump has drawn criticism from within his own party after putting planned sanctions against Russia on hold, n-tv.de reports. The move came only days after a contested diesel agreement with Moscow. Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike voiced objections, according to the German broadcaster.
Why it matters
The pushback matters because it comes from Trump's own ranks, not only from the opposition. When senators from the president's party publicly call his Russia policy a mistake, it signals that the sanctions pause is contentious well beyond partisan lines. The episode also ties the sanctions decision to energy prices and to the war in Ukraine, two issues that carry direct consequences for US foreign policy and for Kyiv's position.
Republican criticism
Senator Thom Tillis was blunt in his assessment. He called the decision "completely irresponsible," according to n-tv.de. Tillis argued that if the president genuinely wants to bring energy prices down, he could address the Iran question rather than doing favors for Vladimir Putin.
Senator Ted Cruz described the president's approach as a "mistake," the broadcaster reports. Representative Michael McCaul urged the president to reverse course. Senator John Cornyn reacted with dismay to the decision.
Representative Don Bacon took to X to argue that Trump was prolonging Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine rather than ending it, n-tv.de reports.
Democrats weigh in
Criticism also came from the Democratic side. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump had just handed Putin his best birthday present, according to n-tv.de.
The reporting follows earlier coverage of the sanctions pause. Outlets including DIE ZEIT, Spiegel and WELT carried related headlines about Republicans condemning the suspension of new Russia sanctions, and WELT reported cross-party criticism, with one quoted line saying the government was "capitulating to a Russian dictator." n-tv.de also published a sharply worded piece arguing that the diesel deal with Putin undercuts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
What to watch is whether the Republican pressure pushes the White House to reconsider the pause, and how the diesel arrangement with Moscow is received in Congress in the coming days.
