Former Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday publicly urged President Trump to reverse his decision to waive sanctions on Russia and to cancel the newly announced diesel import agreement with President Vladimir Putin, escalating intra-party tensions over the administration's approach to Moscow.
In a post on X, Pence wrote that Trump's waiver "dishonors the legacy of the late Senator Lindsey Graham" and is "decidedly not in the national interests of the United States." He added that "Putin is a war criminal and only understands strength," and that waiving the Graham Act sanctions "signals weakness at a moment that demands American strength." Pence called for a return to the tough stance of the first Trump administration.
The waiver, signed by Trump on Friday, suspends specific penalties under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. That legislation was designed to pressure Russia into ending its war in Ukraine. The move follows Trump's announcement earlier this month that he would lift sanctions after a conversation with Putin, permitting 300,000 tons of Russian oil to enter U.S. and global markets.
The decision has drawn sharp bipartisan criticism. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the concessions as "gifts to Putin." Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wrote on X that the "filthy deal will only aid and abet the same Putin who is helping the Iranians to target and try to kill American troops in the Middle East and who illegally and viciously invaded our ally Ukraine."
Republicans are also pushing back. On Thursday, five House GOP lawmakers joined Democrats in calling on Trump to cancel the agreement. Their objections have been highlighted in reports of potential threats to Pentagon funding and broader bipartisan fury ahead of the midterms.
Despite the backlash, the White House has stood firm. Energy Secretary Chris Wright defended the deal on ABC News's "This Week," calling it "a carrot to try to end a war," and insisted it is "not an economic lifeline for Russia."
The administration's refusal to yield has fueled concerns among critics that the waiver could undermine U.S. leverage and embolden Putin. Schumer has accused Trump of handing Putin a lifeline, and some lawmakers are exploring legislative avenues to curb executive action, including appropriations measures to limit presidential power.
Pence's intervention adds a prominent conservative voice to the opposition, underscoring the political stakes for Trump as he faces a divided party on Russia policy. The former vice president's remarks also highlight the legacy of Senator Graham, who was a vocal advocate for strong sanctions on Russia before his death.
As the debate intensifies, the administration shows no signs of reversing course, leaving the fate of the diesel deal and the broader U.S.-Russia policy in question.
