President Trump signed off Friday on a deal to lift sanctions on Russian diesel, permitting the Kremlin to ship 300,000 tons of the fuel to the United States and global markets. The move, aimed at tamping down energy prices that have climbed amid U.S. military operations in Iran and Russia's war in Ukraine, immediately drew sharp criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who warned it would hand Moscow fresh revenue to bankroll its assault on his country.
Trump fired back Saturday, blasting Zelensky for strikes on Russian oil refineries and suggesting the Ukrainian leader should be replaced. "He wants to make problems for the world. He wants to make problems for our farmers, our ranchers with diesel fuel because Russia supplies a large portion of the diesel fuel throughout the world," Trump said before departing for Tennessee. The exchange deepened a rift that has been building for weeks, as Trump has grown increasingly vocal in his criticism of Zelensky.
Democratic lawmakers were quick to pounce. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) accused Trump of "making a deal with the devil," echoing Zelensky's caution that the sanctions relief signals to Russia it can continue attacking Ukraine without consequence. The backlash comes just weeks after Trump signed legislation targeting Russia and Iran with tariffs of up to 100 percent on the top purchasers of Russian energy or countries aiding sanctions evasion—a bill championed by GOP Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and John Kennedy (R-La.). Both senators, along with former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, are slated to appear on Fox News's "Sunday Morning Futures," where the divisive deal is expected to dominate discussion.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced this week that the execution of convicted mass shooter Nidal Hasan will be carried out by firing squad on Dec. 3 in Texas and livestreamed to the public. The decision thrust the death penalty back into the national spotlight, particularly after a botched lethal injection attempt in late September against death row inmate Christa Pike. Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, was convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others in a 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas.
The plan drew swift condemnation from both sides of the aisle. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) called it "beyond disgusting," writing on X that "public executions are what oppressive dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan do. It should not be happening in America." Pope Leo XIV also weighed in Saturday, declaring capital punishment "inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person." Tillis is set to discuss his opposition on NBC's "Meet the Press," while Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), another critic of the livestream, will appear on CBS's "Face the Nation."
These controversies are unfolding against a rocky political landscape for Republicans, with less than a month until the November midterms. Multiple GOP senators have expressed fears that the administration's aggressive immigration enforcement and other polarizing moves could hurt the party's electability. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who is up for reelection, urged the administration to ease off immigrants who "are here and that have a court determination that [says] they can be here."
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has set records under the second Trump administration, with arrests surpassing 50,000 in both July and August, according to the Deportation Data Project. The group noted that 55 percent of those detained had no criminal record, while another 24 percent faced charges but were never convicted. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is expected to address the escalation on CNN's "State of the Union," and may also face questions about a high-profile ICE shooting in the Bronx this week that left a 28-year-old man wounded in his car while his 5-year-old child was present. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he spent two hours on the phone with Mullin and Trump after the incident but was "unsuccessful" in securing the man's release from federal custody. Mullin will also appear on Fox's "Fox News Sunday" and CBS's "Face the Nation."
With the midterms one month away, the GOP is navigating a difficult environment. Trump's approval rating continues to slide, and dissatisfaction with the conflict in Iran is growing. The president is expected to travel to Alaska and other battleground states to boost Republican chances, as polling averages show the Senate is a toss-up. Nonpartisan forecaster Decision Desk HQ gives Democrats a 76 percent chance of flipping the House and a 56 percent chance of taking the Senate.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) remains optimistic, telling NewsNation in September that Republicans can hold the House. But other GOP leaders, including Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), acknowledge the party must "do more" to lower costs for Americans to keep control. Emmer is set to appear on ABC's "This Week" as the Sunday show circuit kicks off amid a flurry of controversies that could shape the final stretch of the campaign.
