Politics · India Bureau
Trump defends Russia sanctions waiver amid mounting criticism
US President Donald Trump has defended his decision to exempt Russia from new congressional sanctions, asserting it is beneficial for the country and the world. The move has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers and observers.
LSN India ·
President Donald Trump on Saturday defended his controversial decision to grant Russia a waiver from sweeping sanctions passed by Congress last month, saying critics did not yet understand the rationale behind the move.
"A lot of you don't know what my decision is yet, but we'll figure it out, and you'll figure it out," Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Miami. He described the exemption as "a very good decision" that would benefit both the United States and the world at large.
On Friday, Trump signed an executive order exempting Russia from provisions of the Graham Act, recently approved by Congress. The order also granted waivers from 100 percent tariffs on major purchasers of Russian oil and gas, notably China and India.
The executive order specifies that these waivers will remain in effect pending further review by the President or Secretary of State in consultation with the Secretary of Treasury. The decision has prompted swift criticism from Capitol Hill, with lawmakers questioning the rationale for exempting Russia from the new sanctions regime.
The move represents one of Trump's first major foreign policy decisions and signals a potential shift in the US approach toward Russian sanctions policy.