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Donald Trump's recently announced diesel fuel deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin has Republicans seeing red as they are forced to defend the deal ahead of the midterm elections.
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they → sign → elections
US diesel fuel prices skyrocketed to an all-time high last month, reaching $6.53 per gallon before falling to $6.28, according to AAA.
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prices → skyrocket → AAA
Gas prices also reached $4.50 last month before dropping to $4.34 on Tuesday.
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prices → reach → Tuesday
The increased fuel costs not only hurt voters at the pump but also forced up the cost of goods due to the elevated price of shipping and transportation.
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costs → increase → shipping
Eyeing these price increases as a threat to Republicans before the November 3 midterm elections, Trump announced a chummy deal between the US and Russia to help lower costs.
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Trump → eye → costs
After a torrent of backlash from Republicans and Democrats in Congress claiming that the deal helps fund Russia's war machine as it fights with Ukraine, violates existing US law and establishes closer ties between Putin and Trump's governments.
'The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians,' seven senators, including four Republicans, said in a joint statement on Sunday.
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senators → claim → Sunday
It was signed by Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, John Curtis of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
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It → sign → Carolina
President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin announced a deal on US-Russia oil exports on Friday.
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Trump → announce → Friday
Lawmakers within the president's own party immediately erupted in rage
US gas and diesel prices have shot up due to the US war with Iran and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, impacting the global oil supply
Recent attacks between Russia and Ukraine have targeted local energy infrastructure, further destabilizing the two countries and the globe's gas exports
But striking a defiant tone, Trump defended the deal on Monday, writing on social media: 'I made the right choice for the American People — ALWAYS, AMERICA FIRST!'
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I → erupt → AMERICA
In the same post, the president accused the media of not adequately covering how other nations have also purchased Russian oil.
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nations → accuse → oil
'The European Union paid Russia 250 Billion Dollars for Energy, and the Fake News Media doesn’t want to get near that story,' Trump said.
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Trump → pay → story
Though he did not say where he got the figure, it does roughly track some estimates that show the EU has purchased at least $239 billion worth of Russian energy since the 2022 Ukraine invasion.
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EU → say → invasion
The US-Russia diesel deal, announced following a Friday phone call between Trump and Putin, centered on the administration issuing temporary licenses allowing Russian diesel imports into the US for six months.
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administration → announce → months
'While I understand the desire to bring down diesel prices, I am concerned the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil will only fund the Kremlin’s war machine—emboldening more violence and destruction, as we have seen in recent days,' Republican Congressman Michael McCaul of Texas said on Friday.
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McCaul → understand → Friday
Many lawmakers have said outright that Trump's deal is illegal, noting how Congress moved to ban Russian energy imports in 2022 at the outset of the Ukraine war.
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Congress → say → war
I do believe there’s a legitimate case for saying the president’s not following the law,' Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said recently.
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Tillis → believe → Carolina
Republican Senator Susan Collins has publicly rebuked the US-Russia deal multiple times as she campaigns in a tight re-election race in Maine
Trump has condemned Ukraine for its strikes on Russian oil facilities
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Trump → rebuke → facilities
Congress explicitly banned Russian energy imports in 2022 to prevent American dollars from financing (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s brutal war against Ukraine,' the seven senators said in their joint statement.
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senators → ban → statement
They also claim that the administration did not consult with Congress before the decision, which would be required by law.
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which → claim → law
One of the signatories, Republican Senator Susan Collins, who is facing a tight re-election race in Maine, also gave a full-throated disavowal of the policy on social media to distance herself from the policy.
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who → face → policy
'I oppose President Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on the purchase of diesel from Russia,' she wrote.
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she → oppose → Russia
'I was a cosponsor of the Russian sanctions law, which the President recently signed but is now not following.'
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President → sign → which
The Aporia
