Republican Senator Thom Tillis Challenges Legality of Trump's Russian Diesel Deal

US Senator Thom Tillis has questioned the legality of President Donald Trump’s decision to temporarily relax sanctions on Russian diesel, an initiative aimed at lowering record-high fuel prices driven by the US-Israel war against Iran. Speaking on NBC News on Sunday, Tillis argued that this sanctions relief may violate congressional law.

“I do believe there’s a legitimate case for saying the president’s not following the law,” Tillis stated, warning that his legislative support—particularly for funding military operations and year-end funding—would depend on the White House reversing its stance. Tillis joined a bipartisan group of senators, including Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, John Curtis, Jeanne Shaheen, and Richard Blumenthal, in issuing a critical letter denouncing the move.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the decision on Fox and Friends, maintaining that the administration utilized all available legal authorities to combat surging fuel prices. However, critics like Representative Don Bacon and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office also condemned the agreement, arguing it improperly props up Vladimir Putin’s war economy while undermining efforts to support Ukraine.