Scott Bessent defends Donald Trump decision to waive Russian sanctions

United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended President Donald Trump on Sunday after the president decided to waive sweeping sanctions and tariffs on Russia. The Washington Examiner and NBC News reported that Bessent spoke on Meet the Press, claiming that no one has been tougher on Russian sanctions than the commander in chief. The decision follows an executive order issued on Friday, as reported by PBS NewsHour. [1][2][7]

The executive order pauses measures under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 just days before they were due to take effect. The Washington Examiner reported that the move came after striking a deal to lift an embargo on Russian diesel. However, Anadolu Ajansi and Operativ Məlumat Mərkəzi reported that Bessent asserted no Russian sanctions were actually lifted despite the waiver. [1][2][6][8]

The waiver drew swift criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, according to PBS NewsHour and Bloomberg. PBS reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the decision, stating that the move was rewarding Russia for its actions. [2][3]

Scott Bessent serves as the 79th United States secretary of the treasury. The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 gives the president the option to impose extensive tariffs and sanctions on Russia and countries purchasing Russian energy, following the continued invasion of Ukraine. As FTMQ News reported earlier, President Trump previously faced pushback after temporarily suspending sanctions on Russian diesel. [9][10][12]