Tillis: Trump’s Russia deal ‘is tarnishing Lindsey Graham’s efforts’ at sanctions

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) slammed President Trump’s deal with Russia for diesel Sunday amid the energy struggles the U.S. is experiencing.

“The president needs to move forward with the sanctions bill that we sent him. This agreement with pursing Russian oil is essentially, I think, tarnishing [Sen.] Lindsey Graham’s [(R-S.C.)] efforts to try and get the sanctions bill through,” Tillis told NBC News’s Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press.”

“So, the president should implement the sanctions bill, not be wide open to Russian energy,” he added.

Trump announced Friday that Russia will provide the U.S. and global market with diesel. The move comes only a few weeks out from the midterm elections, in which increasing energy prices are a central issue.

The president said Moscow will “immediately” give 300,000 tons of diesel to the U.S. and the global marketplace.

“I have just concluded a highly successful discussion with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, wherein it was agreed that Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace, another 500,000 Tons during the month of November, and 1,000,000 Tons immediately thereafter,” Trump wrote Friday on Truth Social.

Last month, Trump officially signed a Russia sanctions bill into law, allowing for additional sanctions and tariffs against Moscow amid its war with Ukraine.

The bill was championed by Graham, the late South Carolina senator, and pushes for Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on the top five buyers of energy from Russia or on countries assisting Russia in avoiding sanctions.

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.