Gallego, Kaine Lead Letter Pressing Trump Administration About Decision to Ease Sanctions on Russia and Iran

WASHINGTON – Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) led their colleagues in a letter pressing the Trump Administration about its decision to ease sanctions on Russian and Iranian oil exports and its lack of planning regarding the economic fallout of President Donald Trump’s war of choice against Iran. Since the war began, the price of U.S. crude oil has risen by more than 40 percent, and the average price of gasoline has risen by more than a dollar per gallon as a result of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—something that President Trump and his top national security advisers were warned about prior to the start of the war. “We write with deep concern and confusion over your administration’s recent decision to ease sanctions on Russian and Iranian oil exports,” wrote the members. “These actions speak once again to the troubling lack of strategic foresight that has marked your administration’s decision-making prior to and during its war of choice with Iran, jeopardizing the lives of our servicemembers across the region and raising costs for Americans here at home.” “Open source reporting suggests that prior to starting this war of choice, you and your administration were regularly briefed on, and dismissed, the potential economic fallout of a conflict with Iran. These warnings included the regime’s likely closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting severe spike in global oil prices,” the senators continued. “Now that those impacts are being felt in Americans’ pocketbooks, your administration is scrambling – and failing – to contain this fallout.” In the letter, the senators also raise concerns about easing Russian sanctions given recent reporting that Russia has been sharing intelligence with Iran regarding the movements of U.S. forces in the Middle East, and the risks both of these decisions pose to U.S. servicemembers. The senators wrote, “The economic effects of the war are already raising costs, with Americans being asked to pay even more for gas, groceries, and travel. Relieving sanctions on U.S. adversaries during an active conflict is just the most recent indicator of an incoherent and disordered policy approach.” “We demand that you make senior officials of your Administration immediately available for public hearings in order to fully explain to the American people the rationale behind the decision to release these funds to the Russian and Iranian regimes,” the senators concluded. In addition to Gallego and Kaine, the letter was cosigned by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angus King (I-ME), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI). Read the full letter HERE . Senator Gallego has been leading the fight against the administration’s sanctions relief for Russia. The day the administration’s decision was announced, he joined colleagues in a statement calling out the dangers this will cause U.S. servicemembers. The next week, Gallego sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent demanding answers on how the decision came together, led colleagues from the Senate Banking committee calling on Chairman Tim Scott to convene a hearing with Secretary Bessent, and spoke on the Senate floor calling on the Senate to pass his resolution condemning the administration’s decision.