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Conservative columnist Charlie Sykes skewered President Donald Trump on Sunday as the president's "treachery" abounds. Sykes, who authors "To The Contrary" on Substack, argued in a new essay that Trump's repeated attempts to appease Russian President Vladimir Putin amounted to the president's "October surprise," or one that could ultimately lead to his defeat during the midterm elections. Over the last week, Trump has agreed to buy millions of barrels of Russian diesel fuel and agreed to ease sanctions against Russia as a way of keeping the country "at the negotiating table" to end the war in Ukraine. "Donald Trump’s treachery was predictable and predicted. Even so, watching him throwing a financial lifeline to Putin as the monstrous mob boss murders Ukrainians is sick-making stuff," Sykes wrote. Sykes' new column arrived on the same day that Trump repeated claims that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was responsible for the global rise in diesel fuel costs because Ukraine continues to attack Russian oil infrastructure. Analysts have pointed out that Trump's alleged "energy ceasefire" between Ukraine and Russia has not yet worked, as both countries continue to attack each other. At the same time, Trump has tried to deflect blame for recent Russian attacks against Ukrainian civilians. Last week, reports indicated that a slowdown in Ukraine's Starshield systems, which help identify and defend against ballistic missile attacks, resulted from an order from Trump's White House. Sykes argued that the recent moves are "vindication" of the long-standing belief that Trump is working in Russia's favor. "Would it help if he had the grace to admit that the critics were right from the start? Maybe," Sykes wrote. "But vindication doesn’t mean we don’t feel like throwing up as we watch the United States shiv a brave democratic ally, while Ukrainians die."

President Donald Trump's shocking rants about his turn toward Russia on Sunday sparked immediate backlash across the political spectrum. "My decision on Russia is a very simple one. I am in the process of negotiating Peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don’t want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Great progress is being made, and that includes current hostage negotiations! Signing that document at this time will do that, and I can sign it later, or any time that I want! Perhaps more importantly, Russia is doing very little, if anything, to help the Islamic Republic of Iran, compared to what they could be doing, and I want to keep it that way, and will, unless stupid people get in the way."Trump's comments came after he repeatedly blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for rising diesel fuel prices because of his military's attacks against Russian oil refineries. Oil industry experts have said the rising prices are more closely tied to the ongoing war against Iran. The Truth Social post sparked immediate and furious outrage from analysts. Joseph Allen, a professor at Harvard University, described Trump's statement as "disgraceful.""A disgraceful message from Trump. He is not worthy of the position of president of the United States," Allen wrote on X. "He is a corrupt, small-minded fool, setting fire to American ideals that have served us and the world well for decades. He is burning it to the ground while enriching himself and his family."Edin Mujkic, a professor at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, said it was another example of how much of a "despicable human being" Trump is. "He is shifting focus from the disaster in the Strait of Hormuz and making Zelensky a sacrificial lamb to his base. A despicable human being who never took responsibility for anything in his life," Mujkic posted on X. Mike Nellis, a Democratic political strategist, posted on X that Trump's screed is a sign that he's worried about the backlash he's already received. "Trump is clearly freaking out as both parties have universally condemned his decision to remove Lindsey Graham’s sanctions against Russian oligarchs," Nellis wrote. "He’s now trying to argue it’s about some secret plan he has to end the war in Ukraine. You have to be a special kind of stupid to believe this guy’s lies at this point."

President Donald Trump defended his latest turn toward Russia in a lengthy Truth Social screed Sunday as outrage over the president's recent moves continues to escalate. Last week, Trump announced that the U.S. would buy millions of barrels of diesel fuel from Russia in an effort to lower gas prices ahead of the midterms. That's despite Russia's weakened oil infrastructure that has been battered by repeated Ukrainian drone attacks. At the same time, the president announced he would lift sanctions on Russia that were included in a bill to honor the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Both moves have sparked outrage among Democrats and Republicans alike. Trump defended those moves Sunday by saying he "[doesn't] want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table.""Great progress is being made, and that includes current hostage negotiations!" Trump wrote. "Signing that document at this time will do that, and I can sign it later, or any time that I want! Perhaps more importantly, Russia is doing very little, if anything, to help the Islamic Republic of Iran, compared to what they could be doing, and I want to keep it that way, and will, unless stupid people get in the way." "Lastly, Zelenskyy is using Diesel Refineries in Russia as a target, knowing that these attacks are seriously hurting the world diesel markets, including those in the United States. Farmers, ranchers, and businesses of all kinds are suffering greatly from this, but Russia is, nevertheless, sending, at a low price, millions of barrels of diesel to the World," Trump added. "Zelenskyy doesn’t care, and frankly, with all of the money that Europe is famously giving him, and that Crooked Joe Biden gave him in the past, he doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did. He could have made a better deal two years ago than he can now. His country is in shambles, a large portion of his land is lost, his oceans and seas are gone, and his male population is low, wounded, and/or dead. I WANT THIS WAR END (sic)!"

A former ambassador to Ukraine sounded the alarm Sunday as President Donald Trump continues to send "kisses" to one of the U.S.'s chief adversaries. Last week, Trump announced that the U.S. was planning to buy millions of barrels of Russian diesel fuel in an effort to lower gas prices ahead of the midterms. Trump backed up that move this week by lifting sanctions against Russia that were included in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, a law passed in honor of the late Republican Senator from South Carolina who took a hard-line approach to dealing with Russia. Both moves caused a plethora of outrage from Republicans and Democrats alike, although no legislative action has been taken to rein in Trump. John Herbst, senior director at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center and a former ambassador to Ukraine, said on "CNN Newsroom" with host Fredricka Whitfield that Trump's moves are a "very bad look" for the president and the U.S. as a whole. "They haven't handed him victory, but they've given him several gifts over the past week, [or] week and a half, while Putin has done everything he can, not just to conquer Ukraine, but to counter the United States in the Middle East," Herbst said. "So, while Putin is warring against us, we are sending him kisses, and that's a very bad look."Herbst also took issue with reports that White House officials ordered a slowdown of Ukraine's Starshield system, the military equivalent of the Starlink internet service provided by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Trump denied knowing who gave the order, which raised speculation that he himself gave it. The former ambassador described the Starshield service as "one very good element of support that Trump has provided and actually precedes Trump." "In his term, he's provided almost the entire time," Herbst added. "Cutting that off is very serious. It makes it much harder for Ukraine to stop the strikes that are killing civilians, going after Ukrainian energy and water infrastructure. So that's the most important thing."

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is furious that President Donald Trump put sweeping new Russia sanctions on hold. Trump signed those sanctions into law only last month.“Beyond irresponsible,” Tillis wrote on X Saturday. “What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisors not understand?”“It’s unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine and butchers innocent civilians every single day,” he added.Trump signed an executive order Friday that pauses the package. He told Congress the move was in the national interest, the Associated Press reported. The White House didn’t immediately say how, and the order came before the sanctions took effect, according to CNBC.The law is named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a longtime Russia hawk who died in July. It targets Russian officials, banks and the “shadow fleet” of tankers that carries Russian energy. It also tells the president to put tariffs of up to 100% on the biggest buyers of Russian oil and gas.The pause comes a week after Trump announced a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel. Lawmakers in both parties warned that the deal could help fund Russia’s war in Ukraine.Tillis said Trump was going about lowering prices the wrong way.“If the President wants to actually bring down energy prices, he can do it by solving the Iran problem, not by doing a solid for Vladimir Putin,” he wrote.Tillis isn’t running for reelection. He had already questioned whether the diesel deal is legal.Beyond irresponsible. What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisors not understand? It’s unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine and butchers innocent civilians every single day. If the President wants to actually bring down energy prices, he can do it by solving the Iran problem, not by doing a solid for Vladimir Putin.https://t.co/ccCakQUTDt— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) October 17, 2026

Critics across the political spectrum unloaded on President Donald Trump after he threw Russia a lifeline with a stroke of his pen.Trump signed an executive order Friday night exempting Russia from a sweeping package of penalties Congress passed last month, just two days before they were set to take effect, The New York Times reported. The law, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), targeted Russian officials, oligarchs and banks to choke off cash for Moscow's war on Ukraine.Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), who co-wrote the bill, tore into the president on X. "Donald Trump confirms again that he stands on the side of a bloodthirsty thug & the enablers of Russia's war machine & against the majority of Americans, their representatives in both houses of Congress, & our European allies," he wrote.In a statement reported by the Associated Press, Blumenthal said the waivers have "nothing to do with our national security, and everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin."Jamie Metzl, a former State Department and National Security Council official, called the move "a despicable and disgraceful betrayal of the brave people of Ukraine, European allies, and American values.""As Ukrainians fight and die defending their freedom, Trump is throwing an economic lifeline to the dictator invading their country," he wrote. "Generations of American heroes who fought and sacrificed to defend freedom against tyranny are rolling in their graves," he added.Gregg Nunziata, a former Republican Senate aide, saw the order as a slap at the late senator who championed the bill. "Among other things, a final dishonor for Senator Graham," he wrote.Progressive activist Amy Siskind was more blunt. "WTF IS TRUMP DOING!" she posted.Investigative journalist Julie K. Brown, known for breaking open the Jeffrey Epstein case at the Miami Herald, offered a sarcastic take. "I guess times change and we are friends with Russia dictators now," she wrote.Others piled on. "Almost comical how in the tank he is for Putin," wrote veteran and political commentator John Jackson.Ukrainian commentator Kate Bohuslavska, who runs the popular account Kate from Kharkiv, kept it short. "Traitorous yet expected. What an embarrassment," she wrote.

President Donald Trump has handed Russia an economic lifeline days before a punishing crackdown on Moscow's war chest was set to begin.Trump signed an executive order Friday night exempting Russia from penalties laid out in the Graham Act, The New York Times and the Associated Press reported. The law, named for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who died in July, was scheduled to take effect Sunday.The measure aimed to hit Russian officials, oligarchs and banks in an effort to choke off the money funding Moscow's war on Ukraine. It also handed Trump fresh tariff powers, including the ability to slap up to 100 percent levies on countries buying Russian oil and gas and up to 500 percent on Russian goods entering the U.S., per The Times."I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions and duties provided for in the Graham Act," Trump wrote in the order, adding that he had certified to Congress that the waiver serves "the national interests of the United States."

President Donald Trump's own base is starting to recognize something critics have long warned about, according to an economic analyst.On Friday's episode of "Receipts Live," The Bulwark economics editor Catherine Rampell and its editor Jonathan V. Last pointed to new AP-NORC polling showing that 55 percent of Republicans believe Trump has prioritized his own business interests since returning to office.About three-quarters of Americans overall said the same, and a similar share of Republicans said Trump has prioritized the business interests of his friends, family and those close to him, Rampell noted."This is penetrating, which I think is pretty striking because again, this is a group of voters, a group of Americans who are not particularly inclined to unplug their ears and hear this inconvenient news about how Donald Trump is getting paid off," Rampell said.She pointed to a string of recent reports, including one that a federal regulator was told to back off a probe into suspiciously timed trades and another on the apparently overseas buyers of Trump's memecoin."Even Republicans are now acknowledging, yeah, he's in it for himself," she said.Last zeroed in on the intensity of those Republicans' responses."Twenty-one percent of Republicans say not at all, which is insane. But that number is slightly smaller than the percentage of Republicans who say a lot, which is 23 percent," Last said."You get almost a quarter of Republicans saying, yeah, sure seems like he's using the government to enrich himself a lot," he added. "And that's not nothing."Last cautioned that the numbers don't mean those voters will turn against Trump, noting some might still argue "everybody does it" or that it's "no worse than what Joe Biden" did.Rampell also flagged a caveat. Republicans in the same survey overwhelmingly said Trump was prioritizing the country at large and people like them as well."If you know how priorities work, you can't prioritize everything and everyone," she said. "But I think this is the only way to keep a handle on all of that cognitive dissonance."Rampell added that a recent Fox News poll found corruption in government topped voters' list of concerns heading into the midterms, edging out inflation and gas prices.