← 2026-10-167brief

[UPDATE] 22 House members, five of them Republicans, ask Trump to cancel his Russian diesel deal

Michigan GOP Senate nominee Mike Rogers distanced himself from the deal while campaigning with Vance.

Twenty-two House members, five of them Republicans, asked Trump to cancel his Russian diesel deal and enforce the sanctions law by Oct. 18, as Michigan GOP Senate nominee Mike Rogers distanced himself from the deal. The letter, led by Jim Costa (Rep-D California), asks Trump to cancel the deal and fully enforce the Russia sanctions law he signed by its Oct. 18 deadline, arguing that "Putin has repeatedly shown that he responds to pressure, not goodwill."

  • Sept. 23 — Michigan's Senate race between Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed (D-MI) became a must-hold seat for Democrats trying to win the Senate.
  • Oct. 4 — Putin added a sale of Lukoil's foreign oil assets to Ukraine talks; buyers include business partners of Witkoff and Kushner.
  • Oct. 10 — Trump said Russia would send diesel to the U.S. Treasury then lifted U.S. sanctions on Russian diesel until April 7, 2027; Zelensky called it "a happy birthday present for Putin."
  • Oct. 11 — Russian glide bombs killed 20 in Zaporizhzhia, and Putin told Trump talks would not resume soon.
  • Oct. 12 — Four GOP senators joined Democrats in demanding a reversal; Thomas Massie (Rep-R Kentucky) backed the deal.
  • Oct. 13 — Diesel averaged $6.27 a gallon, against $3.67 a year earlier; analysts said the 300,000-ton first shipment was too small to lower prices.
  • Oct. 14 — Twelve senators, six from each party, asked Trump to rescind the deal.

Who signed:

  • Republican signers: Don Bacon (Rep-R Nebraska), Brian Fitzpatrick (Rep-R Pennsylvania), Michael McCaul (Rep-R Texas), Dan Newhouse (Rep-R Washington), Joe Wilson (Rep-R South Carolina).
  • The Oct. 18 enforcement deadline comes from the Lindsey Graham Russia sanctions law, per Politico.