Senate Republicans’ deference to Trump on Russia sanctions represents a remarkable shift compared to his first term, when Congress acted decisively to punish Russia, ignoring his reservations at the time.
Now, Trump has a much firmer grip on the Republican Party, and his Senate Republican critics, who exercised significant influence over the foreign policy debate on Capitol Hill eight years ago, are gone.
GOP senators say they’re ready to slap heavy sanctions on Russia and countries that buy its products, but they want Trump to lead the way — in contrast to his first term, when leading Republicans viewed Trump as a foreign policy neophyte.
“If the White House concludes that tougher sanctions are in order, we’re here for it. We’ve got a bill ready to go that has an overwhelming bipartisan majority of senators on it,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters before the Memorial Day recess.
He made it clear, however, that Senate Republicans would not move without Trump, saying Republicans would “try and work with the administration” on sanctions legislation.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) says senators are “holding off” on moving sanctions legislation at Trump’s request, but predicted it would pass quickly if Trump signals he’s finished trying to broker a deal between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Some Republicans have tried to ramp up the pressure on Trump to take a harder line with Putin.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the Senate’s president pro tempore, pushed Trump on Tuesday to let Putin know it’s “game over.”
Trump on Wednesday asked for more time to feel out Putin’s willingness to strike a deal.
“We’ll find out whether or not he’s tapping us along or not, and if he is, we’ll respond a little bit differently, but it will take about a week and a half to two weeks,” Trump told reporters at the White House Wednesday.
The president’s efforts to broker a peace deal have dragged on for months with little progress to show.
His comments Wednesday came over the backdrop of a massive weekend bombardment of Ukrainian cities by Moscow.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
