Trump says he didn't lift Russian diesel sanctions. His Treasury exempted the fuel Oct. 9

On CBS's 60 Minutes, which aired Nov. 8, interviewer Ross Douthat told President Donald Trump that he had recently lifted diesel sanctions on Russia. Trump said he had not ². The interview was taped Nov. 6 ¹.

I didn't lift diesel sanctions.

The paper trail says he did. On Oct. 9, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which enforces U.S. sanctions, issued General License 135. Through April 7, 2027, the license allows deals to sell, deliver, unload or import Russian diesel that sanctions would otherwise block ⁵.

FactCheck.org, a nonpartisan fact-checking project, flagged the denial in a Nov. 10 review of the interview. It noted that Treasury had issued a temporary license exempting Russian diesel from sanctions, and that an Oct. 16 executive order also waived sanctions under a new Russia sanctions law ¹.

Trump went on to describe what he said he had done. He said he let Russia supply the world with "thousands and thousands of barrels of oil, of diesel, which it needed," and that this was not doing any "big favor" ².

From Channel GOPTrump dodges rigged-election question, calls Massie loserDonald Trump · 525 plays · captioned, with the source named

What he said in October

Less than four weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm election, Trump announced on social media that he had made a diesel deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call ³. He said Russia would supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel right away, 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons after that, with 3 million more tons to follow ³.

Treasury issued its license that same day. The Associated Press reported that it was the first easing of sanctions on Russian diesel to last longer than the standard 30 days since the Ukraine war began ³. At the time, diesel averaged $6.23 a gallon nationwide, according to AAA. The record was $6.52, set on Sept. 22 ³.

Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority.

Then came the waiver

A week later, on Oct. 16, Trump signed an executive order waiving nearly every Russia-related part of a sanctions law he had signed in September ³⁴⁵. The law is named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who died in July ⁴. The waived measures include tariffs of up to 500% on Russian goods, including oil and gas, and penalties on foreign banks that do significant business with Russian state-owned banks ⁴.

ABC News reported that without the waiver, the law would have required tariffs on Russian fuel products and sanctions on the ships carrying them ⁴. According to a Nov. 10 legal analysis by Cleary Trade Watch, sanctions already in place under earlier executive orders still apply. The waivers last until the president or secretary of state decides otherwise, which could happen at any time ⁵.

Trump just gave Putin the best birthday gift he'll get this year.

Some pushback came from Republicans. Sens. Mitch McConnell, Thom Tillis, Susan Collins and John Cornyn urged Trump to cancel the diesel deal ⁴. Tillis asked: "What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisors not understand?" ⁴. The White House said Trump wants the war to end and can use these powers at any time ⁴.

The tankers turned around

Even so, the deal had not produced a confirmed U.S. delivery as of Nov. 5, the AP reported ⁶. Two sanctioned tankers left the Russian Baltic port of Primorsk listing U.S. East Coast destinations. One then headed for Brazil and the other into the Mediterranean ⁶.

A third ship, the Agioi Fanendes, carried 40,000 metric tons and was due in New York by Nov. 7 ⁷. On Nov. 9 it turned back about 740 kilometers (roughly 460 miles) from New York, Meduza reported, citing Bloomberg ship-tracking data ⁷.

The holdup is legal. A 2022 law, the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act, generally bans imports of Russian energy. The ban stays unless the president certifies to Congress that Russia has met conditions involving Ukraine ¹⁰. Treasury says its license follows all applicable laws. No court has ruled on the question ⁶.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, told port and terminal operators in her state to turn the ships away ⁶. A Kpler market analyst told the AP: "Because of regulatory, sanctions concerns, we may not see this cargo discharge on the U.S. Atlantic coast" ⁶.

any effort to profit from the illegal trade in Russian fuel will be met with harsh penalties.

The pattern

The pattern is familiar. In October, Trump sold the deal as a price cut for farmers, ranchers and truckers ³. After his party's midterm losses, he denies taking the step at all, though the license stays in force until April 7, 2027 ⁵. Analysts told the AP the imports were unlikely to do much to lower U.S. diesel prices anyway ⁶.

Meanwhile, prices remain high. Diesel averaged $6.127 a gallon in the week of Nov. 9, which is $2.29 more than a year earlier, according to the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA) ⁸. Home heating oil averaged $6.138 a gallon on Nov. 2, up $2.506 from a year before ⁹.

Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia, the senior House Democrat on Congress's Joint Economic Committee, called the deal infuriating when it was announced ³. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote that gifts to Putin would bring neither peace nor any benefit to the civilized world ³. Members of both parties in the House have filed bills to revoke the diesel license ⁵.

The Record

1. Oct 9, 2026Trump announces a diesel deal with Putin. Treasury issues General License 135, which lets Russian diesel move through April 7, 2027 ³⁵.
2. Oct 16, 2026Trump signs an executive order waiving nearly all Russia-related parts of the sanctions law named for Sen. Lindsey Graham ⁴⁵.
3. Nov 5, 2026AP reports no confirmed U.S. delivery. Two tankers bound for the U.S. change course toward Brazil and the Mediterranean ⁶.
4. Nov 8, 2026On '60 Minutes,' Trump says 'I didn't lift diesel sanctions' ².
5. Nov 9, 2026The last tanker headed for the U.S. under the deal turns back about 740 km from New York ⁷.

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<h2>Trump says he didn&#39;t lift Russian diesel sanctions. His Treasury exempted the fuel Oct. 9</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Receipts Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/trump-says-he-didn-t-lift-russian-diesel-sanctions-his-treasury-exempted-the-fuel">The GOP Files</a> on Thursday, November 12, 2026.</em></p> <p>On CBS&#39;s 60 Minutes, which aired Nov. 8, interviewer Ross Douthat told President Donald Trump that he had recently lifted diesel sanctions on Russia. Trump said he had not . The interview was taped Nov. 6 .</p> <blockquote><p>I didn&#39;t lift diesel sanctions.</p><p>&mdash; Donald Trump, President, Republican</p></blockquote> <p>The paper trail says he did. On Oct. 9, the Treasury Department&#39;s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which enforces U.S. sanctions, issued General License 135. Through April 7, 2027, the license allows deals to sell, deliver, unload or import Russian diesel that sanctions would otherwise block .</p> <p>FactCheck.org, a nonpartisan fact-checking project, flagged the denial in a Nov. 10 review of the interview. It noted that Treasury had issued a temporary license exempting Russian diesel from sanctions, and that an Oct. 16 executive order also waived sanctions under a new Russia sanctions law .</p> <p>Trump went on to describe what he said he had done. He said he let Russia supply the world with &quot;thousands and thousands of barrels of oil, of diesel, which it needed,&quot; and that this was not doing any &quot;big favor&quot; .</p> <h2>What he said in October</h2> <p>Less than four weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm election, Trump announced on social media that he had made a diesel deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call . He said Russia would supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel right away, 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons after that, with 3 million more tons to follow .</p> <p>Treasury issued its license that same day. The Associated Press reported that it was the first easing of sanctions on Russian diesel to last longer than the standard 30 days since the Ukraine war began . At the time, diesel averaged $6.23 a gallon nationwide, according to AAA. The record was $6.52, set on Sept. 22 .</p> <blockquote><p>Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority.</p><p>&mdash; Donald Trump, President, Republican</p></blockquote> <h2>Then came the waiver</h2> <p>A week later, on Oct. 16, Trump signed an executive order waiving nearly every Russia-related part of a sanctions law he had signed in September . The law is named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who died in July . The waived measures include tariffs of up to 500% on Russian goods, including oil and gas, and penalties on foreign banks that do significant business with Russian state-owned banks .</p> <p>ABC News reported that without the waiver, the law would have required tariffs on Russian fuel products and sanctions on the ships carrying them . According to a Nov. 10 legal analysis by Cleary Trade Watch, sanctions already in place under earlier executive orders still apply. The waivers last until the president or secretary of state decides otherwise, which could happen at any time .</p> <blockquote><p>Trump just gave Putin the best birthday gift he&#39;ll get this year.</p><p>&mdash; Chuck Schumer, Senate Democratic leader, D-N.Y.</p></blockquote> <p>Some pushback came from Republicans. Sens. Mitch McConnell, Thom Tillis, Susan Collins and John Cornyn urged Trump to cancel the diesel deal . Tillis asked: &quot;What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisors not understand?&quot; . The White House said Trump wants the war to end and can use these powers at any time .</p> <h2>The tankers turned around</h2> <p>Even so, the deal had not produced a confirmed U.S. delivery as of Nov. 5, the AP reported . Two sanctioned tankers left the Russian Baltic port of Primorsk listing U.S. East Coast destinations. One then headed for Brazil and the other into the Mediterranean .</p> <p>A third ship, the Agioi Fanendes, carried 40,000 metric tons and was due in New York by Nov. 7 . On Nov. 9 it turned back about 740 kilometers (roughly 460 miles) from New York, Meduza reported, citing Bloomberg ship-tracking data .</p> <p>The holdup is legal. A 2022 law, the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act, generally bans imports of Russian energy. The ban stays unless the president certifies to Congress that Russia has met conditions involving Ukraine . Treasury says its license follows all applicable laws. No court has ruled on the question .</p> <p>New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, told port and terminal operators in her state to turn the ships away . A Kpler market analyst told the AP: &quot;Because of regulatory, sanctions concerns, we may not see this cargo discharge on the U.S. Atlantic coast&quot; .</p> <blockquote><p>any effort to profit from the illegal trade in Russian fuel will be met with harsh penalties.</p><p>&mdash; Mikie Sherrill, Governor of New Jersey, Democrat</p></blockquote> <h2>The pattern</h2> <p>The pattern is familiar. In October, Trump sold the deal as a price cut for farmers, ranchers and truckers . After his party&#39;s midterm losses, he denies taking the step at all, though the license stays in force until April 7, 2027 . Analysts told the AP the imports were unlikely to do much to lower U.S. diesel prices anyway .</p> <p>Meanwhile, prices remain high. Diesel averaged $6.127 a gallon in the week of Nov. 9, which is $2.29 more than a year earlier, according to the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA) . Home heating oil averaged $6.138 a gallon on Nov. 2, up $2.506 from a year before .</p> <p>Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia, the senior House Democrat on Congress&#39;s Joint Economic Committee, called the deal infuriating when it was announced . Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote that gifts to Putin would bring neither peace nor any benefit to the civilized world . Members of both parties in the House have filed bills to revoke the diesel license .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/trump-says-he-didn-t-lift-russian-diesel-sanctions-his-treasury-exempted-the-fuel">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/trump-says-he-didn-t-lift-russian-diesel-sanctions-his-treasury-exempted-the-fuel.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. FactCheck.org, “FactChecking Trump's Post-Election '60 Minutes' Interview” (2026-11-10). factcheck.org/2026/11/factchecking-trumps-post-election-60-m
2. CBS News, “Read the full transcript of Ross Douthat's interview with President Trump” (2026-11-08). cbsnews.com/news/read-the-full-transcript-of-ross-douthats-i
3. AP via Fortune, “Trump signed sweeping Russia sanctions last month. Now he's striking a diesel deal with Putin” (2026-10-09). fortune.com/2026/10/09/trump-putin-russian-diesel-deal-zelen
4. ABC News, “Trump signs order waiving Graham Act sanctions on Russia, drawing backlash from some lawmakers and Zelenskyy” (2026-10-17). abcnews.com/Politics/trump-signs-order-waiving-graham-act-sa
5. Cleary Trade Watch, “President Trump Waives Lindsey Graham Act Sanctions, Licenses Russian Diesel Transactions as Russia Expands Countermeasures” (2026-11-10). clearytradewatch.com/2026/11/president-trump-waives-lindsey-
6. AP via PBS NewsHour, “Tankers carrying Russian diesel change course, raising doubts about shipments to U.S.” (2026-11-05). pbs.org/newshour/world/tankers-carrying-russian-diesel-chang
7. Meduza, “Last tanker carrying Russian diesel under Trump-Putin deal turns back from U.S. coast” (2026-11-10). meduza.io/amp/en/news/2026/11/10/last-tanker-carrying-russia
8. U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update” (2026-11-10). eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/
9. U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Heating Oil and Propane Update” (2026-11-02). eia.gov/petroleum/heatingoilpropane/
10. RFE/RL, “Amid Legal Uncertainty, US Lawmakers Warn Banks, Ports Over Russian Diesel Imports” (2026-10-27). rferl.org/a/amid-legal-uncertainty-us-lawmakers-warn-banks-p

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