It’s been about a week since multiple news organizations, including MS NOW, reported that Russia had provided Iran with information that could help it strike American targets. One U.S. official told MS NOW point-blank, “Russia is providing intelligence help to Iran.”
The initial reaction from Donald Trump and his team was to express total indifference, despite the severity of the allegations. This was soon followed by news out of the White House that the Republican administration had agreed effectively to reward Vladimir Putin’s regime, temporarily easing oil sanctions on the country.
Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, a former CIA and Pentagon official, said during a Senate hearing this week, “If Russia is helping to kill U.S. forces, we have crossed a Rubicon. We are in another moment. We have to take decisive action on that. Instead, we’re giving them breaks on oil; they’re making a ton of money.”
Soon after, the president’s treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, announced that the United States is rewarding Russia again. The New York Times reported:
The United States on Thursday temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian oil that is currently at sea, allowing it to be shipped to buyers around the world as the Trump administration scrambles to contain energy prices that have been soaring because of the war in Iran.
The exemptions, which were issued by the Treasury Department, will be in place until April 11. … The decision was a significant turning point in America’s effort to punish Russia for its war in Ukraine.
The ostensible point of the policy shift is to add oil to the global market in the hopes of easing the recent spike in prices caused by the U.S. military offensive. But the practical result is the same: The Kremlin is getting another financial reward from the U.S. amid allegations that Russia is helping Iran target American assets.
For his part, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy who has repeatedly met with Putin in Moscow, appeared on CNBC on Tuesday and emphasized that Russia has denied the allegations.
“We can take them at their word,” Witkoff said.
One day later, Matthew Whitaker, Trump’s ambassador to NATO, appeared on Fox News to emphasize the denial from Putin’s regime. And on Thursday, Whitaker appeared on Fox Business and again said Russia has denied doing what it’s been accused of doing.
Taken together, over the course of the week, Trump and his team have (a) brushed off credible reporting about Russia helping Iran; (b) twice offered Russia sanctions relief; and (c) repeatedly echoed Kremlin talking points on national television.
Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware appeared on MS NOW this week and said, “The clearest winner from this war in Iran is Russia.” Soon after, The Wall Street Journal reported that Putin “can barely conceal a smirk” as the war continues.
This post updates our related earlier coverage.
