The White House
Trump defended a diesel deal with Russia.
He said the waiver is for American drivers, three weeks before the midterms. Lawmakers in both parties said it breaks the ban on Russian energy. On Sunday he declared an energy ceasefire that Kyiv says Moscow is already breaking.
The Rocket News · Washington Bureau · WashingtonOctober 12, 2026 · 4 min read
WASHINGTON — President Trump on Monday defended a deal to take diesel from Russia, as lawmakers from both parties said the waiver appears to break the American ban on Russian energy imports until Moscow ends the war in Ukraine. He said he is trying to bring down fuel prices that are threatening Republican chances on Nov. 3. Prices jumped after he opened the war on Iran seven months ago. He blames Ukraine’s strikes on Russian refineries. “I made the right choice for the American People — ALWAYS, AMERICA FIRST!” he wrote.
He said Friday that Russia had agreed to supply diesel to world markets, and that his administration had temporarily lifted the sanctions meant to cut Moscow’s war revenue. Over the weekend he and President Volodymyr Zelensky argued about those refinery strikes. Trump said Ukraine needs a new president. On Saturday he said Zelensky had “better damn well stop.” On Sunday he declared that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop hitting each other’s energy sites. Reuters reported that neither capital had confirmed the bargain. Zelensky told Fox News on Monday that Ukraine’s strikes were not the main cause of the price.
I made the right choice for the American People — ALWAYS, AMERICA FIRST!
Video
The photograph shows President Trump and President Vladimir Putin shaking hands on a tarmac, a blue-and-white presidential aircraft behind them. Both men are in the frame. It is not Monday’s social-media post, and it is not the waiver announcement. The Politics desk files the waiver and the election. The power plant is on the war page. The pump price is on the economy page.
Wire and further reading: reuters.com
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Congress
Federal agents searched Ilhan Omar’s home.
The Minnesota Democrat said she will not be silenced and called the Monday search part of an intimidation campaign. Democrats said the timing breaks the Justice Department’s own rule this close to an election.
Video · ABC News
The White House
Trump said the United States will not attack Iran before the midterms.
In a social-media post on Thursday, the president said talks with Tehran are productive and that Washington will not strike before Nov. 3. Tehran said it will not give up enrichment.
Video · BBC News
The White House
Vance said Iran must cut enrichment to end the war.
In a Reuters interview after a stop in Alaska, the vice president said Tehran has to do something meaningful on enrichment, not trade words for actions. Washington is still unsure who decides in Iran.