Former Trump ally accuses president of treason for diesel deal with Putin

In one outlet's op-ed, former Trump ally Andrew C. McCarthy condemned President Donald Trump for ending sanctions on Russian diesel, calling the action "reprehensible" and likely illegal. McCarthy argued the modest diesel shipment will not ease U.S. fuel prices while offering no benefits to Ukraine, whose oil refineries were destroyed years earlier. He further described Trump’s announced "energy ceasefire" as a ruse that aligns the United States with Vladimir Putin.

The piece also accused the Kremlin of supporting U.S. actions against Iran and joining an anti-American axis with China, Iran and North Korea. Republican senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis echoed the rebuke, calling the move reckless and beyond irresponsible. Their statements underscore a widening split within the GOP over the administration’s approach to Russia.