The courtroom sideshow with Michael Cohen diverted attention from what should have been a much bigger story yesterday. Donald Trump is delaying sanctions against Russia. This comes after Nikki Haley, the U.N. Ambassador announced them to the world on Sunday. The sanctions were supposed to be for Russia’s support of the Syrian dictator Assad. Remember it was just over a week ago that Trump promised there would be “a big price to pay” for Putin backing Assad.
WH walks back @nikkihaley’s statement on @FaceTheNation that @USTreasury would roll out Russia sanctions today. @PressSec: “We are considering additional sanctions on Russia and a decision will be made in the near future.” https://t.co/fFqOHxUWVX
— margaret brennan (@margbrennan) April 16, 2018
What’s going on? From the Washington Post:
- “Sometime after Haley’s comments on CBS, the Trump administration notified the Russian Embassy in Washington that the sanctions were not in fact coming, a Russian Foreign Ministry official said Monday.
- The Trump team decided to publicly characterize Haley’s announcement as a misstatement. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement Monday: “We are considering additional sanctions on Russia and a decision will be made in the near future.”
Trump aides say new Russia sanctions could hypothetically be imposed at "some point".. but they can't explain how Trump will make Russia pay a “big price” for enabling Syria's chemical weapons, as he pledged after the gas attack killed over 40 people…https://t.co/1uY3BjtE4q
— Ari Melber (@AriMelber) April 17, 2018
In what world does it make sense to authorize airstrikes against Putin’s vassal Assad, but then block sanctions that would punish Russia for backing Assad?
There is a reason Trump is terrified about being seen as tough on Putin and Americans deserve to find out why that is.
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) April 17, 2018
Democrats were quick to pounce:
“Russia is aiding and abetting a mass murderer, and there should be consequences. There shouldn’t be any hesitation to apply new sanctions, which are necessary to send a message to the Kremlin that their reckless support for Assad’s brutality will not be tolerated.”–Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)