Speaker Johnson warned White House of "unpredictable consequences" of lifting sanctions against Russia
The Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, said he had warned the White House of the "unpredictable consequences" of Donald Trump’s executive order lifting sanctions against Russia.
The Hill reports on this, according to Censor.NET.
Last week, Trump signed an executive order lifting sanctions against Russia that were due to come into force under a legislative package championed by the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. The package had been passed by Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support. The decision quickly drew criticism from both parties.
Johnson’s reaction
The Speaker was asked whether he wished to lift the tariffs or refrain from doing so. Johnson replied: "Congress voted decisively in favour of this just a few weeks ago, and we understand that Putin cannot be trusted".
"He demonstrates this time and time again. So I spoke yesterday with several colleagues who had concerns about this. They work on relevant committees, such as those dealing with intelligence and foreign affairs. I didn’t speak to the President yesterday, as we’re both constantly on the move and have different schedules. But I told the White House team that we need to discuss this and, in my view, carefully weigh up the unpredictable consequences that might result from it", said Johnson.
He added that Trump is giving this matter just as much consideration as he does other decisions.
"Listen, he has two main goals, as you know, Larry. Every day, he wants to ensure America’s security and improve the quality of life for every American. He’s constantly thinking outside the box, coming up with creative ideas and carefully evaluating them. So I think the right decision will ultimately be made here," said Johnson.
Criticism from the Republicans
According to The Hill, several Republican lawmakers were quick to criticise Trump’s move.
North Carolina Senator Tom Tillis wrote in a post on the social media platform X: "What part of the law, passed by the Senate by 86 votes to 11, do the President and his advisers fail to understand? It is unacceptable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who has illegally invaded Ukraine and is killing innocent civilians every day".
Don Bacon, a Member of Congress from Nebraska, also stated on X that the US leader "is continuing the war rather than ending it".
Trump’s stance
- Trump defended his decision in a post on Truth Social. He wrote that "he is in the process of negotiating a peace deal in the war between Russia and Ukraine and does not want to do anything that would foolishly drive Russia away from the negotiating table".
