President Donald Trump greets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on Aug. 15, 2025. Trump argued lifting the sanctions ensures Russian President Vladimir Putin will remain at “the bargaining table” with Ukraine. Credit: TNS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP
Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.newsday.com
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is facing bipartisan backlash — including from Long Island’s congressional delegation — for lifting a new series of sanctions against Russia previously approved by Congress.
Trump late Friday evening announced he was waiving sanctions that were set to go into effect this week that would have allowed him to set tariffs on goods from countries that purchased Russian oil and gas. The sanctions, passed with bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress, were intended to hamper Russia’s ability to fund its ongoing attacks against Ukraine.
Trump over the weekend defended lifting the sanctions, arguing that doing so ensures Russian President Vladimir Putin will remain at “the bargaining table,” to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine. But Long Island lawmakers on Monday were among the growing number of Congress members who argued that suspending the sanctions only helps Putin continue funding the more than 4-year-old war.
Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport), the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told Newsday he has already spoken to the Trump administration to express his concerns about lifting the sanctions.
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- President Donald Trump announced he was waiving sanctions that were set to go into effect this week that would have allowed him to set tariffs on goods from countries that purchased Russian oil and gas.
- Long Island lawmakers on Monday were among the growing number of Congress members who argued suspending the sanctions only helps Putin continue funding the more than 4-year-old war against Ukraine.
- The sanctions, passed with bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress, were intended to hamper Russia’s ability to fund its ongoing attacks against Ukraine.
“I disagree with President Trump’s decision to lift these sanctions while Putin continues his brutal attacks on innocent civilians in Ukraine,” Garbarino said in a statement. “I have already spoken to the Administration about reversing this decision.”
All four current Long Island House members — Garbarino and Reps. Laura Gillen, Nick LaLota and Tom Suozzi — along with Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, voted in favor of the package of sanctions, named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). The sanctions passed the House by a vote of 262-159 in August, and the Senate by a vote of 86-11 in September.
Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), in an email to Newsday, said Trump is “100% wrong on this issue.”
“He has a massive blind spot — or worse,” Suozzi said of Trump. “There should be no rewards for dictators. We must stand with Ukraine and hold Putin accountable for his murderous aggression.”
Gillen (D-Rockville Centre), in a statement to Newsday, called on Trump to “reverse course.”
“It’s shameful that the President waived sanctions against Russia as Putin intensifies his brutal, relentless assault on Ukraine,” Gillen said. “Enabling Putin to fund his war machine and continue killing innocent Ukrainians empowers our enemy and abandons our ally. The President must reverse course and stand up to Putin.”
LaLota, (R-Amityville), in a statement to Newsday, said he supports “President Trump’s efforts to negotiate an end to this war, but I remain deeply skeptical of Putin’s intentions.”
He added: “Easing sanctions should produce meaningful concessions from Russia, not simply give Putin more resources to wage war against Ukraine. I hope the President will soon explain how this waiver advances a credible path to peace.”
The Democrats running against LaLota and Garbarino this election cycle also denounced the lifting of sanctions.
Patrick Halpin, a former Suffolk County executive residing in Oak Beach who is running against Garbarino for the 2nd Congressional District seat, took aim at Trump’s move to ease the sanctions and also import Russian diesel to the United States as part of a previously announced deal.
“Buying Russian diesel a couple of weeks before an election is like going on a diet the day before your wedding,” Halpin said. “It’s a desperate political stunt that will do virtually nothing for Long Islanders getting crushed by skyrocketing heating oil prices. It’s treasonous to act against our national security and send American dollars to a sworn enemy in Vladimir Putin who will use it to rain hellfire on Ukraine.”
Christopher Gallant, a volunteer firefighter and Black Hawk helicopter pilot from Amity Harbor who is running against LaLota in the 1st Congressional District, said in a statement “any concessions that strengthen Putin’s hand are a mistake.”
Republican candidates Michael LiPetri, a former state assemblyman from Farmingdale who is running against Suozzi for the 3rd Congressional District seat, and Jeanine Driscoll, the Hempstead Town receiver of taxes who is running against Gillen for the 4th Congressional District seat, did not return a request for comment on Monday.
Congress remains out of session until after the Nov. 3 election, but top Republican leaders over the weekend voiced their concerns on the Sunday morning political shows.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), appearing on Fox News, said he told “the White House team that we need to talk about it, and I think carefully consider the unintended consequences that may ensue from” lifting the sanctions.
“Congress voted on this decisively just several weeks ago, and we understand that Putin cannot be trusted,” Johnson said.
Laura Figueroa Hernandez is the White House correspondent and previously covered New York City politics and government. She joined Newsday in 2012 after covering state and local politics for The Miami Herald.
