President Trump is going to face resistance from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) if he repeals sanctions on Russia, as is reportedly "under consideration" by his administration. In a statement released the day before Trump's phone call Saturday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, McCain urged Trump to "put an end to this speculation and reject such a reckless course." "If he does not, I will work with my colleagues to codify sanctions against Russia into law," McCain wrote in the statement.
McCain went on to recall Russia's wrongdoings, including its annexation of Crimea, its intervention in Syria, its "massive military buildup along NATO's eastern flank," and its "flagrant demonstration" of "disdain and disrespect" in its cyberattacks ahead of the U.S. presidential election. McCain also reminded Trump the last three U.S. presidents have had "high hopes for building a partnership" with Russia, though each attempt "failed" because "Putin wants to be our enemy."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The week's best photosIn Pictures Firing shells, burning ballots, and more
-
The Great Mughals: a 'treasure trove' of an exhibitionThe Week Recommends The V&A's new show is 'spell-binding'
-
Damian Barr shares his favourite booksThe Week Recommends The writer and broadcaster picks works by Alice Walker, Elif Shafak and others
-
GOP's Mace seeks federal anti-trans bathroom banSpeed Read Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina has introduced legislation to ban transgender people from using federal facilities
-
Ukraine fires ATACMS, Russia ups hybrid warSpeed Read Ukraine shot U.S.-provided long-range missiles and Russia threatened retaliation
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freezeSpeed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bansSpeed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler groupSpeed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
-
Gaetz ethics report in limbo as sex allegations emergeSpeed Read A lawyer representing two women alleges that Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, and one witnessed him having sex with minor
-
Biden allows Ukraine to hit deep in RussiaSpeed Read The U.S. gave Ukraine the green light to use ATACMS missiles supplied by Washington, a decision influenced by Russia's escalation of the war with North Korean troops
-
Sri Lanka's new Marxist leader wins huge majoritySpeed Read The left-leaning coalition of newly elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won 159 of the legislature's 225 seats
