Trump signed the Graham Act on September 18th. The law told him to sanction countries buying Russian energy. Thirty days later, instead of enforcing it, he waived it. Then he bought the diesel himself. Three hundred thousand tons from Putin, with another million and a half tons promised through November. CNN did the math: the first shipment covers about a day and a half of American demand. That’s the trade. Ukraine’s leverage for a day and a half of fuel.
The timing is not subtle. Midterms are sixteen days out, gas prices are a problem, and the president needed a number to point at. So he called the guy running a war in Europe and asked for a discount. Zelenskyy called it “a weak decision by strong partners.” Blumenthal, who co-sponsored the law, said it makes the U.S. complicit. Trump called it “a very good decision” and moved on.
He signed the law. He waived the law. He bought what the law was supposed to punish. All to shave a few cents off a gallon sixteen days before an election.