Trump Team Denies New Accusation

In a firm and highly public statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has flatly denied recent claims that the Trump administration is considering easing tough U.S. sanctions on Russia’s energy sector. The claim, first reported by Politico, was swiftly debunked by Rubio as “unequivocally false.”

Rubio took to the social platform X to set the record straight, emphasizing that neither he nor Trump’s lead Russia negotiator, Steve Witkoff, has ever discussed lifting sanctions on Russian energy resources.

“This is unequivocally false,” Rubio posted, directly rejecting Politico‘s reporting.

The U.S. sanctions on Russian oil and gas, which were strengthened under President Trump’s leadership, remain one of the strongest tools to hold Moscow accountable for its brutal invasion of Ukraine. Trump’s America-first energy policies helped protect U.S. allies from dependency on hostile regimes while putting real pressure on Vladimir Putin’s war machine.

The Politico article suggested that sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline—a major Russian energy project Trump previously blocked—might be eased. But those claims were rooted in anonymous sources and speculation, not facts. The Biden administration has already shown weakness in this area by lifting those sanctions early in its term—only to backtrack when the war intensified.

Witkoff, who has reportedly met with Putin in person, was painted by the media as a proponent of loosening sanctions. But according to Rubio, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The Trump administration remains fully committed to keeping pressure on Russia until true peace and accountability are achieved.

Meanwhile, Russia is pushing its own narrative. Moscow recently floated the idea of a partial ceasefire in exchange for U.S. concessions, such as unblocking Russian fertilizer exports and banking transactions. But the White House has remained silent on the proposal, fueling concerns about backdoor diplomacy.

President Trump, who has consistently called for an end to the war through strength and negotiation, warned both Ukraine and Russia that he is losing patience. He made it clear that if meaningful progress isn’t made soon, the U.S. may withdraw from the negotiating table entirely.

Trump also didn’t hold back in condemning Russia’s latest attacks on civilians. “I’m not happy with Putin,” Trump said Thursday, expressing outrage over the violence and calling out both sides for stonewalling peace efforts.

Key Highlights for Conservative Readers:

• Rubio directly denies Politico’s report—no discussions about lifting Russian sanctions.
• Trump’s sanctions on Nord Stream 2 remain a stronghold of U.S. foreign policy.
• Biden previously removed sanctions, exposing Western Europe to Russian leverage.
• Russia seeks to trade a ceasefire for U.S. economic relief—Trump says no deal without real progress.
• Trump remains committed to peace but won’t back down on American strength.