U.S. energy secretary on whether Trump is ready to impose 'hellish sanctions' on Russia

House Democrats are expressing dissatisfaction with the Trump administration over its failure to commit to implementing recently enacted Russian sanctions. Rep. Greg Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized Trade Representative Jamie Jamieson Greer's comments to Semafor as "a completely unsurprising development," reaffirming his belief that Trump and his administration will not hold Russia accountable.

Rep. Don Beyer, the top House Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee, warned that the legislation gives the president broad waiver authority to disregard much of the bill's provisions. He cited recent reports suggesting that Trump is considering lifting existing Russian sanctions, expressing skepticism about any meaningful action being taken against Putin's regime. The White House did not respond to inquiries for comment.