Lankford says Trump is choosing the American people first
James LankfordU.S. senator from Oklahoma
Lankford said the law lets the president weigh national interests and that Trump is balancing pressure on Russia against high fuel prices for Americans.
“He’s trying to walk this fine balance between trying to be able to put pressure on Russia but also to be able to help the American people. So he is choosing the American people first, is what he’s doing.”
Interview
Where this statement fits
Trump waives the Graham Act's Russia sanctions
The White House says waiving the Graham Act's Russia measures preserves room for peace negotiations. Lawmakers from both parties and Volodymyr Zelenskyy say relief weakens pressure on Russia. Thomas Massie welcomes Trump's use of the authority Congress granted.
Source and context
Interview
About this source
NBC News transcript of the October 18 broadcast, with interviews of Sen. James Lankford, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent by Kristen Welker.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Asked on Meet the Press whether he agreed with the decision, Lankford said the statute lets the president look at national interests and that Trump had pointed to high gas prices.
After the quotation
Lankford said Trump is sharing intelligence with Ukraine, providing weapons and sanctioning Russian oil companies, and that any belief that Trump is aligning with Putin is not true.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is Trump's waiver of the Graham Act Russia measures. Lankford defends the waiver as a choice to put American fuel prices first while keeping pressure on Russia.
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The Dispute Index. "Lankford says Trump is choosing the American people first". First published: 2026-10-20. Last updated: 2026-10-20. https://disputeindex.com/events/6140-lankford-said-the-law-lets-the-president-weigh