Axelrod says the president is funding Russia's wrecked economy and lifting sanctions
David AxelrodPolitical commentator and former senior adviser to President Barack Obama
David Axelrod says Trump has put his finger on the scale by funding Russia's economy with more revenues and lifting sanctions, and that Lindsey Graham would be hard put to defend it.
“And the president has now put his finger on the scale, and he's funding their wrecked economy with more revenues and lifting those sanctions. If Lindsey Graham were here, as loyal as he was to the president, he would be hard put to defend what the president is 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
Coates played Wright's defense of the diesel deal during a broader discussion of the sanctions waiver and Russia policy.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Coates played Energy Secretary Chris Wright's defense of the diesel deal and asked whether it was innovative. Axelrod began by saying Trump trusts Putin and blames Ukraine for a war Russia started.
After the quotation
Coates then turned to viewer questions about Trump's endorsement of Benjamin Netanyahu.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Axelrod says the president is funding Russia's economy and lifting sanctions while Russia prolongs a war it started, and that Lindsey Graham would be hard put to defend it.
- Recorded on
- Published here
More from this case
Read the full caseCassidy says Reagan and Lindsey Graham would be ashamed of the waiver
“Reagan and Lindsey would be ashamed of this.”Read statement
Corn says no congressional Republican deserves reelection after the sanctions waiver
“In my mind, there's not a Republican in Congress who deserves to be reelected because of the fecklessness in which they have managed this very thing.”Read statement
Durbin says Ukraine's future is not Trump's to sell out amid sanctions relief for Russia
“Any negotiations about the future of Ukraine after years defending against Russian assault must include Ukraine. Ukraine has earned its freedom and right to determine its future—which are not for President Trump to sell out to Putin and Chinese President Xi because his halfhearted efforts to end the war have failed.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Axelrod says the president is funding Russia's wrecked economy and lifting sanctions
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/6239-david-axelrod-says-trump-has-put-his-finger
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Axelrod says the president is funding Russia's wrecked economy and lifting sanctions". First published: 2026-10-20. Last updated: 2026-10-20. https://disputeindex.com/events/6239-david-axelrod-says-trump-has-put-his-finger