David Axelrod
Role at the time: Political commentator and former senior adviser to President Barack Obama
Condemned
Statement summary
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.”
Open the original interview (opens in a new tab)Axelrod says lifting sanctions puts Trump's finger on Russia's side of the scalePanel discussion after 20:45:03
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)Why we used 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.