Trump plays Russian roulette on eve of midterms

President Trump is indulging his fondness for Vladimir Putin at a moment of acute political peril, forcing Republicans in the midterms to take cover as he showers Moscow with one-sided concessions. Why it matters: With just three weeks until the election, Trump is rekindling a decade-long, scandal-scarred relationship with a dictator reviled by most Americans — including his own supporters. Driving the news: Since speaking with Putin on Friday, Trump has embarked on a remarkable five-day campaign of diplomatic concessions and cover for Russia — sparking bipartisan blowback just as voters prepare to cast their ballots. On Friday, Trump announced a deal to unleash millions of tons of Russian diesel onto global markets, easing sanctions designed to starve Moscow's war revenues. On Saturday, Trump lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for striking Russian refineries and demanded that Kyiv replace its leader. On Sunday, Trump blindsided Zelensky by declaring an immediate "energy ceasefire." Russia has continued attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure, with no apparent consequences from Washington. On Monday, Trump dismissed months of intelligence-based reports that Russia was enabling Iran's war effort by supplying information about U.S. military assets. On Tuesday, Trump doubled down on the diesel deal and brushed off concerns that the proceeds could finance Russia's war machine, even as GOP senators labeled it a "betrayal" and "a gift to our adversary." Between the lines: The benefits to Russia are clear. Far less apparent is what Trump's concessions accomplish for American security, European allies or his own political fortunes. For America: Energy analysts doubt the diesel deal will meaningfully ease fuel prices sent soaring by the Iran war. For Europe: Washington is breaking ranks with a NATO alliance confronting a historic threat environment, as Russia escalates its hybrid campaign of sabotage, cyberattacks and drone incursions. For Republicans: With control of Congress hanging in the balance, Trump is embracing a dictator viewed unfavorably by 81% of his own 2024 voters, according to a January YouGov poll. The big picture: Trump's warm relationship with Putin has haunted his political career since 2016, when Russia interfered in the presidential election to help him defeat Hillary Clinton. From the Mueller investigation to the Helsinki summit, Trump's deference toward Putin has long divided Republicans and put him at odds with his own national security establishment. A decade of investigations, scandals and Washington outrage has done little to shake that affinity. If anything, the scrutiny appears to have hardened Trump's determination to defy the foreign-policy consensus. What they're saying: On Monday, Trump again suggested that Russia was more interested in ending the war than the country it invaded, telling reporters: "I think, actually, Putin wants to make a deal more than Zelensky." "The President's diesel deal will help lower prices for farmers, truckers, and families across the nation as he simultaneously urges both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict to stop strikes against refineries, which are driving up costs and hurting American consumers," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement. The bottom line: Losing control of Congress could paralyze Trump's legislative agenda and expose his administration to years of investigations and subpoenas. But as polling alarms pile up, the president appears increasingly willing to follow his raw political instincts, regardless of the consequences for Republicans fighting to keep him in power. In a Truth Social post Tuesday, Trump made clear that he sees himself as personally immune from the results of the midterms, writing: "I'm not running in the Elections, I've already won, IN A MASSIVE LANDSLIDE."

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