Broken altimeter, ignored warnings: Hearings reveal what went wrong in DC crash that killed 67New Foto - Broken altimeter, ignored warnings: Hearings reveal what went wrong in DC crash that killed 67

Over three days of sometimes contentious hearings this week, the National Transportation Safety Board interrogated Federal Aviation Administration and Army officials about a list of things that went wrong and contributed to a Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger jet colliding over Washington, D.C.,killing 67 people. The biggest revelations: The helicopter's altimeter gauge was broken, and controllers warned the FAA years earlier about the dangers that helicopters presented. At one point NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy scolded the FAA for not addressing safety concerns. "Are you kidding me? Sixty-seven people are dead! How do you explain that? Our bureaucratic process?" she said. "Fix it. Do better." Victims of the January crashincludeda group of elite young figure skaters, their parents and coaches and four union steamfitters from the Washington area. Here is a look at the major takeaways from the hearings about the collision, which alarmed travelers before a string ofother crashesandclose callsthis year added to their worries about flying: The helicopter's altimeter was wrong The helicopter wasflying at 278 feet(85 meters) — well above the 200-foot (61-meter) ceiling on that route — when it collided with the airliner. But investigators said the pilots might not have realized that because the barometric altimeter they were relying on was reading 80 to 100 feet (24 to 30 meters) lower than the altitude registered by the flight data recorder. The NTSB subsequently found similar discrepancies in the altimeters of three other helicopters from the same unit. An expert with Sikorsky, which makes the Black Hawks, said the one that crashed was an older model that lacked the air data computers that make for more accurate altitude readings in newer versions. Army Chief Warrant Officer Kylene Lewis told the board that an 80- to 100-foot (24- to 30-meter) discrepancy between the different altimeters on a helicopter would not be alarming, because at lower altitudes she would be relying more on the radar altimeter than the barometric altimeter. Plus Army pilots strive to stay within 100 feet (30 meters) of target altitude on flights, so they could still do that even with their altimeters that far off. But Rick Dressler of medevac operator Metro Aviation told the NTSB that imprecision would not fly with his helicopters. When a helicopter route like the one the Black Hawk was flying that night includes an altitude limit, Dressler said, his pilots consider that a hard ceiling. FAA and Army defend actions, shift blame Both tried to deflect responsibility for the crash, but the testimony highlighted plenty of things that might have been done differently. The NTSB's final report will be done next year, but there likely will not be one single cause identified for the crash. "I think it was a week of reckoning for the FAA and the U.S. Army in this accident," aviation safety consultant and former crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti said. Army officials said the greater concern is that the FAA approved routes around Ronald Reagan International Airport with separation distances as small as 75 feet (23 meters) between helicopters and planes when planes are landing on a certain runway at Reagan. "The fact that we have less than 500-foot separation is a concern for me," said Scott Rosengren, chief engineer in the office that manages the Army's utility helicopters. Army Chief Warrant Officer David Van Vechten said he was surprised the air traffic controller let the helicopter proceed while the airliner was circling to land at Reagan's secondary runway, which is used when traffic for the main runway stacks up and accounts for about 5% of flights. Van Vechten said he was never allowed to fly under a landing plane as the Black Hawk did, but only a handful of the hundreds of times he flew that route involved planes landing on that runway. Other pilots in the unit told crash investigators it was routine to be directed to fly under landing planes, and they believed that was safe if they stuck to the approved route. Frank McIntosh, the head of the FAA's air traffic control organization, said he thinks controllers at Reagan "were really dependent upon the use of visual separation" to keep traffic moving through the busy airspace. The NTSB said controllers repeatedly said they would just "make it work." They sometimes used "squeeze plays" to land planes with minimal separation. On the night of the crash, a controller twice asked the helicopter pilots whether they had the jet in sight, and the pilots said they did and asked for visual separation approval so they could use their own eyes to maintain distance. Testimony at the hearing raised serious questions about how well the crew could spot the plane while wearing night vision goggles and whether the pilots were even looking in the right spot. The controller acknowledged in an interview that the plane's pilots were never warned when the helicopter was on a collision path, but controllers did not think telling the plane would have made a difference at that point. The plane was descending to land and tried to pull up at the last second after getting a warning in the cockpit, but it was too late. FAA was warned about the dangers of helicopter traffic in D.C. An FAA working group tried to get a warning added to helicopter charts back in 2022 urging pilots to use caution whenever the secondary runway was in use, but the agency refused. The working group said "helicopter operations are occurring in a proximity that has triggered safety events. These events have been trending in the wrong direction and increasing year over year." Separately, a different group at the airport discussed moving the helicopter route, but those discussions did not go anywhere. And a manager at a regional radar facility in the area urged the FAA in writing to reduce the number of planes taking off and landing at Reagan because of safety concerns. The NTSB has also said the FAA failed to recognize a troubling history of85 near missesaround Reagan in the three years before the collision, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said "every sign was there that there was a safety risk and the tower was telling you that." But after the accident, the FAA transferred managers out of the airport instead of acknowledging that they had been warned. "What you did is you transferred people out instead of taking ownership over the fact that everybody in FAA in the tower was saying there was a problem," Homendy said. "But you guys are pointing out, 'Welp, our bureaucratic process. Somebody should have brought it up at some other symposium.'" ___ Associated Press writer Leah Askarinam contributed.

Broken altimeter, ignored warnings: Hearings reveal what went wrong in DC crash that killed 67

Broken altimeter, ignored warnings: Hearings reveal what went wrong in DC crash that killed 67 Over three days of sometimes contentious hear...
Senate confirms former Fox News host Pirro as top federal prosecutor for the nation's capitalNew Foto - Senate confirms former Fox News host Pirro as top federal prosecutor for the nation's capital

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has confirmed former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as the top federal prosecutor for the nation's capital, filling the post after PresidentDonald Trumpwithdrew his controversial first pick, conservative activist Ed Martin Jr. Pirro, a former county prosecutor and elected judge, was confirmed 50-45. Before becoming the acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia in May, she co-hosted the Fox News show "The Five" on weekday evenings, where she frequently interviewed Trump. Trump yanked Martin's nomination after akey Republican senatorsaid he could not support him due to Martin's outspoken support for rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Martin now serves as the Justice Department's pardon attorney. In 2021, voting technology companySmartmatic USAsued Fox News, Pirro and others for spreading false claims that the company helped "steal" the 2020 presidential election from Trump. The company's libel suit, filed in a New York state court, sought $2.7 billion from the defendants. Last month, Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to send Pirro's nomination to the Senate floor after Democrats walked out to protestEmil Bove's nominationto become a federal appeals court judge. Pirro, a 1975 graduate of Albany Law School, has significantly more courtroom experience than Martin, who had never served as a prosecutor or tried a case before taking office in January. She was elected as a judge in New York's Westchester County Court in 1990 before serving three terms as the county's elected district attorney. In the final minutes of his first term as president, Trump issued a pardon to Pirro's ex-husband, Albert Pirro, who was convicted in 2000 on conspiracy and tax evasion charges.

Senate confirms former Fox News host Pirro as top federal prosecutor for the nation’s capital

Senate confirms former Fox News host Pirro as top federal prosecutor for the nation's capital WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has confirmed...
With their brand in the 'toilet,' Democrats commence shadow 2028 primary for presidentNew Foto - With their brand in the 'toilet,' Democrats commence shadow 2028 primary for president

WhenKamala Harriswas asked point blank if the reason she passed on running for California governor was because she is seeking a different office, the former Democratic vice president said she doesn't "want to go back in the system" just yet. "I want to travel the country, I want to listen to people, I want to talk with people and I don't want it to be transactional, where I'm asking for their vote," Harris said during a July 31 on"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert", her first interview sincestiff arming the 2026 election to lead her native Golden State. But the 60-year-old can't help and leave bread crumbs out for supporters, such as when she hinted in her announcement that she will be "sharing more details in the months ahead" about her future. More:Kamala Harris' decision kickstarts the 2028 Democratic presidential primary: 5 takeaways "That's leaving more than the door ajar, that's pushing the door wide open," Michael Feldman, a former senior adviser to Vice President Al Gore, told USA TODAY. "I understand the optionality that creates for her: she shut a door, she's opening another. And by the way, nobody wants to foreclose their options and their opportunity." If Harris does enter the fray for athird tryat the presidency it will certainly stir the 2028 pot. She brings thehighest name ID of any suspected contenderand an even broader donor network with established relationships to boot. But campaign experts and strategists warn that no one shouldexpect a red carpetto the nomination this time around. "There will be a contested primary," Feldman said. "There will be a large field of people who feel like it's their time and it's their moment." More:Town halls, f-bombs and Elon Musk: How Democrats are waging a new messaging war As theDemocratic reboot continues, White House hopefuls such asHarrisare tiptoeing into an earlier than usual shadow campaign that political observers say they believe will be among the party's most consequential presidential primaries in decades. "More is riding on this pre-primary race than in most years because the party's brand is in the toilet," said Matthew Dallek, a historian and professor of political management at George Washington University. But Democrats must be cautious about trotting too far to the left based on the outcome of a single or handful of recent elections, some strategists warn.Vice President JD Vance, thought by many to benext in line to inherit the MAGA mantlefor populist-minded conservatives, is one of the more effective national communicators for Republicans with sharpened skills as Trump's attack dog. He andother potential GOP figuresare ready to dig Democrats a deeper hole. More:JD Vance is now the MAGA heir-apparent. Does that make him the front-runner for 2028? While voting won't commence in the next White House race for 17 more months, that's not stopping a number of sitting governors, senators and other aspiring future Democratic presidents to be making pilgrimages to early voting states. They're also penning memoirs, doing marathon podcast interviews, squirreling away campaign cash and outlining their stances on topics that will be relevant to the progressive base, moderates and eventually independent voters down the line. More:Kamala Harris explores 'drama of running for president' in new book on 2024 bid All of the preliminary jockeying from such a diverse and crowded unofficial field suggests a resilience among rank-and-file Democrats despiteabysmal approval ratingsthat haven't been this low among voters since 1990. "The only way to begin to improve it is through whoever the next presidential nominee will be," Dallek said "The stakes, in that sense, are higher. It's not just the presidency. It's not just the nomination. There's a sense among Democrats that they need to do this, and there's a big debate." Several 2028 hopefuls have already begun to make strategic moves to keep their name in the mix with the party faithful. About a dozen have visited or have plans to make stops in the early primary states, such as Illinois Gov.JB Pritzker, 60, who inApril caught attention for delivering a searing speechin New Hampshire aimed at 'do-nothing' Democrats. Sen.Ruben Gallego, 45, of Arizona, whose name has lately shot up on the rumored list of White House candidates, is set to attend two events in the Granite State later this month too, further fueling speculation that he's a possible contender. "I'll be on the ground in New Hampshire... taking on the GOP's billionaire agenda and standing up for working families," Gallego, who was elected to the Senate last fall, said in aJuly 29 post on X. California Gov. GavinNewsom, 57, trekked through rural South Carolinain July. He was followed by Kentucky Gov.Andy Beshear, 47, whotalked up flipping red stateswith union leaders and later Rep.Ro Khanna, 48, D-Calif., who made afour-day tour featuring town halls and visits to Black churches. Former U.S. Transportation SecretaryPete Buttigieg, 43, may claim he "isn't running for anything" but his May trip toIowa for a veterans-focused forumfocused heavily on existential questions facing Democrats and the country. Buttigieg shot to famerunning for president in 2020as the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and he has been raising his national brand through a podcast tour. Other potential contenders are also taking the podcast route, including Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, 46, who recently lamented howDemocrats "gave up on"entire swaths of the country during a July 29 sit-down chat on former DNC chair Jaime Harrison's "At Our Table." "I'm very much am a person of action, and I think as a party we've got to stop being the party of 'no and slow' and start being the party of 'yes and now,'" said Moore, whosename is tossed arounddespite saying he isn't running for president. More:Harris campaign's embrace of social media influencers is years in the making Nina Smith, a Democratic strategist who worked on Buttigieg's 2020 presidential campaign, said these early moves serve the candidates by creating and maintaining local connections. They also lend to rebuilding the party's brand organically through the excitement of a nominee. "There's some juice, there's some fire, from the perspective of people who want to step up and lead and be the standard bearer for our party," Smith said. "We're kind of spoiled for choices in that regard. That's a good thing." Such an elongated presidential campaign can exhaust resources as much as voters, which may explain why notable 2028 contenders are storing up massive cash reserves. Khanna, whose California district is located in the heart of Silicon Valley, had roughly $14.2 million in his campaign coffers at the end of June, according to the latest Federal Election Commission report. Other congressional Democrats on the 2028 list who can legally transfer their funds to a presidential campaign include Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., 35, who had arecord-breaking first quarter haulthis year and had about $9.8 million in the bank. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., 51, amedia mavenwith possible White House aspirations, holds approximately $10.2 million in his accounts. One feature of the pre-primary jockeying that is coming into focus is the major differences within the Democratic ranks, such as how best to oppose the Trump administration's bulldozing agenda. An example of that larger debate was on display on Capitol Hill this past week when Sen.Cory Booker, D-NJ, a rumored 2028 contender,blasted his fellow party membersfor supporting a bundle of proposals backed by the GOP administration that would increase resources and funding to police departments and officers. More:'It's with a full heart that I share this news': Cory Booker drops out of 2020 race "This, to me, is the problem with Democrats in America right now is we're willing to be complicit toDonald Trumpto let this pass through when we have all the leverage right now," said Booker, 56, who ran ashort-lived 2020 presidential campaignand has garnered renewed interest sincedelivering a record-breaking Senate speech. Booker's comment outraged Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., 65, another prospective andformer 2020 White House contender, who needled him for missing a committee hearing on the bipartisan package. There are other issues for Democrats to sort out as well, such as navigating the rising populism from the left over cost of living concerns that helped propelZohran Mamdani's primary winin the New York City mayor's race. Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, 65, a centrist-aligned Democrat who isbeing urged to runby more moderate voices, has cautioned against Democrats embracing the 33-year-old New Yorker who is hoping Big Apple voters will pick him this November to lead the nation's largest city. "Recognizing that the American dream is unaffordable and inaccessible and that working hard no longer guarantees getting ahead isn't a socialist observation; it's clear to people of all political stripes," Emanuel said in a June 26 op-ed to the Wall Street Journal. More:Rahm Emanuel warns Democrats in 2020 not to play to 'socialist' type "Affordable healthcare, lifetime retirement security and affordable community college are as American as apple pie, but they won't be realized by consulting the Democratic Socialists of America's playbook," added Emanuel, who most recently served as Biden's U.S. ambassador to Japan and previously was an Illinois congressman and White House chief of staff to then-President Barack Obama. Feldman, the former Gore advisor, said there's a lot of energy among the progressive wing of the party that can't be dismissed, but he questions if someone such as Mamdani could be competitive in a national general election. "My argument would be, no, he couldn't be," Feldman said. "So, you know, there'll be an argument between the various factions in the Democratic Party about what policies we want to present to the American people, and can you harness the energy in the electorate." More:Election 2024 recap: 'We accept the results,' Harris concedes Other Democratic thinkers agree these sort of sparring matches are inevitable but that they should be looked at more optimistically in the 2028 context given the presidential field is expected to include uber-progressives, centrists and even moderately conservative. "It's gonna be messy and personal, and it's going to feel bad sometimes in the process, but I think it's going to help us shape as a party, what we believe," Amanda Litman, a former Obama 2012 and Hillary Clinton 2016 campaign staffer who co-foundedRun for Something, a progressive group that supports candidates for public office, told USA TODAY. Every potential 2028 contender will have to talk about a voter's lived experiences and connect with them on the issues that matter most, according to various Democrats who spoke with USA TODAY. But they will also have to evolve with the progressive base on issues the mainstream party has been fearful to embrace. Former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., who lost his reelection bid last year, is toutingnew polling by Data for Progressreleased in late July that shows of New York City primary voters strongly sympathize with Palestinians. The survey found support for Palestinian rights fueled much of Mamdani's support, including 78% of respondents who said Israel is committing genocide in the region and another 79% who said they support restricting weapons to the U.S. ally. Bowman, who wasopposed heavily by pro-Israel groups, pointed out that Khanna stood up early as one of the first members of Congress tocall for a cease-fireduring the Biden era, saying his former colleague should get "a lot of credit for that." As the 2028 field takes shape, Bowman argued that the party cannot be seen as titling the scales against more left-leaning contenders. He also warned the possible presidential contenders that they should not ignore the shifting tides that populist-minded progressives are causing, especially amid widespread reports ofstarvation in Gaza. "I expect a robust primary debate," Bowman told USA TODAY. "And I hope that ideas rule the day over special interests and politics where we can see the rise of an authentic, historic leadership." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:After 2024 wipeout, Democrats' shadow 2028 primary has begun

With their brand in the 'toilet,' Democrats commence shadow 2028 primary for president

With their brand in the 'toilet,' Democrats commence shadow 2028 primary for president WhenKamala Harriswas asked point blank if the...
Epstein files controversy consuming Capitol Hill has fueled less fire at first lawmaker town halls of summer recessNew Foto - Epstein files controversy consuming Capitol Hill has fueled less fire at first lawmaker town halls of summer recess

The Jeffrey Epstein files saga at times all but ground Capitol Hill to a halt last month — driving a wedge between Republicans in the House as Democrats went on offense to pressPresident Donald Trump's Justice Department to release more investigative material. But since returning to their districts for summer recess, lawmakers aren't hearing much about Epstein at public town hall meetings they've hosted so far. The debate that's dominated Washington in recent weeks didn't come up at all in some town halls Republican and Democratic House members have held — includinga raucous event Thursdayhosted by Wisconsin GOP Rep. Bryan Steil and two more mild-mannered affairs held by Wyoming Republican Rep. Harriet Hageman. During others, it's been the topic of just one or two questions. In Wisconsin on Thursday, Rep. Mark Pocan — a Democrat who hosted a town hall in Prairie du Chien, in neighboring Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden's district — brought up Epstein himself, as part of a response to a question about whether Trump might declare martial law and cancel elections. "It's a step too far to say you're going to release something and then say, 'No, there's nothing there to look at,'" he said. Only one questioner raised the topic of Epstein — and she did so to call it a distraction. Pocan kept his comments focused largely on theRepublican tax and cuts spending billthat Trump signed into law on July Fourth — repeatedly warning that cuts to Medicaid could gut Wisconsin's public health insurance programs and force the state to spend tax dollars filling holes left by the federal government. The Democratic congressman said afterward that's why he mostly avoided talking about Epstein. "I keep it to economics. I'm an economic, progressive populist. I think that's how most people make decisions when they go to elections. That's how Donald Trump won the election. That's why Donald Trump's doing poor in the polls," he said. The woman who'd brought up Epstein, Krista Brown, a 38-year-old stay-at-home mother from Viroqua, said she has bigger concerns than Epstein — such as whether steep cuts in staffing at the Department of Education will delay action on a Title IX complaint she'd submitted on behalf of her children, or whether National Weather Service offices will be staffed. "It has more to do with the things that people need as a foundation than it does about arguing over things that the administration wants us to spend our oxygen on. I'm just not interested in that," Brown said. "When you live rural, you care about who's going to plow your goddamn roads — when it's going to get plowed, if the buses can get through, how cold it is, if the weather's going to be reported," she said. "That's what matters. And the rest is just going to float away, because pretty soon it's going to get so hard in real life that there's not even going to be time to talk about that." The relative lack of focus on Epstein at town halls reflects the broader priorities of Americans. Arecent CNN pollconducted by SSRS found that the economy and immigration-related concerns are the issues Americans consider most important. The poll also found increased Democratic attention to government spending, concerns about separation of powers and the rule of law, and Trump himself. The amount of information the federal government has released on the Epstein case was an issue that didn't rise to prominence, with just one respondent mentioning it as the most important problem. Still, even if Epstein isn't Americans' top priority,half of respondents saidthey are dissatisfied with the amount of information released about the Epstein case after the Justice Department released a memo saying there is no evidence the convicted sex offender kept a so-called client list or was murdered. That includes 56% of Democrats, 52% of independents and 40% of Republicans. Democrats, in search of an advantage against Trump and administration officials who pledged prior to taking office to release Epstein-related files, have sought to force the issue. In the Senate this week, ahead of its own recess, Democrats areusing an arcane procedural toolto try to force the Justice Department to release all of the files related to Epstein, including audio, video and any other relevant documents. Republican leadership, meanwhile, is eager to stay away from the topic of Epstein. House Speaker Mike Johnson cut legislative business short and sent members home early last week to avoid being forced to hold votes on releasing Epstein-related files. The National Republican Congressional Committee, the House GOP's campaign arm, encouraged House Republicans in a memo to use the August recess to focus on selling Trump's agenda. "With the One Big Beautiful Bill signed into law just a few weeks ago, this is a critical opportunity to continue to define how this legislation will help every voter and push back on Democrat fearmongering," the NRCC memo said. Some House Republicans who have held town halls have been asked about the Epstein files. Utah GOP Rep. Mike Kennedy compared the unreleased Epstein files to "a festering oil-infected wound with pus underneath" in response to a question about whether he would vote in favor of releasing the documents during a virtual town hall last week. Kennedy pledged to push for "full transparency" in the matter and that he would "vote immediately to get all that released," permitted that the identities of victims are concealed. As Republican Rep. William Timmons of South Carolina fielded questions at a telephone town hall last week, one caller shared his "outrage" over the Epstein files – asking why the House adjourned "when this hasn't been dealt with." "If there's a group of pedophiles out there who are just getting away with it, this is an outrage, and I don't care who they are. I don't care if they're the president of the United States," the caller said. Timmons responded that "there is evil in this world, and we have to protect the innocent, so we need to get to the bottom of it." "The president and the attorney general are doing the work necessary to release all of the information," he said. "The Republican Congress should not be attacking the president," the GOP lawmaker said. "The president has earned our trust, has earned the right for us to defer to him on issues at the executive branch." But other issues have dominated town halls so far this summer — including the GOP's "big, beautiful bill," border security and deportations and federal funding cuts. At a Hageman town hall earlier this week, Jane Sanderson, 75, of Worland, who voted for the congresswoman, asked her why the Department of Government Efficiency's spending cuts hadn't put a dent in the United States' national debt. Timmons, the South Carolina congressman, was asked about health care, tariffs and aviation safety. Trump's golf habits came up as often as Epstein. At the same time Pocan held court in Prairie du Chien, Steil, a three-hour drive away in Elkhorn, was accused of doing Trump's bidding too frequently. "President Trump seems to run Southeast Wisconsin through you," one audience member told him. Steil faced criticism over the Trump administration's treatment of undocumented immigrants. He was shouted down as he defended Trump's implementation of tariffs on imports from a host of trading partners. And the town hall ended amid shouting after he began to answer a question about starvation in Gaza — an issue that is splintering the right, as Trump pushes Israel to address the humanitarian crisis as its military actions there continue. "To me, the easy answer to address this crisis is for Hamas to surrender and release the hostages. That ends the war tomorrow," Steil said, in a comment that was met with a mix of cheers and shouts of disagreement. "Israel was unfairly, unjustly attacked, their civilians were killed and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists." CNN's Veronica Stracqualursi, Sarah Davis, Jenna Monnin and Betul Tuncer contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

Epstein files controversy consuming Capitol Hill has fueled less fire at first lawmaker town halls of summer recess

Epstein files controversy consuming Capitol Hill has fueled less fire at first lawmaker town halls of summer recess The Jeffrey Epstein file...
Senate leaving Russia sanctions power fully in Trump's handsNew Foto - Senate leaving Russia sanctions power fully in Trump's hands

Republican senators are getting ready to leave Washington without advancing a major sanctions bill against Russia, giving President Trump sole discretion over whether to follow through on his threats against Russian President Vladimir Putin if he refuses to halt his war against Ukraine. Trump has given an Aug. 8 deadline for Putin to stop fighting or risk tariffs on countries that import Russian oil. As a preview,he announced 25 percent tariffs on India, a major importer of Russian energy. That's far below the 500 percent secondary tariff power Congress laid out in draft legislation. While Senate Ukraine hawks wanted to see their sanctions bill pass before the monthlong break, they ultimately left the decision entirely in Trump's hands, at least for the summer. "I think he's going to be very careful about what he does," Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said when asked by The Hill if Trump can be trusted to impose costs on Putin. "But I think he is clearly disappointed in Putin and I think he is now coming around to recognizing that many of us were right." Democrats have expressed skepticism Trump will punish Putin, even as the president has shown increasing frustration with the Russian leader's refusal to accept a ceasefire. Trump said Friday he ordered nuclear submarines to the region in response to threats of nuclear weapons use from Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president, current deputy chair of the security council and frequent online provocateur. "Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances," Trump posted on his social media site Truth Social. Trump told reporters Thursday that his special envoy for peace missions, Steve Witkoff, is expected to travel to Russia following a visit to Israel on Friday. Trump described Russia's ongoing attacks against Ukraine as "disgusting." "We have about eight days. … We're going to put sanctions," he said. Even as Trump has shortened the deadline for Russia to get serious about peace talks, the president is hedging on the impact U.S. financial penalties will have on Putin's country. "I don't know that sanctions bother him. You know? They know about sanctions. I know better than anybody about sanctions, and tariffs and everything else. I don't know if that has any effect. But we're going to do it." While the U.S. has steadily ramped up sanctions on Russia throughout the war, the Senate bill would have marked a major economic escalation, seeking to isolate Moscow from trading partners that have kept its wartime economy afloat. "Maintaining pressure on Russia economically, and going after its oil revenues in particular, remain crucial to containing and limiting Russia's current and future military and foreign policy options," experts with the Center for Strategic and International Studieswrote in a reportlate last month. Steep tariffs on Russia's trading partners would also risk shocks to the global energy market and further strain on U.S. relations with major economies such as India, China and Brazil. Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said deciding which sanctions are imposed — if Russia passes Trump's deadline — "are a work in progress," speaking with The Hill on Friday. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), coauthor of the Russia sanctions bill with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), said he would view it as a win if Trump imposed even a fifth of what the Senate was proposing. "We propose in our bill 500 percent. If it's 250 percent, I could live with it. Even if it's 100 percent, possibly. But you ought to impose bone-crushing sanctions that will stop them from fueling Russia's war machine," Blumenthal said. The Connecticut senator said even as he holds out hope for Trump to give Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) the green light to bring the sanctions bill to the floor, the bill has already moved U.S. policy. "It has given credibility and momentum to the idea of sanctions so that now, even President Trump, who was seemingly Putin's best buddy, is giving him deadlines to stop the war or face sanctions," he said. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, pointed to Trump's 25 percent tariffs on India as further evidence of this impact. Indian state oil refiners have already moved topause imports of Russian oil, with the tariff set to go into effect Aug. 7. "Clearly, India was paying attention to that. I think it's positive progress that the president is looking at ways in which he can put more pressure on Russia," she said. Graham said Trump has "adopted the theory of the case" — going after countries that purchase Russian oil and don't help Ukraine. "He can do it through executive action, or with the bill," he said. "I think the bill, as you say, gives him leverage, and we're in good discussions, so stay tuned." But some Republican senators pointed to a missed opportunity in adjourning before a vote on the Graham-Blumenthal bill. "I don't think there are enough sanctions we can place on Russia. I think we should keep hammering them and make sure Ukraine's armed," said Sen. Pete Ricketts (Neb.), the No. 2 Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Rounds told The Hill he believed the time is now to put the sanctions bill on the floor. Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, said he wanted a Senate vote on the sanctions package so the House could be ready to take it up when they come back in September. "I think having that tool in your tool chest, ready to go, would be a good thing and keep the pressure on Russia," he said. "I think it gives [Trump] more leverage. You can always hold it ready to go, send it over to the House if needed and then to the president's desk. I think that's not a bad strategy." Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah), also a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, agreed. "I think that's why it's important for us to have this teed up and ready — it gives [Trump] an option, and the more options he has the better," he said. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told The Hill on Wednesday that Thune was "absolutely aware" of his desire to vote on the Russia sanctions bill before the August recess. "I certainly think it would be an excellent thing to do." Thune's office told The Hill on Friday it had no scheduling announcements related to the Graham-Blumenthal bill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

Senate leaving Russia sanctions power fully in Trump’s hands

Senate leaving Russia sanctions power fully in Trump's hands Republican senators are getting ready to leave Washington without advancing...

 

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