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Montana’s congressional delegation and candidates are offering differing views on President Donald Trump’s moves to ease sanctions against Russia, including an arrangement allowing Russian diesel onto the global market.
Since mid-October, the president has paused Russian sanctions recently passed by Congress with broad support, while also lifting a ban on Russian diesel sales until April 7, 2027. The latter move means Russia can sell 2.25 million barrels of diesel globally, including to the United States. The Treasury Department described the terms.
Some incumbents and candidates who responded to questions from Montana Free Press opposed lifting the fuel sale ban and pausing the sanctions. Others supported the moves or suggested alternative approaches. Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy did not respond to MTFP’s questions, nor did Republican Senate candidate Kurt Alme.
Rep. Troy Downing, the Republican who represents Montana’s Eastern Congressional District — and the only incumbent member of the state’s congressional delegation on the 2026 ballot — said he opposes the president’s actions.
“Congressman Downing strongly opposes purchasing Russian diesel. American dollars should not be flowing into Vladimir Putin’s war machine,” said Keegan Bittner, a spokesperson for Downing. “We should be producing more American energy, not relying on a hostile foreign adversary.”
Before Congress recessed at the end of September, Downing voted for sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Rep. Ryan Zinke and Sens. Daines and Sheehy also voted for the sanctions, part of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026.
Zinke told MTFP the administration’s focus should be on opening more U.S. refineries to process domestic crude. He did not condemn diesel purchases from Russia, but instead offered a different approach.
“Diesel powers American agriculture and keeps freight moving across this country. We have expanded existing refineries, but the last major new refinery opened in 1977. Our refining infrastructure needs to keep pace with demand,” Zinke said in a text message. “Allowing Russian diesel onto the market temporarily can help ease supply pressures, but lasting relief requires investment in American refineries and a permitting process that lets those projects move forward.
“Putin is the aggressor in this war, and he bears responsibility for the death and destruction in Ukraine. I support President Trump’s efforts to end the fighting, and any agreement must hold Russia accountable and secure a lasting peace.”
Independent Senate candidate Seth Bodnar blamed rising fuel prices on Trump’s decision to attack Iran, which started a war now in its eighth month. He said purchases of fuel from Russia would likely fund that country’s war against Ukraine, a U.S. ally.
“The president is trying to fix a self-inflicted energy crisis caused by an illegal war that he started and that has driven diesel prices past $6 per gallon. His solution for this mess is to aid and abet a dictator in Russia who is supporting Iran in its attacks on US personnel and facilities, and who wants to restore the Soviet Union. This is shameful,” Bodnar said in an email.
Bodnar said Putin is working “hand in glove” with other enemies of the United States by giving military intelligence to Iran and partnering with North Korea and China. He called concessions to Russia a “sweetheart deal.”
“It’s disgraceful that the President of the United States is aligning himself with Vladimir Putin and contradicting bipartisan sanctions passed overwhelmingly by Congress a month ago. Let’s be clear: Putin is a dictator and an enemy of the United States.”
Democratic Senate candidate Alani Bankhead joined other candidates in calling the lifting of sanctions and Russian fuel purchases a mistake, and said the sanctions should be restored and the diesel deal called off. She said she supports the REPO Implementation Act, a bipartisan bill that would provide Ukraine with $5 billion in Russian assets held in the United States. Ukraine would draw down the money over time from an interest-bearing account.
“When Congress passes sanctions, Congress should get a vote before any president waives them. Second, go after the money. Sanctions only work if someone enforces them. That means funding the investigators who track the shadow tankers, front companies and crypto wallets Russia uses to sell around the sanctions. Third, make Russia pay for the damage,” Bankhead said in an email.
Libertarian Senate candidate Kyle Austin said Trump’s diesel arrangement was the right move and represented an America First approach.
“I agree with President Trump lifting sanctions and arranging to purchase Russian diesel fuel short term. The move is an American first strategy to help lower costs of high fuel prices and will also lower the cost of doing business in this country to bring affordability into every home nationwide,” Austin said in an email. “This should be a short-term fix until we find alternative solutions for our country.”
Austin also suggested a bilateral trade agreement with Russia that would increase U.S. exports, specifically farm commodities.
“I do believe this plan would put America first and prevent the exchange of money that could potentially fund the war against Ukraine.”
Aaron Flint, the Republican in a tight race with Democrat Sam Forstag to succeed Zinke in Montana’s Western Congressional District, emphasized the need to lower diesel costs and end Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“Montanans are getting hammered by high diesel prices, and that drives up the cost of everything from running a farm to getting groceries to the store. I support efforts to bring those prices down and finally end Putin’s war in Ukraine,” Flint said in a text message.
“Any agreement with Russia should put American interests first and help bring the fighting to an end. Under no circumstances should Americans be on the ground in that war. My focus in Congress will be keeping American boots out of it and unleashing American energy to lower costs here at home, so we don’t have to rely on foreign markets for our fuel prices.”
Forstag told MTFP the diesel arrangement is intended to offset consumer costs related to the war with Iran but would hurt Ukraine, a U.S. ally. Congress needs to respond to the president’s actions, he said.
“Regardless of party, most Americans don’t want to strengthen Putin’s power on the global stage. To that end, I’ll support legislation that closes the Graham Act’s waiver loophole, requires the administration to sanction the Russian energy sector, and revokes the Treasury diesel license for Russia. I’d also push to conduct real oversight of this administration — if they want to help enrich dictatorships or start new wars, the American people are entitled to an explanation. Our nation is strongest when we’re a beacon of liberty and stability for the world. This gift to Vladimir Putin undermines both and illustrates exactly why we need to restore balance and constitutional order to our country. The decision to levy sanctions, tariffs, and war itself should rest with Congress, not the executive branch,” Forstag said in an email.
Libertarian Western District candidate Nick Sheedy did not respond to MTFP’s question.
Downing’s opponents in the eastern district were divided, with one sharply criticizing Trump and the other favoring fuel relief regardless of global politics.
“From the beginning of this conflict, it has been my position that the United States should do everything we can to support Ukraine. Putin is like a modern-day version of Hitler,” Democrat Brian Miller said in an email. “You don’t cozy up to those people. You just beat them. President Trump has made it clear that he admires dictators like Vladimir Putin and wishes he could be one of them. So that is why he gives in to Putin’s concessions.”
Miller said that, in addition to withholding concessions from Russia, the United States should crack down on Elon Musk after Ukraine’s access to Starlink satellite internet service was slowed. He said the move affected Ukrainian defenses.
Independent candidate Michael Eisenhauer said the rationale for the diesel transaction didn’t make sense.
“The trade-off that President Trump is making is about potential (but unrealized) immediate economic relief, versus longer-term strategic consequences. His political goal was to lower fuel prices for the American consumer — which we have clearly not seen and does not appear at all likely. In other words, he has jeopardized American national security and strategic foreign policy yet again, and in the name of political gamesmanship, in an effort to cover for his disastrous decisions that have resulted in punishing $6.50+ per gallon diesel prices in eastern Montana,” Eisenhauer said.
Eisenhauer said that sanctions shouldn’t have been suspended unless Russia took steps to end its war against Ukraine. Congress in 2022 banned Russian fuel imports and limited the president’s ability to waive the law. Congress needs to ensure that Trump follows the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act of 2022, he said.
Libertarian Patrick McCracken said Trump made the right choices.
“Energy is life. At this point, people don’t care so much where the diesel comes from as long as they can get it and get it as cheap as possible. From Russia, from whoever,” McCracken, a candidate in the eastern district, said in an email.
“The American People are under pressure! It’s a stealth recession for much of America due to policies by both parties that pursue never ending wars which impoverish and destroy the purchasing power of the American middle class. The people we keep electing to help us are actively hurting us.”
McCracken said he was critical of the sanctions passed by Congress in September and viewed lawmakers as creating “forever wars” instead of focusing on domestic issues. He said Congress’ spending choices, including aid to Ukraine, are funding wars that result in higher costs for American consumers.
“We are paying taxes to fund a war which raises our own fuel prices. Washington will never hold itself to any standard. That is the voter’s job. Until we look in the mirror and hold our own government to the standards we expect from foreign nations, we will not know peace,” McCracken said.
McCracken said he would not commit to providing U.S. intelligence support to Ukraine.
“Absolutely not. My position on Ukraine is the same as on Israel: defund, decouple, withdraw from the region.”
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