Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, are firing back after Politico published a bombshell story claiming the Trump administration is considering lifting sanctions on Russia. The two officials didn’t mince words, calling the report “totally fictitious” and “irresponsible journalism.”
“This is false,” Rubio and Witkoff said in a strongly worded joint statement. “Neither of us have had any conversations about lifting sanctions on Russia as part of a peace deal with Ukraine. This is just totally fictitious and irresponsible reporting from Politico, a fifth-rate publication. If they have an ounce of journalistic integrity they will fully retract this piece of fiction.”
The Politico report, which cited unnamed sources—supposedly “five people familiar with the discussions”—claimed that Steve Witkoff had been pushing to lift U.S. sanctions on Russian energy assets, particularly the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The report went further, alleging that Witkoff “has developed a friendship with Putin” and had asked his team to compile a list of all current U.S. energy sanctions on Russia.
The same article claimed Rubio was trying to stop the move behind closed doors and suggested that the administration was in early stages of exploring this path. One source quoted by Politico said the idea hasn’t “found much traction in the White House,” but described it as “not a cake in the oven being baked, though the ingredients are being assembled.”
Rubio and Witkoff left no room for confusion. They categorically denied the claims and blasted Politico for printing what they described as pure fiction, relying solely on anonymous sources and speculative language with no verification or credibility.
The joint statement didn’t just deny the claims—it aimed directly at Politico’s reputation, calling it a “fifth-rate publication” that should “fully retract this piece of fiction.”
This latest hit piece, as some observers are calling it, has raised questions about how some in the media continue to use anonymous sources to shape narratives without any evidence. And it’s not the first time.
The idea that Trump would go soft on Russia flies in the face of his record during his first term. In 2019, Trump signed a law imposing sanctions on any company helping Russia finish the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. That move, according to BBC News, was part of a broader push to stop Russia’s energy expansion into Europe, particularly Germany.
Compare that to President Biden’s record. In May 2021, Biden stunned critics and allies alike when he lifted those very sanctions, giving the green light for construction on Nord Stream 2 to resume. Then, in February 2022—after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—the Biden administration scrambled to reimpose sanctions just one day after Germany halted the pipeline’s certification. (Axios)
This back-and-forth under Biden exposed what many on the right call weak leadership and poor foresight when it comes to Russia policy.
One of the Nord Stream 2 pipelines remains operable, even after a mysterious explosion in September 2022 took out the other line. That blast, which also damaged Nord Stream 1 pipelines, is still under investigation. While official conclusions have yet to be made, early reports suggested Ukrainian nationals may have been involved. The Kremlin, of course, denies it.
This story isn’t really about Nord Stream. It’s about the media attempting to create divisions within the Trump administration, smear those close to the former president, and distract from President Biden’s failure to lead on the global stage.
Rubio and Witkoff’s strong and unified response signals one thing clearly: this administration is not backing down, and it won’t be bullied by fake headlines or left-wing media games.
And if anyone’s still wondering where the Trump team stands on Russia—just look at their track record. Tough, principled, and unapologetically pro-American.
