U.S. Lawmakers Warn Banks Against Trump's Russian Diesel Deal

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has warned American banks, port authorities, and fuel-industry groups against facilitating imports of Russian diesel, raising the prospect of congressional investigations and legal action over President Donald Trump's decision to ease restrictions on Russian fuel. In letters sent to the chief executives of major US banks and the heads of several port authorities, the lawmakers warned that importing Russian diesel could violate federal law and expose companies to civil and criminal liability.

They also said the imports would raise national-security concerns by providing Moscow with revenue to help finance its war against Ukraine. The intervention comes after Trump recently announced an arrangement with Russian President Vladimir Putin under which Moscow would supply hundreds of thousands of metric tons of diesel to the United States…