UPDATING: Donald Trump Just Eased Some Sanctions on Russia

No Announcement Made to Public by Trump Administration

President Donald Trump, with no consultation with the legislative branch and with no Treasury Secretary in place, just eased some sanctions against Russia, days after speaking with Vladimir Putin.

“The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on Thursday published an amendment to President Barack Obama’s sanctions order against Russia to ‘authorize certain transactions‘ with Russia’s Federal Security Service,” Business Insider reports. 

Russia’s Federal Security Service, known as the FSB, is the successor to the infamous KGB.

MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell reports:

All 17 of America’s intelligence agencies agreed that Russia was behind the hacking of US political institutions during the 2016 election. Before leaving office President Barack Obama initiated dramatic sanctions on Russia in response to those acts.

It’s important to note that no announcement was made to the American public by the Trump administration.

UPDATE: 1:33 PM EST –
MSNBC updates, calls it “modifying” sanctions, but adds it’s being “read as a wink and a nod” by Russia, meaning an offering by the Trump administration.

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