Congress doubles down on bipartisan Turkey sanctions after Trump’s victory lap
Trump may have lifted sanctions on Turkey, but Democrats and Republicans alike still want to slap Ankara with their own stringent sanctions.
President Donald Trump deemed a success the Syria deal his administration helped broker on Wednesday and immediately proceeded to lift the sanctions he had placed on Turkey. While some of his closest allies on Capitol Hill praised the agreement, they’re still eager to work with Democrats to slap Turkey with more biting sanctions.
Both Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch, R-Idaho, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Al-Monitor they would move forward with their competing Turkey sanctions bills.
House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who has her own sanctions legislation, also said that Congress should press ahead with sanctions after Trump’s announcement. And Senate Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., announced that the House would vote on yet another sanctions proposal next week.
“Nothing has happened yet that will take us off the path to pass the bill,” Risch told Al-Monitor. “We are monitoring the situation, but until things stabilize, there are no plans to table the bill.” Risch released his own sanctions bill the same day Graham dropped his legislation last week.
