Trump Administration Says No to New Russia Sanctions, Yes to Cribbing From Forbes

With an impending congressional deadline for fresh sanctions on Russia, the Donald Trump administration engaged in a series of confused moves Monday that ended with no new penalties and a list of oligarchs cribbed from Forbes magazine.

Last summer, Congress passed bipartisan legislation — the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act — that called for new sanctions against entities conducting “significant” business with Russia’s defense and intelligence sectors.

The legislation also called on the Trump administration to compile what had come to be referred to as the “Kremlin report” or “oligarch list” — a list of names of people well-connected to the Kremlin and within Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle. The individuals wouldn’t face immediate penalties, but the list would essentially serve as a warning shot for Russian elites who could face penalties later.

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