BONUS POD: Sanctions Strike as Trump Targets Putin’s War Chest

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We now know that there are major Russian sanctions, and the president is returning peace through strength, showing Russia that it's time to get a deal now or you're going to be hurt economically. But first, I want to tell you about our friends over Patriot Mobile. Every so often, something happens that reminds us just how fragile our freedoms are. We can't afford to take our rights for granted. We must draw a line in the sand. And our friends at Patriot Mobile have been doing just that for more than 12 years. The truth is there is only one provider that boldly stands in the gap for Americans who believe freedom is worth fighting for. And that company is Patriot Mobile. Not only are they leading the red economy. They're also outpacing the competition and technology. Patriot Mobile is one of... The only carriers offering premium access to all three major U.S. networks giving you nationwide coverage and service that you can count on day after day. They also offer unlimited data plans, mobile hotspots, international roaming, internet backup, and so much more. And switching has never been easier. You can activate in minutes. on your phone from your home or your office, and you keep your same number you've got now, keep your same phone or upgrade to a new one. And this is where the magic happens. Every month, about 5% of your bill is given back to conservative causes at no extra cost to you that stand up for our First and our Second Amendment rights, the rights of unborn children, and our wounded warriors, and those that have fought for our country and wear a badge. So take a stand today. Go to patriotmobile.com slash Ben 47. Or call 972 Patriot. And if you use the promo code Ben 47, you're going to get a free month of service. That's patriot.com slash Ben 47. Or 972 Patriot and make the switch today. It's the 47 morning update and it starts right now. Story number one. It is very clear that President Donald Trump is a man who is on a mission to have peace through strength wherever he can and stop senseless wars. We've seen the deal that he's done in the Middle East and we now know that he's turned towards what's happening in Russia and Ukraine. Well, there has been some late developments and the U.S. has announced new sanctions that target Russia's two largest oil companies, Ross Neff and Luke Oil, including many of their subsidiaries. These sanctions marked the first time in Trump's second term that his administration has placed new sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war. So much for Russian collusion as the media lied you about for years. The U.S. Treasury. Through the office of the foreign assets control, explicitly said the move is meant to degrade Russia's ability to fund its war machine and hurt its economy. Because if you know what's going on in Russia, you know they're barely staying alive economically because of the oil that they're selling. Now, the announcement came shortly after a planned meeting.

between Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin was canceled, signaling, escalating frustration by the White House and Donald Trump. He meant it when he said it was time for peace. Now, here are the implications and the likely effects of what the president has just done. The economic pressure on Russia is real because Russia's war is costing them a lot of money. And by targeting Russia's biggest oil companies, the U.S. is going after one of the major revenue resources that supports Russia's military and also is propping up its economy, which is teetering. This could force Russia to either lower the price of its oil, thus reducing revenue or reduce production and exports. Both of those options hurt its financial stability and their ability to sustain a large-scale war for a extended period of time. Now, there's also pressure for diplomacy and a ceasefire. The Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the sanctions are meant to support peace efforts, saying, quote, now is it time to stop the killing and for an immediate ceasefire. So the sanctions are being framed partly as a lever for diplomacy, not just punishment. Russia has deep trade and energy links with major buyers. This includes India and China, who is taking a significant amount of their oil. That might not be fully impacted by the U.S. sanctions alone. Analysts say we'll have to wait and see. But what we do know is the sanctions depend heavily on enforcement and also on U.S. allies joining and coordinating in the sanction effort. If other big buyers continue business, the impact will be weaker than we need it to be. And there are possible global market side effects as well. Spikes in oil prices if Russia supply is constrained. This is part of the reason why the President said we need to become energy independent. Going back to Drill Baby Drill. The fact that this is the first new sanction in Trump's second term also suggests there may have been internal or strategic hesitations earlier on to give a chance also for there to be real conversations that deal with peace. It remains to be seen if the pressure will persist or if Donald Trump plans on ratcheting up the pressure. Which brings me to the announcement. Markwayne Mullin on the new Russian sanctions speaking with Jake Tapper on CNN. This is what he had to say about the new move. Do you think that there need to be even harsher sanctions? And the reason I ask is because obviously August 15th, I believe it was, was the summit in Alaska where President Trump was hoping that Vladimir Putin would agree to any sort of ceasefire. And not only did he not get a ceasefire, Vladimir Putin since...

The U.S. literally rolled out the carpet for him in the United States of America. On American land, Vladimir Putin has upped the tenor of the war. Some of the worst attacks on Ukraine have happened since then. And I'm wondering if President Trump, you think, needs to be even more aggressive. Well, this is step one. The president and Congress has talked multiple times what the next step might be. We have been in briefings, we've been in classified settings. This is literally the first step to put more pressure on Russia if we need to. I believe we probably will. I don't think Vladimir Putin is someone that's going to pay attention the first time his hand is slapped. I think you're going to see this get ratcheted up farther and farther to the point to where either we're going to bring them to... to their knees economically, or they're going to decide that fighting in Ukraine isn't worth it. At the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if you start seeing us give the accessibility to new weapons for Europe to buy for Ukraine, to be able to fight against Russia and their aggression in Ukraine. As I said, Jake, this is just the first step, but this is the first step of a lot of options we have on the table. It's very clear, as you could hear there from Markwayne Mullin, that this is a new path forward. We tried to have, well, diplomacy work. And obviously, Vladimir Putin is not working in that way. So as he described it, we can bring them to their knees economically. Or they can decide that fighting Ukraine isn't worth it. This is the first step of a lot of options we have on the table. And there also seems to be real unity behind this idea. As you know, the senators are behind it. But what is the House side saying? Mike Johnson on the Russian sanctions. Here's what he had to say as well. Now, thank you so much for being here, Speaker Johnson, because you had said before that you thought sanctions on Russia were long overdue, in your words. Do you think that these moves tonight go far enough? Well, it's a very important step. We applaud the president. He's returning peace through strength, and that's a common theme now that we've seen exhibited around the globe, the strength of his personality. You heard the UN Secretary General, who you caught earlier this afternoon, he said in his own words, President Trump is the only figure on the planet strong enough. to help bring an end of that war. And you have to compel Russia to engage in the peace process. They've shown they cannot be trusted. There's a big appetite in Congress to have sanctions like this, and I think it's a very important step. Yet again, you see unity between Republicans in the Senate, Republicans in the House, and the President of the United States of America, which brings us back to what Trump has now said about these new sanctions. Trump said of the sanctions, quote, it was time. He described the sanction on Russia's oil giants as very big and tremendous during a meeting with the NATO Secretary General.

He expressed that the meeting with Vladimir Putin was canceled because it didn't feel right to me. It didn't feel like we were going to get to the place we have to get. Earlier this year, Trump threatened tariffs and secondary sanctions if Russia did not agree to a ceased fire. For example, he said he might impose a 25 to 50% tariff on oil from Russia on countries buying Russian oil. Trump also expressed frustration with Vladimir Putin saying, quote, we get a lot of bull blank thrown at us by Vladimir Putin. We want a deal, but we weren't seeing it. The president also has backing. The majority of Republicans support additional economic sanctions on Russia. For example, a recent poll shows 86% of Republicans back further sanctions to force an end to the war. Now, some Republicans, including those in the White House, had also delayed pushing for sanction legislation until a possible Trump-Pooten meeting, indicating hesitation that if they did put the sanctions on beforehand, it could actually hurt the talks. But now the president has made it clear. There's a shift, and it suggests that Trump administration is moving or being pushed by conservatives. for a tougher stance on Russia that perhaps was not there weeks ago. It also signals to Russia and to buyers of Russian energy that the U.S. is united and willing to escalate economic tools, not just diplomacy. And for allies, the U.S. is implicitly inviting coordination. The Treasury statement, we encourage, quote, our allies to join us, signaling that other countries may want to do the exact same thing in their country that America is doing right now. And finally, for Ukraine, it may increase leverage by pressuring Russia, but it does not automatically guarantee a ceasefire or an end to the war. When you're dealing with someone like Vladimir Putin, who doesn't even care about his own people, this could drag on. But for the global energy and trade flow... targeting Russia's oil sector, as President Trump has decided to do, can affect global markets and hurt Russia significantly, which is exactly why the President of the United States of America is leading in this way. We also know that the U.S. will follow up with more sanctions, Russian banks, on buyers of Russian energy, or shipping and transport to deepen the pressure. There's a very good chance that is going to be needed. And then... What will happen to Russian oil buyers like China and India? How will they respond? What we do know now is this is a new pathway in negotiations with President Trump and Vladimir Putin. And it's clear that Donald Trump isn't messing around. Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.

Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. And for more in-depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson podcast, and we will see you back here tomorrow. Life moves fast. At American Military University, they're ready to help you keep up. AMU's flexible, affordable online programs in cybersecurity, IT, space studies, and more are designed for service members, veterans, and their families. AMU provides the support you need to take the next step, wherever life takes you. American Military University, made for what's next. Learn more at amu.apus.edu. Across America, advanced technology is working behind the scenes, strengthening our nation. It protects our war fighters, delivers mission-ready intelligence, advances life-saving healthcare, and defends the critical infrastructure that keeps our country moving. At GDIT, we power the systems that help America operate, connect, and stay secure. Every hour, every mission, every day. GDIT, behind America's invisible advantage. Saturday, July 25th. I know I will be the best walk away in the world. An undefeated phenom. Batman is a rising star. And a frightening force. What a win for Shemil Mousaiyat. Ascend on the nation's capital to fight for gold. Thad, the silverback jeans. Silverback Nation makes them noise. Versus Shemil Moussayev. All is over! for the PFL well-to-weight world title. Saturday, July 25th and 10 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. Online education is convenient, but sometimes it can be lonely. Sometimes the extra help you need can only come from someone else. At American Public University, they make online education personalized, affordable and memorable. With 24-7 mental health support available in multiple languages, access to career coaches who are industry professionals and lifelong career services, you'll never feel alone on your path to success. APU, digital by nature, human by design. Learn more at APU.APUS.edu.edu. Entertain clients, reward employees, or enjoy a first-class race weekend with VIR's premium MSA hospitality experiences. August 21st through 23rd, enjoy exclusive viewing areas, premium amenities, food and beverage options, and access that puts you close to the action. Whether for business or pleasure, elevate your weekend at Virginia International Raceway. Explore and upgrade your tickets at VIRVIP.net.