The Trump administration is exploring lifting sanctions on a Russian fund described as Vladimir Putin's slush fund.
Posted by Deadline: White House, Checked
- Sources
- 7 support1 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 85%
Deadline: White HouseOct 28, 2026
As of 2026-10-28, the Trump administration was exploring lifting sanctions on the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which the Biden administration had called Putin's 'slush fund'. A US official confirmed the application was being assessed, and a Kremlin aide said the talks were ongoing on Oct 28-29.
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What was said
… That was former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney, one of the biggest anomalies of the Trump era: why Donald Trump, over and over and over and over again, very publicly goes out of his way to support Vladimir Putin. The New York Times reports that the Trump administration is now exploring another concession that they'd like to make to Russia, lifting sanctions on Putin's so-called slush fund, one of Russia's most powerful assets. That is on top of conversations in recent weeks in which, as The New York Times writes, quote, Trump's envoys and Putin have discussed the sale of part of Russian oil giant to a well-connected investor group, as well as …
Deadline: White House · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. The New York Times reported on Oct 27 that the Trump administration is exploring lifting sanctions on Russia's flagship investment fund, and a US official confirmed the administration is assessing the fund's sanctions-removal application.[2][4]
Supports. Reuters reported that a Kremlin foreign policy aide said discussions on lifting US sanctions on the Russia Direct Investment Fund were underway with the Trump administration.[1]
Supports. Multiple outlets report that the US sanctioned the fund in 2022 and that officials at the time called it Putin's 'slush fund', so the 'described as' element is supported, though that description came from Biden-era officials rather than the current administration.[3][5][6][7]
Context. Later reporting (FDD, Nov 2) discusses the legal constraints on lifting these sanctions and the Oct 9 diesel waiver that preceded the review; no source reports that the exploration was stopped.[8]
Sources
8 sources: 1 fact-checker, 1 tier 2, 1 tier 3, 5 not rated
- 1Kremlin aide says discussions underway with US to lift sanctions on Russian investment fundreuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 2Trump Explores Lifting Sanctions on Russia’s Flagship ...nytimes.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 3Trump weighs unshackling Putin's 'slush fund' behind ...rawstory.com · tier 3 · cited for: supports
- 4The US called it Putin’s ‘slush fund.’ Now Trump may drop sanctions on it. - The Boston Globebostonglobe.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 5U.S. mulls lifting sanctions on Putin's 'slush fund' — NYTenglish.nv.ua · not rated · cited for: supports
- 6Trump weighs lifting sanctions on Russian sovereign wealth ...biz.heraldcorp.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 7Is Trump Easing Russia Sanctions Further? Considering Lifting Designation on 'Putin's Slush Fund'news.sbs.co.kr · not rated · cited for: supports
- 8Trump Risks Violating U.S. Law by Giving Russia Even More Sanctions Relieffdd.org · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
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