President Donald Trump arrives at Dover Air Power Base, Del., on Saturday (March 7, 2026).
| Photograph Credit score: AP
President Donald Trump stated on Saturday (March 7, 2026) that it was inconsequential if Russia has offered Iran with data to assist Tehran goal U.S. army personnel and belongings in West Asia because the week-old warfare rages.
The President dismissed the import of such information-sharing after he attended the dignified switch for six Military reservists who had been killed in a drone strike in Kuwait the day after the U.S. and Israel launched a warfare on Iran that has unsettled the worldwide financial system.
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Mr. Trump stopped wanting confirming stories by The Related Press and different information shops that U.S. intelligence officers imagine Russia has offered Iran with such focusing on data. But when Moscow is passing on such particulars, he stated Iran was getting little out of it.
“If you happen to check out what has occurred to Iran within the final week, if they’re getting data, it’s not serving to them a lot,” Mr. Trump instructed reporters on Air Power One as he flew to Miami, the place he’s spending the remainder of the weekend.
The President additionally waved off a query about how Russia aiding Iran in such a means would possibly have an effect on his view of the U.S.-Russia relationship.
“They might say we do it in opposition to them,” Mr. Trump responded. “Would not they are saying that we do it in opposition to them?” Ukraine, within the 4 years because it was invaded by Russia, has obtained U.S. intelligence to assist defend in opposition to incoming missiles from Russia in addition to to assist Kyiv hit sure Russian targets.
Downplaying the importance of Russia handing off battlespace intelligence to Iran got here after the U.S. Treasury Division introduced earlier this week that it was quickly permitting India to maintain shopping for crude oil and petroleum merchandise from Russia for a month, till April 4.
The administration determination to grant the world’s most-populous nation a brief exemption confronted bipartisan blowback. Critics cost that Mr. Trump was giving Russia a break that can present Moscow with badly-needed income because it appears to be like to maintain funding its warfare machine.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., condemned the transfer, saying in a publish on X that “weak point in the direction of Russia is appalling”.
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., in his personal X publish directed at Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, additionally decried the administration’s determination.
“Reverse your determination to raise oil sanctions on Russia. It’s traitorous conduct so that you can assist Russia,” Mr. Lieu stated. “In the meantime, Russia is aiding Iran in focusing on American troops.”
Mr. Trump has determined to present India leeway on oil purchases from Russia as international oil costs surge and buyers throughout sectors fear about how lengthy the Iran warfare will final.
The waiver for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s authorities adopted Mr. Trump saying weeks in the past that he was chopping tariffs on India after their officers agreed to cut back its reliance on low cost Russian crude.
India has taken benefit of diminished Russian oil costs as a lot of the world has sought to isolate Moscow for its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The value of oil has surged increased and reveals no indicators of halting per week right into a warfare that the U.S. and Israel launched and has widened by way of West Asia as Tehran strikes again. Ships that carry roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day are unable to soundly go by way of the Strait of Hormuz, the slender mouth of the Persian Gulf that’s bordered on its north facet by Iran.
The delivery disruption and harm to key West Asia oil and gasoline amenities has interrupted provides from among the world’s largest oil producers.
Requested whether or not he was prepared to take different steps to ease oil costs, Mr. Trump stated that “if there have been some, I might do it, simply to take somewhat of the strain off”.
He appeared on Saturday (March 7) to wave off, no less than for now, the opportunity of tapping the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, saying the U.S. has a “lot of oil”.
The reserve — a provide of oil that the U.S. authorities can faucet in case of emergencies — held greater than 415 million barrels as of the top of final month, up from about 395 million barrels at the moment in 2025. In whole, when full, the SPR can maintain greater than 700 million barrels.
“We’ve obtained loads of oil. Our nation has an amazing quantity,” Mr. Trump stated. “There may be loads of oil on the market. That can get healed in a short time.”
Printed – March 08, 2026 07:38 am IST