Trump opens the door to Russian oil. Reagan-inspired bill could shut it down: What is the ‘Peace Through Strength Act’? | Today’s news

Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pennsylvania, said Saturday he would introduce the “Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act” and bring it to the House floor through a discharge petition.

The name draws on the defense philosophy that shaped American policy toward the Soviet Union in the 1980s. The proposed legislation is aimed at President Donald Trump’s newly announced deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which the White House touted as a way to lower fuel prices.

What is the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act?

Fitzpatrick, who co-chairs the Congressional Ukraine Committee, called the bill bipartisan, though it was unclear Saturday which Democrats would support it. The legislation would block all purchases of Russian oil.

Read also | Trump calls on Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries – and replace Zelensky

“We will introduce bipartisan legislation to block all purchases of Russian oil. It will be called the ‘Peace Through the Power of Ronald Reagan Act,'” Fitzpatrick wrote on social media.

KX added, “He’ll be forced to the floor via the discharge and he’ll pass overwhelmingly.”

Rep. Don Bacon, an outgoing Republican from Nebraska, said he would support the measure. “I have already agreed to be an original co-sponsor,” Bacon wrote on social media. “Congress must stand up. Bacon also told Axios that he had “already agreed” to sign the petition.

What does Reagan’s “peace through strength” doctrine mean?

“Peace through strength” is a Cold War foreign policy doctrine that holds that stability is best maintained through overwhelming military force, deterrence, and military preparedness rather than appeasement or passive diplomacy. Reagan championed this approach in the 1980s, although its roots can be traced back to classical realpolitik.

Its basic principles included a significant military build-up, the expansion and modernization of the armed forces, and the development of strategic technologies. The Reagan administration sharply increased defense spending while the doctrine rested on the premise that superior US military capabilities would repel Soviet aggression.

Read also | Jamie Dimon warns Trump against punishing India over Russian oil

Programs like the Strategic Defense Initiative, also known as “Star Wars,” sought to counter nuclear threats and shift the strategic balance of power.

The doctrine also saw military preparedness as a lever for diplomacy. Rather than viewing force and negotiation as opposing approaches, the strategy sought to encourage Moscow to engage in arms control talks. The 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was one of the outcomes of negotiations during the Reagan presidency.

Reagan also presented the rivalry with the Soviet bloc as an ideological struggle between freedom and totalitarianism, rather than just a geopolitical struggle.

Supporters say this approach put pressure on the economically strained Soviet system, contained communist expansion, and helped bring the Cold War to a peaceful end. Critics argue that unrestricted arms races and proxy conflicts have risked miscalculation, heightened tensions and brought the superpowers closer to a nuclear exchange.

Trump’s Russian oil deal: How much oil will Moscow supply?

Donald Trump announced the arrangement on Friday. Under its terms, Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel to the US and global markets, with more deliveries to follow.

Putin said in a statement, according to Russian state media, that Moscow had confirmed its readiness to supply oil and oil products to the US and the wider global market.

Read also | Why Russian oil refineries matter to US as Trump pushes Kiev to halt attacks

Energy analysts question whether additional diesel would significantly lower prices. Trump has pitched the deal as a way to lower fuel costs, but the deal could also generate revenue for Russia as its war against Ukraine continues.

Why US Republicans and Democrats Criticize Trump’s Russian Oil Deal

The arrangement raised objections from both parties. Representative Gabe Amo, a Democrat from Rhode Island who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, took to social media to question his logic.

“After signing into law tougher sanctions against Russia, Trump is paying Putin for oil to offset high gas prices caused by his choice of war with Iran? That’s not punishing Putin, that’s profit,” Amo wrote, adding, “Makes sense.”

The deal also intersects with existing US law.

In 2022, Congress passed legislation banning imports of Russian oil and authorizing additional sanctions. The measure included a waiver that allowed the president to authorize energy already purchased before its passage or imports deemed to be in the national interest.

What is a Petition for Dismissal? How Congress Can Force a House Vote

A discharge petition allows lawmakers to bring a bill to a vote without approval from the House leadership. It requires 218 signatures, a House majority, and is increasingly being used to bypass Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana.

Read also | Russia-Ukraine ‘Energy Truce’: Trump

Fitzpatrick and Bacon have used this mechanism before. Earlier this year, they forced a House vote on aid to Ukraine and Russian sanctions. The measure passed the House but stalled in the Senate.

Can Congress Block Trump’s Russian Oil Deal? Key legislative barriers

Time is short. The current Congress ends in January, and the House is not expected to vote again until after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

Any legislation that passes the House would still need Senate approval and could face a presidential veto.

Trump faces Republican insurgency over Russian oil and Ukraine policy

Fitzpatrick is the latest Republican lawmaker to break with Trump in a high-profile feud as the party battles to retain control of Congress amid growing disapproval of the president. The proposed legislation represents a new test of Republican support for the government’s approach to Russian energy supplies and its broader policy toward the war in Ukraine.