2016 ELECTION/CONGRESS/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration imposed new sanctions on seven of Russia’s richest men and 17 top government officials on Friday [4-6-18] in the latest effort to punish President Vladimir V. Putin’s inner circle for interference in the 2016 election and other Russian aggressions. The sanctions are designed to penalize some of Russia’s richest industrialists, who are seen in the West as enriching themselves from Mr. Putin’s increasingly authoritarian administration. The action freezes the oligarchs’ assets and prevents any American entities or individuals from doing business with them or their business operations. It also restricts foreign individuals from facilitating transactions on their behalf. They grow out of an oddly disjointed policy toward Russia on the part of the Trump administration: While President Trump continues to call for good relations with Mr. Putin, Congress and much of the rest of the administration are pushing through increasingly punitive efforts that are sinking relations with Moscow to lows not seen in years.”
-Gardiner Harris, “Trump Administration Imposes New Sanctions on Putin Cronies,” The New York Times online, April 6, 2018