The big news on U.S. foreign policy was that Trump announced that he was buying 300,000 tons of Russian diesel. He's not allowed to do this: Sanctions preventing purchase of Russian oil are law, not a choice on Trump's part. But under Trump laws are suggestions at most, so it might happen anyway ... " "But being a nerdy economist, my first printable reaction to the announcement was, 300,000 tons??? That's a bit over 2 million barrels. America consumes approximately 4 million barrels of distillates " diesel (mostly) and heating oil " every day." "So Trump is betraying an embattled democracy, demonstrating our faithlessness to the whole world, seriously damaging whatever is left of America's leadership in the world, for the sake of maybe 12 hours' worth of diesel. Really?"