Religious Freedom: Is Russia the Next Saudi Arabia?

Amidst Russia's meddling in the U.S. presidential and rumors of Trump's Russia ties, a general panic has set in the federal government to set up safeguards to keep Trump away from his campaign promise of a detente with the former superpower. In February, lawmakers skeptical of the president's call for a diplomatic rapprochement in both the House and the Senate frantically set to work limiting Trump's ability to lift Russian sanctions. Even a select few Trump appointees—namely U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley and secretary of state Rex Tillerson—have used their platforms to advocate for a more stringent response to the country's human rights abuses. Still, given the president's fondness for the Russian government, legislative suggestions like those offered by USCIRF appear frantic—even preemptive.