President Donald Trump spent Saturday, Oct. 17, campaigning in Kentucky and hosting a dinner at Mar-a-Lago, while defending his decision to waive new sanctions on Russia. This entry in the desk’s series Every 24 Hours What the President Says covers 7 a.m. PT Saturday to 7 a.m. PT Sunday. It lists highlights first, sorts his statements by topic, and ends with a closer look at the sanctions waiver.

Highlights. On the waiver, at Mar-a-Lago: “A lot of you don’t know what my decision is yet, but we’ll figure it out, and you’ll figure it out. It’s a very good decision,” per the pool report. At the Kentucky rally, CBS News says, he again promised $5,000 to every adult if Republicans win both chambers. And on Truth Social: “France is burning! The immigration of people from an entirely different world, people with hatred in their hearts, has shattered that once great country. Close your Borders and take control, before it is too late!” ().

Midterm endorsements. In a burst of posts before the rally he endorsed Senate candidates and House members. Of the Texas Senate race he wrote that “Ken Paxton is the Greatest Attorney General in the History of Texas” and called the Democratic nominee “James TalaFREAKO” (). He also endorsed Mike Rogers in Michigan () and wrote “Vote for Andy Barr for U.S. Senate!” on his way to Kentucky ().

Iran and prices. At Mar-a-Lago he said: “The Iran war is going very well,” per the pool report. CBS News notes that at the rally he again said the conflict would end soon, a claim he has made “over the course of the nearly eight-month conflict,” and that gas prices would then fall.

Deep dive: the sanctions waiver. ABC News reports that the law lets the president waive the Russia sanctions and that he did so before a set of new sanctions and penalties took effect on Oct. 18. A White House statement quoted by ABC says: “Enforcing the sanctions provisions now would impede ongoing U.S. efforts to negotiate a durable and comprehensive peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia.”

Reaction split, according to ABC News: Republican Sen. Thom Tillis called the move “Beyond irresponsible,” and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the decision “definitely helps only the Russians.” Trump himself gave no details at Mar-a-Lago beyond calling it good “for the world because we’re really at a world stage” (pool report). He defended the waiver at length the next afternoon, in a post covered in the following entry of this series.