Trump puts Graham-backed Russia sanctions on hold
Photo: Donald Trump (GettyImages)
US President Donald Trump has signed an order suspending sweeping tariffs, restrictions, and sanctions on Russian energy purchases that the late Senator Lindsey Graham had championed, according to Bloomberg.
Trump invoked a sanctions waiver provision under legislation championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham as a way to punish Russia for its war in Ukraine. The bill also called for expanded sanctions against Iran.
"I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act. I have submitted to Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver at this time is in the national interests of the United States," Trump said in the order.
The directive formally imposes the tariffs but suspends their enforcement. This means Trump could implement them at a later date if he chooses.
The bill gave Trump 30 days to impose 100% tariffs on all goods from the five largest buyers of Russian oil. It also called for sanctions against numerous Russian companies and 500% tariffs on all imports of Russian energy products into the United States. The 30-day deadline was set to expire tomorrow, October 18.
Bloomberg writes that the tariff waiver risks triggering fresh resistance from members of Congress, including many Republicans who are outraged by Trump's decision regarding a US-Russia diesel deal.
Earlier this week, a bipartisan group of senators had already signed a letter urging Trump to scrap the deal with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and ensure compliance with the provisions of the Graham Act.
Waiving the law also allows Trump to avoid a potential confrontation with the largest buyers of Russian energy products: China, India, and Türkiye.
It is worth noting that the late Senator Lindsey Graham developed the bill before his death in July, and its passage had been seen as a way to honor his memory. Graham repeatedly described such sanctions as key to forcing Putin to come to the negotiating table and end his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its fifth year.
Background
A day earlier, 22 US lawmakers urged Trump to impose Graham's "hell sanctions" on Russia and Iran. They stressed that the move was important to make Putin take peace negotiations seriously.
