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Business & Finance · October 17, 2026

Congress passed the Russia sanctions bill named for Lindsey Graham with bipartisan support. Trump just put it on hold a month after signing it

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President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday waiving key provisions of the 'Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026' just two days before implementation deadlines. The legislation, passed with broad bipartisan support following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham in July, mandated 500% tariffs on Russian goods and 100% tariffs on major global importers of Russian energy. Trump cited the 'national interest' for the waivers, appearing to prioritize lowering domestic fuel prices ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. The move follows a controversial deal to import Russian diesel and has drawn sharp criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and lawmakers from both parties, while receiving praise from Russian officials.

Read the original coverage

  • NBC NewsMainstream

    Trump doubles down after waiving new Russia sanctions, calling it a ‘very good decision’

    Read at NBC News ↗
  • ABC NewsMainstream

    Trump signs order waiving Graham Act sanctions on Russia, drawing backlash from some lawmakers and Zelenskyy

    Read at ABC News ↗
  • CBS NewsMainstream

    Trump waives tariffs on largest buyers of Russian oil, days before Lindsey Graham-backed law was set to take effect

    Read at CBS News ↗
  • The GuardianMainstream

    Trump pauses new Russia sanctions passed by Congress amid deepening row with Ukraine

    Read at The Guardian ↗
  • FortuneFinancial

    Congress passed the Russia sanctions bill named for Lindsey Graham with bipartisan support. Trump just put it on hold a month after signing it | Fortune

    Read at Fortune ↗

Reported by multiple outlets

  • President Trump signed an executive order waiving new sanctions and tariffs on Russia required by the Graham Act.
  • The waiver was issued on Friday, two days before the October 18 implementation deadline.
  • The legislation was passed with bipartisan support and signed by Trump last month.
  • The law allows for a presidential waiver if the move is certified as being in the 'national interest.'
  • The waiver follows a separate deal to import Russian diesel to lower energy prices.
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the decision as aiding Russian aggression.

Reported by only some outlets

  • Trump's order waives a provision that would have prevented him from unilaterally lifting existing sanctions imposed by prior executive orders.
  • The law specifically targeted the top five global importers of Russian crude oil and natural gas.
  • The U.S. is reportedly purchasing 300,000 tons of Russian diesel immediately, with millions more tons planned.
  • Sen. Darline Graham, the late senator's sister, is campaigning on the bill's passage while supporting Trump's implementation discretion.
  • The Trump administration is suspected of withholding intelligence and throttling Starshield technology for Ukraine.
  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the administration wants 60 days to analyze the economic impact of the sanctions.

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CadNews does not determine absolute truth or endorse political viewpoints. It compares publicly available reporting, identifies shared facts, highlights framing differences, and flags uncertainty.