Trump Waives Russia Sanctions in the Law Named for Lindsey Graham

President Trump signed an executive order Friday evening, Oct. 16, waiving Russia-related sanctions and tariffs in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, a law he signed himself on Sept. 18. According to The Hill, the law lets the president "waive the application of any sanctions provision with respect to a foreign person," and the order says Trump submitted a certification to Congress that the waiver "is in the national interests." The text of the order itself was not available for this report, so those details come secondhand.

The move drew criticism on Saturday from Republican lawmakers, from Democrats, and from Ukraine's president. It also came about a week after Trump struck a deal with Russia letting it sell diesel products to the United States and on the world market amid fuel shortages, according to The Hill and Newsweek. That deal drew its own backlash.

The law would impose tariffs on the top five purchasers of Russian energy, or on countries helping Russia evade sanctions, The Hill reported. Its scope under the waiver is not yet clear.

Lawmakers Push Back

Criticism came from both sides of the aisle. Sen. Thom Tillis, writing on X, pointed to the Senate vote. "What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisors not understand?" he asked, as The Hill reported.

Sen. John Cornyn invoked the bill's namesake, who announced a breakthrough on the legislation shortly before his death in July. "Lindsey would be appalled," Cornyn wrote on X. Rep. Don Bacon wrote on X, "The President is prolonging the war, not ending it." Sen. Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut who played a major role in passing the bill, wrote on X: "These waivers have nothing to do with our national security, & everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin." Tillis and Cornyn are leaving the Senate this fall, according to MEAWW.

Darline Graham, the late senator's sister, who was appointed to his seat, said Saturday that she disagreed with the decision, CNN reported. The network also reported that Rep. French Hill, a Republican, has requested a classified briefing on the reasoning behind the waiver.

Not every Republican objected. Rep. Thomas Massie, who said he was one of only seven Republicans to vote against the law, supports the waiver. He called the law "stupid" and "short-sighted."

The White House Makes Its Case

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement Saturday that enforcing the sanctions now would impede peace negotiations, and that the president can reinstate the authorities at any time, according to Newsweek. That explanation has so far come only through Newsweek's account.

Patrick Casale, an adviser to the Nevada Republican Party chair, told the magazine the move is part of a push to lower fuel prices, and suggested it could push the two sides to negotiate. That second point is his own speculation. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, also a Republican, had previously told Newsweek the proposal risks prolonging the war.

Newsweek reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the waiver, while a senior Russian official praised it.

What Is Still Unclear

The full reach of the order remains in question. Massie has said "almost all" of the Russia provisions were waived, while Newsweek described the waiver as covering several of them. The notes could not confirm whether any of the measures had actually taken effect before the order; CNN's headline refers to the waiver coming before they "kick in."

The waiver also follows the diesel arrangement announced about Oct. 9. Other reports in the notes describe separate congressional objections to Russian energy relief, but their dates and subject could not be confirmed.

What Comes Next

French Hill's request for a classified briefing is pending. Whether lawmakers attempt to override or revoke the waiver is not yet clear, and no such effort has been confirmed. The White House says it can reverse the waiver at any time.