WASHINGTON / AsiaWire.IO / – President Donald Trump has paused the implementation of new sanctions and tariffs on Russia that Congress approved under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The White House issued the executive order on Friday, October 16, just two days before these penalties were scheduled to take effect. Trump informed Congress that the waiver was in the best interests of the United States. He signed the legislation in mid-September after it was passed with broad support in both chambers. The order did not include any additional explanation.
According to the act, the US would have levied tariffs of up to 100% within 30 days on all goods from the five largest purchasers of Russian crude oil or natural gas. Countries that knowingly bought Russian oil or gas 30 days after the law’s enactment would have faced the same consequences. The legislation also targeted the top five nations assisting Russia in sanctions evasion. Furthermore, it permitted tariffs up to 500% on all Russian goods and imposed sanctions on foreign banks engaged in significant dealings with Russian state banks.
The order maintains the waiver until Trump or senior officials determine that further measures are necessary, according to the directive. Existing sanctions established by executive order remain active, and the law’s provisions related to Russia are set to last until 2031. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers stated on Saturday that the act grants the president additional authority to seek peace. She added that applying sanctions now could obstruct diplomatic negotiations. The White House emphasized that the president retains these powers and can exercise them at any time.
Lawmakers from both parties criticize the waiver
The decision drew strong reactions on Capitol Hill. North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis called the move beyond irresponsible. Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn said Graham would be appalled. Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer from New York described the deal with Moscow as a pact with the devil. Among the seven Republicans opposing the bill, Representative Thomas Massie expressed support for the waiver. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the measure benefits only Russia and will not bring an end to the war.
The late Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, was a key advocate for the legislation before his unexpected death in July. The Senate approved the bill 86-11 in August, and the House passed it with a vote of 262-159 on September 16. Trump signed the act two days later. The legislation targets Russian officials, oligarchs, financial institutions, and the shadow fleet of tankers moving sanctioned oil. This marks the second occasion in two weeks that Trump has waived sanctions against Russia.
Russian diesel purchases ahead of midterm elections
The waiver followed Trump’s announcement a week earlier that the US had agreed to buy Russian diesel to help ease global energy costs. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a general license valid through April, permitting the sale, delivery, and import of Russian diesel. Russia is expected to supply hundreds of thousands of tons of diesel to the US and global markets. Without the law’s restrictions, tariffs on Russian fuel and sanctions on the ships transporting it would have applied.
US fuel markets have been under pressure, with the national diesel average reaching a record $5.88 per gallon in September. The potential influx of Russian supplies contributed to declining oil prices last week and also pulled down the dollar index. Earlier in the week, Senators Mitch McConnell, Thom Tillis, Susan Collins, and John Cornyn urged Trump to cancel the diesel deal. Congress retains the authority to block any future termination of sanctions. These energy policy moves by the administration come ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.