“[On X, after the president suspended the sanctions law named for his late colleague:] Lindsey would be appalled.
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Trump Waives Graham Act Russia Sanctions
Two Days Before They Take Effect, Trump Signs an Order Waiving the Russia Sanctions and Tariffs in the Law Named for Lindsey Graham — John Cornyn Says "Lindsey Would Be Appalled," Thom Tillis Asks "What Part of Enforcing a Law Passed 86-11 by the Senate Does the President and His Advisors Not Understand?", and Richard Blumenthal Calls It "Sucking Up to Vladimir Putin"
October 17, 2026
Late on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order invoking the national-interest waiver in Section 115 of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act — the bipartisan law he signed last month, named for the South Carolina senator who died in July — and suspended its new penalties two days before they were due to take effect on Oct. 18. The order waives the law's 100% tariffs on the largest buyers of Russian crude and natural gas, including China, India and Turkey, along with its 500% tariffs on Russian goods and other mandatory sanctions, and leaves them suspended until administration officials "determine that further action is appropriate." Existing sanctions on Russia under earlier executive orders stay in place. The waiver came a week after Treasury lifted sanctions on Russian diesel as part of a deal Trump struck with Vladimir Putin to bring down fuel prices driven up by the Iran war, and a day after Trump told Newsmax he finds Volodymyr Zelensky "more difficult to deal with than Putin" over Ukraine's strikes on Russian refineries. Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev called the suspension "an important and truly historic moment." Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, Rep. Don Bacon and Democrats including the law's co-author, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, condemned it.
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Statements Recorded
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6 Statements
“[On social media, calling the waiver a "craven, cowardly action":] Donald Trump confirms again that he stands on the side of a bloodthirsty thug and the enablers of Russia's war machine. … These waivers have nothing to do with our national security, and everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin.
“[On X:] Beyond irresponsible. What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisors not understand? … It's unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine [and] butchers innocent civilians every single day. … If the President wants to actually bring down energy prices, he can do it by solving the Iran problem, not by doing a solid for Vladimir Putin.
“[On X, on the waiver:] The president is prolonging the war, not ending it.
“[Saying he and others had "warned" that Trump would do this, and that the move "betrays our Ukrainian partners," he called on Congress to] fix this flawed law to stop Trump from capitulating to Putin and ensure that it truly supports Ukraine.
“[In the executive order, finding under Section 115 of the Graham Act that waiving the law's new sanctions, restrictions and duties] is in the national interests of the United States. [The waivers remain until officials] determine that further action is appropriate.
Background (1)— earlier statements that set the stage▸
“[In a Newsmax interview published the day before the waiver, on Ukraine's strikes on Russian refineries:] Well, I think that's a disgrace. … It should end soon. I think they actually both would like to see it end. … But I think I find Zelensky to be more difficult to deal with than Putin.