Trump Waives Broad New Russia Sanctions He Signed Last Month, Citing National Interests

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 (TodayViralUSA) — President Donald Trump has waived broad new sanctions and tariffs against Russia that he signed into law last month, citing U.S. national interests just two days before the measures were due to take effect and deepening a diplomatic rift with Ukraine.

In an executive order dated Oct. 16 and posted by the White House, Trump invoked Section 115 of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 to suspend duties on Russian goods, tariffs aimed at major buyers of Russian oil and gas, and an array of related sanctions and restrictions. He said he had certified to Congress that the waiver is in the national interests of the United States.

What the Graham Act required

Trump signed the Graham Act on Sept. 18 after the House passed it on Sept. 16. Named for the late Republican senator from South Carolina who was its primary backer, the law directed the president to raise duties on Russian imports by up to 500 percent within 30 days and to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries among the top five purchasers of Russian crude oil or natural gas, including China and India.

Friday’s order waives those duty provisions and additional sanctions sections while stating that existing Russia sanctions under earlier executive orders remain in force. The White House said the waivers stay in effect until the president or the secretary of state determines further action is appropriate.

Praise from Moscow, anger in Kyiv and Congress

Kirill Dmitriev, an economic envoy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, called the suspension “an important and truly historic moment” on X and said U.S.-Russia economic dialogue would continue.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was unfortunate that the United States had decided to “completely disregard” the sanctions, arguing they “could have helped enormously” in pressuring Moscow. He linked the move to overnight Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and warned that Washington might lift further restrictions.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who helped draft the Graham Act, accused Trump of standing “on the side of a bloodthirsty thug” and against Congress and European allies. Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia said the waiver “betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent.”

Diesel deal and midterm politics

The waiver follows a separate Trump administration step temporarily easing sanctions on Russian diesel exports through April 2027, intended to ease a U.S. supply crunch tied to the war with Iran. High fuel prices have become a central midterm issue ahead of the Nov. 3 elections, with Republicans defending a narrow congressional majority.

Zelenskyy has argued that the diesel arrangement sets a precedent for broader relief. Trump has also traded sharp public criticism with Kyiv over energy strikes and support for Ukraine’s war effort, while denying that the United States deliberately slowed Ukraine’s Starlink-based Starshield military connectivity.