On Friday,
Trump signed an executive order waiving sanctions provisions under the Lindsey
Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The legislation, designed to
pressure the Kremlin to end its military operations in Ukraine, authorizes
tariffs on the five largest purchasers of Russian energy and countries helping
Moscow evade sanctions.
Trump
justified the waiver by invoking a provision allowing the president to suspend
sanctions against foreign entities. He stated that he had submitted a
certification to Congress declaring the waiver to be in the United States’
national interest.
However, the
decision provoked strong opposition from members of his own party. Senator Thom
Tillis of North Carolina called the move “beyond irresponsible,” questioning why the
administration was disregarding legislation approved by the Senate in an 86–11
vote. He accused the administration of capitulating to Russian President
Vladimir Putin despite Russia’s continued military operations in Ukraine.
Senator John
Cornyn of Texas remarked that the late Senator Lindsey Graham, after whom the
legislation was named, would have been appalled. Representative Don Bacon of
Nebraska argued that Trump’s decision was prolonging rather than ending the
war.
Democrats
were equally critical. Senator Richard Blumenthal, who played a significant
role in advancing the legislation, described the waiver as a “craven, cowardly action,”
arguing that it served political accommodation rather than American national
security. Representative Don Beyer of Virginia said the decision betrayed Ukraine and contradicted
Congress’s clear legislative intent.
The
controversy follows a separate agreement between Trump and Moscow permitting
Russia to sell diesel products to the United States and international markets
amid global fuel shortages. That arrangement had already triggered bipartisan
criticism in Congress.
Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelensky also expressed his sense of betrayal over Trump’s decision.
The
developments highlight growing tensions between the White House and lawmakers
over Washington’s Russia policy. By easing economic pressure on Moscow while
Ukraine continues to face Russian military operations, Trump risks undermining
congressional resolve, unsettling American allies and raising doubts about the
consistency of US policy toward the Kremlin.
