Graham Act sanctions waived by Trump

newsOct 17, 2026222,199

President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending the application of certain sanctions, restrictions and tariffs on Russia that were provided for under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The order states, "I hereby waive the application of any duties provided for in sections 112 and 113 of the Graham Act or this order," and Trump submitted a certification to Congress that the waiver is in the national interest, according to the White House text and Bloomberg. The Graham Act, passed by Congress on 17 September and signed into law on 19 September, authorized measures including 500 percent tariffs on Russian goods, secondary tariffs of up to 100 percent on the five largest buyers of Russian oil and mandatory sectoral sanctions; the law set a 30 day window that was due to expire on 18 October. The executive order formally establishes the tariffs while suspending their application, giving the president the option to impose 100 percent tariffs on the five largest buyers of Russian oil within the 30 day period. The move follows the Treasury Department’s OFAC General Licence No. 135 on 9 October allowing transactions involving Russian-origin diesel, and it conflicts with Trump’s announced plan to work with Russia to bring additional diesel supplies to global markets. The waiver risks renewed opposition from members of Congress, including Republicans who criticized the diesel arrangement, and it also avoids immediate sanctions pressure on major buyers such as China, India and Türkiye.

MeidasTouch

@meidastouch.com

🚨NEWS: Trump just WAIVED sweeping sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia under the Lindsey Graham Russia and Iran Sanctions Act, which he signed just LAST MONTH. The executive order suspends 500% tariffs on Russian goods and 100% tariffs targeting major buyers of Russian energy.

14595h ago

Dann115

He's a traitor engaging in treason.

Susan Behrens89

Nancy Pelosi was right. She famously told Trump, "With you, all roads lead to Putin," during a tense White House meeting on October 16, 2019. thehill.com/homenews/hou...

Princess Sharon 💜54

Trump is a traitor to the United States. He's a Russian agent and this is the clear reality of it.

Chris⚖️Justice45

Traitor Trump, exactly as predicted. No Justice. Vote Blue bsky.app/profile/chri...

Bats now use the term "Trumpshit Crazy"37

This is payment for Russia helping him in the midterms. Patel is currently in Russia working on the plan. It's all being laid out right in front of us. There is a reason for all of this, and it's going to get ugly.

Middlerage27

He works for Putin, but not for pay, for secret keeping.

Quoting this

𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℍ𝕚𝕤𝕥🎃𝕣𝕪 𝕠𝕗 ℂ𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕒 ℙ💀𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕤𝕥12

We truly are in "No Fucks Left to Give" territory

Franklin Tummescheit nölt 📎 #NAFO8

1/2 Die offene Unterstützung Russlands durch den orangefarbenen Clown im Weißen Haus geht weiter. Aber nein - #Trump ist keine russische Marionett! Übersetzung: 🚨EILMELDUNG: Trump hat soeben weitreichende Sanktionen und Zölle gegen Russland ausgesetzt – und zwar jene, ...

Drew Webb 🏳️‍🌈7

This PROVES he’s bought, paid and was installed by Russia

AnitaWorks96985

Was macht mich Trump wütend. Er schmeißt täglich alles dreimal um. Menschenleben sind ihm egal. Denn darum geht es in der Tiefe, um Menschenleben.

🫘Desireé Owen4

When has Trump ever respected the law. Congress. The Courts. Means nothing to him because SCOTUS made him an Emperor.

ℝ𝕖𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕓𝕝𝕦𝕖3

We have Russians in the White House.

Becky3

Donald Trump is a Traitor to the United States of America.

𝕽𝖆𝖉𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖑 𝕽𝖊𝖉 🇨🇦🔞2

And Meanwhile he tariffs us in Canada. Americans will continue to do nothing, as usual.

Kathy - He's not my felon! | I'm for Ukraine & Gaza2

This is outrageous treason. Putin is aiding and abetting Iran and endangering our troops. #TrumpIsATraitor

Matt Leeds2

Trump is the ENEMY & a Soviet. Trump is 💯 Putins ASSET, BITCH, SOCK PUPPET,LAPDOG & PET. Trump has been working for Russia & the Kremlin for yrs since the 1980’s.Trump is Weakness. He speaks with his boss weekly to Report into Russia & get new Orders. Putin owns trump. Trump Works For Russia

Adam Bonin

@adambonin.bsky.social

So let's be clear, and I don't like saying this: in The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, Congress *gave* Trump the authority to suspend the Russia sanctions. He just has to tell them why. (And he has.) www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...

SEC. 115. Waiver.
(a) In general.—The President may, subject to subsection (b), waive the application of any sanctions provision with respect to a foreign person, any restriction with respect to a person, or any duty under this title.

(b) Reports required.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Before issuing a waiver under subsection (a), the President shall submit to Congress—

(A) a certification in writing that the issuance of the waiver is in the national interests of the United States; and

(B) a report explaining the basis for the certification.

(2) CONSOLIDATION OF REPORTS.—If the President is issuing more than one waiver of a section of this title, the President may include, in one report submitted under paragraph (1), the certifications and explanations required by that paragraph with respect to each such waiver, as long as all of such certifications and explanations relate to a waiver of the same section of this title.

(3) FORM OF REPORT.—Each report required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.

(4) APPLICABILITY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CERTAIN DUTY RATES.—The President is not required to submit a report under paragraph (1) for a modification or adjustment of a rate of duty pursuant to section 113(b). This paragraph does not modify or negate the requirement to submit a written determination required by section 113(b) or a report required by section 113(g)(1).

3365h ago

Craig Ganzer25

It’s awful but, on the other hand, incredibly funny that Trump is still humiliating Lindsey Graham months after his death

Artesian Mystic16

So they’re all complicit in this act of treason is what I’m hearing. Everyone who voted for this bill. What a time to be living in.

Chris Winters 🇩🇪 🇺🇦 🇬🇪15

How can a normal German guy like me see that obvious manufactured loophole but the US congress couldn't? 🤷‍♂️

44 LIGHTS11

Because Lindsey was a fraud and the bill in his name was an even bigger fraud…. And trump is a Russian asset. End of story.

S LoRusso8

Obviously it’s why he signed it!

dajohns77.bsky.social6

So it was a completely toothless bill and another example of how Congress has just given up its power.

Quoting this

Mark Copelovitch93

Let's be clear: this is not a "report explaining the basis for the certification," any more than invoking Section 122 & Section 232 of old trade laws, without providing the evidence or following the investigation process required by law to invoke them, was actually complying with the laws.

Silverman on Security23

It's why a lot of us natsec folks kept explaining that either Graham was lying about what his bill would allow Trump to do or he had no idea what was in his own bill. Given who Graham was, he was lying.

Murshed Zaheed23

Pretty on brand for this Republican Congress tbh (Although once again one has to wonder wtaf Dems were thinking singing on this legislation - same kind of delusional thinking going on w permitting reforms nonsense btw)

The Kyiv Independent

@kyivindependent.com

⚡️Trump waives latest Russia sanctions amid growing Ukraine-US tensions. U.S. President Donald Trump issued a broad waiver of sanctions under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act on Oct. 16.

1335h ago

Karjala22

If Trump hasn't demonstrated he's a traitor by exempting Russia from sanctions he has, at least, given the dems a talking point. Every Dem should be asking their Republican opponents to speak out against Trump, calling him a traitor, work toward impeachment. Highlight Rs who don't call out Trump.

Saigonbond14

"I fucking told you so too!" --Kamala Harris youtu.be/KrD1MLaGQfQ?...

Vaprak 🇨🇦🇺🇦12

Have you ever had that sinking feeling that Kyiv should be sending drones away from Moscow and towards another capital instead? Seriously. WTF has gone wrong with America?

Saigonbond9

"I fucking told you so!" -Hillary Clinton youtu.be/VVrDjJixbSc?...

Medoyid_ua8

Waiving the Graham Act on the same barrels Congress targeted means the revenue goes straight back to Moscow without a single vote. Sanctions are only worth their enforcement, and right now enforcement is optional. Kyiv pays for that in missiles.

POTUS is a traitor6

This mfer is a traitor

Quoting this

Keir Semmens7

Benedict Arnold was an amateur compared to this Judas.

Benjamin Husstad-Nedberg5

Trump is a Russian asset. Period.

Patrick Chevallereau3

Trump, the enemy of Europe.

RagtopDriver📎2

Donnie Dementia is a traitor

Aaron Fritschner

@fritschner.bsky.social

The Lindsey Graham Act has two components: sanctions and tariffs. This summer we identified major problems with the bill in both areas. But while Trump just did exactly what we predicted on sanctions, he’s holding back - for now - on tariffs. So what is he up to? Here are a few thoughts on that—

1125h ago

Roman Sheremeta

@rshereme.bsky.social

Trump signed an executive order to exempt russia from the new sanctions legislation that Congress passed last month. When people were celebrating the passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, I made exactly this prediction.

264h ago

🇨🇦Stéphane Prévost-Fella3

This is no surprise for many of us. Only the fast pace is still a surprise for me. I truly fear the next betrayal for Ukraine. I hope everything was done to mitigate that outcome.

Chris Winters 🇩🇪 🇺🇦 🇬🇪1

And how could you not. Give the demented puppet power, he will abuse it. It baffles me that an entire congress did not see that.

Pam Spaulding

@pamspaulding.bsky.social

Trump is a traitor. Any Republican that does not rebuke this move, aids and abets this traitor POTUS. Nothing about this move is in the national interest of the United States. (So much for The Lindsey Graham Act his naive puppet sister Darline is so proud of.) See after jump. 🧾 bit.ly/4i5lsk8

214h ago

Blake Shaffer 🇨🇦

@blakeshaffer.bsky.social

It hasn’t even been 1 month since the Lindsey Graham act was passed. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/16/u...

133h ago

Greg Greene (he/him/his)

@greene.haus

This near-term outcome after passage of the Graham Act was knowable, and known. It takes an almost robotic, mindless allegiance to now-dead notions of How Washington Works™ to have viewed a new sanctions bill, in 2026, as a good idea.

145h ago

Michelle

@michellesea.bsky.social

We should all call and ask her 202-224-5972 "I am proud that I helped get the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 over the finish line in the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support ... it gives [the president] the tools to end the war through economic sanctions”

115h ago

Yoshiko Herrera

@yoshikoherrera.bsky.social

Further betrayal of Ukraine, US national security, and of course Lindsey Graham: A week after the illegal Russian diesel deal, Trump just signed an executive order to waive the "sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act”. Disgraceful!! 🤬

124h ago

Garvan Walshe

@garvanwalshe.org

Who put the waiver in that law? It’s not as if Trump would fail to use it www.ft.com/content/836e... Donald Trump exempts Russia from further sanctions mandated by new law

52h ago

Faytuks Network

@faytuksnetwork.bsky.social

President Trump has signed an executive order to waive key Russian Sanctions and Tariffs from the Lindsay Graham Act due to "national interest". Tariffs of 100% on all goods from the largest 5 importers of Russian oil and gas or helped… https://x.com/FaytuksNetwork/status/2111327987245490501

72h ago

Imagine Peace 🇨🇦

@imaginepeace.bsky.social

Putin's diesel ship, sent 3 weeks ago, arrives in the U.S.—as Trump lifts all Russia sanctions and scraps the Lindsey Graham Act. This isn't coincidence; it's a preplanned partnership unfolding in real time. The US-Russia relationship is being rewritten before our eyes, and no one does a thing..

75h ago

Tuning Fork

@tuningfork.bsky.social

Let there be clarity and no doubt:Trump is a blatant TRAITOR! Trump is now working with Putin! A political monster is on the loose... Trump has openly defied the Linsey Graham Act. and lifted key sanctions and eased tariffs on Russia.

64h ago

Bimp (watch Fallen Angels)

@korbobimp.bsky.social

I mean this was done specifically with the permission of Congress in the Graham Act

85h ago

3 sources

thehill.comTrump waives Russian sanctions outlined in Graham Act before they take effect pravda.com.uaTrump signs order suspending Russia sanctions under Graham Act uazmi.comTrump suspends sanctions on buyers of Russian energy under Graham Act.

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Graham Act sanctions waived by Trump

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