Trump Waives Graham Act Russia Sanctions in Executive Order, Days Before Tariffs Were Set to Bite

WASHINGTON, DC — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday waiving a sweeping set of Russia-related sanctions, restrictions and duties — days before they were due to take effect under a sanctions law he himself signed in mid-September, the White House said.

The order implements the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which Congress passed with rare bipartisan margins (86–11 in the Senate, 262–159 in the House) and which Trump signed into law on September 18. The Act provided for tariffs of up to 500% on Russian goods and duties of up to 100% on goods from the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas, with the tariff provisions set to activate days from now.

In the same executive order, Trump formally sets those duties in motion — then waives their application under Section 115 of the Act, which lets the president suspend any provision upon certifying to Congress that the waiver is in the national interest. The waivers cover duties under Sections 112 and 113, sanctions and restrictions under Section 102(d) and a long list of other sanctions provisions, and will remain in place until the president or the secretary of state determines further action is warranted.

Existing Russia sanctions imposed under earlier executive orders are not affected by the waiver, the order states.

The move is the latest sign of Trump's warming posture toward Moscow and his public criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he has suggested should be replaced. It also follows his announcement that the US would work with Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring more Russian diesel to global markets — a bid to cool record-high US diesel prices in the weeks before the November 3 midterm elections.

Countries that are among the largest buyers of Russian oil, including India, had raised concerns about the Graham Act's tariff provisions. The waiver removes the immediate threat of the tariffs but keeps them formally on the books — Trump can reimpose them later.

The Graham Act's financial-institution provisions, including mandated actions against major Russian banks, face an October 19 deadline, and how much of that falls under the waiver remained unclear Friday night.

Sources

• Reuters
• The White House
• The Economic Times
• The Times of India