President Donald Trump on Friday waived sweeping new Russia sanctions Congress passed in a bill named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, saying in an executive order that the pause “is in the national interests of the United States.”
Trump had signed the legislation only last month. It targeted major buyers of Russian oil and gas and authorized tariffs on goods from those countries. Suspending the new measures comes after he announced a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to release large volumes of Russian diesel as U.S. fuel prices surge.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the waiver “wrong,” saying it weakens pressure on Moscow and effectively rewards Putin. He thanked lawmakers who backed the bill and said it is “difficult” without Graham’s advocacy.
Congressional critics from both parties condemned the move. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called it “beyond irresponsible,” while Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said the waivers have “everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin.”
Diesel prices have jumped sharply since the Iran war began earlier this year, keeping energy costs front-and-center for voters ahead of the midterms. Trump’s order said the required report to Congress had been submitted.
Sources: NBC News, AP News, White House. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Captainmorlypogi1959 / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
