Trump waives Congress’s new Russia sanctions two days before they start, citing the national interest

The law passed the Senate 86–11. The waiver halts its 100% tariffs on the biggest buyers of Russian energy with no end date, and Republicans are among the loudest critics.

A sanctions law that passed the Senate 86–11 was due to start on Sunday. Two days before, President Trump waived nearly all of it. The executive order he signed late Thursday halts tariffs of up to 100% on the biggest buyers of Russian oil and gas and 500% tariffs on Russian goods, with no end date, and certifies that the waiver serves the national interest, as the law allows. It follows a diesel deal with Moscow that the White House says will lower fuel prices. Putin’s envoy called the move historic; Zelenskyy and senators of both parties said it rewards Russia. The fight is over whether cheaper fuel justifies easing pressure on Moscow.

Key facts

• Late on October 16 Trump signed an executive order waiving nearly all of the Graham Act’s tariffs and sanctions, two days before they were due to start on October 18, certifying that the waiver serves the national interest.
• The waiver covers tariffs of up to 100% on the five biggest buyers of Russian oil and gas, which CBS identifies chiefly as China, India and Turkey, plus 500% tariffs on Russian goods; it has no end date and lasts until officials decide further action is appropriate.
• The law, named for Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died on July 11, passed the Senate 86–11 and the House 262–159, and Trump signed it in September; it lets the president waive its measures by certifying a national interest to Congress.
• The law requires an unclassified report explaining the basis for a waiver; Trump said it was sent to Congress, but the White House has not publicly laid out a substantive justification.
• A week earlier Trump announced a deal for Russia to supply diesel, starting with about 300,000 tons, and Treasury licensed the trade; diesel prices have risen almost 70% since the Iran war began in February.
• A White House spokeswoman defended the diesel deal as a way to bring prices down for farmers, truckers and families; the midterm elections are less than three weeks away.
• Republicans Thom Tillis, Don Bacon and John Cornyn criticized the waiver alongside Democrat Richard Blumenthal, a co-author of the bill; Bacon said it prolongs the war rather than ending it.
• Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev praised the waiver as historic and said discussions about lifting more sanctions were already under way; Newsweek notes his remarks do not show the administration plans further steps.
• Zelenskyy called lifting the sanctions wrong and said it only helps Russia; in the preceding week Russia reportedly fired more than 700 drones plus missiles at Ukrainian cities and power plants.
• In September, House Democratic leaders opposed the bill, arguing Trump could not be trusted with new tariff powers that would raise costs for families; 58 House Democrats voted for it.
• Lawmakers of both parties pushed back on the diesel deal before the waiver: 22 House members asked Trump to revoke it and fully implement the law, and Rep. Gregory Meeks filed a bill to block it on October 16.
• The administration’s energy-price rationale has been reported, but no cited reporting estimates how much the waived tariffs would have changed U.S. fuel prices.

The loudest takes

• Take A, The drivers-first take: “Trump puts American drivers first, scrapping tariffs that would have sent fuel prices through the roof!”
• Take B, The caved-to-Putin take: “Trump defies Congress and hands Putin a gift, gutting the sanctions meant to end the war!”

Checked against the facts

The waiver did set aside nearly all of the law before it started, as the critics say, but it used a power Congress wrote in, so “defies Congress” overstates it. The price case is asserted, not shown: no cited reporting measures what these tariffs would have done to U.S. fuel costs.