President Trump waived new sanctions on Russia late Friday night, asserting that it was in the national interests of the United States to hold off on the sweeping levies mandated by the Graham Act, which he signed into law just last month. The decision runs counter to a strong bipartisan chorus in Washington calling for increased pressure on Moscow.
The action follows a week after a surprise deal allowing Russia to sell diesel internationally, a move that drew loud condemnations from both Republicans and Democrats. The latest policy shift also places Republican candidates in the middle of their final midterm sprint in the difficult position of defending a warmer U.S. relationship with a country that voters overwhelmingly view as an adversary.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed deep disappointment with the decision in a post on X Saturday morning, amid fresh Russian attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. He noted that the legislation could have helped enormously and still can, emphasizing that every voice in support of it matters.
The White House released the text of an executive order late Friday night detailing the implementation of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which was signed in September. Named for the late Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, the legislation imposed broad new sanctions on Russia and any countries conducting business with it, including major buyers of its oil.
The executive order highlights that the statutory language grants the president the authority to waive the application of any sanctions provision with respect to a foreign person, any restriction concerning a person, and any duty. President Trump stated in the order that he submitted a certification to Congress declaring that issuing such a waiver at this time serves the national interests of the United States.
Elected officials from both major parties immediately criticized the waiver. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, wrote that the deal keeps getting dirtier by providing life support to the Russian economy. Representative Don Beyer, a Democrat from Virginia, posted on X that the surrender to Vladimir Putin betrays Ukrainian partners and defies the clear congressional intent of legislation designed to punish Russia for its illegal war of aggression.
Republicans joined in the sharp rebukes. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, characterized the waivers as having nothing to do with national security and called on his Republican colleagues to condemn the action. Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, called the move beyond irresponsible, questioning how the administration could ignore a law passed by an 86-11 vote in the Senate and arguing that it is unconscionable to capitulate to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine. Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, posted a brief reaction stating that Lindsey would be appalled.
The White House defended the presidential decision through a statement from spokeswoman Taylor Rogers. Rogers stated that enforcing the sanctions provisions at this time would impede ongoing United States efforts to negotiate a durable and comprehensive peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia.
The waiver marks the culmination of a sequence of policy adjustments in U.S.-Russia relations over the preceding week, during which pressure on Moscow was abruptly eased across multiple fronts. Alongside the diesel deal, these developments included a dispute regarding Ukraine’s ability to utilize Starlink for defense against Russian munitions, and a public denial of Russian involvement in the Iran war. By waiving the secondary sanctions outlined in the Graham Act, the administration has also avoided applying fresh economic pressure on China and India, which remain major purchasers of Russian oil.
