Trump waives new Russia sanctions two days before they were due to bite
An executive order suspends the Graham Act's tariffs and sanctions on Russia, drawing accusations of illegality from Congress and alarm from Kyiv.
Part of a larger narrative
Russia's Escalating Strikes on Ukraine
- Meeks introduces bill to block Trump's Russian diesel deal with Putin
- Ukraine exhausts Patriot interceptor stockpile, source tells CNN
- Zelensky says Russia violated Trump's energy ceasefire 76 times
- Trump waives new Russia sanctions law, sparking bipartisan US backlash
- Zelensky Says US Intelligence Sharing With Ukraine Resumes After Blackout
What to know
- Trump's executive order suspends the Graham Act's 500% tariffs on Russian goods and 100% tariffs on buyers of Russian energy, two days before they were due to take effect.
- Zelensky warns the waiver could help Russia disrupt Ukraine's energy supply before winter, while Russia calls the move 'historic'.
- Multiple lawmakers, including Kinzinger, Beyer and Blumenthal, call the move illegal and a betrayal of congressional intent and Ukraine.
- Analysts note the waiver effectively neutralizes nearly every substantive sanctions provision, benefiting Russia and also easing pressure on buyers like India.
The dispute Some commenters insist the waiver is flatly illegal or treasonous, while others note the sanctions law itself authorized presidential waivers, making this a policy failure rather than a legal violation. · positions read across 793 posts and comments
Trump is acting as a Russian asset or traitor by gutting sanctions meant to punish Putin.
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“Trump is a traitor. Arrest him and place him in front of a judge. His goal is to destroy the US. Enough already. WTAF, America?”
okaynova.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
This is an illegal or unconstitutional expansion of executive power that effectively vetoes a law Congress passed.
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“How is that legal? He can’t void acts acts of Congress.”
justcallmedonner.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
The outcome exposes the futility of Lindsey Graham's and Congress's efforts, since the waiver was built into the law they passed.
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“Incredible that Lindsey Graham debased himself for the final decade of his life to achieve this entirely predictable outcome.”
thefuguetive.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Donald Trump US PresidentVolodymyr Zelensky President of Ukraine
Adam Kinzinger Former US congressman, commentator
Don Beyer US Representative (D-VA)
Lindsey Graham Late US Senator, author of the sanctions law
How it unfolded 7 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesvideospostscomments
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Analysts say Russia benefits most as Europe still buys its gas
Coverage noted that even as the US waiver eases pressure on Moscow, European countries continue importing Russian gas, undercutting the broader sanctions effort.
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first by Al Jazeera, 1d ago
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🇺🇦🇺🇸 The lifting of sanctions on Russia will continue, and the diesel deal is just the first step, — Zelensky This is how the president assessed Trump's decision not to apply restrictions under Lindsey Graham Act. The easing of sanctions does not stop Putin, but gives him a sense of support.
2 more of the top 3 · 132 posts in this stretch
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I agree. There is a large percentage of people (28% or so) that still support the guy… right now! I’m not saying other countries can’t fall to the same type of populism. Right now, the billionaire elites of the world are rallying to the most right wing populist parties to try and counter a resurgence of the left wing (even tame centre left…
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Direct link to an exceptional article about what exactly President Trump just waived within the Lindsey Graham act: https:// dmitryopines.substack.com/p/th e-russian-sanctions-trump-just
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Russia hails the waiver as 'historic'
Moscow welcomed Trump's decision to suspend the sanctions, calling it historic, while Ukraine expressed concern that Washington was tilting toward Russia's side.
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Lindsey Graham Russia and Iran Sanctions Act - 24 pages of "anti-Russia" sanctions, ending with "Oh, and by the way, the President can ignore this whenever he wants". Makes you wonder whether the intent was ever serious in the first place, or just performative. I suspect the latter.
2 more of the top 3 · 7 posts in this stretch
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Trump waives ‘bone-crushing’ Russia sanctions https:// rt-english.com/news/647324-tru mp-waives-graham-sanctions-russia/
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Canada is the bad player, nasty people…thank god I’m Canadian.
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Zelensky says the waiver 'rewards' Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the waiver, warning it could help Russia disrupt Ukraine's energy supply before winter, and urged supporters to defend the sanctions in Congress.
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1 outlet first by Arab News, 1d ago · read ↗
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Trump signed bipartisan sanctions against Russia, then gutted them before they could take effect. He reopened Russian diesel trade despite existing sanctions, demanded Ukraine stop striking Russian refineries, and publicly attacked President Zelenskyy.
2 more of the top 3 · 8 posts in this stretch
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Yet more grounds for impeachment - failures to "faithfully execute the laws": - TikTok sell or ban law: Trump "waived" for a year - Epstein Transparency Act: Trump admin delayed and still hasn't released everything or explained redactions - Russia sanction law: again "waived" # ThisIsAmericaNow # AmericanClownEmperor # TrumpAlwaysLeadsToRussia BBC…
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and congress is ok with it, so whatever. america is done until you remove every single person in the building
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Analysts detail which sanctions provisions were waived
A detailed breakdown argued that Trump waived essentially every substantive provision of the Graham Act, while separate reporting noted the waiver also brings relief to India's Russian oil imports.
“To avoid screaming, I went through every provision explaining them and indicating which he waived. Spoiler: All the ones that did anything.”
— explaintrade.com -
10 outlets ‘Truly historic moment’: Putin's envoy hails Trump's move to waive some sanctions against Russia
first by Hindustan Times, 1d ago · also RFE/RL, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, ThePrint, Bangkok Post, France 24 EN, Channel News Asia +3
4 more headlines
- Trump Waives Graham Act Sanctions On Russia Before They Take Effect RFE/RL · 1d ago
- Trump waives key energy sanctions imposed on Russia by new law. Major relief for India ThePrint · 1d ago
- Trump waives key Russia-related sanctions and tariffs Bangkok Post · 1d ago
- Trump waives new Russia sanctions as Ukraine ties slump France 24 EN · 1d ago
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1 outlet Trump’s Russia sanctions waiver: Relief for India’s oil imports, but US still wields the stick
first by Indian Express, 1d ago
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The Lindsey Graham Act would have imposed significant new sanctions on Russia from 18 October, but allowed the President to issue waivers. He just did. To avoid screaming, I went through every provision explaining them and indicating which he waived. Spoiler: All the ones that did anything.
2 more of the top 3 · 137 posts in this stretch
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Trump signed an executive order Friday suspending sweeping tariffs and sanctions targeting Russia, just two days before they were set to take effect under the Lindsey Graham sanctions law he signed last month. Trump told Congress the move was in the U.S. “national interest.”
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Obeying his Kremlin master, Trump puts all the new Russian sanctions of the Lindsey Graham bill on hold. https:// apnews.com/article/russia-sanc tions-trump-ukraine-e50c561ab805883bb4e484c092d8fadd?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+New+Content+%28Feed%29&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
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Lawmakers call the waiver a betrayal of Ukraine
Representative Don Beyer and Senator Richard Blumenthal, among others, said Trump had gutted the sanctions law Congress intended to punish Russia and sided with Moscow against Ukraine.
“Trump’s latest surrender to Putin again betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent of legislation passed to punish Russia for its illegal war of aggression.”
— Rep. Don Beyer -
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huh. what could this posssssssssibly mean. the US media willful professed ignorance on this stuff is increasingly embarrassing.
2 more of the top 3 · 499 posts in this stretch
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BREAKING: President Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold, saying a waiver is in the U.S. national interest.
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The kompromat must be bad # Trump Signs # ExecutiveOrder Exempting # Russia From # Sanctions # Legislation The sanctions were part of legislation that was named after Senator # LindseyGraham , the South Carolina Republican who died in July. Such betrayal. Treasonous. # law # geopolitics # PutinsPuppet # Ukraine # allies # Europe # NATO # democracy…
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Trump signs executive order waiving Russia sanctions
Trump signed an executive order suspending the Graham Act's 500% tariffs on Russian goods and 100% tariffs on buyers of Russian energy, citing the US national interest, two days before the sanctions were due to take effect.
“I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties [on Russia] provided for in the Graham Act.”
— Donald Trump, via White House executive order -
first by Mastodon, 1d ago · also Deutsche Welle EN, NY Post, FT, Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer, Associated Press +10
13 more headlines
- Trump puts new Russia sanctions on hold Mastodon · 1d ago
- Trump puts Russia sanctions package on hold, says pause is in national interest NY Post · 1d ago
- Trump exempts Russia from further sanctions mandated by new law FT · 1d ago
- Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold, saying waiver is in US national interest Boston Globe · 1d ago
- Trump puts new Russia sanctions that he recently signed into law on hold, citing national interest Philadelphia Inquirer · 1d ago
- President Trump puts new Russia sanctions that he recently signed into law on hold Chicago Tribune · 1d ago
- Trump waives tariffs, many sanctions under new Russia sanctions law Anadolu Agency · 1d ago
- Trump pauses new Russia sanctions passed by Congress amid deepening row with Ukraine Guardian Business · 1d ago
- Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold amid deepening row with Ukraine Mastodon · 1d ago
- Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold Sydney Morning Herald · 1d ago
- Trump Waives Most Russia Sanctions Passed by Congress WSJ · 1d ago
- Trump waives Russia sanctions ordered by law named for Lindsey Graham Washington Examiner · 1d ago
- Trump puts on hold new Russia sanctions he signed into law Mastodon · 1d ago
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first by Bloomberg Politics, 1d ago · also Al-Monitor, Straits Times, Investing.com News, Reuters, The Hill, BBC +1
5 more headlines
- Trump waives key Russia-related sanctions, tariffs before they take effect under new law Al-Monitor · 1d ago
- Trump waives many Russia-related sanctions, tariffs before they were to take effect under new law Al-Monitor · 1d ago
- Trump waives Russian sanctions outlined in Graham Act before they take effect The Hill · 1d ago
- Trump waives several Russia sanctions as new US law takes effect BBC · 1d ago
- Trump Halts Sweeping Russia Sanctions Days Before They Take Effect, Citing US National Interest Mastodon · 1d ago
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Trump has faced overwhelming criticism for not utilizing the US Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which allows any # potus to impose significant tariffs and sanctions on Russia and countries buying Russian energy, despite bipartisan support in # Congress for its enforcement. Lawmakers notified the Epstein regime that his decision to engage…
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- 3 days quiet
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Kinzinger warns Trump plans to bypass Congress on sanctions
Former congressman Adam Kinzinger publicly warned that Trump was preparing to waive the newly passed Russia sanctions without consulting Congress as the law requires, calling the move illegal.
“Trump just threw a massive lifeline to Vladimir Putin. And to do it, he’s breaking the law.”
— Adam Kinzinger -
first by Newsweek, 1d ago · also NBC News
1 more headline
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Trump just threw a massive lifeline to Vladimir Putin. And to do it, he’s breaking the law. Back in 2022, Congress banned Russian energy imports. I voted for it. The law says the president has to consult Congress before he changes anything. He didn’t. Illegal. Deadly.
2 more of the top 3 · 8 posts in this stretch
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It's taking a long time for this to show up in reporting. Trump's deal with Putin directly violates the 2022 Russian Energy Sanctions Act. Here are Republican and Democratic senators noting that.
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Trump's opposition to imposing sanctions on Russia has been so intense that the White House spent about 18 months holding off a sanctions bill that didn't actually require Trump to impose sanctions.
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background
Trump signs the Graham Act into law — Congress passed, and Trump signed, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which imposed major new sanctions and tariffs on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, with provisions set to take effect October 18.
Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
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first by Mastodon, 1d ago · also Kyiv Independent, CNN, KIFI-TV
1 more headline
- Trump waives latest Russia sanctions amid growing Ukraine-US tensions Kyiv Independent · 1d ago
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first by Independent UK, 1d ago · also Philadelphia Inquirer
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first by Evening Standard, 1d ago · also The Hindu
1 more headline
- India’s Russian crude binge to continue after Trump waives new sanctions law The Hindu · 1d ago
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first by Mastodon, 1d ago · also Kyiv Independent
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first by Mastodon, 1d ago · also The White House
and 2 smaller pieces
What people are saying 15 voices from 4 sites · best of 793 · verbatim
- How is this legal if Congress passed the sanctions as binding law?
- Isn't a blanket waiver of nearly every provision effectively an unconstitutional line-item veto?
- Yesterday
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It is actively losing that status as we speak. Countries are uncoupling from the US as we speak. This is a process that takes years and isn't reversible. So that's why politicians are finally uncoupling now and why they were so reluctant to do it in his first term despite everything he already did then. But the US voters electing him again, proves…
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It’s a number of factors but the biggest is the cost of diesel and gasoline is extremely sensitive political issue that threatens to flip the house and senate. Trump is dependent on the house and senate being republican to let him act like a dictator because they are abandoning their duty as a branch of government. The presidency isn’t this…
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Your probably right... But I'm a sucker for redemption Arcs.. id much much prefer it if he learned the error of his actions or get embarrassed and defeated and love out his last year's in shame .. It would be even better if the halls of justice actually held him to account than him dying thinking yes some kind of hero or he fooled everyone and…
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⚡️ Update: Trump sides with ‘bloodthirsty thug’ by Russia sanctions waiver, Senator Blumenthal says.
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Trump Halts Sweeping russia Sanctions, Citing US National Interest Trump signed an executive order Friday, Oct. 16, waiving sweeping russia sanctions and tariffs set to take effect Sunday
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President Trump signed an executive order on Friday waiving new sanctions and tariffs on Russia required under the law named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, just two days before they were set to take effect.
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Trump is now fully supporting Putin, waiving sanctions that were already law, decided by Congress. Trump is an ally of Putin not Europe that is crystal clear now. https://www. whitehouse.gov/presidential-ac tions/2026/10/implementing-the-lindsey-o-graham-sanctioning-russia-and-iran-act-of-2026/ # trump # putin # russia # sanctions # ukraine #…
- Oct 16
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Trump wants us to pretend he’s on the ballot, but in fact Putin is. If you vote for the people with R after their name, you’re voting for the Russians.
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Yeah, but it's not only Ukraine the US is fucking around with, its gestures wildly all this other shit too. Yeah they've provided alot of support, but they've also put up alot of unnecessary resistance too when they could've just helped, like fucking around with Starshield, because why? They "went too far". You know what would make them stop? If…
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Thank You, Lindsey Graham. Here is the official White House Announcement Nullifying The Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia And Iran Act of 2026 . Take a good look at this, screenshot it and archive it. This is the closest, best evidence yet we have of President Trump actually breaking the law and committing a crime. The Trump-Putin phone call last…
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🚨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.
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Trump just waived all of the sanctions on Russia provided for in the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia Act, just as I and others warned he would. Trump’s latest surrender to Putin again betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent of legislation designed
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Breaking News: President Trump signed an executive order to exempt Russia from new sanctions legislation that Congress passed last month.
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BREAKING: WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold, saying a waiver is in the US national interest.
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Trump signs an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause is in the U.S. national interest. https:// apnews.com/article/russia-sanc tions-trump-ukraine-e50c561ab805883bb4e484c092d8fadd