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WorldResurging · day 7

Trump waives new Russia sanctions two days before they take effect

An executive order suspends tariffs and sanctions Congress imposed under the Graham Act, drawing accusations of illegality from lawmakers and condemnation from Zelensky while Moscow calls it "historic."

newest coverage 1h agosummary written 1h ago778 pieces56k likes & upvotes5.9k comments BlueskyMastodonXNewswiresRedditHacker NewsYouTube

Part of a larger narrative

Russia's Escalating Strikes on Ukraine

24 stories · since Sep 29 · newest 9m ago — Russia intensifies daily drone and missile attacks across Ukrainian cities and infrastructure while Ukraine responds with strikes on Russian military and…

  1. Trump halts Russia sanctions package, citing national interest
  2. Trump Waives New Russia Sanctions, Deepening Rift With Zelensky
  3. Ukraine exhausts Patriot interceptor stockpile, source tells CNN
  4. Ukraine says Neptune missile strike destroyed six Russian Su-34M bombers
  5. Zelensky Warns Trump Will Keep Lifting Russia Sanctions as EU Rallies Behind Him
All 24 stories in this narrative →

What to know

  • Trump's executive order suspends 500% tariffs on Russian goods and 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian energy, plus Graham Act sanctions, two days before they were due to take effect.
  • Lawmakers including Beyer, Blumenthal and Kinzinger say the move bypasses required congressional consultation and defies Congress's clear intent, with some calling it illegal.
  • Zelensky warns the waiver could help Russia disrupt Ukraine's power grid before winter; Russia calls the decision "historic."
  • Analysts say Russia benefits most from the waiver, India also gets oil-tariff relief, while Europe continues buying Russian gas despite the sanctions debate.

The dispute Whether Trump's waiver is simply reprehensible policy or an outright illegal, impeachable breach of the law's consultation requirement. · positions read across 603 posts and comments

most voices

Trump's waiver proves he is Putin's puppet or a traitor acting against US interests.

  • “It’s in Putin’s interest. Trump is owned”

    paradigm317.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
many voices

This is an illegal or unconstitutional bypass of Congress's clear mandate, not a lawful policy choice.

  • “Congress makes the law. Executive enacts them. Of course, if the exec refuses, congress has a mechanism to remove the exec. Of course, if congress is a lapdog for the exec, then that effectively makes the exec a king, as no other entity…”

    cartire.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
some voices

Lindsey Graham wasted his legacy pushing sanctions Trump would gut anyway.

  • “Incredible that Lindsey Graham debased himself for the final decade of his life to achieve this entirely predictable outcome.”

    thefuguetive.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
some voices

Trump's repeated concessions suggest Putin holds blackmail material or is paying him personally.

  • “There will come a time when the world finds out what Kompromat Putin has on Trump and it is going to be so much worse than the Epstein files…”

    anniekeg.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗

Donald TrumpDonald Trump US PresidentVolodymyr Zelensky President of UkraineVladimir Putin / Russia Beneficiary of the sanctions waiverDon BeyerDon Beyer US Representative (D-VA)Richard BlumenthalRichard Blumenthal US SenatorDarline GrahamDarline Graham Sister of late Senator Lindsey Graham

Trump waives new Russia sanctions two days before they take effect
bsky.app

How it unfolded 7 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesvideospostscomments

Peak 238 pieces in two hours at Yesterday, 10 PM; 778 pieces over 7 days (106 articles · 1 video · 200 posts · 471 comments) Oct 10, 6 AM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Bluesky 2Oct 10, 8 AM — quietOct 10, 10 AM — quietOct 10, 12 PM — quietOct 10, 2 PM — quietOct 10, 4 PM — quietOct 10, 6 PM — quietOct 10, 8 PM — quietOct 10, 10 PM — quietOct 11, 12 AM — quietOct 11, 2 AM — quietOct 11, 4 AM — quietOct 11, 6 AM — quietOct 11, 8 AM — quietOct 11, 10 AM — quietOct 11, 12 PM — quietOct 11, 2 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Bluesky 1Oct 11, 4 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 11, 6 PM — quietOct 11, 8 PM — quietOct 11, 10 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Bluesky 1Oct 12, 12 AM — quietOct 12, 2 AM — quietOct 12, 4 AM — quietOct 12, 6 AM — quietOct 12, 8 AM — quietOct 12, 10 AM — quietOct 12, 12 PM — quietOct 12, 2 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Bluesky 1Oct 12, 4 PM — 2 pieces · 2 posts — Bluesky 1, X 1Oct 12, 6 PM — quietOct 12, 8 PM — quietOct 12, 10 PM — quietOct 13, 12 AM — quietOct 13, 2 AM — quietOct 13, 4 AM — quietOct 13, 6 AM — quietOct 13, 8 AM — quietOct 13, 10 AM — quietOct 13, 12 PM — quietOct 13, 2 PM — quietOct 13, 4 PM — quietOct 13, 6 PM — quietOct 13, 8 PM — quietOct 13, 10 PM — quietOct 14, 12 AM — quietOct 14, 2 AM — quietOct 14, 4 AM — quietOct 14, 6 AM — quietOct 14, 8 AM — quietOct 14, 10 AM — quietOct 14, 12 PM — quietOct 14, 2 PM — quietOct 14, 4 PM — quietOct 14, 6 PM — quietOct 14, 8 PM — quietOct 14, 10 PM — quietOct 15, 12 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 15, 2 AM — quietOct 15, 4 AM — quietOct 15, 6 AM — quietOct 15, 8 AM — quietOct 15, 10 AM — quietOct 15, 12 PM — quietOct 15, 2 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 15, 4 PM — quietOct 15, 6 PM — quietOct 15, 8 PM — quietOct 15, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — 34 pieces · 34 articles — Newswires 34Yesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Mastodon 1Yesterday, 8 PM — 209 pieces · 24 articles · 56 posts · 129 comments — Bluesky 154, Mastodon 26, Newswires 19, +2 moreYesterday, 10 PM — 238 pieces · 19 articles · 54 posts · 165 comments — Bluesky 164, Mastodon 31, Reddit 24, +2 moreToday, 12 AM — 95 pieces · 12 articles · 1 video · 32 posts · 50 comments — Bluesky 35, Reddit 27, Mastodon 18, +4 moreToday, 2 AM — 51 pieces · 4 articles · 25 posts · 22 comments — Bluesky 31, Mastodon 12, Newswires 4, +2 moreToday, 4 AM — 67 pieces · 9 articles · 18 posts · 40 comments — Bluesky 24, Reddit 22, Mastodon 13, +1 moreToday, 6 AM — 36 pieces · 3 articles · 5 posts · 28 comments — Bluesky 18, Reddit 12, Mastodon 4, +1 moreToday, 8 AM — 20 pieces · 20 comments — Bluesky 20Today, 10 AM — 17 pieces · 17 comments — Bluesky 9, Reddit 8 12–34–7
Oct 11Oct 12Oct 13Oct 14Oct 15yesterdaynow · 12:38 PM ET
  1. 7

    Analysts say Russia gains most as Europe keeps buying its gas

    Coverage noted Russia stands to benefit most from the waiver, India's oil imports also get relief from tariffs, and European countries continue purchasing Russian gas despite the broader sanctions push.

    1. 1 outlet Trump eases Russia oil sanctions, but is Europe still buying Moscow’s gas?

      first by Al Jazeera, 5h ago

    2. 1 outlet Trump’s Russia sanctions waiver: Relief for India’s oil imports, but US still wields the stick

      first by Indian Express, 6h ago

    • maks23.bsky.social

      🇺🇦🇺🇸 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.

      maks23.bsky.socialBluesky5h ago181▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 65 posts in this stretch

    • 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…

      LeoVonMooter/worldnews1h agoview on r/worldnews ↗
    • fuzztech@infosec.exchange

      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

      fuzztech@infosec.exchangeMastodon5h agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  2. 6

    Russia hails the waiver as 'historic'

    Russian officials welcomed Trump's move as a historic reprieve, while Ukraine expressed concern that Washington was tilting toward Moscow in the war.

    • 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.

      nogbad666.bsky.socialBluesky6h ago8▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 7 posts in this stretch
    • xenotar@mastodon.social

      Trump waives ‘bone-crushing’ Russia sanctions https:// rt-english.com/news/647324-tru mp-waives-graham-sanctions-russia/

      xenotar@mastodon.socialMastodon6h agoview on Mastodon ↗

    • Canada is the bad player, nasty people…thank god I’m Canadian.

      jd1973.bsky.socialBluesky5h ago2▲view on Bluesky ↗
    all of them →
  3. 5

    Zelensky says the waiver rewards Putin and urges Congress to act

    Ukraine's President Zelenskyy criticized the decision as helping Russia disrupt Ukraine's energy supply before winter and urged supporters to defend the sanctions despite Trump's waiver.

    1. 2 outlets Zelenskyy urges support for new US sanctions on Russia after Trump puts them on hold

      first by Independent UK, 6h ago · also Philadelphia Inquirer

    2. 2 outlets Trump Suspends New Russia Sanctions as Tensions With Ukraine Deepen

      first by 790 KABC, 1d ago · also News Talk 105.9 WMAL-FM

    2 more claims →
    • youranoncentral.bsky.social

      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.

      youranoncentral.bsky.socialBluesky6h ago669▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 7 posts in this stretch
    • TCatInReality@mastodon.social

      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…

      TCatInReality@mastodon.socialMastodon6h agoview on Mastodon ↗

    • and congress is ok with it, so whatever. america is done until you remove every single person in the building

      shadowops.bsky.socialBluesky6h ago2▲view on Bluesky ↗
    all of them →
  4. 4

    Analysis finds nearly every substantive sanction waived

    A detailed provision-by-provision breakdown of the executive order concluded Trump had waived essentially all parts of the Graham Act that would have had real effect.

    “Spoiler: All the ones that did anything.”
    — explaintrade.com / Dmitri Opines
    • explaintrade.com

      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.

      explaintrade.comBluesky7h ago1.6k▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 117 posts in this stretch

    • 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.”

      @RpsAgainstTrumpX9h ago1.3k▲view on X ↗
    • randahl@mastodon.social

      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

      randahl@mastodon.socialMastodon9h ago33▲view on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  5. 3

    Lawmakers call the waiver illegal and a betrayal of Ukraine

    Members of Congress, including Rep. Don Beyer and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, said the order defied Congress's intent and sided with Russia; Blumenthal said Trump sided with a "bloodthirsty thug."

    “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.”
    — Rep. Don Beyer
    • maddow.bsky.social

      huh. what could this posssssssssibly mean. the US media willful professed ignorance on this stuff is increasingly embarrassing.

      maddow.bsky.socialBluesky12h ago4.5k▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 368 posts in this stretch

    • 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

      @RepDonBeyerX14h ago1.8k▲view on X ↗
    • Nonilex@masto.ai

      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…

      Nonilex@masto.aiMastodon14h ago59▲view on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  6. 2

    Trump signs order waiving Graham Act sanctions and tariffs

    Two days before they were to take effect, Trump issued an executive order suspending 500% tariffs on Russian goods and 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian energy, along with the Graham Act's sanctions, saying a waiver served the U.S. national interest.

    “I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties [on Russia] provided for in the Graham Act.”
    — Donald Trump (executive order)
    1. 17 outlets Trump puts new Russia sanctions on hold

      first by Mastodon, 14h ago · also NY Post, FT, Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer, Associated Press, HuffPost +10

      12 more headlines
    2. 10 outlets Trump Waives New Russia Sanctions, Citing National Interest

      first by Associated Press, 1d ago · also American Greatness, GB News, Bloomberg, Times of India, Al-Monitor, Straits Times +3

      7 more headlines
    7 more claims →
    • kylegriffin1.bsky.social

      BREAKING: WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold, saying a waiver is in the US national interest.

      kylegriffin1.bsky.socialBluesky14h ago3.5k▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 31 posts in this stretch

    • BREAKING: President Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold, saying a waiver is in the U.S. national interest.

      @APX14h ago3.1k▲view on X ↗
    • kevinrothrock@infosec.exchange

      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

      kevinrothrock@infosec.exchangeMastodon14h ago13▲view on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  7. 4 days quiet
  8. 1

    Trump reopens Russian diesel trade ahead of the deadline

    Before the Graham Act sanctions were due to bite, Trump's administration reopened Russian diesel trade and pressed Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian refineries; Adam Kinzinger accused him of bypassing a 2022 law requiring congressional consultation.

    “Trump just threw a massive lifeline to Vladimir Putin. And to do it, he’s breaking the law.”
    — Adam Kinzinger
    1. 10 outlets Trump waives Russian sanctions as US-Ukraine relationship frays

      first by Evening Standard, 9h ago · also Hindustan Times, RFE/RL, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Bangkok Post, France 24 EN, Channel News Asia +3

      4 more headlines

    • 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.

      @AdamKinzingerX4d ago6.8k▲view on X ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 8 posts in this stretch
    • robertscotthorton.bsky.social

      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.

      robertscotthorton.bsky.socialBluesky5d ago214▲view on Bluesky ↗

    • 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.

      ruthdeyermond.bsky.socialBluesky7d ago87▲view on Bluesky ↗
    all of them →
  9. background

    Trump signs the Lindsey Graham Act into law — Trump signed the Graham Bill, which imposed new sanctions and tariffs on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, set to take effect on October 18.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 4 outlets Trump waives Russia-related sanctions before they even kick in as Ukraine ties worsen

    first by Mastodon, 14h ago · also Kyiv Independent, CNN, KIFI-TV

    1 more headline
  2. 3 outlets Trump waives sanctions on Russia bill, that gave power to impose 100% tariff on India

    first by Indian Express, 14h ago · also CBS News, Times of India

    3 more headlines
  3. 2 outlets Exclusive: Watchdog lists ships carrying Russian gas, blasts Trump sanctions waiver

    first by Mastodon, 10h ago · also Kyiv Independent

  4. 2 outlets Trump Waives New Russia Sanctions One Week After Diesel Deal

    first by Newsweek, 13h ago · also NBC News

    1 more headline
  5. 2 outlets Implementing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026

    first by Mastodon, 16h ago · also The White House

and 2 smaller pieces

What people are saying 13 voices from 4 sites · best of 603 · verbatim

Still unanswered
  • Can Congress or the courts reverse the waiver before the sanctions were due to take effect?
  • What leverage, if any, does Putin hold over Trump to explain repeated concessions?