Trump Waives Graham Act Russia Sanctions Two Days Before They Take Effect

On Friday night, October 16, 2026, President Donald Trump signed an executive order waiving the sanctions, restrictions and duties provided for under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, the "Graham Act," just two days before the measures were set to take effect on Sunday, October 18, according to Axios. The order states: "I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions and duties provided for in the Graham Act... I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver at this time is in the national interests of the United States." Neither Axios nor the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, which carried the New York Times report, describes the rationale the administration submitted to Congress. The Graham Act, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who died in July 2026 after more than a year building support for the measure, would have imposed tariffs of up to 100 percent on goods from major importers of Russian crude oil or gas, tariffs of up to 500 percent on all Russian imports to the United States, and measures targeting Russia's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers and its banking system.

What happened

The executive order waives specified provisions under Sections 102 through 117 of the law. Trump directed the U.S. Trade Representative to monitor ongoing purchases of Russian energy and to report circumstances indicating that further action may be needed. Future tariff provisions would still apply to countries knowingly making new purchases of Russian crude or gas on or after October 18, 2026, according to the reporting.

The waiver follows by one week a separate Trump administration move easing pressure on Moscow: the Treasury Department temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian diesel exports, issuing a general license that allows Russian energy producers to sell diesel internationally until April. The Treasury action was described as intended "to allow the supply of Russian diesel to the global market." This week, a bipartisan group of senators urged Trump to reverse that diesel waiver before the Graham Act waiver was signed.

Congressional reaction to the new waiver was sharply critical, particularly among Democrats. Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., said: "Trump's latest surrender to Putin again betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent of legislation designed to punish Russia for its illegal war of aggression." Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said: "These waivers have nothing to do with our national security, & everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin." Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., ranking member on the Banking Committee, called the move an "abject failure" of leadership and said Trump is "thumbing his nose at Congress' direction."

Why it matters

The Graham Act was the product of more than a year of bipartisan congressional work, and its provisions were scheduled to take effect within a month of the president signing it into law. The waiver removes, at least for now, the threat of up to 500 percent tariffs on Russian imports and up to 100 percent tariffs on countries buying Russian energy, the principal levers Congress built to pressure Moscow over the war in Ukraine.

Per Axios, Trump is easing pressure on Russia amid frustration that Ukraine's attacks on Russian refineries are pushing up world oil prices and U.S. gasoline costs weeks before midterm elections that could cost Republicans control of Congress. The waiver also avoids fresh secondary-sanctions pressure on China and India, the major buyers of Russian oil. Moscow welcomed the move: Putin's economic representative called it a "historical moment," according to Apollo News as cited in the reporting.

Sanctions experts see continuity rather than collapse in the enforcement regime. Daniel Tannebaum, a partner at Oliver Wyman, said: "The underlying sanctions architecture remains in place, and no one wants to be caught holding the risk when the waiver is pulled. I'm not sure what positive impact to the American economy will be derived in reality."

How it is being covered

According to ground.news, the story is carried by 738 sources, split 33 percent left, 41 percent center and 26 percent right, with 157 of 316 factuality-rated outlets rated high and 104 rated very high. A blindspot check on the right returned unrelated stories, so the lower right share is flagged as a distribution note rather than a blindspot. Coverage across the spectrum centers on the same core facts: the timing of the waiver, the text of the executive order and the congressional reaction.

What to watch

• Whether the administration discloses the national-interest certification it submitted to Congress, which neither outlet reports in detail.
• Whether the bipartisan senators who opposed the diesel waiver extend their pressure to the Graham Act waiver, and whether any legislation moves to force the sanctions into effect.
• Whether the U.S. Trade Representative's monitoring of Russian energy purchases produces further action, given that future tariff provisions still apply to new purchases of Russian crude or gas on or after October 18, 2026.
• Whether the diesel general license, set to run until April, is extended, amended or revoked.
• The effect on gasoline prices and on secondary-sanctions exposure for China and India ahead of the midterm elections.

By the numbers