Trump Pauses New Russia Sanctions Weeks After Signing Them Into Law/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ President Donald Trump suspended a new Russia sanctions package Friday, citing the national interest just weeks after signing it into law. The decision came two days before its implementation deadline and followed his announcement of a Russian diesel agreement. Democrats condemned the pause, arguing it undermined bipartisan efforts to restrict funding for Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
Quick Look
- Sanctions paused: Trump signed an executive order putting the recently enacted package on hold.
- Deadline approaching: The decision came two days before the law’s implementation deadline.
- Explanation pending publicly: The White House said a report was submitted to Congress but did not immediately explain its reasoning.
- Targets included: The legislation addressed Russian officials, banks, energy shipments and major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
- Bipartisan origins: The law was named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham and co-written by Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
- Diesel controversy: The pause followed a U.S.-Russia fuel agreement criticized by members of both parties.
Deep Look
Trump Suspends Russia Sanctions Shortly Before Implementation Deadline
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday putting a sweeping new Russia sanctions package on hold, telling Congress the suspension served the national interest.
The decision came just weeks after Trump signed the legislation and two days before the deadline it established for implementation.
The measure was intended to restrict financial resources supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine. Its suspension drew sharp criticism from congressional Democrats and followed Trump’s announcement a week earlier that the United States had agreed to purchase Russian diesel.
The White House posted the decision late Friday and said a report explaining it had been submitted to Congress. It did not immediately provide a public explanation of how the pause advanced the national interest.
Legislation Honored Lindsey Graham’s Push for Tougher Measures
The sanctions law was named after the late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a longtime Trump ally who advocated stronger economic pressure on Moscow.
Graham died unexpectedly in July after returning from Ukraine.
His colleagues rallied behind the legislation following his death, approving it with large bipartisan majorities before Trump signed it last month.
The package, also drafted by Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, sought to reduce the resources available to Russian President Vladimir Putin to continue the invasion of Ukraine.
Its targets included Russian officials, banks and the shadow fleet of tankers used to transport Russian energy.
Package Included Tariffs on Major Russian Energy Buyers
The law also directed Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest importers of Russian oil or natural gas.
It included an exception for countries buying less than 15% of Russia’s natural gas exports that had taken significant steps to reduce those purchases.
The approach sought to pressure Moscow both directly and through countries continuing to purchase its energy.
Blumenthal Accuses Trump of Abandoning Allies and Congress
Blumenthal condemned the suspension, saying Trump was turning his back on “the majority of Americans, their representatives in both houses of Congress, and our European allies.”
“These waivers have nothing to do with our national security, and everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin,” Blumenthal said.
Democratic Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia, who had criticized the legislation during debate, said he and others had “warned” that Trump might suspend its provisions.
Beyer called on Congress to “fix this flawed law to stop Trump from capitulating to Putin and ensure that it truly supports Ukraine.”
Decision Follows Trump’s Russian Diesel Agreement
Trump announced last week that Russia would supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, followed by 500,000 tons in November and another 1 million tons “immediately thereafter.”
He presented the arrangement as an effort to lower global energy prices.
Republicans and Democrats have criticized the agreement, warning that it could provide Moscow with revenue to continue its war while doing little to reduce fuel costs.
Energy prices have remained elevated largely because of the U.S. war with Iran.
The sanctions suspension also comes amid increasingly strained relations between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump has criticized Zelenskyy for failing to reach an agreement with Putin to end the fighting.
High Prices Add Political Pressure Before Midterms
The decision arrives as Republicans attempt to retain control of both congressional chambers in the Nov. 3 elections.
An AP-NORC poll published Oct. 1 found that Americans disapproved of Trump’s handling of the Iran war and blamed him for higher prices.
His weakened approval ratings have increased pressure on the administration to address fuel costs and broader affordability concerns.
The administration had said little publicly about the sanctions package after its passage, which followed appeals from Zelenskyy for lawmakers to act.
Sanctions Became Part of Darline Graham’s Campaign
The legislation has also featured prominently in the campaign of Sen. Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham's sister.
She was appointed to complete the remaining months of his current term and is running to hold the seat. Trump has endorsed her, and the two are expected to campaign together in South Carolina next week.
After Trump signed the bill, she said: “I wish Lindsey were here to celebrate this historic day.”
During a debate this week against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, Graham said she had been “so proud” to help secure its passage.
She also emphasized that the president could decide how to use the legislation.
“It gives the president tools that he can use if he so chooses, to end the war through economic sanctions,” Graham said Sunday during a debate in Columbia. “So that’s up to him as to whether or not he wants to use it, or whether he wants to use something else, but I think the purpose of it is to bring down the gas prices and ultimately end the war. And when the war ends, gas prices will fall.”
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