Trump waives Graham Act Russia sanctions and tariffs before they take effect (update, Oct. 16-17, 2026)

Case

Late on Oct. 16, 2026, Trump signed an order using the "national interests" waiver in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which he signed in September, to block its new sanctions and tariffs on Russia and large buyers of Russian energy before they took effect. Ukraine's president and Democratic lawmakers criticized the move, and at least one Republican House member did too; the administration's stated reason is that the waiver is in the U.S. national interest, and the White House had not publicly detailed its justification. This follows the Oct. 9 diesel deal and Treasury license already covered in a published entry.

What happened (Oct. 16-17, 2026)
Late on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, Trump signed an executive order putting on hold the new Russia sanctions package passed by Congress, and told Congress the pause was in the national interest.
He used a waiver provision in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which he signed in September 2026; the law lets the president waive sanctions provisions if he certifies to Congress that doing so is in the national interests of the United States.
The waivers cover tariffs of up to 100% on the largest buyers of Russian oil and gas (mainly China, India and Turkey), 500% tariffs on Russian goods, and other sanctions; the 100% tariffs had been due to start on Sunday, Oct. 18.
CBS reports the waivers stay in place until officials determine further action is appropriate, and RFE/RL reports they have no expiration date.
RFE/RL, citing sources, reported the administration missed an Oct. 8 deadline for a written justification tied to the tariff provisions; the law requires a report explaining the basis for the certification, and the White House had not publicly detailed its substantive reasoning.
CBS reports Trump is seeking to ease energy prices, which remain high after the Iran war, and argues the war in Ukraine has pushed them up.

Context and reaction
The waiver came a week after Trump announced a diesel supply deal with Russia and Treasury eased sanctions on Russian diesel; a bipartisan group of senators had urged him to reverse the diesel plan.
The sanctions bill passed the House and Senate by large bipartisan majorities after Graham's death in July.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the decision unfortunate and warned of a 'sanctions blackout'; RFE/RL also reports he called it a gift to Putin.
Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's envoy, called the suspension an important and historic moment.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a co-author of the bill, and Rep. Don Beyer criticized the waiver; Axios reports Blumenthal urged Republicans to join the condemnation.
Rep. Don Bacon (R) said, per RFE/RL, that the president is prolonging the war rather than ending it.
Axios notes the waiver spares China and India new pressure.

Perspectives

Official position — Trump and the White House
The waiver is a lawful use of authority Congress wrote into the Graham Act, and Trump certified to Congress that it is in the national interests of the United States. In the administration's framing, as reported, the aim is to ease high energy prices and keep leverage to end the war through economic tools, which the law's sponsors acknowledged it gives the president. The White House had not publicly explained further as of Oct. 17.

Critic — Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Rep. Don Beyer, Rep. Don Bacon, Zelenskyy
The waiver gives Russia and its biggest oil buyers relief at the moment pressure was due to begin. Blumenthal called it a "craven, cowardly action"; Beyer called it Trump's latest surrender to Putin; Bacon said it prolongs the war; Zelenskyy said the Graham Act could have helped enormously and warned of a sanctions blackout.

Expert view — Max Meizlish, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
As summarized by RFE/RL, the administration's justification to Congress is now a central question, since the law requires a report explaining the basis for the national-interest certification.

Note
The administration says the waiver is in the national interest (including lower energy prices); critics say it spares Russia and its biggest oil buyers, and the White House had not publicly detailed its justification as of Oct. 17.

Sources
[1] Associated Press (via ABC News) — Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold (https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/trump-puts-new-russia-sanctions-passed-congress-hold-137339735) · 2026-10-17
[2] CBS News — Trump waives tariffs on largest buyers of Russian oil (https://cbsnews.com/news/trump-waives-sanctions-tariffs-russian-oil-lindsey-graham) · 2026-10-17
[3] Axios — Trump waives new Russia sanctions in the "national interests" (https://www.axios.com/2026/10/17/trump-russia-sanctions) · 2026-10-17
[4] RFE/RL — Trump waives Graham Act sanctions on Russia before they take effect (https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-waives-graham-act-sanctions-on-russia/33878335.html) · 2026-10-17

Connections

Cause and effect — Russian diesel sanctions waiver and the Trump–Putin diesel deal (Oct. 2026)
Follow-on to the Oct. 9 diesel deal and Treasury license; the Oct. 16 waiver extends sanctions relief to the Graham Act package.

Same context — Zelenskyy says he feels betrayed by Trump as Ukraine resumes refinery strikes and Russia launches 850+ drones (update, Oct. 15, 2026)
Both concern the deteriorating U.S.-Ukraine relationship and Russia sanctions relief in mid-Oct. 2026.