Trump Pauses Sweeping Russia Sanctions Package Two Days Before Implementation Deadline
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday halting a major sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, citing national interest just two days before the measures were set to take effect.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday placing a sweeping sanctions package targeting the Russian economy on hold. The White House justified the pause as being in the U.S. national interest, though no immediate detailed rationale was provided. The executive order was issued just two days before the deadline set in the law for the sanctions' implementation.
The legislation, named after late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, sought to clamp down on financial resources fueling Russia's war against Ukraine. Trump personally signed the bill into law in September, one month prior to issuing the executive order to pause it. The sanctions bill included provisions to impose up to 100% tariffs on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas. It also targeted Russian officials, banks, and a "shadow fleet" of tankers used to circumvent existing embargoes. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) co-drafted the bill alongside the Graham legacy initiative.
The pause comes one week after Trump announced an agreement to purchase diesel from Russia intended to lower global energy prices. Under the deal, Russia agreed to supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, followed by additional shipments totaling millions of tons.
The move has intensified diplomatic tensions between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with disputes arising regarding military support and Starlink internet speeds. Congressional Democrats and some Republicans criticized the pause as capitulation to Moscow. Democratic Rep. Don Beyer called on Congress to fix the law to prevent Trump from capitulating to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Senator Darline Graham, appointed to serve out her brother Lindsey Graham's term, stated that implementing sanctions is the president's purview. The White House did not immediately provide further explanation for the decision.