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U.S. President Donald Trump issued a broad waiver of sanctions under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act on Oct. 16.
The law was the latest U.S. effort to intensify economic pressure on Russia as it continues to wage its war, granting Trump broad authority to impose or waive sanctions and tariffs under the act.
The move to issue widespread waivers within the Graham Act sparked immediate criticism.
"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," Democratic Representative Don Beyer said in a post to X.
He called for the U.S. Congress to "fix" the "flawed" law and condemned Trump for "surrendering" to Russian President Vladimir Putin by defying congressional intent of the Graham Act.
"Trump has proven he will twist this law and abuse the powers it conferred on him, and while he has let the tariff powers lie for the moment, the law as written also empowers Trump to weaponize new trade authorities against our allies and trading partners," Beyer added.
On Oct. 13, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators called on Trump to rescind his deal to buy Russian diesel, joining other colleagues in Congress who lambasted the controversial agreement.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Oct. 16 that Trump's diesel deal with Russia risks paving the way for further sanctions relief for Moscow.
"In my view, we cannot accept these agreements. Because gas deals will follow. And I am absolutely certain of this. After gas, they will lift sanctions on other things as well," he said.