US President Donald Trump has put key provisions of a sweeping new law targeting Russia and countries that continue buying its oil and gas on hold, saying the waiver is in the national interest of the United States while retaining the authority to reinstate the measures, according to an executive order issued on Saturday.
The move pauses the application of specified sanctions, restrictions and tariffs under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which Trump signed into law on September 18. The legislation expands Washington's powers to penalise Moscow and certain countries that continue trading in Russian energy or help circumvent existing sanctions.
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In the order, titled Implementing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, Trump said he had submitted a certification to Congress stating that the waiver was in the US national interest, along with a report explaining the basis for his decision.
“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,” Trump said.
The decision comes amid scrutiny of the administration's approach to Russian energy exports and its efforts to address elevated fuel prices. It also marks a shift from Trump's decision to sign the legislation, which had bipartisan support in Congress and was intended to increase economic pressure on Russia over its war against Ukraine.
The White House did not immediately explain how suspending the measures served the national interest, the Associated Press reported.
Trump waives tariffs and specified sanctions under Graham Act
The executive order waives duties provided for under Sections 112 and 113 of the Graham Act, as well as duties specified in the order itself. These provisions concern tariffs on Russian goods and goods from countries linked to Russian energy purchases or the circumvention of sanctions.
The law provides for duties of up to 500% on goods imported from Russia and duties of up to 100% on goods from certain countries that meet specified criteria involving purchases of Russian-origin crude oil and natural gas or the facilitation of Russian oil sanctions evasion.
The order sets out the tariff provisions but makes their application subject to statutory exceptions and the waivers specified in the order.
Trump has also waived specified sanctions provisions and restrictions under Sections 102(a), 102(e), 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111 and 117 of the legislation, along with provisions under Section 102(d) concerning foreign persons and restrictions on persons.
The waivers will remain in effect until Trump or, where authorised under the order, the Secretary of State determines that further action is appropriate.
The order does not, however, lift all existing US sanctions against Russia. Trump explicitly stated that the waiver concerning Section 102(d) would not affect sanctions and other measures imposed under earlier executive orders addressing specified harmful foreign activities by the Russian government. Measures against persons designated under those orders remain unaffected.
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US to monitor Russian energy purchases, retain option to act
Alongside the waivers, Trump has directed the US Trade Representative to monitor countries' purchases of Russian-origin crude oil and natural gas, as well as activities involving the evasion of Russian oil sanctions.
The Trade Representative will work with the secretaries of State, Treasury and Energy, along with other appropriate senior officials, to monitor developments and report to the President. Officials must inform Trump of circumstances that could warrant further action, including changes to the waivers.
The order also outlines tariff provisions targeting countries among the five largest importers of Russian-origin crude oil and natural gas that knowingly make new purchases of such supplies on or after October 18, 2026. A separate provision covers the five largest facilitators of Russian oil sanctions evasion. The specified duties remain subject to the exceptions and waivers set out in the order.
The monitoring requirements and retained authority to revisit the waivers leave the administration room to change course as it assesses international purchases of Russian energy and attempts to circumvent sanctions.
The order delegates various powers under the legislation to the secretaries of State, Treasury and Energy and to the US Trade Representative, with consultation requirements varying according to the relevant provision.
Move follows Trump's announced diesel deal with Putin
The decision comes a week after Trump announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin under which Russia would supply diesel to help bring down global energy prices.
Trump said Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel, followed by another 500,000 tonnes in November and 1 million tonnes “immediately thereafter”. Russia would deliver a further 3 million tonnes “within a short period of time”, he said.
The proposed deal drew criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, who argued that purchases of Russian fuel could help finance Moscow's war against Ukraine without materially reducing global fuel prices. AP reported that energy prices had been elevated largely because of Trump's war on Iran.
The sanctions legislation had been championed by the late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who died in July and had advocated tougher economic measures to pressure Russia to end the war. Congress moved the legislation forward with bipartisan support after his death, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also urging lawmakers to act.
Trump signed the measure last month but has now waived key provisions of the law. His latest move also comes as he has increasingly criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, blaming him for failing to reach a deal with Putin to end the fighting.
The legislation has also become a campaign issue in South Carolina. Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham's sister, was appointed to serve out the remainder of his Senate term and is now running to retain the seat. In a debate earlier this week, she defended the legislation while acknowledging that Trump had discretion over how to implement it.
“It gives the president tools that he can use if he so chooses, to end the war through economic sanctions,” Graham said 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.”