Republican Lawmakers Slam Trump's Waiver of Graham Act Russia Sanctions; White House Says Enforcing Them Would Impede Russia-Ukraine Peace Efforts
WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers on Saturday blasted President Donald Trump's executive order waiving most of the new sanctions, restrictions and duties in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, according to Newsmax. The White House said enforcing the sanctions "would impede ongoing U.S. efforts to negotiate a durable and comprehensive peace agreement" between Russia and Ukraine, Axios reported. The act — named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, its primary backer in Congress — passed the Senate 86-11 on August 7, weeks after Graham died in July at 71, and Trump signed it on September 18. Its central penalties were due to take effect on October 18, including tariffs of up to 100% on goods from the five largest buyers of Russian crude oil and natural gas. In the order, Trump certified to Congress that issuing the waiver "is in the national interests of the United States." Sanctions imposed under earlier executive orders remain in place.
Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina was blunt: "What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisors not understand?" he wrote, calling the move capitulation "to a Russian dictator." "Lindsey would be appalled," Sen. John Cornyn of Texas posted. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska wrote, "The President is prolonging the war, not ending it." Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas pointed to Russian attacks that followed earlier U.S. overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin: "Time and again, we have seen how Putin responds to American concessions: with contempt for the United States and increased violence against innocent Ukrainians."
Not every Republican objected. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, one of seven House Republicans who voted against the bill, praised Trump for using "the executive authority granted to him by Congress to waive almost all of the provisions of this stupid law that pertain to Russia." Democrats, including the law's co-author, Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, also condemned the waiver.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: GSM 行政令统一模板（美国总统行政令）
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