Trump Waives New Russia Sanctions Days Before They Take Effect, Citing National Interest

President Donald Trump signed an executive order late on October 16, 2026, waiving most of the new sanctions, duties and trade restrictions on Russia contained in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, according to the text of the order published by the White House. The measures had been due to take effect on October 18.

The order invokes the Graham Act's requirement that the president certify to Congress in writing that a waiver serves "the national interests of the United States" before it can take effect, a certification requirement set out in Section 115(b) of the Act. The White House text states that Trump submitted such a certification along with explanatory reports, but the published order itself does not spell out the detailed reasoning; that is contained in those accompanying reports to Congress, according to the order.

What the Law Targeted

Trump signed the Graham Act into law on September 18, 2026, after it passed both chambers of Congress with large, bipartisan majorities, according to the White House order and reporting from NBC News, ABC News and The Hill. The legislation, named for the late Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who died in July 2026, was designed to squeeze the financial resources funding Russia's war in Ukraine. It targeted Russian officials, banks and the "shadow fleet" of tankers used to move Russian oil, and authorized duties of up to 500% on goods imported from Russia itself, plus duties of up to 100% on goods from the countries that are among the largest buyers of Russian oil and gas — a group that could include China and India — and on countries that help Russia evade sanctions, according to the White House order.

The order Trump signed waives Graham Act sanctions and restrictions under sections 102(a), 102(e) and 103 through 111, plus section 117, along with the related tariff provisions described above, according to the White House text. It states that existing Russia-related sanctions imposed under earlier executive orders, predating the Graham Act, remain in force. The waivers stay in effect until the president or the Secretary of State determines "further action is appropriate."

The Diesel Deal and the Timing

The waiver followed Trump's announcement around October 10 that the United States had agreed to buy Russian diesel — reported by NBC News as roughly 38 million barrels, and described by ABC News, citing the wire report, as a phased arrangement starting with more than 300,000 tons — in an effort to ease global fuel prices. NBC News reported that diesel prices have risen nearly 70% since Iran's war began in February 2026, and that Trump has pointed to Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, rather than the Iran war, as a driver of fuel costs.

Trump also said Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an energy-infrastructure truce, a claim Zelensky told British broadcaster Piers Morgan came as news to him. Ukraine initially held off on strikes but abandoned the pause on October 15, hitting a refinery in Russia's Ryazan region, about 300 km southeast of Moscow, according to an Associated Press report carried by The Hill.

Zelensky Says He Feels Betrayed

In the interview with Piers Morgan, Zelensky said he felt betrayed when asked directly about the diesel arrangement and the reported truce, replying "Really, yes, between us," per the AP report. He is also quoted saying: "It's painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side." Zelensky separately told reporters, according to the Kyiv Independent, that he worried the diesel deal "risks paving the way for further sanctions relief," warning: "After gas, they will lift sanctions on other things."

Trump, for his part, said Zelensky is "not a good guy" and that he finds him "more difficult to deal with than Putin," according to the same AP report. Zelensky also told Morgan that Ukraine had lost access to Western ballistic-missile intelligence and faced new limits on Starlink satellite terminals used by its military, calling the restrictions a serious mistake with potentially severe consequences for troops.

Reaction in Washington

The sanctions waiver drew criticism from lawmakers in both parties. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut called it a "craven, cowardly action" that had nothing to do with national security, according to NBC News. Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska said "the president is prolonging the war, not ending it." Democratic Representative Don Beyer accused Trump of "surrendering" to President Vladimir Putin and said Trump had "twist[ed]" the law to abuse the powers it granted him, per the Kyiv Independent.

ABC News, in a wire report, quoted Darline Graham — Lindsey Graham's sister, who now holds his Senate seat and is running to keep it — saying the law "gives the president tools that he can use if he so chooses, to end the war," and that its purpose was to bring down gas prices and ultimately end the war. NBC News reported that Graham had not criticized Trump's decision to pause the sanctions or his diesel deal with Russia.

What Is Known and Unknown

• Known: Trump signed the waiver order on October 16, 2026, two days before the sanctions were due to take effect, citing a national-interest certification submitted to Congress.
• Known: The order covers most new sanctions and tariff provisions in the Graham Act but leaves earlier Russia sanctions from prior executive orders in place.
• Known: Zelensky has publicly said he feels betrayed by the diesel arrangement and reported energy truce.
• Unknown: The detailed justification in the national-interest report Trump submitted to Congress has not been published in full in the sources reviewed.
• Unknown: Whether or when the waived sanctions might be reinstated, since the order says they remain lifted until the president or Secretary of State decides otherwise.