Trump may get a big, new tariff authority
A legal cat-and-mouse game has played out over whether the president can use various obscure, untested provisions to impose tariffs. Now, Congress appears on track to give him a big, new — and explicit — tariff authority. Why it matters: A bill on Russia sanctions, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham , has received overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate and would allow President Trump…
The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 has gained strong bipartisan support in the Senate and would provide President Trump and future administrations with explicit tariff authority. The bill allows the U.S. trade representative to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major importers of Russian energy, including India, China, and the European Union.
While the administration has previously relied on various provisions to impose tariffs, this legislation would offer a more legally secure option to raise import taxes on major economies. The bill has passed a key procedural hurdle in the Senate and aims to strengthen sanctions on Russia and Iran, as well as impose a 500% tariff on U.S. imports from Russia.
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