Trump signs Russia sanctions bill championed by Graham

President Donald Trump signed a bill aimed at sanctioning Russia on Friday, a measure spearheaded by the late Republican senator Lindsey Graham. The legislation, officially titled the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, has garnered bipartisan support in the House and was approved by the Senate in August. However, some Democrats were apprehensive about the extent of the president's tariff powers granted by the law.

The act empowers Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top five importers of Russian oil and natural gas, as well as sanctioning various Russian officials, oligarchs, financial institutions, and the Russian President himself, Vladimir Putin. The most significant impact of the bill will be felt by China and India, the biggest buyers of Russian crude oil.

The White House anticipates Trump to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on September 24. The bill also broadens sanctions on Iran's energy and weapons sectors. The global oil shortage sparked by the U.S. conflict with Iran initially presented an opportunity for Russia. Shortly before his untimely death in July, Graham supported the passage of this sanctioning bill.

Graham, who was on a trip to Ukraine at the time of his passing, was 71 years old. Trump delivered the eulogy at Graham's funeral. The war in Ukraine remains unresolved, with no clear end in sight. Recently, Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and special envoy Steve Witkoff, traveled to Moscow to meet with Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump expressed his frustration with the ongoing war, attributing it primarily to the longstanding animosity between the two leaders.