Trump signs sweeping Russia sanctions bill, aiming to choke off funds for Moscow in Ukraine war

President Donald Trump signed into law a comprehensive sanctions bill on Friday, aiming to economically cripple Moscow following its ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This final piece of legislation for late Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of the president, emerged after more than a year of deliberations. The bill, co-authored by Senator Richard Blumenthal, received substantial bipartisan backing with 86 votes in the Senate and 262 in the House.

The sanctions target Russian officials, banks, and a network of tankers facilitating the country's energy trade. Additionally, the bill empowers the president to impose up to 100% tariffs on the five largest importers of Russian oil or natural gas, with exceptions for countries importing less than 15% of Russia's natural gas exports and demonstrating significant reductions in those imports.

While the bill garnered widespread support on Capitol Hill, it faced scrutiny from certain Democratic lawmakers who raised concerns over potential abuses of the president's expanded tariff authority. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries questioned the wisdom of granting Trump unchecked power to levy additional tariffs on the EU and other nations, emphasizing the adverse economic impact on American citizens.