Trump Signs Russia Sanctions Bill Giving President Tariff Authority Over Big Buyers
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday signed legislation expanding U.S. sanctions against Russia and Iran and giving him the power to impose tariffs as high as 100% on countries that are among the largest buyers of Russian oil and natural gas.
On Friday, 18 September, Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which had been passed by both houses of Congress on a bipartisan vote. The Senate approved it 86-11 in August, and the House voted 262-159 on Sept. 17.
The law authorizes sanctions against Russian officials, financial institutions, and energy and defense interests and the country’s so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers used to move oil outside existing sanctions regimes. It also broadens the legal basis for sanctions against individuals and entities that assist Russia in evading U.S. sanctions.
One of the law’s most sweeping provisions would give Trump the authority to slap tariffs of up to 100 percent on imports from countries that are among Russia’s biggest customers for oil or natural gas. The law does not automatically trigger the tariffs; the administration would use them at its discretion.
The law should pay special attention to China and India, two major buyers of Russian crude. The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air said that in the period between December 2022 and the end of August 2026, 50% of Russia’s crude oil exports went to China, and India bought 37%. Turkey and the European Union accounted for about 5% each.
The legislation broadens existing U.S. sanctions on Iran, including the country’s energy and weapons sectors. The law “authorizes and expands statutory sanctions, tariffs and prohibitions on Russia and extends existing sanctions on Iran,” the White House said.
The legislation was named for Sen. Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who had spent more than a year advocating for tougher measures against Russia. Graham died July 11 at age 71, just after coming back from a trip to Ukraine. Initial findings from the medical examiner's report indicated an aortic dissection in association with arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy backed the legislation and celebrated its passage. He has repeatedly called for continued economic pressure on Moscow as Russia’s war against Ukraine continues.
The new law comes at a time when the United States faces a potentially more complex relationship with countries that continue to buy Russian energy. How much impact it has will depend in part on how the Trump administration uses the new tariff authority it has been given and how affected governments and energy markets respond.
