Trump Waives Russia Sanctions as Fuel Costs Bite

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday waiving Russia-related sanctions and tariffs just days before they were due to take effect. He cited U.S. national interests and a fuel market already strained by global shortages.

The measures covered duties on Russian goods and penalties for buying Russian oil and gas. They stemmed from the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which Trump signed in mid-September. Now, he’s set the central provisions aside.

The Waiver

"I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver at this time is in the national interests of the United States," Trump wrote. He added: "I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act." The order stays in effect until he or his top officials determine that "further action is appropriate."

The move fits squarely within the statute. The law lets the president waive sanctions by informing Congress that he has determined they aren’t in the national interest. Trump did exactly that.

The law’s potential reach was significant. It called for tariffs of up to 100% within 30 days on goods imported from the five largest buyers of Russian crude oil or gas, and on countries that knowingly bought Russian oil or gas 30 days after enactment or ranked among the top five countries helping Russia evade sanctions. The bill’s primary congressional backer was the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, who championed it before his unexpected death in July. The House passed it with a majority of Republicans and 58 Democrats.

The Fuel Price Squeeze

The timing tracks with pressure at the pump. Trump struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow Russian diesel sales to the United States and world markets amid global fuel shortages, aiming to lower U.S. fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections. Reports said the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran had contributed to higher fuel costs, while analysts warned the sanctions could have pushed oil prices higher still.

Experts primarily attributed soaring fuel prices to Trump’s war against Iran, making them a liability for Republicans seeking to keep control of Congress. Trump also blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries for rising U.S. fuel prices.

China and India, among the biggest buyers of Russian oil, raised concerns, adding a foreign-relations cost to the decision. Beijing said it "consistently opposed long-arm jurisdiction that lacks a basis in international law," while India warned Washington that new tariffs could affect bilateral ties.

Bipartisan Pushback

Critics on both sides of the aisle weren’t quiet. A bipartisan group of 12 senators, including six Republicans, wrote to Trump on October 13, calling the diesel deal "a betrayal" to U.S. allies and urging him to enforce the Graham Act. "These authorities require you to apply economic pressure on Russia and the chief enablers of its war, in particular China, and thereby enhance your negotiating position to bring a swift end to this ruinous conflict," they wrote.

Five Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in a Thursday letter urging the administration to revoke the license and "not issue further general licenses that reopen Russian energy transactions and restore revenue to the Kremlin's war chest."

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, called the decision "beyond irresponsible" in a social media post. "It's unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine and butchers innocent civilians every single day," he said.

Rep. Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat, said Trump was giving in to Putin and defying "clear congressional intent." Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Massachusetts, said the episode shows how critical it is for Congress to make its will known and then work that will.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the waiver "simply wrong" and said it "only helps the Russians" while speaking to reporters October 17. He defended Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries as a way to pressure the economy financing Putin's nearly five-year war. Trump had publicly criticized Zelenskyy and suggested Kyiv needed a new leader.

Why This Matters:

The episode puts two real priorities in tension: keeping energy affordable for American households and businesses, and keeping economic pressure on an adversary. Fuel prices ripple through freight, farming and family budgets, while tariffs of up to 100% on major oil buyers could have pushed costs higher at a fragile moment.

The waiver appears in the statute, yet it still raises a hard question for Congress about how much leverage it truly gave away. Lawmakers passed the law with bipartisan majorities, and now its main tool sits shelved by its own signer. Whether Congress responds, and whether the waiver proves temporary, will shape both energy markets and the administration's credibility with allies. From a market-minded view, the underlying fuel shortage remains a problem no waiver fully solves.