President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Oct. 16 waiving the tariff and sanctions provisions of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 — two days before they were due to take effect on Oct. 18. The law, signed Sept. 18 and named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, would have imposed duties of up to 500% on Russian goods and 100% on the top five importers of Russian oil and gas (including India and China) plus facilitators of sanctions evasion. Trump invoked the law’s Section 115 national-interest waiver, telling Congress the pause serves U.S. interests.
On Oct. 17, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump wants a 60-day period to analyze what imposing both sanctions and tariffs would mean for the global and U.S. economies, according to Reuters. The backdrop: diesel at $6.18 per gallon, Brent crude above $100, and midterm elections three weeks away on Nov. 3. The waiver avoids an immediate tariff clash with India, China and Turkey — which together account for the large majority of Russia’s energy trade.
What was waived — and what wasn’t
The order suspends the 500% duty on Russian-origin goods, the 100% secondary tariffs on major energy buyers, and statutory sanctions on Putin, senior officials, defense and banking institutions, and Russia’s “shadow fleet.” Crucially, it does NOT lift sanctions imposed under earlier executive orders — those remain in force, and everyone designated under them stays designated. The U.S. Trade Representative will monitor Russian energy purchases and sanctions evasion, reporting back on whether waivers should change.
Can it come back?
Yes — without new legislation. The provisions were waived, not repealed; the President or Secretary of State can end the suspension if further action is deemed appropriate. Congress’s route is narrower than it appears: the waiver requires only a national-interest certification, not congressional consent. Two dates matter: the Nov. 3 midterms, and the Act’s Sept. 18, 2031 sunset. The tariffs sit in law, unapplied, waiting.
