President Trump is halting implementation of most of the sanctions that were to be imposed on Russia under a bipartisan bill he signed last month, drawing criticism from lawmakers including some of his allies.
The announcement came in an executive order on Friday night, and was part of a broader pivot by Trump toward courting Moscow as he seeks to end the war in Ukraine and keep energy prices under control ahead of the midterm elections.
The law, which was championed by and named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), targets certain Russian officials and institutions and allows for tariffs of up to 100% on countries that import Russian oil.
In the executive order, Trump stated that waiving implementation of most aspects of the law was "in the national interests of the United States." The law allows the president to waive the application of sanctions if he tells Congress in writing that it is in the national interest, and submits a report explaining his basis for doing so. Trump's executive order said he had submitted such a certification but didn't detail why the waiver is in the national interest.
The decision follows Trump's surprise announcement to buy Russian diesel fuel after striking a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin and comes as he continues to pressure Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, to end the war that started when Russia invaded.
"A U.S. sanctions blackout, easing pressure on the aggressor, financial rewards for Putin -- all of this only encourages him to keep attacking," Zelensky wrote on social media Saturday morning.
Zelensky later shared a series of photos of himself with Graham on social media, along with the message: "Thank you for everything Lindsey!"
Graham's sister, Sen. Darline Graham (R., S.C.), said she disagreed with the pause in sanctions and planned to talk to Trump when he visits her state next week. Darline Graham took over her brother's seat after his death and is now running for a full Senate term,
"Personally, I would choose to keep the pressure on Russia to end the war and get gas prices down," she told reporters during a campaign stop Saturday. "Because I don't trust Putin and I don't trust Russia."
Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) said in a Fox News interview Saturday that there were ways to address diesel and gas prices other than halting the sanctions. "I wish the president hadn't done it," Cruz said. "I think it was a mistake."
The decision prompted widespread criticism from Democrats. "Donald Trump confirms again that he stands on the side of a bloodthirsty thug and the enablers of Russia's war machine and against the majority of Americans, their representatives in both houses of Congress, and our European allies," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.), a co-sponsor of the legislation. "These waivers have nothing to do with our national security, and everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin."
The law gave Trump 30 days to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest customers of Russian oil, though it gave the president discretion over the actual tariff rates. That deadline would have expired on Sunday.
The law was is intended to squeeze the biggest importers of Russian oil and gas and punish Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine. The legislation called for penalizing certain Russian individuals and entities and the five biggest importers of Russian oil and gas. It gives Trump the authority to issue up to 100% tariffs on the countries buying Russian energy. It received bipartisan support, even as some Democrats opposed it because they were concerned that Trump might misuse the greater tariff authority.
Trump could still choose to impose the penalties at a later date.
The president has been facing bipartisan backlash in recent days over the diesel deal, his call for Zelensky to step down and his demand that Ukraine observe an energy ceasefire that Moscow promptly broke.
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