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← Signal: State & Power

Trump waives Russian sanctions from Graham Act before implementation

Confirmed1 source · Oct 17, 2026

President Trump signed an executive order Friday to waive sanctions against Russia set to take effect under recently enacted legislation.

Trump waives Russian sanctions from Graham Act before implementation
Image via The Hill

What happened

President Trump signed an executive order Friday evening to waive sanctions against Russia that were scheduled to take effect soon under a legislative package he had officially signed into law last month. The legislation, posthumously dedicated to late Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), was designed to put pressure on the Kremlin.

Context

The waiver action directly negates the stated purpose of the Graham Act sanctions package before those penalties could be imposed. This represents a reversal of Trump's own recent decision to sign the legislation into law, creating tension between the executive and legislative branches on Russian policy.