US President Donald Trump signed an executive order late on October 16 waiving most of the sanctions, tariffs and restrictions in the Lindsey O. Graham Russia and Iran Sanctions Act of 2026. The measures, which were scheduled to take effect on October 18, were intended to give Washington additional economic leverage over the Kremlin.

Radio Liberty reported the decision on Saturday, October 17. Trump said the waiver served US national interests and certified that conclusion to Congress, as required by the legislation. The White House did not publicly provide a substantive explanation for suspending the law’s central provisions.

The act authorized tariffs of up to 100 percent on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including China and India. It also targeted Russian officials, financial institutions and vessels linked to the so-called shadow fleet used to circumvent international trade restrictions. Trump had signed the bipartisan legislation in September.

The move drew criticism from both sides of Congress. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal accused Trump of siding with Vladimir Putin, while Republican lawmaker Don Bacon said the president was prolonging the war rather than ending it. Separately, Representative Gregory Meeks introduced a bipartisan bill on October 16 seeking to block the administration’s proposed purchase of Russian diesel fuel.