President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order suspending a sweeping sanctions package aimed at Russia’s economy, telling Congress that the pause was in the national interest.
Trump had signed the legislation the previous month.
Named for the late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the measure was designed to more rapidly restrict the financial resources supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Trump’s decision came one week after he unexpectedly said the United States had agreed to purchase diesel from Russia in an effort to lower global energy prices—a move that could potentially undermine Ukraine as it fights Russia.
The Trump administration had largely remained silent after the bill passed with broad bipartisan support in the House and Senate. Lawmakers had been pushed to advance the measure by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, following Graham’s sudden death.
Trump’s latest action followed a social media announcement last week in which he said he had reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call. Trump had been expected to discuss a suspected plague case in Russia.
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Instead, Trump said Russia would immediately provide more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by another 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons “immediately thereafter.”
Russia would then deliver an additional 3 million tons “within a short period of time,” Trump wrote.
The sanctions measure had also become a central campaign issue for Sen. Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister, who was appointed to complete the remainder of his term and is seeking election to the Senate on a permanent basis.
During a debate earlier this week with Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, Graham—who has Trump’s endorsement and is expected to campaign with him in South Carolina next week—said she was “so proud” to have helped pass the measure. She also acknowledged that Trump would decide how to put it into effect.
“It gives the president tools that he can use if he so chooses, to end the war through economic sanctions,” Graham said Sunday during a debate in Columbia.
“So that’s up to him as to whether or not he wants to use it, or whether he wants to use something else, but I think the purpose of it is to bring down the gas prices and ultimately end the war. And when the war ends, gas prices will fall.”
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