The move sparked bipartisan backlash in Congress, which passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 with 86 Senate votes before Trump signed it on Sept. 18. Republican Senator Thom Tillis called the waiver "beyond irresponsible," Senator Ted Cruz said it was a "big mistake that only serves to benefit Putin," and Senator Darline Graham, sister of the late bill sponsor, said she disagreed with the decision. Representative Michael McCaul urged Trump to reverse course, while Representatives Gregory Meeks and Don Bacon pushed bipartisan legislation to strip presidential waiver authority, cancel five Russian oil licenses, bar the Treasury from issuing new ones for three years and mandate sanctions on Russian oil producers, refiners and tankers within 30 days.
Trump's Friday executive order invoked Section 115 of the Graham Act ahead of an Oct. 18 deadline, waiving 500% tariffs on Russian goods and 100% duties on the top five importers of Russian oil and gas. The order follows an Oct. 9 deal allowing Russia to supply 2.25 million barrels of diesel to global markets and coincided with Russian strikes using more than 320 drones and missiles against over 15 Ukrainian power facilities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that the "diesel deal is only the first step" and said he expects Washington to lift additional sanctions on Moscow.