US President Donald Trump gestures as he attends a MAGA Inc. dinner at Mar-a-Lago resort, in Palm Beach, on October 16, 2026
| Photo Credit: Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a waiver from sanctions, restrictions and duties under the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, citing national interest.
“I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act,” Mr. Trump said in an executive order issued on Friday (October 16, 2026) evening.
Mr. Trump said he had submitted to Congress a certification that issuing such a waiver at this time is in the national interest of the United States.
The Lindsey Graham Act — named after the deceased U.S. senator who sponsored the Bill — allowed Trump the authority to impose duties up to 100 percent on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
“As described further in section 4 of this order, I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act,” the executive order said.
The law targeted Russia’s energy and defense sectors, President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials, as well as Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to circumvent Western sanctions.
Relations between Kyiv and Washington have soured since the deal, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calling it a “weak decision” and Ukrainian forces resuming attacks on Russian oil refineries.
(With inputs from AFP)
Published – October 17, 2026 07:30 am IST
