Congress Passed Its Most Sweeping Russia Sanctions in Years. Trump Shelved Them Before They Took Effect

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 01: People walk near the U.S Capitol Building on October 01, 2026 in Washington, DC. The Senate completed their last votes in the middle of the night before going on recess through November 9th. (Credit: Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The Briefing

• Trump signed an executive order on October 16 waiving 500% tariffs on all Russian goods and 100% tariffs on Russia's five largest energy buyers under the Graham Act, citing national interests — two days before the October 18 implementation deadline.
• The Graham Act passed the Senate 86–11 on August 7 and the House 262–159 on September 16; Trump signed it into law on September 18, only to suspend virtually all its new provisions 28 days later.
• Existing Russia sanctions imposed under earlier executive orders remain in place, but every new measure authorized by the Graham Act is now indefinitely on hold.