# Trump Halts New Russia Sanctions Days Before Implementation

> U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order putting on hold a significant new package of sanctions targeting the Russian economy, just two days before they were scheduled to take effect.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-17T13:14:30.172069Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/trump-halts-new-russia-sanctions-days-before-implementation-07205ac8

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday, October 16, 2026, issued an executive order to put on hold a sweeping new package of sanctions against Russia, just two days before they were scheduled to take effect on October 18, 2026 [1][10]. These sanctions were mandated by the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026," which President Trump signed into law last month [1][5].

This decision signals a potential shift in U.S. foreign policy, appearing to prioritize domestic economic concerns over direct application of congressionally mandated sanctions intended to curb Russia's aggression in Ukraine [9][14]. The move has drawn bipartisan criticism from lawmakers and experts [9][13].

## What the Records Show

President Trump's executive order on October 16, 2026, explicitly put on hold provisions of the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026," a law he signed in mid-September 2026 [1][6]. The order states that the waiver is in the “national interests of the United States,” and President Trump submitted a certification to Congress explaining this basis [1][6]. The Act, named for the late Senator Lindsey O. Graham, was overwhelmingly focused on increasing economic pressure on Russia in response to its ongoing invasion of Ukraine [1][7]. It passed Congress with large bipartisan majorities [6][7].

The legislation aimed to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from major importers of Russian crude oil or natural gas, and on countries facilitating Russian oil sanctions evasion [6]. It also mandated sanctions on Russian officials, the Russian energy sector, and its "shadow fleet" of tankers used to bypass existing sanctions [6][12]. While the Act contained a waiver authority, requiring a certification and report to Congress, President Trump invoked this authority to waive numerous provisions, including increased tariffs and sanctions on foreign persons and entities [6][12]. The waiver has no fixed expiration date, remaining in effect until the President or Secretary of State determines further action is appropriate [6].

## The Timeline

**Mid-September 2026:** President Trump signed the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026" into law [1][6].

**October 9, 2026:** President Trump announced a controversial "diesel deal" following discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that Russia would "immediately" supply over 300,000 tons of diesel to U.S. and global markets, followed by larger quantities later [1][13].

**October 16, 2026:** President Trump issued an executive order waiving key provisions of the new sanctions act [1][10].

**October 18, 2026:** The sanctions were originally scheduled to take effect [1].

## What Changed and for Whom

President Trump's executive order sidelines congressional intent to escalate pressure on Russia [1][6]. The waiver closely follows the "diesel deal," which experts argue could undercut Western economic pressure on Russia and strain international alliances [9][13]. A bipartisan group of a dozen senators, including Republicans like Mitch McConnell and Susan Collins, urged Trump to rescind the diesel agreement and implement the sanctions [9]. They argued that allowing Russian diesel into global markets would generate revenue for Moscow to finance its war in Ukraine and deepen security cooperation with countries like China, Iran, and North Korea [9]. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also criticized the deal [13]. Senator Darline Graham, appointed to serve out her late brother's term, had campaigned on the sanctions bill [7]. These actions occur less than a month before the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, where rising energy prices are a significant concern [6][14].

## What the Subject Has Said Publicly

President Trump justified the waiver as being "in the national interests of the United States" [1][6]. Regarding the diesel deal, he stated it was necessary to bring down soaring global energy prices, particularly diesel, to benefit American consumers [1][14]. He posted on social media that "Diesel Prices for Americans and, indeed, the World, will be COMING DOWN, IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST!" [14].

## What We Could Not Confirm

We could not confirm the exact date in September when President Trump signed the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026" into law [1][6]. We also could not confirm the specific contents of the certification submitted to Congress by President Trump explaining the waiver's basis [6].

## Evidence cited
1. Trump puts on hold new Russia sanctions he signed into law (www.aljazeera.com) — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/17/trump-puts-on-hold-new-russia-sanctions-he-signed-into-law?traffic_source=rss
2. Trump waives several Russia sanctions as new US law takes effect (www.bbc.co.uk) — https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cxr5yvzv7rp0o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
3. Power plant attacks reflect Russian blueprint to make Ukrainian cities unlivable (www.theguardian.com) — https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/16/attacks-on-ukraine-power-plants-show-russia-has-given-up-on-military-victory
4. (October 15 2026) We write to thank you for signing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 into law, and to urge its full and faithful implementation by the first deadline on October 18. Utilizing the tools for economic pressure in this law will be decisive in forcing Putin to take peace talks seriously. Timely and complete execution of the first round of mandatory sanctions will deter Russia's increasing attacks on Ukrainian civilians and their livelihoods. Russia has int (house.gov) — https://house.gov/
5. (October 17 2026) Trump personally signed the legislation just last month and his move came just two days before a deadline set in the law itself for its implementation. Named after late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, it had sought to clamp down more quickly on the flow of financial resources fueling the war against Ukraine. ... (wthr.com) — https://wthr.com/
6. (October 17 2026) President Donald Trump waived key Russia-related U.S. sanctions and tariffs days before they were to take effect under a law he signed last month, including duties on the country's goods and penalties for buying its oil and gas. In an executive order released by the White House on Friday, Trump said the ​waiver was in the national interests of the United States. The law is meant to increase pressure on Russia for its invasion ​of Ukraine that began in 2022. Trump, however, has  (eualive.net) — https://eualive.net/
7. (October 17 2026) WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause was in the national interest. Trump had signed the legislation last month. Named after late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the measure had sought to clamp down more quickly on the flow of financial resources fueling the war against Ukraine. This story continues below. More in Nation world. 'We'r (12news.com) — https://12news.com/
8. (October 17 2026) U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause was in the national interest. ... Trump said Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by an additional 500,000 tons in November and one million tons "immediately thereafter." Russia will deliver an additional 3 million tons "within a short period of time" after that, he wrote (cbc.ca) — https://cbc.ca/
9. (October 17 2026) US President Donald Trump waived the application of some sanctions, restrictions and duties on Russia under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, according to an executive order issued Friday. The move comes after Trump last week announced a deal allowing Russia to resume diesel exports, saying Moscow would immediately supply more than 300,000 metric tons, or 2.25 million barrels, to US and global markets. The Graham Act, which Trump signed last month,  (iranintl.com) — https://iranintl.com/
10. (October 17 2026) Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold, saying waiver is in US national interest. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that puts on hold a sanctions package targeting the Russian economy. Author: WILL WEISSERT (Associated Press). Published: 10:05 PM EDT October 16, 2026. Updated: 10:05 PM EDT October 16, 2026. WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the R (fox43.com) — https://fox43.com/
11. (October 17 2026) President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause was in the national interest. (apnews.com) — https://apnews.com/
12. (October 17 2026) "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. Trump's reversal on the Russia sanctions comes in after a controversial deal he struck with Pu (thedailystar.net) — https://thedailystar.net/
13. (October 16 2026) Trump announced a new diesel deal with Putin on October 9 to the surprise of many U.S. allies. Experts argue the agreement could undercut Western economic pressure on Russia and solidarity efforts with Ukraine while doing little to lower fuel prices. ... U.S. President Donald Trump announced on October 9 that he had struck a deal to purchase diesel from Russia, pivoting away from a years-old Western policy that placed massive economic pressure on Moscow. The move is expected to (cfr.org) — https://cfr.org/
14. (October 15 2026) This past Friday, Oct. 9, President Trump announced a new energy deal that has the potential to upend U.S. sanctions policy towards Russia. On the heels of a “highly successful discussion” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Russia would soon be providing millions of tons of diesel fuel—a key resource that has been the target of U.S. sanctions since shortly after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine—“to the American and Global Marketplace[.]” Ac (lawfaremedia.org) — https://lawfaremedia.org/
15. (October 10 2026) The amount is small compared with U.S. demand, but the deal aligns the U.S. with Russia and against Ukraine's efforts to bomb Russian refineries. October 9, 2026. 1 min. Summary. A driver operates the diesel pump at a truck stop in Dunnigan, California, last month. (Fred Greaves/Reuters). By Michael Birnbaum. and. Evan Halper. Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to supply diesel fuel to the global marketplace, President Donald Trump said, a move that could ease prices s (washingtonpost.com) — https://washingtonpost.com/
16. (October 09 2026) United States President Donald Trump said that Russia has agreed to supply 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel to global markets amid discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I have just concluded a highly successful discussion with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, wherein it was agreed that Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 tons of diesel fuel to the American and global marketplace, another 500,000 tons during the month of November, and 1,000,000 tons immedi (aljazeera.com) — https://aljazeera.com/
17. (October 17 2026) President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order setting, but immediately waiving, sweeping new tariffs and sanctions against Russia, a week after announcing an agreement with Moscow to increase Russian diesel supplies. The order that Trump signed both created and then blocked a 500 percent tariff on Russian goods and a potential 100 percent tariff against major buyers of Russian oil and gas and countries that help Russia evade oil sanctions. “I have submitted to the  (newsweek.com) — https://newsweek.com/
18. (October 17 2026) President Donald Trump has suspended sweeping new sanctions against Russia just four weeks after signing them into law, invoking a national interest waiver to halt Congress-approved economic penalties two days before they were set to take effect.The October 16, 2026, executive order puts major restrictions on hold, including a 500%... ... President Donald Trump has suspended sweeping new sanctions against Russia just four weeks after signing them into law, invoking a national i (lawcommentary.com) — https://lawcommentary.com/
19. (October 17 2026) President signed the legislation championed by late senator Lindsey Graham last month but has waived the restrictions as they were due to come into effect. Guardian staff and agencies. Fri 16 Oct 2026 22.53 EDT Last modified on Fri 16 Oct 2026 23.20 EDT. Share. Prefer the Guardian on Google. Donald Trump has put on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause on the legislation passed by both chambers was in the national intere (theguardian.com) — https://theguardian.com/
20. (October 17 2026) Donald Trump has decided not to impose new sanctions on Russia that were mandated by a sweeping law passed by Congress last month. In an executive order issued late on Friday night, Trump invoked a waiver in the law that gives him broad authority not to impose new economic penalties on Moscow over its war in Ukraine if he believes it to be in the national interest. “I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act,”  (ft.com) — https://ft.com/
21. (October 17 2026) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause was in the national interest. ... The move comes a week after Trump stunningly said the U.S. had agreed to purchase diesel from Russia to try to bring down global energy prices, despite that potentially hurting Ukraine in its war with Russia. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reser (local10.com) — https://local10.com/
22. (October 17 2026) US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday, Oct. 16, suspending sweeping sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia just two days before they were due to take effect, citing US national interests despite growing concerns that easing economic pressure on Moscow could help finance its war against Ukraine. The executive order published by the White House waives major provisions of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which Trump signed into la (kyivpost.com) — https://kyivpost.com/
23. (October 17 2026) Oct. 16, 2026 7:36 p.m. President Donald Trump speaks at a dinner at his Mar-a-Lago club, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla. ... President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause was in the national interest. Trump personally signed the legislation just last month. Named after late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, it had sought to clamp down more quic (opb.org) — https://opb.org/
24. (October 17 2026) Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold, saying waiver is in US national interest. Will Weissert. Associated Press. Published: October 16, 2026 at 9:42 PM. Tags: Lindsey Graham, Donald Trump, World news, Washington news. President Donald Trump walks from Marine One to board Air Force One, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) (Mark Schiefelbein, Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) WASHINGTO (wsls.com) — https://wsls.com/
25. (October 17 2026) Trump puts new Russia sanctions passed by Congress on hold, saying waiver is in US national interest. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that puts on hold a sanctions package targeting the Russian economy. Author: WILL WEISSERT (Associated Press). Published: 8:05 PM MDT October 16, 2026. Updated: 8:05 PM MDT October 16, 2026. WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Rus (9news.com) — https://9news.com/
26. (October 17 2026) “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. Trump says Russia to immediately supply diesel to U.S. after talks with Putin. 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. ... U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a waive (thehindu.com) — https://thehindu.com/
27. (October 16 2026) What does Trump want? ... Trump announced that Russia would “immediately” supply 300,000 tons of diesel to the U.S. and global markets, followed by another 500,000 metric tons in November and 1 million metric tons thereafter. ... The deal comes as U.S. diesel prices have risen to $6.179 per gallon, up nearly 70% year-on-year, amid the turmoil that has gripped the global oil market since the start of the Iran war in late February. Reduced refinery output has sharply cut global d (themoscowtimes.com) — https://themoscowtimes.com/
28. (October 15 2026) President Donald Trump is pushing ahead with his deal to import Russian diesel, blowing past his party's growing complaints about taking help from Vladimir Putin. “The president's main priority and commitment is to the American people and to help lower costs for the American people, and he's doing that,” a White House official said after days of withering complaints by Republicans. “The president has not shifted his stance on it.” The Trump administration caused an intraparty f (semafor.com) — https://semafor.com/
29. (October 17 2026) The Graham Act provides for the imposition of certain sanctions with respect to foreign persons, restrictions with respect to persons, and duties with respect to goods imported into the United States from the Russian Federation and certain other countries. Section 115 of the Graham Act authorizes the President to waive the application of any sanctions provision with respect to a foreign person, any restriction with respect to ... (whitehouse.gov) — https://whitehouse.gov/
30. (September 29 2026) The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 · Establishes New Tariff and Sanctions Authorities Targeting Russian Energy Trade and Sanctions Evasion Efforts, Codifies Certain Existing Russia-Related Restrictions and Extends the Iran Sanctions Act Through 2031 · Summary. ... The Act grants the president new authorities to use sanctions, tariffs and other measures to constrain Russia's profits from energy exports, including the authority to impose tariffs on si (sullcrom.com) — https://sullcrom.com/
31. The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 (H.R. 5334) is a 61-page measure focused overwhelmingly on sanctioning Russia and entities supporting its war against Ukraine. The Senate approved the amended bill on August 7, 2026, by a vote of 86-11, and the House concurred in the Senate amendments on September 16 by a vote of 262-159, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump. Despite Iran's inclusion in the title, only one short paragraph in the measure pertains specifica (jewishvirtuallibrary.org) — https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/
32. (October 17 2026) US President Donald Trump has waived a further slate of sanctions related to Russian fossil fuel sales, days before they were to take effect under a bill he signed into law last month. The waiver announced in an executive order Friday comes as Trump increasingly feuds with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and cracks appear in Washington's support for Kyiv in its four-year-old war against its giant neighbor, deepening alarm among European allies. The White House has heape (cnn.com) — https://cnn.com/
33. The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 (H.R. 5334), previous versions of which were referred to as the Sanctioning Russia Act, is a 2026 act by the 119th U.S. Congress that gives the president the option to impose extensive new tariffs and sanctions on Russia and countries that purchase Russian energy products and other critical exports, in response to the continuing Russian invasion of Ukraine and Russia's refusal to engage in peace negotiations. Lindsey O. Graham Sanctio (wikipedia.org) — https://wikipedia.org/
34. (October 15 2026) For the termination of sanctions or tariffs with regards to foreign persons or foreign countries, the President must submit a report certifying that (a) the foreign person or foreign government is no longer engaging in the activity that served as the basis of the sanction or tariff; (b) the President received reliable assurances that the foreign person or government will not knowingly engage in such activities subject to sanctions or tariffs in the future; and (c) where sanctio (curtis.com) — https://curtis.com/
35. (October 17 2026) Trump waives tariffs, many sanctions under new Russia sanctions law. Executive order raises duties on Russian goods by 500% and targets major importers of Russian energy, but suspends their application on national interest grounds. Merve Aydogan. 17 October 2026•Update: 17 October 2026. Content media. HAMILTON, Canada. US President Donald Trump issued an executive order late Friday implementing a new Russia sanctions law while waiving its tariffs and many sanctions. The order i (aa.com.tr) — https://aa.com.tr/
36. (August 20 2026) The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 (H.R. 10076) would increase pressure on Russia and its support network by: Imposing mandatory sanctions on Vladimir Putin, senior Russian political and military leaders, oligarchs, state-owned enterprises, and foreign companies supporting Russia's defense industrial base in Sections 102 and 104. Sanctioning major Russian financial institutions, such as the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, Sberbank, and Gazpromb (fddaction.org) — https://fddaction.org/
37. (July 28 2026) “There is no greater way to honor Senator Graham's legacy than to move forward with this bipartisan agreement, and we look forward to today's vote.” The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 would impose primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia's war in Ukraine. ... The bipartisan Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 is designed to deprive Vladimir Putin of the revenue financing Russia's war against Ukraine by impo (senate.gov) — https://senate.gov/