Trump faces bipartisan backlash over Russia sanctions waiver

President Donald Trump has drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans after he suspended sanctions aimed at Russia and at nations that purchase its oil and gas, just days before the measures were set to take effect under a law he signed last month. In an executive order signed on Friday, Trump said the waiver served the United States’ national interest, but he gave no timeline for when the restrictions might be reinstated, noting they would stay on hold until he or senior officials decide on further action.

The decision was condemned across the political aisle. Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina called the move “beyond irresponsible,” accusing the administration of yielding to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who launched a full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Tillis wrote on social media on Saturday, “What part of enforcing a law passed 86‑11 by the Senate does the President and his advisers not understand?”

Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas also voiced disapproval, saying the late Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who had championed the legislation, would be appalled. Virginia Democrat Representative Don Beyer said Trump’s action betrayed Ukraine and ignored Congress’s intent to punish Russia for its aggression. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts accused the president of “thumbing his nose” at Congress and of enabling Putin to continue his war, urging her colleagues to move to reverse the waiver.

The legislation, named for the late Senator Graham, passed with strong bipartisan support and would have allowed tariffs of up to 100 percent on goods from countries that kept buying Russian oil and gas or helped Moscow evade sanctions. Trump signed the bill into law last month after Graham, who died earlier this year, spent about a year securing its passage.

The waiver came shortly after Trump agreed to a deal to purchase Russian diesel in an effort to curb rising fuel prices, which have surged amid the U.S.–Israeli conflict with Iran. Lawmakers from both parties have questioned whether the arrangement will meaningfully lower energy costs while providing Moscow with revenue that could fund its war effort.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also criticized the waiver on Saturday, warning that easing pressure on Russia would encourage further attacks. He posted on X, “Financial rewards for Putin – all of this only encourages him to keep attacking,” and called on the United States to maintain pressure on Moscow.

Congress is in recess until after the November 3 midterm elections, limiting immediate options to challenge Trump’s decision. Representative Gregory Meeks, the leading Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has introduced legislation aimed at blocking the separate diesel purchase agreement with Russia.