Trump suspends law on sweeping sanctions and tariffs against Russia
US President Donald Trump has suspended, by executive order and until further notice, a law signed a month ago that imposes new sanctions and tariffs on Russia. The measure was meant to pressure Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump has suspended a law imposing sweeping sanctions and new customs tariffs on Russia, doing so shortly before it was due to take effect automatically. The executive order was published on Friday, 16 October 2026. The sanctions and tariffs are on hold until further notice, and Trump said he acted in “the national interests of the United States”.
What the law provided
Trump signed the bill on 18 September, after it was passed by the US Congress. Its aim was to put pressure on Russia over its war against Ukraine. Under the law, the sanctions and tariffs would enter into force automatically within 30 days of signing unless the president decided otherwise. Trump intervened shortly before that deadline set by Congress.
The new sanctions would have targeted Russia's energy and defence sectors, President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials. They would also have hit Moscow's “shadow fleet” of tankers, which is used to get around sanctions imposed by Western countries.
The law would also have given Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the biggest buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China, in order to cut the revenue that funds Moscow's war. In addition, it targets companies and foreign actors that support the Russian army, and it expands sanctions against Iran.
Named after a late senator
The law is named after Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who had pushed for its adoption since April 2025. He died in July this year.
