Taylor Rogers
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Trump suspends sanctions under Graham Act two days before they were to take effect
On October 16, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order waiving the application of sanctions, restrictions and tariffs provided for by the so-called "Graham Law" (the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026) — two days before the law's 30-day implementation deadline was set to expire. Trump invoked Section 115(a) of the law and certified to Congress that suspending the measures at this stage serves U.S. national interests; previously imposed U.S. sanctions on Russia remain in force. The move drew sharp criticism from the law's co-author, Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, and from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who called it an "American sanctions blackout."