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- Trump temporarily waives Russia sanctions under Graham Act.
- India and China benefit from paused oil import penalties.
- Decision made in US national interest, easing trade.
US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) temporarily waived sanctions, trade restrictions and import duties under the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, putting key penalties on hold. The decision, announced in an executive order, comes as major countries continue to buy Russian oil. Trump said the move was in the national interest of the United States.
Why Did Trump Pause Sanctions?
According to a press release by the White House, Trump invoked presidential powers to pause the sanctions. It noted that Section 115 of the Graham Act, which was signed into law on September 18 allows the president to waive certain sanctions, restrictions and import duties if he certifies to Congress that the decision serves US national interests and submits a report explaining the reasons.
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The order further states that Trump is waiving the application of the relevant sanctions, restrictions and duties under the act. This means the specific penalties covered by the waiver will not apply while it remains in effect. However, the law itself has not been repealed, and other existing US sanctions may continue.
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The executive order also highlighted that the US administration will continue monitoring countries that purchase Russian crude oil and natural gas. The decision does not provide permanent protection from future penalties, as the administration may reconsider the waiver if circumstances change.
"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. I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver at this time is in the national interests of the United States," the order quoted President Trump as saying.
Relief For India And China
The waiver could provide relief to India, one of the major buyers of Russian crude oil. It reduces the immediate threat of additional US tariffs under the Graham Act on Indian goods, provided those goods would otherwise have been covered by the measures. Similarly, China also benefits from the reduced risk of additional tariffs linked to Russian energy purchases. Continued access to Russian oil may help Chinese refiners diversify their supplies and manage energy costs.
For India, the waiver comes as a significant relief as the US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Thursday had stated that India falls into one of the three categories covered under the sanctions law, alongside several other countries. "It is three different buckets; one is oil, the second is gas, the third is sanctions evasion. So those individuals are identified based on numbers. It just happens that India does fall in one of those buckets, along with a lot of other countries. The goal is not to punish anyone. The goal is to try to bring an end to this war. I do think the president will make a determination on that over the next few days," Gor stated while speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum.
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