President Donald Trump used a national-interest waiver on Oct. 16 to set aside new U.S. duties, sanctions and restrictions under a Russia-related law, just two days before its implementation deadline.
The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, signed Sept. 18, required specified measures within 30 days. It authorized duties of up to 500% on goods from Russia and up to 100% on goods from countries meeting conditions tied to purchases of Russian oil and gas or sanctions evasion.
The order waives duties under Sections 112 and 113, along with sanctions and restrictions under Sections 102(a), 102(d), 102(e), 103 through 111 and 117. Measures imposed under earlier Russia-related executive orders remain in place.
Section 115 of the law allows the president to waive specified measures after submitting a written certification that the waiver is in the national interest and a report explaining its basis. The order says Trump sent both documents to Congress, but does not detail the report’s contents. While the waiver applies, covered goods from Russia and qualifying countries are not subject to the new duties.
The waiver remains active until Trump or the secretary of state determines further action is warranted. The secretary of state must consult the Treasury secretary and the United States Trade Representative as appropriate. The order also directs the trade representative to monitor Russian oil and gas purchases and sanctions evasion and report to the president regularly; it sets no date for another decision.
In a separate exchange with reporters Friday, Trump was asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin started the war. Trump offered no direct yes-or-no response, saying, “I know the details, OK, and at some point I’ll release the details.” He also said he wanted the war ended.
Separately, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License 135 on Oct. 9, authorizing specified transactions involving Russian-origin diesel. The license’s authorization ends at 12:01 a.m. ET on April 7, 2027, subject to exclusions. The Oct. 16 order does not mention the earlier license.
