Trump Exempts Russia From Sanctions Law Days Before It Takes Effect
President Trump signed an executive order Friday night exempting Russia from a sweeping sanctions package passed by Congress last month, prompting bipartisan criticism from lawmakers and former officials who accuse him of siding with Moscow over Ukraine.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday night that exempts Russia from a broad package of sanctions Congress passed last month, acting just two days before the penalties were set to take effect. The move drew immediate condemnation from critics across the political spectrum, who accused the president of handing Moscow an economic lifeline as its war on Ukraine continues.
The law, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, targeted Russian officials, oligarchs and banks in an effort to choke off cash for Moscow's war effort. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, who co-wrote the bill, said the waivers have «nothing to do with our national security, and everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin.» In a post on X, Blumenthal wrote that Trump «confirms again that he stands on the side of a bloodthirsty thug & the enablers of Russia's war machine & against the majority of Americans, their representatives in both houses of Congress, & our European allies.»
Jamie Metzl, a former State Department and National Security Council official, called the order «a despicable and disgraceful betrayal of the brave people of Ukraine, European allies, and American values.» He added that «as Ukrainians fight and die defending their freedom, Trump is throwing an economic lifeline to the dictator invading their country,» and said generations of American heroes who fought tyranny «are rolling in their graves.»
The criticism was not limited to Democrats. Gregg Nunziata, a former Republican Senate aide, described the order as «a final dishonor for Senator Graham,» the lawmaker whose name the sanctions package carries. Progressive activist Amy Siskind reacted bluntly, posting «WTF IS TRUMP DOING!» Investigative journalist Julie K. Brown, known for her reporting on the Jeffrey Epstein case at the Miami Herald, offered a sarcastic take: «I guess times change and we are friends with Russia dictators now.»
Veteran and political commentator John Jackson wrote that it was «almost comical how in the tank he is for Putin.» Kate Bohuslavska, a Ukrainian commentator who runs the popular account Kate from Kharkiv, kept her reaction brief: «Traitorous yet expected. What an embarrassment.»
The timing of the order was a central point of contention. Congress passed the sanctions package last month with the expectation that the penalties would take effect within days, and the president's decision to exempt Russia from the law just before that deadline effectively neutralized the measure. The law had been designed to target a wide range of Russian financial and political figures, aiming to reduce the flow of money supporting Moscow's military operations.
The episode highlights a recurring tension between the White House and Capitol Hill over Russia policy. The sanctions bill drew support from lawmakers in both parties, and the president's move to waive its provisions underscores the administration's willingness to use executive authority to override legislative intent. For critics, the order represents a break with the bipartisan consensus that has generally favored tough penalties on Moscow.
The reaction from former officials and commentators suggests the decision will remain a flashpoint in the debate over U.S. support for Ukraine. Blumenthal's statement framed the waivers as a choice between standing with allies and accommodating the Kremlin, while Metzl's remarks cast the move as a moral failure. The White House has not publicly detailed its rationale for the exemptions beyond the executive order itself.
For now, the sanctions law remains on the books, but its immediate effect on Russian officials, oligarchs and banks has been suspended by the president's order. The political fallout is likely to continue, with lawmakers who championed the bill facing questions about whether Congress can compel the administration to enforce the penalties it passed.
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