Trump Waives New Russia Duties and Most Graham Act Sanctions

President Donald Trump’s Oct. 16 order waived new Russia-related duties and most sanctions under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, two days before key tariff provisions were due to take effect.

The law, signed by Trump on Sept. 18, set a 30-day timetable for raising duties on Russian goods to as much as 500% ad valorem. Trump’s order describes a 500% ad valorem increase, while the law authorizes a duty rate of up to 500%. The order waives all duties under sections 112 and 113 of the act or the order itself, leaving the new measures unapplied under it.

The order also lists 100% duties on goods from the five largest importers of Russian-origin crude oil or natural gas if they knowingly make new purchases on or after Sunday, Oct. 18. Separate 100% duties target goods from the five largest facilitators of Russian oil sanctions evasion. The order does not name the countries in either category.

“I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act,” Trump wrote.

The order also waives sanctions and restrictions under sections 102(a), 102(d), 102(e), 103 through 111 and 117. Those provisions cover Russian officials and entities, financial institutions, transactions, investment, energy, sovereign debt, financial messaging and uranium. Measures imposed under earlier executive orders remain in place.

The order sets no earlier expiration date for the waivers and says they continue until Trump or the secretary of state determines further action is appropriate. The law’s Russia provisions sunset Sept. 18, 2031.

The act allows the president to waive sanctions, restrictions or duties after submitting a written national-interest certification and a report to Congress explaining its basis. Trump wrote that he had submitted those materials. The act separately extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 through 2031; the order does not list that extension among the provisions it waives.

The law’s tariff exposure was previously discussed in coverage of the Russia diesel policy. Sunday, Oct. 18, is the specified date for the new-purchase condition tied to the 100% duties on qualifying Russian energy importers, subject to the waiver.