Trump waives tariffs on largest buyers of Russian oil, days before Lindsey Graham-backed law was set to take effect

October 16, 2026 / 10:38 PM EDT / CBS News

Trump waives tariffs on largest buyers of Russian oil, days before Lindsey Graham-backed law was set to take effect

TL;DR

  • President Trump has waived new sanctions and hefty tariffs on the world's five largest importers of Russian crude oil and natural gas.
  • The waived sanctions were part of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act, signed late last month.
  • The waivers were invoked through an executive order, citing the national interest in reducing energy prices.
  • Trump also waived 500% tariffs on Russian goods and halted other sanctions.
  • The law primarily targeted major buyers of Russian energy like China, India, and Turkey.
  • This action reverses U.S. policy of imposing tight restrictions on Russian energy to finance its invasion of Ukraine.
  • The waivers come after previous easing of sanctions on Russian diesel and a deal to import it to the U.S.
  • Lawmakers have criticized the decision, calling the diesel waivers a "betrayal of the people of Ukraine."