Trump granted waivers on penalties, trade restrictions, and other measures tied to legislation aimed at Russia and Iran, invoking American national interests — a decision that stands to reduce pressure on nations that rely heavily on Russian energy supplies, India among them. A waiver provision embedded in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 — legislation that cleared Congress and took effect in September — was activated by Trump through an executive order released on Friday.
The bill aimed to tighten financial pressure on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine by granting the president authority to apply broad sanctions and tariffs against nations buying Russian energy exports, though Trump indicated in the executive order that he was waiving those penalties as set out under the Graham Act. A certification was also forwarded to Congress by Trump, declaring that issuing the waiver at that point served the national interest. Timed to land just ahead of the 18 October cutoff for enforcing the legislation's central provisions, the ruling now moves forward.
The development also connects to attempts by the administration to arrange additional diesel imports from Russia, a move tied to concerns about elevated fuel costs in the period leading up to the November 3 midterm elections.
Legislation under the Graham Act would extend the reach of sanctions by placing third-party nations that buy Russian energy exports within its scope. Duties reaching as high as 100 per cent were built into the package for goods arriving from countries that rank among the leading purchasers of Russian oil and gas, while separate provisions took aim at foreign companies and individuals with ties to Russia or to efforts to circumvent existing sanctions. Tariffs reaching as high as 500 per cent on a range of energy-related goods originating from Russia were among the measures contemplated by the bill, with its own exemptions and qualifying conditions determining the final scope of application.
The order puts in place waivers covering duty obligations under Sections 112 and 113 of the Act, along with suspensions of sanctions and restrictions falling under Section 102(d), and lifts additional measures addressed elsewhere within the same document. Those exemptions remain active unless the president or the secretary of state, after consulting any relevant officials where the process calls for it, concludes that additional steps are warranted.
Orders passed down to the administration include tracking how various nations acquire Russian crude oil and natural gas, watching for any moves to circumvent existing sanctions, and bringing pertinent findings back to the president.
As one of the top purchasers of Russian crude oil, India has encountered calls from Washington to cut back on its dependence on energy flowing from Moscow. The waiver shifts the picture considerably — where the prospect of steep tariffs on purchases of Russian oil had strained trade relations, New Delhi now holds more room to manage its energy sourcing while reducing its exposure to the sanctions and duties set out in the executive order.
Efforts to keep domestic energy costs in check have run alongside the push to maintain pressure on Russia, shaping the policy path taken. Fuel costs for diesel — a commodity on which haulage operators, farmers, and other energy-intensive sectors depend — had been attracting increased scrutiny from the Trump administration in the weeks before the November 3 election. Higher diesel costs translate into heavier operating expenses for hauliers and agricultural businesses, a burden that tends to travel along supply chains until it reaches the prices consumers pay.
According to the stated position, bringing more Russian diesel into the country would ease the financial burden on American households and businesses. Potential drops in fuel prices have been tied by Trump to events unfolding around the Strait of Hormuz. In a Truth Social post, Trump stated that a combination of what he described as full control over the Strait of Hormuz and a newly announced agreement on Russian energy supplies would bring diesel prices down for consumers worldwide at an accelerated pace, while separately identifying lower fuel costs for farmers, ranchers, and truckers as his foremost policy priority.
A waiver was put in place after Trump and Putin reached a reported understanding on the supply of additional diesel. According to the account given, an initial delivery of over 300,000 tonnes had been secured from Russia, with additional consignments pencilled in for November and the months that follow.
Two converging pressures shaped the timing of the move: an ongoing push by Washington to hold Moscow accountable over the conflict in Ukraine, and a domestic agenda from Trump centred on bringing fuel prices down.
