US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill granting Trump authority to impose up to 100% secondary tariffs on top oil importers

Published Aug 7, 09:56 PM UTC

The US Senate passed a Russia sanctions bill (86-11) named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham, granting President Trump authority to impose secondary tariffs of up to 100% on the top five importers of Russian oil and gas. The bill, which has Trump's blessing, now moves to the House where it faces some bipartisan reservations but is expected to pass. Experts note that exemptions for existing purchases effectively limit potential targets to China and India. The legislation also includes provisions to sanction Russia's shadow fleet. The big question is whether Trump will use this new tariff hammer, given his existing truce with China and the Supreme Court's recent restriction on his tariff powers under IEEPA.