US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill granting Trump up to 100% secondary tariff authority

Published Aug 7, 09:56 PM UTC

The US Senate passed a Russia sanctions bill (86-11) named after the late Sen. 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 now moves to the House, where it faces some bipartisan reservations, particularly from Democrats wary of expanding Trump's tariff powers. Experts from the Atlantic Council analyze the bill's prospects, noting that exemptions for existing purchases likely limit targets to China and India. The legislation also includes provisions to sanction Russia's shadow fleet. The key question remains whether Trump will use this new tariff authority, given his recent truce with China and the Supreme Court's earlier rejection of his tariff powers under IEEPA.