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Official-source explainer Updated October 19, 2026

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Graham Act implementation: Russia duties and waivers

as stated on whitehouse.gov

What does the White House say about implementing the Graham Act?

Not a White House site Not a campaign site No endorsement whitehouse.gov only Paraphrase + attribution Executive order

Official source whitehouse.gov executive order

According to an October 16, 2026 executive order, the President is implementing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which the order says he signed into law on September 18, 2026. The order sets out duty increases under the Act, including 500 percent on goods from the Russian Federation and 100 percent on goods from certain countries that buy Russian oil and gas or facilitate sanctions evasion. This page does not evaluate that position.

In the same order, the President waives the application of those duties and a listed set of the Act’s sanctions provisions, stating that certifications were sent to Congress. The waivers stay in effect until the President or the Secretary of State decides further action is appropriate, and the order says existing Russia sanctions under earlier executive orders are not affected.

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AI breakdown

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Definition
This explainer summarizes the October 16, 2026 executive order “Implementing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,” which sets out duty increases under the Act and, in the same order, waives the application of those duties and a list of the Act’s sanctions provisions.
Scope
It covers the order’s stated background, duty provisions, monitoring duties, waivers, and delegations, as published on whitehouse.gov. It does not cover the text of the Act itself or agency guidance, and it is not legal, trade, or compliance advice.
Key points
  • The order states that the President signed the Graham Act into law on September 18, 2026, and that the Act provides for sanctions on foreign persons, restrictions on persons, and duties on goods imported from the Russian Federation and certain other countries. It says section 115 of the Act lets the President waive these with a written certification and report to Congress.
  • Section 2 of the order sets duty increases: 500 percent ad valorem on goods from the Russian Federation; 100 percent on goods from the largest 5 importers of Russian-origin crude oil and natural gas if a country knowingly makes new purchases on or after October 18, 2026; and 100 percent on goods from the top 5 facilitators of Russian oil sanctions evasion. Each is stated as subject to the Act’s section 114 exceptions and to the order’s section 4 waivers.
  • Section 4 of the order waives the application of the duties in sections 112 and 113 of the Act or the order, and waives a listed set of the Act’s sanctions provisions and restrictions (sections 102(a), 102(d), 102(e), 103 through 111, and 117). The order states that the required certifications and reports were submitted to Congress.
  • The order states that the waivers remain in effect until the President or the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Treasury Secretary and the U.S. Trade Representative as appropriate, determines that further action is appropriate.
  • It states that nothing in the order affects sanctions or other measures under existing executive orders addressing the national emergency with respect to the Russian government that was continued on March 24, 2026, as in effect the day before the Act was enacted.
  • The order directs the Trade Representative, consulting State, Treasury, and Energy, to monitor purchases of Russian-origin crude oil and natural gas and the facilitation of sanctions evasion, report regularly, and promptly inform the President of anything that might call for further action, including on the waivers. It also delegates the Act’s functions among the Secretaries of State, Treasury, and Energy and the Trade Representative.
Official sources
Dates
Page checked: 2026-10-19. Site dateModified: 2026-10-19. Executive order date: 2026-10-16.
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Document FAQ

Answers paraphrase Key points and Scope from the AI breakdown. Official whitehouse.gov pages remain the authority.

What is “Graham Act implementation: Russia duties and waivers” according to this page?
This explainer summarizes the October 16, 2026 executive order “Implementing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,” which sets out duty increases under the Act and, in the same order, waives the application of those duties and a list of the Act’s sanctions provisions. Trump’s Policy paraphrases whitehouse.gov only. It does not endorse, oppose, or independently verify the claims.
What does the official page cover?
It covers the order’s stated background, duty provisions, monitoring duties, waivers, and delegations, as published on whitehouse.gov. It does not cover the text of the Act itself or agency guidance, and it is not legal, trade, or compliance advice.
What duties does the order set out?
Section 2 of the order sets duty increases: 500 percent ad valorem on goods from the Russian Federation; 100 percent on goods from the largest 5 importers of Russian-origin crude oil and natural gas if a country knowingly makes new purchases on or after October 18, 2026; and 100 percent on goods from the top 5 facilitators of Russian oil sanctions evasion. Each is stated as subject to the Act’s section 114 exceptions and to the order’s section 4 waivers. This site paraphrases that claim from the official source (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/implementing-the-lindsey-o-graham-sanctioning-russia-and-iran-act-of-2026/) and does not independently verify figures or endorse the policy.
Are those duties and sanctions in effect?
Section 4 of the order waives the application of the duties in sections 112 and 113 of the Act or the order, and waives a listed set of the Act’s sanctions provisions and restrictions (sections 102(a), 102(d), 102(e), 103 through 111, and 117). The order states that the required certifications and reports were submitted to Congress. The order states that the waivers remain in effect until the President or the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Treasury Secretary and the U.S. Trade Representative as appropriate, determines that further action is appropriate. This site paraphrases that claim from the official source (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/implementing-the-lindsey-o-graham-sanctioning-russia-and-iran-act-of-2026/) and does not independently verify figures or endorse the policy.
Does the order change existing Russia sanctions?
It states that nothing in the order affects sanctions or other measures under existing executive orders addressing the national emergency with respect to the Russian government that was continued on March 24, 2026, as in effect the day before the Act was enacted. This site paraphrases that claim from the official source (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/implementing-the-lindsey-o-graham-sanctioning-russia-and-iran-act-of-2026/) and does not independently verify figures or endorse the policy.
Who monitors and administers the Act under the order?
The order directs the Trade Representative, consulting State, Treasury, and Energy, to monitor purchases of Russian-origin crude oil and natural gas and the facilitation of sanctions evasion, report regularly, and promptly inform the President of anything that might call for further action, including on the waivers. It also delegates the Act’s functions among the Secretaries of State, Treasury, and Energy and the Trade Representative. This site paraphrases that claim from the official source (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/implementing-the-lindsey-o-graham-sanctioning-russia-and-iran-act-of-2026/) and does not independently verify figures or endorse the policy.
Where is the official whitehouse.gov source?
The primary official source for this explainer is https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/implementing-the-lindsey-o-graham-sanctioning-russia-and-iran-act-of-2026/ (executive order). Additional whitehouse.gov links appear under Official sources in the AI breakdown. Linked official pages are the authority.

How to cite this page

Publisher: Trump’s Policy (independent official-source explainer). Not the White House and not a campaign.

Stated in the document

  • The order states that the President signed the Graham Act into law on September 18, 2026, and that the Act provides for sanctions on foreign persons, restrictions on persons, and duties on goods imported from the Russian Federation and certain other countries. It says section 115 of the Act lets the President waive these with a written certification and report to Congress. Executive order
  • Section 2 of the order sets duty increases: 500 percent ad valorem on goods from the Russian Federation; 100 percent on goods from the largest 5 importers of Russian-origin crude oil and natural gas if a country knowingly makes new purchases on or after October 18, 2026; and 100 percent on goods from the top 5 facilitators of Russian oil sanctions evasion. Each is stated as subject to the Act’s section 114 exceptions and to the order’s section 4 waivers. Executive order
  • Section 4 of the order waives the application of the duties in sections 112 and 113 of the Act or the order, and waives a listed set of the Act’s sanctions provisions and restrictions (sections 102(a), 102(d), 102(e), 103 through 111, and 117). The order states that the required certifications and reports were submitted to Congress. Executive order
  • The order states that the waivers remain in effect until the President or the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Treasury Secretary and the U.S. Trade Representative as appropriate, determines that further action is appropriate. Executive order
  • It states that nothing in the order affects sanctions or other measures under existing executive orders addressing the national emergency with respect to the Russian government that was continued on March 24, 2026, as in effect the day before the Act was enacted. Executive order
  • The order directs the Trade Representative, consulting State, Treasury, and Energy, to monitor purchases of Russian-origin crude oil and natural gas and the facilitation of sanctions evasion, report regularly, and promptly inform the President of anything that might call for further action, including on the waivers. It also delegates the Act’s functions among the Secretaries of State, Treasury, and Energy and the Trade Representative. Executive order