BS BULLETIN:

• President Donald Trump signed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sweeping Russia sanctions legislation into law Friday.
• The measure targets Russian officials, banks and the “shadow fleet” helping Moscow continue exporting energy.
• It also gives Trump authority to hit major buyers of Russian oil and gas with tariffs of up to 100%.

President Donald Trump has signed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s final major legislative project into law — and it gives the president a potentially enormous new economic weapon.

Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 at the White House Friday, formally turning the sweeping sanctions package into law.

The legislation is designed to squeeze Russian President Vladimir Putin economically as Moscow continues its war against Ukraine.

It targets Russian government officials and banks as well as the so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers Russia has used to keep its energy exports moving despite existing Western sanctions.

But one of the law’s biggest provisions doesn’t directly target Russia.

It targets Russia’s customers.

The legislation directs Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest importers of Russian oil or natural gas, subject to exemptions contained in the law.

China and India are among the world’s largest buyers of Russian oil, meaning the new authority could become an important bargaining chip for Trump well beyond Moscow.

Reuters reported that the legislation represents the first time in nearly 40 years that Congress has granted the executive branch new tariff authority.

The law gives the administration substantial discretion in determining which countries could ultimately face the new tariffs.

The bill had an unusually long journey to Trump’s desk.

Graham worked on the legislation for more than a year alongside Democratic Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

After Graham’s death in July, lawmakers continued pushing the measure as one of the South Carolina Republican’s final legislative priorities.

The Senate ultimately approved it 86-11.

The House followed Wednesday with a 262-159 vote, sending the legislation to Trump’s desk.

Graham’s sister, Sen. Darline Graham, was with Trump in the Oval Office for Friday’s signing.

“I wish Lindsey were here to celebrate this historic day,” she said in a statement. “I know he would be so proud.”

She said her brother believed squeezing Putin economically and forcing Russia’s customers to reconsider their relationship with Moscow could help bring the war to an end.

Not everyone in Congress supported the legislation.

Some Democrats objected to giving Trump additional tariff authority, arguing that the powers could eventually be used against U.S. allies or have unintended consequences for American consumers.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was among those opposing the bill, questioning why Congress should give Trump more authority to impose tariffs around the world.

The legislation also extends existing sanctions against Iran for five years — a provision Trump pushed to include before giving the package his support.

The Russia provisions, however, are the centerpiece of Graham’s final bill.

And after more than a year of negotiations, delays and arguments over just how much power the president should receive, the decision now moves largely to Trump.

DBS WIRE SOURCES:

• https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2026/09/congressional-bill-h-r-5334-signed-into-law/
• https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-russia-sanctions-ukraine-lindsey-graham-d1715ad5e8feccba76bfae51c5f28c45
• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-signs-russia-sanctions-bill-lindsey-graham/
• https://nypost.com/2026/09/18/us-news/trump-signs-lindsey-grahams-russia-sanctions-bill-into-law/
• https://www.britt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/u-s-senator-katie-britt-joins-president-trump-in-oval-office-for-signing-of-the-lindsey-o-graham-sanctioning-russia-and-iran-act-of-2026/