NEWS & RESEARCH
President Trump signed an executive order on October 16, 2026, exempting Russia from a new bipartisan sanctions measure known as the Graham Act, asserting, without explanation, that the waiver is in the US national interest. The sanctions, named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, were designed to deprive Russia of cash to fund its war against Ukraine. The decision comes as the administration seeks to lower global gasoline and diesel prices—driven largely by supply issues linked to the Iran war—ahead of the midterm elections. The US agreed to import $4 billion worth of Russian diesel and temporarily lifted related sanctions until April. The sanctions waiver coincided with reports that a version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet used by the Ukrainian military was throttled without warning, severely hurting Ukrainian drone and air-defense operations. Trump denied ordering the throttling but SpaceX CEO Elon Musk maintained that “Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government" and that "any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately” the president. The throttling came after Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv for a second straight night, killing at least nine people and damaging electricity and heating infrastructure. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine did not receive its usual warnings from Western allies. Sources told Reuters and other media that the US threatened to cut off intelligence for early warning of missile strikes on Ukraine to pressure Kyiv to suspend attacks on Russian oil refineries.
SOURCES: New York Times | Washington Post | Aljazeera | CNBC | The Guardian
ANALYSIS & OPINION
Zelensky argues that Trump’s lifting of sanctions feeds the Russian war machine and helps finance attacks against Ukrainian cities. Congressional critics strongly condemned the president’s order, calling it a surrender to Putin and a direct defiance of congressional intent. Lame duck Sen. Thom Tillis denounced the Trump move, stating “It’s unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine and butchers innocent civilians every single day.” Sen. John Cornyn, who lost his GOP primary to remain in the Senate, circulated a column from the conservative National Review calling on Congress to investigate the “aid and comfort” Trump was providing to Putin.
SOURCES: New York Times | Washington Post | Aljazeera | CNBC | The Guardian
HOW TO FIX IT
Federal action:
Congress should amend the Graham Act using strict, non-discretionary language (such as "the President may not waive") rather than discretionary language that grants a national security or national interest waiver.
Congress hold follow up on its demand to the Department of Defense Inspector General to investigate the speed curbs imposed on SpaceX's Starlink and Starshield networks with its own investigation into the Starlink service disruptions to determine whether they resulted from a deliberate White House policy order or an intentional act by Elon Musk.
