Trump puts new Russia sanctions that he recently signed into law on hold, citing national interest

President Donald Trump has suspended a major package of penalties aimed at Russia's economy, only a month after putting his name on it. In an executive order issued Friday, he told Congress that delaying the measures served the national interest. The order came two days before the statute's own implementation deadline, and congressional Democrats sharply criticized it. The White House had not said how the delay advances American interests, according to MS NOW.

The law honors the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died in July shortly after returning from Ukraine and had pushed for tougher measures against Moscow. It targeted Russian officials, banks and a fleet of tankers carrying Russian energy, and it called for tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian oil or natural gas. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who co-drafted it, accused Trump of abandoning the public, Congress and European allies to curry favor with Vladimir Putin. Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia urged lawmakers to repair the law.

The reversal follows Trump's announcement last week of a deal to buy Russian diesel, which members of both parties have condemned. Sen.

Summarized by PolitiKool from MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at MS NOW →