Trump pledges at UN to invoke "Graham Act" on Russia sanctions if needed

US President Donald Trump said that he was prepared to use the "Lindsey Graham Act" to impose sanctions against Russia if necessary.

The politician made the statement during his address to the UN General Assembly, Censor.NET reports.

Sanctions against Russia

Trump noted that last week he had signed a "powerful new law passed by Congress" in honour of the late Senator Lindsey Graham.

"It gives me extraordinarily broad tariff powers. And if necessary, I will have to use them," the US president said.

Lindsey Graham’s bill on sanctions against Russia

In early April 2025, a bill introducing new sanctions against Russia was submitted to the US Senate. It proposed imposing 500% tariffs on goods imported from countries that continued to purchase Russian oil and other raw materials. The bill was co-sponsored by Senators Lindsey Graham (Republican) and Richard Blumenthal (Democrat).
On 10 July 2026, during a visit to Kyiv, Senator Lindsey Graham announced that an agreement had been reached with the White House administration on a new version of the sanctions bill against Russia.
On 28 July, the US Senate held its first procedural vote on the bill imposing new sanctions against Russia and Iran. The document was supported by 86 senators.
On 7 August, the bill introducing sweeping sanctions against Russia and Iran was supported by an overwhelming majority in the US Senate. It received 86 votes in favour and only 11 against.
On 16 September, the US House of Representatives passed a sanctions bill against Russia named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The bill received 262 votes in favour and 159 against.
The bill provides for a significant increase in sanctions pressure on Russia. In particular, it authorises the US president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that continue to purchase Russian energy resources.
On Friday, 18 September (during the night of Saturday, 19 September, Kyiv time), US President Donald Trump signed the late Senator Lindsey Graham’s bill on "hellish sanctions" against Russia, which had been approved by the House of Representatives the previous day.