GOP lawmakers criticize Trump's decision to waive Russia sanctions: 'Unconscionable'

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Several GOP lawmakers criticized President Trump’s move to exempt Russia from the sanctions bill he signed law last month, with Sen. Thom Tillis (R- N.C.) calling the move "beyond irresponsible." Trump signed an executive order Friday evening to waive sanctions against Russia in a legislative package that was meant to put pressure on the Kremlin to end its military operations against Ukraine. “What part of enforcing a law passed 86-11 by the Senate does the President and his advisors not understand? It’s unconscionable that this administration is capitulating to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine and butchers innocent civilians every single day,” Tillis wrote on the social platform X. The legislation, signed by Trump in September , would impose tariffs on the top five purchasers of Russian energy, or on countries helping Russia evade sanctions. The sanctions bill was drafted by and named after late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). The late senator had announced a breakthrough on the legislation shortly before his death in July, saying lawmakers reached a deal with the White House to move it forward. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas)  posted the news on social media Saturday morning saying, “Lindsey would be appalled.” “The President is prolonging the war, not ending it,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) wrote on social media , referring to Friday’s executive order.   In his Friday order , the president noted that the legislation allows him to “waive the application of any sanctions provision with respect to a foreign person.” “I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act,” Trump said in the order. “I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver at this time is in the national interests of the United States.” In a post on social platform X Saturday, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) showed support for the president’s decision, calling the sanctions legislation “short-sighted.” He noted in his post that he was among only seven Republicans who voted against the bill. “Glad to see Trump has used the executive authority granted to him by Congress to waive almost all of the provisions of this stupid law that pertain to Russia,” Massie wrote. One the other side of the aisle, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who played a major role in passing the sanctions bill, called the president’s move to waive sanctions for Russia, a “craven, cowardly action.” “These waivers have nothing to do with our national security, & everything to do with sucking up to Vladimir Putin,” Blumenthal wrote in his post. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) also slammed the president’s move on social platform X , saying it “betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent of legislation designed to punish Russia for its illegal war of aggression.” The move comes after the president struck a deal with Russia last week permitting the country to sell diesel products to the U.S. and in the world market amid global fuel shortages. The deal prompted backlash from lawmakers across the board. In an interview with Piers Morgan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky  said he felt “betrayed” by the president’s decision. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who was among five House Republicans who signed a letter to the president urging him to cancel the Russia diesel deal, posted to X Saturday asking the president to “reverse course” on the sanction waivers. “Time and again, we have seen how Putin responds to American concessions: with contempt for the United States and increased violence against innocent Ukrainians,” McCaul wrote. Updated at 2:57 p.m. EDT. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. This article originally appeared on The Hill at https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6155725-trump-waives-russia-sanctions/