President Trump signed an executive order on Friday night exempting Russia from a new sanctions measure that Congress passed last month, offering another economic lifeline to Russian President Vladimir V. Putin as the United States turns to Russia for help in lowering gas prices.
The sanctions were intended to target Russian officials, oligarchs and financial institutions, and were part of a law that was named after Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who died in July after spending more than a year building support for the measure.
The law, which is intended to squeeze the financial lifelines sustaining Russia’s war against Ukraine, also provided Mr. Trump with additional tariff authority that he could use to punish countries that continue to trade with Russia.
The White House has broad authority to issue sanctions exemptions or waivers, and the new law requires Mr. Trump to notify Congress only if he opts against imposing the economic restrictions on Russia. Two days before the law is set to take effect, Mr. Trump exercised that power.
“I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions and duties provided for in the Graham Act,” Mr. 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.”
The order does not explain why waiving the sanctions is in the interests of the United States or what rationale Mr. Trump is providing to Congress for the waivers. » | Alan Rappeport | Reporting from Washington | Published: Friday, October 16, 2026. Updated: Saturday, October 17, 2026
This bromance is heating up apace! We can now be in no doubt where Trump’s affections lie! We can also no longer be in any doubt about the direction Trump is taking America. Trump is now one step closer to turning America’s back on its traditional allies and, instead, is pivoting America over to the other side. The Western alliance is now all but dead in its current form. From now on, America will grow ever closer with Moscow, the Kremlin, and his very close buddy, Vladimir.
The implications of this shift are GARGANTUAN. Naturally, it shifts power. And in a colossal way. But it is also indicative of what is going to happen to Americans’ human rights. If this continues, gay rights, for example, will be severely diminished. Just take a look at the lamentable circumstances of gays in Russia. Trump will surely wish to follow Vlad now. After all, Vlad is the puppeteer and Trump, the marionette. In common parlance, Vlad is pulling the strings.
However, the greatest change henceforward will be felt in the American political set-up itself. America has never been a true democracy, but it had tried to play that part out. It played a good game.
Just for those doubting my words… There has always been far too much money in American politics for it to be a true democracy. A true democracy is based on the wishes of all the people, regardless of financial means. Not just the wishes of the rich. Further, there is far too much corporate wealth in American politics for it ever to be a proper democracy. If you want to see true democracy in action, look to Switzerland, not the USA.
But all that will now fade into the past. Donald J Trump is taking America on a journey to autocratic rule. To dictatorship, if you will. The world’s dictators are Trump’s role models. He is determined and intent on emulating them and their way of doing business and conducting affairs.
The America the world once knew and loved is being inhumed; it is being laid to rest. Put another way, it is being consigned to the dustbin of history.
Sad indeed, and extremely disturbing! — © Mark Alexander
