Washington, October 18, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian-American lawmakers have joined a growing backlash in the US Congress against President Donald Trump’s decision to waive tariffs and sanctions under a new law targeting buyers of Russian oil, with a senior Republican senator also criticising the move.
Congressman Ami Bera, a California Democrat, said Trump’s decision to waive the new sanctions on Russia raised questions about the administration’s commitment to Ukraine.
“Trump’s decision to waive new sanctions on Russia should leave no doubt: that is exactly what is happening,” Bera said on X, responding to a question about whether the administration was abandoning Ukraine.
“My Republican colleagues pushed hard to pass the Lindsey Graham Russia sanctions bill before we left town. They ought to be standing up and screaming at the top of their lungs that we don’t side with Russia,” he added.
Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, a Virginia Democrat, also criticised the decision, saying Trump was undermining Congress’s authority, abandoning Ukraine and allowing Russian President Vladimir Putin to avoid accountability.
“Trump is doing exactly what we warned: undermining Congress’ authority, abandoning Ukraine, and letting Putin off the hook,” Subramanyam said.
Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas, a founder of the Senate India Caucus, shared a New York Times report on the order and commented, “Lindsey would be appalled.”
Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican after whom the law is named, died in July.
Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin also condemned the move, saying Trump had once again chosen to capitulate to the Kremlin.
“President Trump has once again opted for capitulation to the Kremlin. Lindsey Graham, John McCain, and Ronald Reagan must be turning in their graves,” Durbin said.
Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Trump had possessed the authority to impose sanctions on Russia for years but lacked the willingness to do so.
“After weeks of pro-Putin policy and this shameful waiver, he deserves a different honor: the Neville Chamberlain Appeasement Award,” Meeks said in a statement posted by the committee’s Democrats.
Congressman Jim McGovern, a Massachusetts Democrat, questioned whether Trump had received any assurances from Putin in exchange for the decision.
“What did Putin promise Trump in exchange? That he’d try to influence US elections—again?” McGovern asked.
“Immoral imports from Russia won’t help—but will make it harder to roll back Russian aggression,” he added.
However, not all reactions to the waiver were critical. The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), a US-based organisation, thanked Trump for what it described as “a pragmatic pause” on oil import tariffs under the Graham Act, citing rising diesel and energy prices amid the wars in Ukraine and Iran.
“With winter approaching, affordable energy & diplomacy must remain priorities,” FIIDS said.
Trump signed the executive order on October 16, bringing into effect the law’s provisions for duties of up to 100 per cent on major buyers of Russian oil and gas while also waiving those duties in the same order. The waiver spared countries such as India, one of the largest buyers of Russian crude, from the immediate impact of the tariffs.
The decision comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio prepares to visit India for talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Mumbai on October 20.
FOLLOW NOW
