White House Pressures Senate to Soften Russia Sanctions Bill
The Trump administration is quietly urging Senator Lindsey Graham to weaken his bipartisan Russia sanctions bill, which currently boasts over 80 Senate co-sponsors, The Gaze reports, citing The Wall Street Journal.
The legislation imposes strict penalties on Russian officials and foreign countries doing business with Moscow—measures President Donald Trump fears could derail efforts to revive U.S.-Russia relations and end the war in Ukraine.
According to congressional aides, the White House has asked Graham to include waivers that would give Trump discretion over sanctions and to change mandatory language from “shall” to “may,” effectively removing the bill’s enforcement power.
“They’ll be guided by me. That’s how it’s supposed to be,” Trump said Thursday in the Oval Office, calling the sanctions “a harsh bill.”
Graham confirmed ongoing negotiations and said the bill is still moving forward, possibly with carve-outs to protect allies helping Ukraine. However, he did not comment on whether he would accept the changes requested by the White House.
Democrats, including co-sponsor Sen. Richard Blumenthal, are involved in talks but have not disclosed details. Senator Tim Kaine warned against excessive concessions:
“I could foresee some scenario where it would be so watered down we wouldn’t like it, but I don’t think Lindsey is going to agree to that.”
With enough bipartisan support to override a veto, the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 remains a test of how far Congress is willing to go amid White House resistance.
As The Gaze previously reported, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal are spearheading a bipartisan push to enact a powerful new sanctions package against Russia ahead of the Group of Seven (G7) summit, scheduled for June 15-17 in Alberta, Canada.
Read more on The Gaze: Are Ukraine’s Allies Ready to Take Sanctions Against Russia to the Next Level in 2025?