Did Trump Waive All Sanctions on Russia Under the Graham Act?
Did Trump waive all of the sanctions on Russia in Lindsey Graham's Sanctioning Russia Act, as Rep. Don Beyer said on 17 October?
True, but…
Trump waived some sanctions under the Graham Act, but not all sanctions.
Rep. Don Beyer's post correctly reports that Trump waived some sanctions as allowed by the Lindsey Graham Act. However, saying he waived all sanctions is inaccurate, as pre-existing sanctions remain intact.
Claims
2 checkedTrump just waived all of the sanctions on Russia provided for in the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia Act.1234
President Trump did indeed invoke the waiver authority of the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia Act on October 16, 2026, to suspend new sanctions and tariffs mandated by the legislation. However, claiming he waived 'all' sanctions is misleading, as this action applies only to new measures and does not eliminate previous sanctions imposed under different authorities. The coverage by major news outlets confirms that the waivers stopped the implementation of specific tariffs and duties, but the existing sanctions remain in place, demonstrating a nuanced scenario that Beyer's statement oversimplifies.
Trump’s latest surrender to Putin again betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent of legislation designed to punish Russia.
This statement expresses a political interpretation rather than a verifiable fact. Beyer uses strong language to characterize Trump's actions as a 'surrender' to Russia, which reflects personal opinion on the political implications of the waiver. This interpretation cannot be substantiated in the same manner as the factual claim about the waiver itself.
A text-only post: there was no media to test.
What was posted
XOn Twitter, Rep. Don Beyer stated that Trump waived all sanctions on Russia under the Graham Act and claimed this was a surrender to Putin.
“Trump just waived all of the sanctions on Russia provided for in the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia Act, just as I and others warned he would. Trump’s latest surrender to Putin again betrays our Ukrainian partners and defies clear congressional intent of legislation designed to punish Russia fo…”
Who posted it
XAccount check
Estimates from public signals — account age, posting pattern, audience — not a judgement of the person behind the account, and separate from whether this post is true.
What stood out
- The Twitter handle @RepDonBeyer is associated with U.S. Representative Donald S. Beyer Jr., who has served Virginia's 8th congressional district since January 2015. (civicdatadirectory.com)
- Representative Beyer is a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means and chairs the Joint Economic Committee. (civicdatadirectory.com)
- He has a history of active engagement on social media, including Twitter, where he has over 100,000 followers. (wikidata.org)
- The account has been active since at least 2015, aligning with Representative Beyer's tenure in Congress. (wikidata.org)
- The account is not verified on Twitter, which is common for public figures and does not necessarily indicate inauthenticity.
Signals (4)+
- Posting cadence
- Regular
- Follower ratio
- High
- Notable news coverage
- Beyer Skips Trump's Speech To Focus On Helping Laid-Off Workers; Profile of Democrat Representative Beyer from Virginia District 8
- Fact check history
- Beyer Skips Trump's Speech To Focus On Helping Laid-Off Workers
Account checked October 17, 2026, 15:08 UTC
Sources
5 sources reviewed- 1Trump puts new Russia sanctions that he recently signed into law on hold, citing national interest ↗
Associated Press · apnews.comPrimary / fact-checkerwire + AP Fact Check (Tier A)Evidence
Confirms the president's executive order and the fact that new sanctions were put on hold.
- 2Implementing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 ↗
The White House · whitehouse.govPrimary / fact-checkerprimary/official source (by domain)Evidence
Provides the official text of the executive order reflecting the waiver authority.
- 3Trump signs order waiving Graham Act sanctions on Russia ↗
ABC News · abcnews.go.comReputable outletLean LeftEvidence
Reports that while Trump waived new sanctions, previous sanctions remain intact.
- 4Trump waives tariffs on largest buyers of Russian oil, days before Lindsey Graham-backed law was set to take effect ↗
CBS News · cbsnews.comReputable outletLean LeftEvidence
Reports the specifics of the sanctions that were waived by Trump’s action.
- 5Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 (COMPS-18476) ↗
GovInfo (Congress/US government) · govinfo.govPrimary / fact-checkerprimary/official source (by domain)Further reading
Details the text of the Graham Act and the legal context for the waiver.
Further reading
- 1Associated Press This AP article discusses the executive order and its implications regarding international sanctions.
- 3ABC News ABC News outlines what the Graham Act involves and the specifics of how Trump's action affects it.
- 4CBS News CBS News covers the implications of Trump's waiver on existing sanctions and economic relations.
The full story
On October 16, 2026, the White House issued an executive order invoking the waiver authority of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, effectively halting the implementation of certain new sanctions and tariffs scheduled to go into effect later that month. This action followed significant bipartisan pressure to address sanctions against Russia, especially in light of ongoing geopolitical tensions. The waiver applied primarily to new measures that were recently enacted, including steep tariffs, but it did not remove previously established sanctions that were already in effect under other legislative frameworks. Major media outlets immediately reported on this development, confirming the accuracy of the core action while addressing the limitations of the waiver in context. Beyer's characterization, while based on actual events, oversimplifies the complexities of U.S. sanctions policy and presents a subjective interpretation of Trump's motives.
How it was framed
The claim about the waiver is misleading because while it reports a real action taken by Trump, it does so in a way that suggests a total lifting of sanctions, which is not the case.
- Emotional language. Beyer refers to Trump's action as a 'surrender' to Putin, evoking strong emotional responses.
- Selective evidence. The claim emphasizes the waiver's immediate effect while neglecting to mention that existing sanctions remain in place.
- Us vs. them. Beyer frames the issue as a betrayal of allies, exacerbating a perceived conflict between the U.S. administration and Ukraine.
Bias
Leans anti-Trump / pro-Ukraine. The post combines a factual assertion about an executive action with strongly negative evaluative language framing the move as a 'surrender' and a 'betrayal' of Ukraine. That mixes verified facts with partisan interpretation.
Bias describes how the post frames its message — the slant of the language, selection and emphasis — and is judged separately from whether the claim is true. A true claim can still be framed with a strong slant.
How we checked
1 min 16 s- 1
We searched for reports on Trump's actions regarding the Graham Sanctioning Russia Act.
- 2
We reviewed the executive order published by the White House on October 16, 2026.
- 3
We analyzed coverage from multiple sources to corroborate the reporting on the sanctions.
✓ Claim checked– Media not applicable✓ Sources checked
Why 88% confidence
HighThe confidence band is HIGH due to strong corroboration from multiple, respected sources, including major news outlets and official statements.
Spot it yourself
Find the overstatementLooks suspicious, isn’t proof
- The claim uses emotive language to create a dramatic interpretation.
- Sounds like a political attack rather than a straightforward report of facts.
- 'All' is an absolute term that raises skepticism about its accuracy.
The actual evidence
- The White House executive order confirmed the use of the waiver authority but clarified limitations.
- Major news outlets confirmed the executive order and reported the specifics of the sanctions that remain enforced.
- The statement's broad language oversimplifies complex sanctions policy.
- 1
Read the executive order that is being referenced.
Look for the precise language used in the official documents to understand the action taken.
- 2
Check multiple reputable news sources.
Gather diverse perspectives on the issue to weigh claims against established facts.
- 3
Identify keywords in the claim for accuracy.
Terms like 'all' or 'complete' may indicate an overreaching claim.
Takeaway
Always verify the accuracy of political claims by checking official sources and multiple news outlets before accepting them as true.
Questions people ask
Did Trump really waive all sanctions on Russia?+
No, Trump waived some sanctions under the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia Act but did not lift existing sanctions imposed by separate authorities.
What does the Graham Sanctioning Russia Act entail?+
The Graham Act allows the president to waive certain sanctions, which are meant to punish Russia but still maintains earlier sanctions in place.
What were the consequences of this waiver?+
The waiver has generated political controversy, with some seeing it as a concession to Russia that undermines U.S. support for Ukraine.
Go deeper
- Executive Order
- A directive issued by the president to manage the operations of the federal government.
- Sanction
- A penalty or restriction imposed by one country on another as a way to influence behavior.
- Waiver Authority
- The legal power granted to the president to exempt certain actions from provisions of a law.
People also search for
For educators+
- How do emotional words influence our perception of political events?
- Why is it important to verify political statements with multiple sources?
- What role do interpretations play in the news?
About this check
- Platform
- X
- Posted by
- @RepDonBeyer
- Posted
- October 17, 2026
- Age when checked
- Under 24 hours old when checked
- Where it spread
- United States, Russia, Ukraine
- Audience
- International audience
- Language
- EN
- Status
- ● Post is live
- Verified
- October 17, 2026, 15:10 UTC
- Published
- October 17, 2026, 15:10 UTC
Reach. 7,425 likes, 454 replies (X syndication, 17 Oct); quotes the order text posted by @Fritschner; story led Euronews, El Pais, Spiegel, Open on 17 Oct
This verdict was generated with AI from the sources shown. AI can make mistakes — check the sources before relying on it.
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