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President Trump on Wednesday issued a new demand for lawmakers to amend a Russia sanctions bill and grant him authorities to tariff Iran, likely complicating the legislation’s path forward as it heads to a vote in the House.
Democrats, while largely supporting the legislation, have already raised concerns about the expansive tariff powers it grants to the president.
The Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 on Tuesday night in a vote of 86 to 12, an overwhelming show of support that signaled both bipartisan backing for Ukraine and affection for Graham, who died suddenly earlier this month.
“I’d like them to add Iran as tariffs, not just as sanctions, I think that’s important, that’s what Lindsey wanted,” Trump said, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office.
The bill gives the president authority to slap tariffs of up to 100 percent on the top five purchasers of Russian energy, military equipment or countries facilitating Russian sanctions evasion. The bill largely targets China, India and countries in southeast Asia. The bill also imposes a 500 percent tariff on Russian imports to the U.S.
The U.S. holds very little trade with Iran, importing only $1.4 million worth of goods in 2025. Comparatively, U.S. imports from Russia totaled $3.8 billion in 2025.
It’s unclear what exactly Trump envisions for Iran-related tariff powers, and which countries might be targeted.
But the demand will almost surely complicate the Graham bill’s pathway to passage in the House. The House is expected to pick up the Senate-passed version “under suspension,” prohibiting amendments to the text and requiring a two-thirds majority for passage.
There’s concern that Democrats critical of the tariff authorities in the bill may upset passage, although some senators who held those concerns voted in favor of the bill on Tuesday night after speaking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who urged its passage as is.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), a leading co-sponsor, said she was determined to speak with House colleagues and convince them to vote yes.
But Trump’s call for tariffs on Iran may impact how Republicans want to move forward, if the bill is opened up for amendments, and whether Democrats may try to take advantage of any amendment process. If the tariffs are not included and the House passes the bill, Trump could exercise a veto — forcing the GOP-controlled Senate to override the president’s objections.
Senators already responded to a last-minute request from Trump after Graham’s death to add sanctions on Iran to the bill, with a provision extending for five years the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 that was set to expire at the end of the year.
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