White House says Trump supports Graham’s Russia sanctions bill

Administration White House says Trump supports Graham’s Russia sanctions bill Comments: by Julia Manchester - 07/13/26 4:38 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Julia Manchester - 07/13/26 4:38 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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President Trump is supporting the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) Russia sanctions bill, a White House official confirmed to The Hill on Monday.

The confirmation comes amid a push on Capitol Hill led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) to get members of Congress to pass the legislation in Graham’s honor.

Graham and Shaheen, along with Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) had just reached an agreement with the White House regarding the text for potential sanctions legislation against Russia prior to Graham’s sudden death over the weekend.

“On Friday, Senators Graham, Blumenthal, Wicker and I announced White House support for our Russia sanctions legislation to help finally achieve peace for Ukraine, which Lindsey described as one of his most consequential efforts,” Shaheen wrote in a statement posted to social media.

“There can be no more fitting memorial to Lindsey, his legacy, or the causes he fought for, than to pass this legislation and realize his long-held dream of an independent and secure Ukraine,” she added.

The late South Carolina senator’s bill, known as the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, proposed 500 percent tariffs on countries that purchase Russian oil and gas.

“We’ve reached an agreement with the White House on a version of the Russian sanctions bill that they will support. It means it’s going to become law,” Graham had said, speaking from Kyiv during his 10th visit to the country prior to his death.

After his sudden passing over the weekend, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) on Monday tapped Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to fill the remainder of his term through January. A special GOP primary will take place in August for the full six-year term.