Graham’s 500% Tariff Fury: Crippling Russia, Crushing Global Trade?

Graham’s Sanctions Bombshell

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has unveiled a new sanctions bill that’s making waves in Washington — and beyond. Described by Graham as “one of the most draconian sanctions bills ever written,” the proposal aims to cut off Russian energy sales with sky-high 500% tariffs.

💣 Graham says the bill is designed to be “bone-crushing” for Russia’s war economy. But it’s also raising alarms about unintended consequences for the U.S. economy and its major trading partners.

The proposed Sanctioning Russia Act would slap these tariffs on any country that buys Russian oil, gas, or uranium. That includes not just Russia’s biggest energy customers — India and China — but also key U.S. allies in Europe that still rely on Russian imports.

⚡ “A 500% tariff is essentially a hard decoupling,” said Kevin Book, managing director at Clear View Energy Partners. Such a massive tariff could effectively freeze the U.S. out of global trade with these countries.

Recognizing the potential for economic upheaval, Graham has proposed an exemption for countries aiding Ukraine — a move designed to protect the European Union, which still gets nearly 20% of its gas from Russia.

But experts remain skeptical that this bill is realistic. Edward Fishman, a senior researcher at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, said these countries can’t just stop buying Russian energy overnight.

China and India alone purchase around 70% of Russia’s energy exports. Cutting ties would cause major shocks to global supply chains — and serious pain at home in the U.S.

🔍 “It would hurt Americans quite a bit,” Fishman warned. He predicted that these tariffs would drive up U.S. prices, damage supply chains, and possibly push unemployment levels into recession territory.

📝 What’s the goal?

The aim of Graham’s bill — co-sponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) — is to choke off the flow of money fueling Russia’s war machine. With the Kremlin still earning hundreds of billions of dollars from energy exports, many in Congress say it’s time for tough action.

In fact, the bill already has 82 Senate supporters and is gaining momentum in the House.

However, Matt Zweig, a senior policy director at FDD Action, says the bill will likely evolve before it becomes law. “Sanctions legislation usually goes through every nook and cranny,” he said, noting that such processes can be lengthy and complex.

👥 Still, the push for action is clear. Adam Smith, a former senior sanctions official in the Obama administration, said Congress is sending a signal: “There is a sense in the Senate that more sanctions on Russia need to be imposed.”

Graham echoed this frustration in Paris last weekend, telling reporters: “The Senate is pissed that Russia is playing a game at our expense and the world’s expense. We’re willing to do something we haven’t been willing to do before — go after people that have been helping Putin.”

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), a top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, dismissed concerns the bill is too aggressive. “We need to make Putin understand he has to stop screwing around and come to the table,” she said.

🛑 Not everyone’s on board. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a longtime skeptic of sanctions, called it “literally the most ill-conceived bill I’ve ever seen in Washington,” warning it would effectively embargo 36 countries worldwide.

Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine remain deadlocked in their negotiations. Talks in Istanbul on Monday resulted only in a prisoner exchange — no broader peace breakthrough.

🌍 Graham and Blumenthal spent last week’s congressional recess in Europe, meeting with key allies. In Berlin, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen signaled her backing, saying: “Pressure works, as the Kremlin understands nothing else.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune suggested Monday that the Senate could take up the bill as soon as later this month. Republican lawmakers are eager to get President Trump’s support before they move forward.

👀 Trump has so far remained tight-lipped. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump sees sanctions as “a tool in his toolbox,” but wouldn’t confirm his stance on Graham’s bill.

On Truth Social this week, Trump shared an op-ed supporting the bill, hinting at an endorsement. And in the Oval Office Thursday, he said: “They’re waiting for me to decide on what to do,” calling the measure a “harsh bill.”

💡 Trump has a history of using tariffs aggressively — and unpredictably. Earlier this year, he slapped 145% tariffs on Chinese imports, only to scale them back weeks later for trade negotiations.

The Graham-Blumenthal bill would give Trump the power to delay or scale back the 500% tariffs if he determines Russia is engaging in peace talks or abiding by future agreements.

⚠️ Bottom Line

This bill is a dramatic escalation in the U.S. economic battle with Russia — and could have ripple effects worldwide. While there’s growing bipartisan momentum for punishing Moscow, there are big questions about whether the U.S. economy can stomach such an aggressive move.