Key facts
- A new Russia sanctions bill gives President Donald Trump broad powers to impose tariffs.
- The bill requires tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries importing Russian oil and gas.
- The legislation targets countries that are among the five largest importers of Russian energy or help Russia evade sanctions.
- Critics argue the broad language gives Trump discretion that could be abused and target other nations.
- The bill aims to deprive Russia of funds for its war in Ukraine.
- The White House stated this is the first time in nearly forty years Congress has granted new tariff authorities to the executive branch.
A new sanctions bill passed by Congress this week grants US President Donald Trump significant new powers to impose tariffs on countries importing Russian oil and gas, potentially impacting global trade for years to come. The legislation, which Trump is expected to sign on Friday, aims to cut off funding for Russia's war in Ukraine.
The bill requires Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% within 30 days on goods from the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas, or any country that knowingly made new purchases of oil or gas after the law was enacted or helped Russia evade sanctions. Critics, however, say the broad language gives US officials significant leeway in naming targets, with countries like China and India being major buyers of Russian energy.
Lawyers and former officials expressed concern that the discretionary authority granted to the president could be abused. "Given the discretionary authority that the president has, it is likely to be abused," said Laura Brank, a lawyer at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner. US Representative Don Beyer argued that Trump has a history of misapplying trade laws and is likely to do so again with this new legislation. The White House has denied abusing trade laws.
Despite these concerns, the White House legislative director stated that the bill represents the first time in nearly forty years that Congress has granted new tariff authorities to the executive branch. Some conservative groups, like the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, argue the bill has sufficient criteria and that original versions proposed even higher tariffs. Others note that Trump has broad authority to waive tariffs for national security reasons, potentially mitigating the impact.