Trump Waives New Russia Sanctions, Faces GOP Backlash

President Trump has ordered relief from a round of new Russia sanctions, a waiver that keeps a penalty package associated with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., from taking full effect even as Russian forces continue strikes inside Ukraine, according to NBC News Nightly News and earlier HTT News Policy Desk reporting on the move.

What does the sanctions waiver actually do?

A waiver, in sanctions law, pauses enforcement of a specific penalty or set of penalties without repealing the underlying statute or executive order. The measure at issue carries Graham's name because the senator had pushed for the sanctions package targeting Moscow, HTT News Policy Desk reported in its earlier account of the waiver. By signing the waiver, the administration keeps the legal authority in place while declining, for now, to apply it.

Why is Trump facing criticism from his own party?

NBC News' Yamiche Alcindor reported that the president is facing "new criticism, including from some in his party," for ordering the relief while Russia keeps striking Ukraine. The network did not name the Republican critics or quote them directly in the segment, but it framed the waiver as a decision made despite the continuation of Russian attacks — the central fact driving the pushback described in the report.

What was Trump doing when the criticism surfaced?

The president was in Kentucky on Saturday, campaigning for midterm candidates weeks ahead of Election Day, according to the NBC News report. The rally appearance placed the sanctions controversy squarely inside the midterm campaign calendar, with Trump stumping for down-ballot Republicans at the same moment the waiver was drawing scrutiny from inside his own coalition.

Is Russia still striking Ukraine during this relief?

Yes, according to the NBC News report, which states the sanctions relief was ordered "even as it continues to strike Ukraine." The network's Nightly News broadcast separately noted that Ukraine has resumed strikes on Russian refineries, underscoring that fighting on both sides has not paused alongside the U.S. sanctions decision.

What is the timeline of events?

HTT News Policy Desk first reported the waiver of the new Russia sanctions tied to Graham on Oct. 18, 2026. NBC News aired its report on the political fallout, including the Kentucky rally and the criticism from within Trump's party, on Oct. 17, 2026. Both accounts describe an overlapping sequence: the waiver's issuance, continued Russian strikes on Ukraine, and the president's midterm travel schedule running in parallel.

What happens next?

Neither report specifies a reversal date or a congressional vote tied to the waiver. The sanctions authority Graham's package created remains on the books even though its enforcement is paused, meaning the administration could reapply the penalties later without new legislation. Watch for statements from Graham himself or other Senate Republicans, and for any White House comment responding directly to the criticism NBC News described but did not source to specific lawmakers by name.