Trump to Back Bipartisan Russia Sanctions Bill in Tribute to Late Senator Lindsey Graham

US President Donald Trump will back a major bipartisan Russia sanctions package initiated by the late Senator Lindsey Graham.

The presidential endorsement comes just days after the sudden death of Graham, the South Carolina Republican who spent years advocating for tougher economic penalties against Moscow, according to CNN on July 13.

Before Graham's passing, he and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal had announced they reached a deal with the Trump administration after extensive negotiations. However, Trump’s direct backing of the bill remained uncertain until now, as the president had previously criticized similar legislative mandates in favor of executive discretion.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune confirmed that the White House had been collaborating closely with Graham on the measure. Expressing optimism about the bill's legislative path, Thune noted that passing it would serve as a lasting tribute to the senator's career.

"For this will take Democrats and Republicans here in the Senate, but I'm hopeful that we can get it done," Thune told. He added that during Graham’s final days, the sanctions package was "the single most important legacy item to him, and it certainly would be an incredible legacy for him."

Senator Blumenthal also shared that he plans to discuss the bill's timing and details with Thune, including finding a new Republican lead sponsor to fill Graham's role.

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The proposed legislation would authorize the president to levy high tariffs on imports from nations that continue to purchase Russian oil, uranium, and natural gas, aiming to weaken Moscow’s economic base amid Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

"It should be seen as an appropriate tribute to Senator Graham to do this quickly in his memory," Blumenthal said. "That is exactly what we talked about when I last spoke to him over the weekend."

Following a short and sudden illness, US Senator Lindsey Graham passed away on July 11 at the age of 71, just one day after completing his tenth visit to Kyiv since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

During his final trip to Ukraine, the longtime Republican lawmaker met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and toured a domestic drone manufacturing facility, where he emphasized the importance of building a technological partnership between Washington and Kyiv.

In the wake of his sudden death, both US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian officials paid tribute to Graham, honoring his decades of legislative service and his unwavering advocacy for stronger military assistance and tougher sanctions against Russia.

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