Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said President Donald Trump phoned Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Sunday while they were on the golf course and urged him to “move the bill,” referring to the long-delayed Russia sanctions package, CNN’s Manu Raju reported on X.
Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, responded that the House must act first, according to Raju.
Why It Matters
The legislative push, led by Graham and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, both Republicans, aims to target nations that continue to trade with Russia—particularly in its energy sector—as the war in Ukraine grinds on.
The bill would introduce secondary sanctions against countries such as China and India, which have significantly increased imports of Russian oil and gas.
What To Know
The endorsement marks a significant shift for the legislation, which had stalled in Congress amid uncertainty about Trump’s position. Speaking with reporters on Sunday, Trump said the measure was “OK with me,” adding that it could include additional provisions targeting Iran.
Senator Graham, a close Trump ally, confirmed that the president’s backing has unblocked efforts in the Senate. “I am very pleased that with President Trump’s blessing, Congress will be moving on the overwhelmingly bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that will provide President Trump with more tools to end the bloodbath in Ukraine,” Graham said in a statement posted on X.
The bill has broad bipartisan support, with more than 80 Senate cosponsors, and is designed to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin by cutting off revenues from energy exports that finance the war in Ukraine. Trump had previously favored tariffs over sanctions and held off on endorsing the bill while he conducted separate negotiations with Putin.
A senior White House official told Reuters that Trump’s support is conditional on language being included in the legislation that preserves presidential discretion. “He would sign it. He signaled that last night,” the official said. “It’s always been important to the White House and the president that there’s a carve-out in the sanctions package that ensures the president has the ultimate decision-making authority on the sanctions.”
Trump’s renewed support for the sanctions package comes amid broader shifts in his administration’s approach to international enforcement. Graham has said the legislation was crafted “to give President Trump more flexibility and power to push Putin to the peace table by going after both Putin and countries like Iran that support him.”
What People Are Saying
Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said on X: “President Trump’s executive sanctions on the top two Russian oil companies have made a big difference. The Russia sanctions bill will continue the momentum to end this war honorably, justly, and once and for all.”
Representative Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania posted on X in October: “Any absurd attempt at drawing a moral equivalency between Russia and Ukraine defies all logic and common sense, and it must stop.”
What Happens Next
Whether the House will swiftly follow suit remains to be seen, but with momentum now behind the bill and Trump’s public approval, lawmakers are expected to move quickly.
Updates: 11/19/25, 3:41 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
