What was shaping up to be a hammer-blow against Russia in the US Senate has suddenly hit a wall — and it’s none other than President Trump who’s applying the brakes.
Senator Lindsay Graham’s ambitious “bone-crushing” sanctions bill, backed by more than 80 co-sponsors, aims to slap a staggering 500% tariff on countries importing Russian energy, uranium, and other raw materials. You’d think with that kind of “veto-proof” Senate support, the bill would be moving full steam ahead. But according to Bloomberg, lawmakers are reluctant to push forward without the White House’s green light, and Trump’s stance has stalled the whole thing.
The president hasn’t even glanced at the bill yet, saying sanctions would only come “at the right time.” That vague timetable has thrown a wrench into Graham’s plans to push the bill before the upcoming G7 summit in June. Now, the whole effort is “on hold,” leaving supporters frustrated and the tough talk somewhat muted.
Graham insists he’s been working hand-in-hand with the White House all along, telling his followers on X that the bill is designed to give Trump “more tools when it comes to Russia.” Meanwhile, Democrat co-sponsor Richard Blumenthal says they’re trying to tweak the legislation to make it more palatable for the administration.
Trump, ever the strategist, has hinted he’s holding a “deadline” in his mind — waiting to see if peace talks between Moscow and Kiev bear fruit. He’s even expressed a willingness to sanction both Russia and Ukraine, suggesting that letting the conflict simmer “for a while” might be a better approach than rushing in to separate the two sides.
The tension escalated recently when Ukrainian drone strikes targeted long-range nuclear-capable Russian bombers, a move Trump believes raises the risk of Moscow retaliating — and possibly sparking a wider conflict. Russia, on its part, accuses Kiev of ramping up attacks to sabotage peace efforts and claims that Trump is receiving “filtered” information from those urging Washington to fully back Ukraine.
So, for now, the Senate’s hardline sanctions bill remains frozen in place, caught between fierce bipartisan backing and presidential caution. The big question is: when will Trump decide it’s time to hit the gas?
#ChrisWickNews, #RussiaSanctions, #TrumpHesitation, #USPolitics
