Congress Grants Trump Broad Tariff Authority

The U.S. Congress is nearing the passage of legislation that would grant President Donald Trump broad discretionary power to impose tariffs of up to 100% on top trading partners. This move comes after previous attempts by the Trump administration to enact significant tariffs were blocked by the courts. The Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 on Friday with a substantial bipartisan vote of 86 to 11. The House of Representatives is expected to follow suit next month with similar bipartisan backing.

The bill's primary objective is to sanction Russia, targeting President Vladimir Putin, senior Kremlin officials, and the nation's energy sector in response to its ongoing war in Ukraine. A key provision allows President Trump to levy tariffs as high as 100% on the top five importers of Russian oil and gas. These importers could include U.S. allies such as the European Union, South Korea, and Japan, as well as major trading nations like China and India. However, the legislation includes a provision that permits the President to issue waivers if he determines it to be "in the national interest of the United States."

Despite the overwhelming support for the bill, Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) attempted to remove the tariff-granting authority. Senator Paul argued on the Senate floor that the tariffs would not contribute to peace in Ukraine but would instead "deliberately make American families poorer by increasing tariffs, which are nothing but a tax on imported goods." Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) also expressed reservations about the extensive tariff powers. He stated his unease about granting such sweeping authority to President Trump, though he ultimately voted in favor of the bill after receiving a written assurance from U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. This assurance indicated that tariffs would be removed once countries are no longer considered primary buyers of Russian energy or facilitators of sanctions evasion. Nevertheless, Senator Warnock vowed to remain vigilant, noting, "We should not have to choose between putting a check on Putin’s aggression and putting a check on this president’s tariffs regime." He further warned that if President Trump "oversteps his power, we will see him in court."

The legislative action follows a February Supreme Court ruling that limited President Trump's ability to use existing laws for imposing tariffs, specifically mentioning the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. This new bill, therefore, represents a legislative effort to circumvent those judicial limitations and provide a clear statutory basis for the executive branch to implement significant trade penalties. The broad bipartisan consensus suggests a unified congressional approach to leveraging economic tools for foreign policy objectives, even as concerns persist regarding the potential domestic economic impact and the concentration of power in the executive.