President Trump drew bipartisan criticism after waiving new Russia sanctions two days before they were due to take effect, through an executive order issued on Friday. The Graham Act, signed on Sept. 18, lets him waive the restrictions if he certifies to Congress that doing so serves US national interests. The waiver came a week after he eased sanctions on Russia's energy sector and announced a deal to import diesel: 300,000 tons, about 2.2 million barrels, against US daily use of 4.1 million barrels. Republican senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn, Representative Don Bacon, and Democrat Gregory Meeks called the move irresponsible or a boost for Putin. Experts say the diesel deal will not offset oil supply disruptions from the Iran war.
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Related tickers and likely impact
XAU/USD
• NeutralRelevance: low
| Market | Gold |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/19/2026 | 4,140.75 |
| Change that session | -0.60% |
Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.
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