A powerful new sanctions bill pending in the US Senate is poised to grant President Donald Trump unprecedented authority to impose heavy tariffs on Russia’s trading partners, aiming to cripple the Kremlin’s economy amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The bill, championed by hawkish Senator Lindsey Graham alongside Democrat Richard Blumenthal, promises to give the administration what Graham calls a “sledgehammer” to break the economic support propping up Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war efforts.

Speaking in an interview aired on CBS News on July 13, Senator Lindsey Graham underscored the urgency behind the legislation, emphasizing the bipartisan support it has already gathered in the Senate. “Dick and I have got 85 co-sponsors in the United States Senate for congressional sanctions with a sledgehammer available to President Trump to go after Putin’s economy, and all those countries who prop up the Putin war machine,” Graham said. This broad backing highlights the increasing consensus among US lawmakers on the need to intensify pressure on Moscow to end its military aggression.

The bill would empower the president to impose tariffs of up to 500% on countries that continue to trade with Russia, effectively punishing Moscow’s international allies and intermediaries who sustain its economy despite Western sanctions. Senator Graham specifically named China, India, and Brazil as potential targets of these secondary tariffs, reflecting growing concern in Washington about these nations’ continued economic ties with Russia.

President Trump has previously indicated a willingness........

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